YORKTON - The highlight presentation at the grain show awards reception has long been the announcement of the Farmer Recognition Award.
The award sponsored by Hammond Realty has been awarded since 2002, and this year went to a family with deep ties to the Yorkton Exhibition Association.
Ed Malinowski started with the YEA board back in 1974, after showing horses since 1961, and has been named honourary president for his years of dedication.
Now he and his wife Donna are the elder states-people of the Malinowski family who were presented the recognition award Thursday evening.
“It’s just an honour to win this award,” said Len Malinowski who spoke briefly for the family to those assembled at the reception.
Malinowski who followed his father’s footsteps, not only into farming, but to the YEA board and the president’s chair too, said there were years of sweat and tears that went into the farm that started out at 300 acres when he came back to the operation.
In the ensuing years the farm has grown, to where they now farm 5000 acres and run 150 cows, and Len’s son Colton is in the fold too.
While the farm has grown, they have stayed ready to help others when needed.
In announcing the recipients Jack Dawes said the family “is known in the area as good neighbours,” always ready to snow blow a roadway, or pull someone out of the mud.
Len Malinowski said while they have grown, he doesn’t expect that to continue.
“I’m pretty happy I don’t want to grow anymore,” he said.
After some congratulatory handshakes Len consented to a short interview with Yorkton This Week where he expanded on the good feeling the award brought the family.
“It was a really great feeling,” he said, adding he is particularly appreciative for his father who is now 82.
Father Ed actually took over the farm himself, three-quarters of land from his father Joe, so the core of the Malinowski farm has been in the family for years.
There was a time it was unclear if the farm would survive. When high interest rates hit in the 1980s things were too tight on the small farm to support Ed and Donna and their son Len, so Len headed west to B.C., where he sold cars.
But, Len’s heart was back on the Yorkton-area farm and he eventually came home and bought the small holding in 1998.
He also made a decision, if they were to be successful long term they had to grow.
“We had to move forward,” he said, adding the alternative was to sell out.
The growth was quick adding a dozen quarters in “the next couple of years,” and now owning 20 quarters and renting 12 more, and a herd of cows.
“We committed a lot,” said Len, noting he and his wife Tracy had off-farm jobs in the early years, as they were taking no money from the farm dedicating that to expansion. In addition to working on and off farm the couple had a family of three, two daughters now working and a son back with the farm.
Len said the farm life is not an easy one.
“You work hard seven days a week, 14 hours a day,” he said, although he then added “I don’t find it work. I enjoy everything I do.”
That said Len pointed back to the award as in-part verifying all the hours are recognized.
And, all the effort has proven worthwhile.
“Now we can enjoy life,” said Len, adding it helps that son Colton and his wife Kelsey are involved. “. . . You’re not babysitting 24 hours. You can’t beat family members to do the job.”
The farm grows canola, wheat, oats, peas, a variety of crops to keep rotations working, and building on a philosophy that some diversity is good.
“I like a little bit of everything,” said Len.
That is why the cows remain today, even though Len notes at present they are not a profitable part of the farm mix.
While cattle struggle to be profitable, on the grain and oilseed side of things 2022 was a year for the record books.
Len said in his 24 years running the farm the past year “is one of the best years we’ve ever had.”
The year was special because conditions were such that crops were good, and prices are as high as they have ever been.
“You don’t usually get both,” said Len with a smile.
