Calving Ease
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SteinbachCarillonCalvingAD.indd 1 2017-02-13 12:05 PM 2D – The Carillon, Thursday, February 16, 2017 Steinbach, Man. www.thecarillon.com Dufresne couple welcomes shift from farm to Ag Days showcase being accepted when they sub- by Wes Keating mitted their resumes to Mani- T is rare to see an occupation toba Ag Days. become a welcome leisure They met the managers who Iactivity and just as rare to see were retiring and it became a leisure activity develop into a evident that co-chairing west- rewarding career option. ern Canada’s largest agricultural But for Jonothon and Chris- trade show and farming at the tine Roskos who farm north of same time would not work. Dufresne, that is exactly what Their applications were ac- happened five years ago. When cepted and then came the hard the opportunity came up to apply part for the Roskos, renting out for management of Manitoba Ag their land, not renewing their Days, the couple sat down to dis- leases on rented land and having cuss seriously the future of their a farm equipment dispersal sale. third generation family farm. Jonothon and Christine were The Roskos had returned to reluctant to give up the family the farm where Jonothon grew farm altogether and kept one- up in 2002 when his parents quarter, “to keep a hand in farm- moved to Winnipeg. The farm ing.” It is currently being cus- had been in the family since tom cropped by a cousin who 1929, when Jonothon’s grandfa- is renting some adjoining land ther emigrated to Canada from from the Roskos. Slovakia. The Roskos job shadowed Jonothon and Christine were retiring co-managers, Pat and married in 2000 and had been Owen Beevers, leading up to living on a nearby farm before and including, the 2012 Manito- the move to the original family ba Ag Days show and then took farm. When they decided to stop over the complete management. farming they kept a quarter sec- The show celebrated its 40th tion there and rented out the rest. year this year, and while it has According to Jonothon, their always been going strong, it is farm was not exactly ideally getting bigger every year. This situated. They seemed to be in year it had well over 500 indoor the cross hairs of Mother Nature exhibits covering acres of dis- and received more than a fair play area. PHOTO BY SANDY BLACK PHOTOGRAPHY A grain bin safety display is a featured exhibit at the Westman Place Arena during Manitoba Ag Days. share of rainfall. That coupled Continued on next page with drainage issues in the lo- cal area often created lake front property instead of farmland. In 2005 they got no crop at When my father farmed, all, and in 2010 the cereals were drowned out, but they managed there was time between seed- to harvest the soybeans. After a decade of being on the ing, spraying and harvesting board of directors of Manitoba Ag Days, Jonothon came home from a meeting five years ago to jok- to have a fairly full-time job ingly suggest to his wife they ap- ply for the co-chair positions that on the side. In winter, trade were about to become available. At first Jonothon dismissed shows and meetings were his own suggestion as being “a‘‘ stupid idea”, but it wasn’t long very much a social event for before the Roskos started con- sidering it more seriously. The decision to get out of farming crop producers and there was not an easy one and it was the final day applications were were a lot of them.” PHOTO BY SANDY BLACK PHOTOGRAPHY Christine Roskos, administrative assistant, and Kristen Phillips, manager, Manitoba Ag Days. PHOTO BY WES KEATING Jonothon and Christine Roskos at their farm north of Dufresne. www.thecarillon.com The Carillon, Thursday, February 16, 2017 Steinbach, Man. – 3D thecarillon.com “daily news online that matters” PHOTO BY CHRISTINE ROSKOS “Agvocates” Chelsea, Chloe and Logan Roskos at the Agriculture More Than Ever Booth during Manitoba Ag Days in Brandon. Continued from previous page attendance mark topped the give the board an opportunity to still continues to act as a con- Jonothon points out that just 50,000 mark, with 550 exhibits review the feedback and ideas sultant as needed on a contract as the family farm has changed, featuring everything from crop in surveys completed after the basis, while Christine is the full so has the off-season schedule inputs and fi nancing to the latest 2017 show. time administrative assistant to for crop producers. technology and the inventor’s Manitoba Ag Days is in the manager Kirsten Phillips. “When my father farmed, showcase featuring the latest process of updating its website, “We are still actively involved there was time between seed- new inventions. which was revamped in the sum- in agriculture and the support ing, spraying and harvesting to This year’s inventor’s show- mer of 2016, and by June every- from our peers has been incred- have a fairly full-time job on case featured 17 exhibits, rang- thing should be online. ible.” the side. In winter, trade shows ing from a Moocall calving sen- For the Roskos, Manitoba Ag When Jonothon said they de- and meetings were very much a sor which sends a notifi cation Days has provided them with cided to leave farming, he was social event for crop producers an hour before the cow is due to a best-of-both-worlds situa- apprehensive that the agricul- and there were a lot of them.” calf, to the Evolution Wheel, a tion. Keeping the home quarter tural community would see him Today, producers are busier serviceable solid tire for a skid and the shop means Christine as a ‘quitter”, but that certainly on the farm and pick and choose steer loader. and Jonothon work from home, was not the case. which trade shows are most The winner this year came while enjoying the amenities of Today, Jonothon’s time is valuable to them. from Arnold Innovations and nearby Lorette, where their three spent in his shop, working on There are two or three in Man- was a combine cylinder revers- children, Chelsea 14, Logan 11 projects for the metal fabrica- itoba that have lasted more than er which uses hydraulics and and Chloe 8, attend school. tion business, which has become three decades and each of those a custom engineered wrench, Jonothon says there is a bit his latest venture. Most of the is getting bigger every year. And which when not in use conve- of irony in that while working work is custom fabrication and the Brandon Manitoba Ag Days niently stores in its own harness from home they still rack up has included things such as spi- is the biggest. In fact, Manitoba attached to the combine. over 30,000 km a year on their ral stairs, tables and metal fi re Ag Days has grown to become Three days of seminars and vehicles. pits, to name a few. He also does Canada’s largest, most diverse workshops, and more than half a “Lorette is not that far away, a fair bit of farm equipment re- indoor agriculturally focused dozen keynote speakers, round- but we certainly support Ford pairs. trade show. ed out a full program as Manito- and Co-op.” “There are not many people in During Jonothon’s tenure ba Ag Days celebrated “40 Years Although Jonothon has the area doing that type of repair with the board and manage- of Success.” stepped back for a very active and my knowledge of farm ma- ment team, Manitoba Ag Days “It is a one-stop shop for ev- role with Manitoba Ag Days he chinery certainly has helped.” has grown from 350 exhibits. A erything farm related and the major expansion at the Keystone show is 100 percent pure farm. Centre in 2011 allowed for the There is nothing there that is not show to grow to the size it is to- geared to the needs of the agri- day. cultural producers of the world.” And next year’s show is And next year that one-stop bound to be every bit as large, will be January 16, 17 and 18, and perhaps larger, if Kristen and work has already begun put- Phillips and Christine Roskos ting together the lineup of ex- and their team can fi nd space for hibitors for that one. a few more exhibits. The board meets fi ve times And there is no doubt the a year as plans are formulated, popularity of the show has been but things get really busy from growing along with the interest October to December, Christine of the exhibitors.