ESTEVAN -- Family View Farms is this year's Estevan Farm Family of the Year.
The recognition was announced during the Estevan Farmers Appreciation Evening at the Beefeater Plaza Thursday night. The large crowd in attendance gave the recipients a standing ovation.
Family View Farms is comprised of two families – the Walliser and Olson families. It includes Curtis and Wendy Walliser and their elder daughter Ashley, her husband Tyler and son Sade Olson. They farm land from Bienfait to Hirsch and reside on two farms east of Bienfait.
The Wallisers and Olsons used to have a mixed farm with grain and 150 head of cattle. In 2011, they sold their cattle to focus solely on grain farming. Today, they farm just over 5,000 acres of rented and owned land consisting mainly of wheat, canola, peas and soybeans.
Their family farm consists of the fourth, fifth and sixth generations of farmers, thanks to Curtis, Ashley and Sade, respectively, and they still farm the land that Curtis's maternal great-grandfather immigrated from Sweden and settled on in the late 1800s.
"Curtis' maternal side, the Wallisers, came to the same area in the early 1900s and eventually settled near Hirsch, where he and Wendy continue to live today," said Tyler Olson. "We still currently farm the original land as both the Walliser and Christensen sides of the family."
Over the years, all of them have been involved in the community in various volunteer roles, both in the rural area as well as in Bienfait and Estevan. Sports, beef 4-H, the RM council, school board and various school parent groups have been important causes they have or continue to give their time to.
They are continually trying to adapt their farm to keep up with the challenges and benefits of changing technology utilizing innovation wherever they can.
In his acceptance speech, Tyler Olson thanked those who organize the event this year, the selection committee for picking the families for the recognition, the sponsors of the event and those who nominated Family View Farms.
"With there being so many other family farms who are deserving of this award, our family is honoured to win the Farm Family Award for 2024," said Tyler Olson.
The Mercury and Â鶹ÊÓƵ will have more on this story, and further coverage of the Farmer's Appreciation Evening.
