Celebrating Environmental Stewardship: Windy Ridge Ranching Co. Ltd.

Updated: Jul 19, 2022

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 Saskatchewan Stock Growers’ Association’s Environmental Stewardship Award recipient, Windy Ridge Ranching Co. Ltd.

Windy Ridge Ranching Co. Ltd. Named TESA Nominee for Saskatchewan

By Craig Lester Patti Anhorn grew up on a grain farm in the Elrose, Saskatchewan area, and while she loved that, it quickly became apparent her family’s farm was missing something.

Namely cattle and horses.

She jokes her parents would ship her over to a nearby farm that had livestock and horses so she could get her fill.

Little did she know that years later, everything would come full circle, and she would raise cattle on that land with her husband, Gerald.

He grew up on a mixed farm operation in the Maple Creek area.

Gerald and Patti, who own Windy Ridge Ranching Co. Ltd., are The Environmental Stewardship Award (TESA) nominees for Saskatchewan this year.

The two maintain a cow-calf operation that consists of 4,200 acres of native grassland and 4,000 acres of seeded perennial cover.

After a 10-year stint on a smaller farm operation in Rosemary in southern Alberta, they received a phone call inquiring if they would like to purchase the very land that Patti had spent many days on in her youth.

They jumped on it, and 22 years later, they have built a ranch that puts sustainability first.

They credit their success to the family’s work put into the operation, including their children Carter and Nicole.

“You don't realize how much they did until they leave; they’re a big part of it,” Gerald said.

Their son, Carter, is a geological engineer and lives in Saskatoon, with his girlfriend Mary, while their daughter, Nicole, and husband, Austin, who have a daughter named Hadley, operate a grain farm nearby. Nicole also has a degree and works for an agricultural company.

Taking Care of the Grass “Grass is your most valuable resource and must be managed carefully.”

When the Anhorns bought the property 22 years ago, most of it was native grass, and it immediately became their priority to protect that valuable resource.

Patti says they added some marginal farmland, which they converted back to perennial cover. This allowed them to defer grazing on the native grass until late in the year.

They also made sure to stick to an aggressive rotational strategy, which improved the quality of all the grass.

“It improved the health of it by just kind of moving them in and out quick.”

Gerald adds they have worked hard to ensure the pastures are given time to rest.

“It's just proven pastures that get hit hard; they have a tough time coming back, especially in a drought year.”

Because of strategies like this, the Anhorns have not had to shrink their herd size during these difficult years.

They produce most of their own feed, whether it is green feed or hay. And since hay has been pretty scarce these past few years, this has helped them weather that storm.

Every year they background half to two-thirds of the calves.

By protecting the pastures, the Anhorns have created more than a healthy, sustainable source of food for the cattle. They have also created a habitat for seven known vascular plants and 18 known vertebrate animal species at risk. Water Sourcing Water is a luxury in these parts, especially over the last three years, where drought-like conditions have made things rough for ranchers in the area.

On average, only about 12 to 14 inches of precipitation falls annually.

The Anhorns must rely on runoff, manufactured dams and the occasional spring.

One of the advantages of the rotational grazing system they use is that it allows for a healthy stand which collects snow and provides shade to the soil.

They say it keeps the soil from freeze-drying and losing moisture over the winter.

The Anhorns have also been creative, using the Farm and Ranch Water Infrastructure Program (FRWIP) and working with the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority to carry out several projects that helped the water situation on their properties.

These projects included digging five dugouts on top of the water sources that were on the property when they bought it. These dugouts were fenced off with solar-powered pumping systems to fill water troughs.

A new well has been added to the native grass along with shallow pipeline to drought-proof the pasture, and they have also added a camera monitoring system, allowing them to make sure levels were good at remote watering sites without leaving their home. Saving them both fuel and time. The Next Generation

Sustainability goes beyond the pasture for the Anhorns.

Right now, they are thinking about the importance of educating the public about the efforts farmers and ranchers undertake every day to make their operations environmentally sustainable. They also feel more must be done to encourage the next generation to take up cattle production.

“We see people leaving the business, and not many young people want to take over, especially in cow-calf; we’ve got to try to promote that,” says Patti.

She adds consumers have to know that they’re trying to play an essential part in maintaining natural areas for habitat and that they look after their animals. Lifelong Learners

The Anhorns credit some of the many lessons they have picked up through the years to educational seminars.

As a result, they have expanded their knowledge around native range management, rotational grazing, environmental stewardship and livestock nutrition.

Patti says it’s worth it, even if you only pick up one new thing during a day-long seminar.

“Pick up those things and carry them, follow through with them and see where you go.”

They also have formed partnerships with several organizations to build on their environmental practices, including Saskatchewan Watershed Authority, South Saskatchewan River Watershed Stewards, Ducks Unlimited, and the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Foundation.

Patti says it’s interesting to see how carrying out these practices helps. “It's rewarding to see the improvements you can make by doing those small things. I mean, it's work, but it's worth it.” She adds it has helped their bottom line as well as helped the environment.

The Anhorns say they are honoured to be the TESA nominee for Saskatchewan. However, they say the biggest compliment they ever received was from the previous property owner not long before he passed. His words were: “I just want you to know that there has never been a day that I regretted selling my place to you.” Gerald says if there is a life lesson that has guided them through all the ups and downs over the years. “If you thoroughly enjoy what you do, you will find a way.” Patti adds you must continue to adapt, think progressively, and find ways to improve the productivity of what you have. 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.