Mark
• Grew up on Crop/Hog finishing operation in Staffa
• Found a love for computers, and crops
• Went to University of Guelph, degree in Agronomy
• Current Chair for the Grain Farmers of Ontario
Sandi
• Grew up on a dairy farm in Paris
• Loved working in the barn, in the fields and with animals
• University of Guelph –Agriculture Business degree
• Director with Farm & Food Care Ontario
Shepherd Creek Farms Ltd.
• 1600 cropping operation
• Corn, wheat, soybeans, hay
• Transitioned fully to strip-till last year
• Integrated cover crops into system
• Early adapters of technology. Ie. Precision Ag.
Shepherd Creek Farms Ltd.
• Diversified into sheep 2012
• Began in smaller renovated pig barn with 150 ewes
• Expanded in 2013 with purchase of 350 more ewes and built Britespanbuilding
Sandi
• Manages the sheep operation
• Contact person for flock details
• Chores, record keeping, scheduling, breeding, lambing
• Help with fieldwork
Mark
• Manages the cropping operation
• Point person for crop details
• Develops crop plans, record keeping, data management
• In-house IT person
Sharing the Load.
• Parenting. Also, Teenagers.
• Work together, sacrifice together.
• Office work… we avoid together equally well.
• Personal development opportunities
• Commodity board involvement. Need full support of partner.
Successes
• Still married.
• Still farming.
• Kids.
• Maintaining and respecting each other’s independence.
• Worked to become our own identity but value recognition as a couple.
• We are happy.
Thank You!
Mark Brock
@cropper01 (twitter)
Sandi Brock
@brocksandi (twitter)