2025 TESA Nominee Profile: Maritimes—Don and Geraldine Bettle
- CCA
- 18 minutes ago
- 6 min read
River has major influence on overall farm management
Growing up on a farm along New Brunswick's Keenebecasis River and enjoying recreational activities such as fishing and swimming has been an important influence in Don Bettle's life as he is committed to appreciating and protecting the environment.
Over their nearly 50 years of farming, Don and his wife Geraldine have worked tirelessly to protect water resources, riparian areas and wild habitat on the third-generation family farm, while at the same time improving soil quality and production capability of their successful cow-calf beef operation.
Their commitment to the environment and adoption of proper land stewardship practices that contribute to a sustainable farming operation, earned them recognition earlier this year as the Maritime Beef Council's nominee for The Environmental Stewardship Award (TESA).
The Bettles purchased the farm at Passekeag in 1977. Located about 50 kilometers north of Saint John, the farm has been in the family since the 1800s. They started out with a small dairy herd and milked cows until 2005. They began introducing beef cattle to the farm in 1985. Today, Passekeag Holdings Inc. runs a 70-head Angus-based cow herd. Their farm encompasses 400 acres of farmland and a 200-acre woodlot, which includes 4.8 kilometers of riverfront along the Keenebecasis River. They also operate a cedar shingle mill on-site in their spare time. Their grandsons, Hudson and Elliott, also help out on the farm as much as possible.
"Growing up on the farm, the river has always been an important part of my life," says Don. "So when we began farming it was important to use management practices which protected the riparian areas and water quality. It is important to look after the environment, but many of those practices also improve the productivity of our own land as well as the health and productivity of the beef herd."
The cow herd begins calving in April and May at the home place at Passekeag. Later, part of the cow-calf herd is moved to pasture near Salt Spring about 16 kilometers away, while a small herd of purebred Angus and Hereford cattle remain at home. Bulls are turned out for breeding in July.
"When we began farming in the 1980s we used a simple two-pasture rotational grazing system," says Don. "The cattle were moved back and forth with limited management. While this approach offered some benefits, we were always looking for ways to improve things."
As the operation evolved, a more strategic and environmentally responsive system was developed. Today, the farm features eight rotational paddocks, allowing for a rest period of 35–40 days between grazing, promoting strong forage regrowth and soil health. Early expansion was limited by water access, but they have since installed five watering systems near the home farm and three more in Salt Springs—including three gravity-fed and five well-pump systems—enabling better grazing distribution across the property.
In an effort to improve soil fertility and health on soils generally prone to low pH, soil testing is done when possible, with lime applied as finances allow. Salt Springs fields in particular tend to require more inputs than the home farm. Despite these challenges, the Bettles have seen considerable success through the use of livestock to rehabilitate marginal ground.
One block of land which was considered suboptimal was revitalized through bale grazing through the winter. Nutrient-rich orchard grass and clover-based hay is fed over alder bushes to gradually improve soil and plant biodiversity. Forage species include fescue, timothy, orchard grass, clover, and trefoil—diverse mixes that support both cattle nutrition and ecosystem health.
The cattle remain on pasture until early fall. Depending on the year they may need to be fed some hay in October. All cattle are brought to the home place for weaning in November or early December, with market animals sold to a feedlot in Cookstown, Ontario.
The Bettles have applied proper management practices to the beef herd as well as to their farmland and the natural resources. Their beef operation is certified under the Verified Beef Production Plus program as well as being certified through the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB). Farm and land management is also guided by an Environmental Farm Plan through the Agricultural Alliance of New Brunswick.
To protect the land and natural areas, they are committed to the maintenance of the riparian buffer zone on their farmland, having conserved nearly six hectares of floodplain in partnership with the Kennebecasis Watershed Restoration Committee (KWRC).
They also participate in the New Brunswick Living Labs program in an Enhanced Riparian Area project as well as being supporters of conservation.
The Bettles have set aside 300 acres of wetland in collaboration with Ducks Unlimited and the KWRC to promote conservation. Riparian setbacks were established at Passekeag Holdings with the aid of the KWRC. Starting in 2009 they began planting native tree and shrub species, such as pine and willow, across nearly four kilometers of floodplain along the upper end of the crop and grazing ground. These plants are now shading the riparian ecosystem and stabilizing the riverbank.
From 2022 to 2024, the KWRC worked with the Bettles to fence off a two-kilometer riparian buffer along the grazing grounds in the farm’s lower end; these efforts included establishing watering troughs for livestock, as well as duck and other bird nesting boxes, and planting pollinator-friendly shrubs along with 4,000 additional trees.
The riparian setbacks at Passekeag Holdings are an important means of reducing movement of sediments from run-off into the stream, as well as improving biodiversity and carbon sequestration capacity, stabilizing bank erosion and regulating water temperatures with the canopy’s shade. In total about 4.8 kilometers of riparian zone on Keenebacasis River is protected.
The Bettles work closely with organizations such as the KWRC, Ducks Unlimited, and New Brunswick Living Labs as part of their commitment to environmental stewardship. Several measures have helped to increase biodiversity. Waterfowl have been encouraged with the installation of duck nesting boxes. And the protection of natural habitats helps to support hawks, swallows, beavers, otters, mink, and various fish species. Wildlife corridors have naturally developed through land clearings between wooded areas, allowing animals to move safely while reducing pressure on fencing and encouraging habitat continuity.
These corridors also serve as shelter and movement paths for local wildlife, reinforcing the farm’s ecological integration. Integrated pest management practices, such as maintaining swallow populations for fly control, help minimize the need for chemical interventions.
“The biodiversity also lives in grasslands, and you need cattle or ruminants to manage the grasslands," says Don. This philosophy is evident in every aspect of the farm's operation, where cattle are viewed not only as livestock but as critical tools in maintaining and enhancing a healthy, functioning grassland ecosystem.
They also recognize that climate change is altering traditional weather patterns, with warmer springs and extended fall seasons. This shifts the growing season window and intensifies the need for adaptive practices. The Bettles have embraced these shifts by enhancing rotational grazing infrastructure, adapting forage species to evolving conditions, and timing grazing rotations to maximize regrowth and soil cover. These actions not only increase productivity but also position the farm to serve as a regional model for sustainable, climate-smart beef production on sensitive landscapes.
As they have developed a sustainable beef production system over the years, Don says one of his proudest achievements was being able to have the entire farm paid off—a
milestone that was reached just as cattle markets began to climb, offering a rare opportunity for future investment.
While rising cattle prices make it harder to expand the herd quickly, the family has been able to retain more replacement heifers than usual, thanks to improved cash flow from cleared land debt.
"As the land becomes more productive and with our grandsons showing interest in farming, we are hoping to increase the herd size to about 100 head of breeding females over the next few years," says Don. "Growth may be slow, but it is steady and sustainable."
Living alongside the river, he says, reinforces their commitment to protecting water quality and biodiversity—not just for the benefit of the farm, but also for the community, the ecosystem, and their own enjoyment, as the family regularly swims in the river and values keeping it clean and healthy.
"Our greatest source of pride lies in being able to operate a productive farm while improving the land base," says Don. "Maintaining healthy grasslands is the foundation of both the farm and the local ecosystem."
Through continued investment in pasture health, riparian restoration, and biodiversity monitoring, the Bettles say they aim to ensure that their farm not only sustains their family but also contributes meaningfully to the environment.
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