The farm was calling him back.
Jeff Chambers has been farming since 1989 and that doesn’t count the years he spent helping out as a young teenager.
Chambers left the family farm after graduating Grade 12 and headed for Saskatoon, where he spent 11/2 years at a job there. When Chambers had a chance to purchase some of his own land, he jumped at the opportunity to head back to his stomping grounds and return to the farming way of life.
“It was something that I always wanted to do,” explains Chambers, “and when I had the chance to buy land I came home.”
“I farmed with my dad until his passing and then took over the family farm,” explains Chambers, who operates a cattle and grain farm at Ryerson, eight kilometres south of Fairlight.
He looks after 100 cows, and farms 1,300 acres of grain and 900 acres of pasture and hay land, and says “It keeps me occupied.”
But Chambers doesn’t do it all alone, he does have hired help here and there throughout the season. His mother is still involved in the farm as well.
Chambers explains that the 100th calf was born on his farm last Wednesday morning, with one cow remaining to calve at that time. He’s had five sets of twin calves born this year. It’s becoming more common for cows to have twins.
“I usually end up with a couple of sets every year but this is more than normal,” says Chambers. He recalls that the first set of twins born on the farm was back in 1989.
“When I came home to the farm I bought some cows and that was the first year that we had ever had twins on our farm,” says Chambers.
Chambers has seen many changes over the years when it comes to farming.
“The equipment has definitely changed….it’s bigger and more complex. It’s getting tricky to fix your own equipment these days.”
“Farms in general are just bigger.”
Over the years, Chambers took a lot of part-time jobs off the farm mainly in construction with various contractors. These were mostly in the winter months as the farm slows down a bit once the harvest is finished.
“I’d pitch in when and where I could,” says Chambers.
Like many other farmers, Chambers just began seeding last week. He says he sticks to growing the basics – wheat, barley, oats and canola.
Farming may be the perfect career for some and others prefer the 9-5 job in the city. Chambers says it’s like any other career you choose – you have to love the job and enjoy doing what you’re doing. He enjoys working with the livestock.
Farming is a great lifestyle and the farming lifestyle is in his blood.
