FEATURED GROWER
Louis Claassen
Hi, my name is Louis Claassen and I operate Claassen Farms in Vauxhaul, AB.
I originally farmed in Holland, my home country, for 25 years. I moved to Canada in 2005 with my three boys and I have been farming here for 16 years. We primarily farm potatoes, sugar beets, wheat, seed canola and alfalfa seed.
We farm around 7,000 irrigated acres. It’s a lot of work, and I couldn’t do it by myself, so I am very glad I have my boys involved in the farm.
Growing up, we always had livestock to tend to and I was in 4-H for nearly ten years.
In the summer, we had wheel-moves which kept us busy, as well as cutting, baling, and hauling hay.
The machinery is very advanced, but I actually don’t have GPS – I have the old style.
The roundup ready varieties have also really improved for growing beets. We now have unbelievable chemical control which means way better crops. The nutrients are going to the plants, not being wasted on the weeds, and all the water and fertilizer is used by the crop.
I believe that the coin fell to our side on everything from genetics to machinery. It changed things in a positive way, and the lifestyle improved for the farms overall because of this.
For example, the beet crop on our farm is now one of the most simple crops to run in comparison to other crops. Everything has been simplified because of GMO sugar beets, and we are able to control the game more. We can reduce the risk of diseases and there was a big improvement on the environmental impact that we have in the field.
I think our role is one that gets more and more important. As farms grow bigger, we may see less individuals farming, but the number of people who rely on farmers never decreases.
We are also able to employ a number of other people, and through this, we provide a certain lifestyle and livelihood to others. We play a supportive role in small communities and that helps to maintain their lives on certain levels, too.