Growing wheat for four generations

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By Emma Swanson Times Reporter

On their farm southwest of Strathmore, the Risdon family has grown wheat for four generations.
“It’s your own operation; the kids come along and it’s great to educate them on the process,” said Brooke Parker, grain farmer and manager of Risdon Farming Ltd.
Risdon Farming is “an amalgamation of my grandparents and parent’s farms,” said Parker, whose maiden name is Risdon.
On the farm, Jesse Parker, Brooke’s husband “runs the office,” said Parker.
Their three children, 14-year-old Nolan, 11-year-old Meleah and eight-year-old Rhett “get to see that money doesn’t grow on trees.”
Parker said during seeding and harvesting season, tending to the farm is “a balancing act for sure,” with her children being in school and sports.
“It definitely gets busy because you can’t be two places at once,” she added.
Parker said she has been working on the farm “since as long as I can remember.”
After becoming the manager of the farm in 2012, Parker’s duties have entailed buying seed with an agronomist, seeding, figuring out where the seed is going, as well as driving the truck and combine.
“I love driving the combine,” said Parker, who added she also enjoys “having my hands in the dirt during seeding, checking all of the (seed) drills and making sure everything gets executed as planned.”
The crew that Parker manages “works together like a well-oiled machine,” said Parker, with 10 to 12 workers farming during harvesting season and four workers farming during seeding season.
With the help of the crew, Parker grows red hard wheat, malting barley, canola and yellow field peas.
Parker has baked bread from her wheat, but more occasionally makes bread in her mouth when she’s “grabbing wheat off of the combine to test the moisture,” said Parker.
Growing her crops can be a challenge because “there are a ton of obstacles. We’re always at the mercy of Mother Nature.
“I haven’t been able to get through harvest without white stuff since 2013,” said Parker. “Where I’m growing my best-looking crop is most likely where it’s going to hail.”
Parker sells Risdon Farming Ltd. grain locally to Richardson Pioneer, Cargill Carseland, Victoria Country Grains, Parrish and Heimbecker, Paterson Grain, Rogers Foods and GrainsConnect.
Parker noted there have been some delays of moving grain to elevators amid the COVID-19 pandemic; however, she said Risdon Farming can still deliver grain and has adapted to a new normal.
Despite the obstacles of growing crops and selling grain, Parker said she finds reward in “being able to harvest them and see the efforts grow on the field.”
Parker obtained her diploma from Strathmore High School, her degree in kinesiology from the University of Calgary, and has since attended farming conferences and programs to learn more about farming.
“It’s always a good thing to have perspective,” said Parker, “It’s valuable to educate people on grain farming in general.”
Parker said she hasn’t considered being on farm commodity boards because she wants to spend time with her family.
“There’s a time commitment; I don’t want to take away from being around them at this age because it will only be around for so long,” said Parker.
Looking towards the future of the farm, Parker said she is “hoping to pass it on.”