The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) is pleased to feature the provincial stewardship award recipients nominated for 2022 The Environmental Stewardship Award (TESA). The recipient of the CCA’s national award will be announced during the Canadian Beef Industry Conference in Penticton, British Columbia, August 16-18, 2022.
For 26 years, recipients have shared their stories, insights, beliefs, and values, so Canadians can get a glimpse into the care and commitment that is taken to raise cattle, while protecting and enhancing the environment.
In this issue, we feature the Alberta Beef Producers’ Environmental Stewardship Award recipient, Ribbon Creek Ranch.
Everyday Routine Results in ABP’s Environmental Stewardship Award for Ribbon Creek Ranch
By: Craig Lester, with files from Katelyn Laverdure and Debra Murphy (The Bovine Podcast)
“If you take care of the grass, it will take care of you.”
These are the words of wisdom cattle producer Jerry Baerg received from one of his mentors, as he and his family set upon their journey to build a sustainable farm near Linden, Alberta.
Jerry, his wife Dawn, and their children are this year’s winners of the Alberta Beef Producers’ Environmental Stewardship Award.
Ribbon Creek Ranch, which they own, was recognized for the regenerative and sustainable practices they carry out every day on both of their properties in the Linden area.
Baerg says he’s amazed and humbled to receive the award, especially since he believes he is only doing what needs to be done to protect the land and make the operation sustainable not only now, but for generations to come.
He says the award is special to his family because it is not about the biggest or best production, but rather environmental stewardship.
Ribbon Creek Ranch
Like the roots of the native grass in the pasture on their east property, the agricultural roots of the Baerg family run deep.
Jerry’s Grandfather bought land in the Linden area in 1972, focussing mainly on grain production, much like many of the farmers in the area. It was then passed on to Jerry’s father, who expanded the operation to include chickens and backgrounding cattle, which Jerry and Dawn carried on.
However, a new vision for the operation started to come into focus about 10 years ago.
“Cows are my passion,” said Baerg.
This meant an end to raising chickens and a move from backgrounding cattle to a progressive commercial cattle operation.
In 2013, Baerg started a cow herd.
This led to the family buying the property east of Linden that had a lot of native grass on it.
He says the transition was a lot of hard work.
“But it is fun work,” he is quick to point out.
Family Affair
The operation is all hands-on deck.
Jerry says none of it is possible without the help of Dawn and their children.
“We make it work, some days are stressful, but we love what we do.”
His eldest daughter, who played a major role in the farm, moved to the Maritimes to pursue a career in teaching.
His next oldest daughter works part-time in a nearby feedlot when she is not on the farm.
The four younger children, three sons and a daughter, who are still in school have taken quite an interest in the operation and contribute daily to the tasks that need to be carried out.
Jerry’s father and the family continue to work together to grow grain.
Fencing
Upon acquiring the property to the east of Linden, the Baerg’s realized they needed to up their game to protect the native grass in that area.
So, they set up a fencing system that would allow them to rotate the cattle through different areas of the pastures. This allows the grass time to grow back and replenish itself, while ensuring nutrients were spread throughout the different areas.
“We all know that is all fragile land out there, managing that hard grass is all fragile.”
Baerg has been slowly and meticulously building up the fencing on the property for years, accessing the Canadian Agriculture Partnership (CAP) funding program to pay for the supplies he needs to create it.
Baerg says electrical fencing has been one of the greatest tools he has utilized.
Tough Year
The drought facing producers this year has put stress on the system. Baerg says this spring has been tough, resulting in some difficult choices to make.
“Drought is never easy to work with,” says Baerg.
While it has been a challenge for Ribbon Creek Ranch, Jerry and Dawn have some tools in their toolbelt to deal with it, because of the rotational system they have set up. It has allowed them to move the cattle around strategically.
Water
The saying ‘If you build it, they will come’ might be best known from the movie Field of Dreams starring Kevin Costner, however, Baerg realized early on that wherever they placed water is where the cows would congregate.
“Water is a key part of grazing.”
One such instance, he took a water trough that was located in a valley, which was heavily grazed, and moved it to the top of a hill that hadn’t been touched.
This is all possible because Baerg installed 1.5 miles of above-ground piping moving well water from the farm-yard with the help of funding from the Growing Forward program (now known as CAP) and Kneehill County.
Commitment to Native Grass
When the second property was acquired, Jerry committed to leaving the native grass as is, to be grazed, rather than cultivated.
Since then, not only has he stayed true to his commitment, but he has also started to plant perennial grass into some of his cropland, a practice that has turned some heads in an area like Linden where everything is cropland.
“It’s a learning curve, you do something this year it affects you for how many years in the future.”
He is now concentrating his efforts on slowly implementing annual grazing crops into his rotation.
“Putting cattle on my land has definitely had a positive impact on my grain land as well.”
He hopes this will mean that the cattle will not have to be moved to rental land as much in the future.
In a year where input prices have been extremely costly for all producers, Baerg has relied on practices they started years ago, which include growing polycultures, instead of monocultures.
By planting two crops into the ground at the same time, like oats and peas this year, it cuts down on the inputs needed.
Baerg says by doing this, it has also created more competition for weeds, putting pressure on them, and keeping them at bay, meaning less synthetics are needed.
A Journey
When Baerg started building his cow herd in 2013, he admits he didn’t have a sustainability plan.
Since then, he has learned a lot about protecting grass and the importance it plays.
He credits his mentors and the information he learned through the Foothills Forage and Grazing Association with helping him build up his sustainable practices.
Baerg says his team, which includes his family, veterinarians, nutritionist, and the ranch where he buys his bulls, has allowed Ribbon Creek Ranches to build a successful sustainable plan.
The ranch was nominated for the award by the Veterinary Agri-Health Services.
The winner of this year’s award says he wishes more consumers could come out to the farm and see the measures that producers are taking to protect the environment and produce food sustainably.
He says the family cherishes the award because it aligns with their values.
“I’ve been given just a little blip in this history to take care of this land that I have, and I want to hand it along to my children, whoever wants to take it on, better than when I took it.”
Learn more about TESA
In celebration of TESA’s 25th anniversary in 2021, CCA checked in with some of the outstanding farmers and ranchers from across the country who have been recognized as past recipients. Learn more about their stories in the short video below.
Thank you to our TESA Sponsor and Partners!
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