2026 TESA Nominee Profile: Quebec—Victor Drury

Leaving the Land Better than We Found It

Welcome to The Drury Farm

The story of the Drury family begins in the rolling green of Quebec’s Outaouais region, where open-mindedness isn’t just a philosophy, it’s the backbone of a multigenerational cattle operation. When Gib Drury bought his first 200 acres in 1974, he wasn’t just purchasing land, he was planting the seeds of a legacy. Over the decades, those 200 acres grew into 900 acres of pasture and another 950 rented for hay, all stewarded by Gib and his son, Victor, who now manages a thriving herd of 300 Red Angus cows.

Victor and Alexander Drury Drury Family Gib and Alexander Drury

Victor, a second‑generation rancher with the curiosity of a pioneer, never felt bound by the phrase, “that’s how we’ve always done it.” Instead, he built his life around a single rule: leave the land better than he found it. That mindset has shaped every decision on the farm, from grazing strategies to water systems to wildlife partnerships, and it’s why the Drury operation has become a quiet model of regenerative agriculture.

Sustainability Practices

The Drury farm is a landscape shaped by intention. Every acre is forage‑based, chemical‑free, and managed with zero tillage. Their cattle eat hay grown and baled by the family, keeping inputs low and nutrient cycles tight.

Bale Grazing

The heart of their transformation began 40 years ago when Gib first experimented with rotational grazing, a practice nearly unheard of in the region at the time. Victor shared, “The last renter on that land would be taking 10 heifers and a bull and run them on all 200 acres. But he’d have to come pick them up in August, because there would be nothing left for them to eat.” Victor says that since taking over the land in that area, “Rotational grazing allowed dad to carry more animals on the property. We’re carrying about 50 pairs where they used to run 10. Same property, different management.”

Today, with careful rotation, that same land supports 50 cow‑calf pairs, thriving on the same soil but under a completely different philosophy.

Victor’s approach is simple but profound: when he moves cattle, he looks backward, not forward. He studies what the last paddock produced, what the grass is telling him, and how the land responded. That backward glance ensures the future of the forage, especially in tough years like last summer, when rain refused to fall after August.

Supporting this system is a buried waterline network, a web of valves and underground pathways that deliver water to every paddock. It keeps winter watering bowls from freezing, protects riparian zones from disturbance, and ensures clean drinking water; a small engineering marvel beneath the soil.

Even manure becomes part of the story. After winter bale grazing, the Drurys gather the manure, turn it three times, and transform it into rich, black compost. By the time it is spread, the volume has shrunk by 75 per cent, leaving behind a nutrient dense material that feeds the soil rather than overwhelming it. This year, they’ve begun testing the compost at multiple stages, tying their work into Quebec’s annual phosphorus reporting program.

Environmental Commitment

The Drurys don’t just raise cattle, they raise ecosystems. Their rotational grazing has created habitat for birds, and when researchers approached Victor to map nesting sites, he didn’t hesitate. He adjusted his grazing schedule to protect the nests and the land responded. Bird populations rose. Insects fell. Victor noted, “Last summer was the first time we didn’t put fly tags in the cattle, and it was just a complete accident. We just never got around to it. But we found that the fly load on the herd with tags and the fly load on the herd without tags was the exact same. But I attribute some of that to the increased bird population.”

Their environmental ethic extends beyond the pasture. They recycle agricultural plastics through municipal programs, host public events to bridge the gap between producers and consumers and maintain a small but meaningful market for grass‑fed cull cows, a collaboration that strengthens both their business and their community.

The Future

Victor’s openness to new ideas is as much a part of the farm as the Red Angus cattle. He’s eager to explore virtual fencing, to partner with a new beekeeper after losing the last one, and to continue working with the more than 30 landowners who trust the Drurys to harvest forage from their fields.

He’s also dreaming beyond cattle. The Outaouais region is rich with maple stands, and Victor hopes to bring professional forestry management, and perhaps even rented sugar maples into the operation. It’s another example of how collaboration can create economic opportunities while strengthening biodiversity.

Leaving the Land Better

The Drury family’s story is ultimately one of open‑minded stewardship, where every decision reflects a willingness to rethink tradition and embrace innovation. Their commitment to sustainable agriculture, from rotational grazing to composting manure to protecting riparian zones, demonstrates how thoughtful management can regenerate land rather than exhaust it. Just as importantly, their success is rooted in collaboration. Working with other landowners, partnering with environmental organizations, supporting bird and pollinator populations, and engaging openly with their community. 

Together, these values form a model of modern beef production where producers, ecosystems, and neighbours thrive side by side. By staying curious, welcoming new ideas, and building strong relationships, the Drury family continues to leave their land, and their industry, better than they found it.