Guelph, Ontario, Canada
February 20th, 2013
Participants show their pride in farm and family, with winners each receiving $5,000 to host a family reunion
Syngenta Canada customers have plenty of pride and big heart, as indicated by the entries in the Show Us Your Roots photo contest.
“Whether the photos were taken a century ago, or snapped within the last few weeks, the common theme was pride in farming,” said Kate Mercer, Digital Communications Specialist, Syngenta Canada.
As part of a cross-Canada contest, Syngenta asked growers to submit family photos and provide a brief explanation of who is in the photo and how these family members have shaped, inspired and supported them in farming.
With the launch of new Cruiser Maxx® Vibrance™ seed treatment and its ability to promote stronger root growth, Syngenta wanted to give growers the opportunity to share their pride in the “roots” that have supported and nurtured them. The Show Us Your Roots photo contest allowed farmers from across Canada to do just that.
The contest accepted submissions from November 5, 2012 until February 1, 2013 and the winners were announced on February 18, 2013, Family Day in many parts of Canada. The submissions were judged on the story and sense of history they conveyed as well as their creativity, composition and quality. Winners will each receive $5,000 to host a family reunion in their hometown. Here are the contest winners, along with excerpts from their own descriptions of the photos:
Humphrey Banack – Banacks Homestead, Alberta
The photo captures my father’s family in 1937. My grandfather homesteaded our farm in 1906. The family spirit that was necessary in the early days is still alive today as we are now into our 4th generation on our farm. Of note is that from this large family only a handful of descendants are producers today - which is an industry trend.
Bob Bergen – Bergen Grain Farms Ltd., Saskatchewan
This is a picture of the final day of the 2011 harvest on our farm. It is a picture of me (holding the dog), my two sons (Kyle and Tom) who farm with me on my left, my Uncle Jake on my right, who I farmed with for many years and is retired. He drives a combine now. My dad George is in the wheel chair. This is a very special picture for me because it was Dad's last harvest. His health was failing, but he wanted one last ride in the combine. Farming was his life. It was what he lived for. We lifted him up to the combine on a pallet with our forklift tractor, wheelchair, oxygen and all. He watched the harvest wrap up for the last time. Dad passed away shortly after the picture was taken. We farm today because of Dad's and my uncle Jake's hard work and perseverance during their farming life. They showed us the way by example.
Glen Schott – Glen Schott Farms, Manitoba
In the photo are all the male Schotts from Crystal City, and they all farm. My father started farming in this area in 1952 and when my brother and I finished school we started farming with him. After we got married and our children finished school we each started farming with our own boys. Grandpa still comes to the farm to see how we are all doing. We each have our own land and do harvest together and support each other by trading use of each other's machinery.
Gord and Rete Macpherson – Macon Ridge Farm, Ontario
This picture captures the joy and spirit of Christmas morning in the kitchen farm house of Macon Ridge Farm. Grandson Taylor Macpherson is sitting on his Christmas present "Tonka," the black and white pinto pony. Taylor is surrounded by family members of Gord and Rete Macpherson owners of Macon Ridge Farm. Macon Ridge Farm is a 500 acre mixed farm operation, crops include corn, soybeans, wheat and sweet corn. Also we have a 1600 laying hen operation and board standard breed horses as well as own Quarter horses for pleasure and western competition. There are four generations of farmers in the photo, all of which have had a significant part of where Macon Ridge Farm is today. All of our children in the picture love the farming environment, Brad, Bryan and Cali are all employees of Agribusiness. Grandma in the photo still operates a laying hen operation on 40 acres near Dorchester with daughter Patti as a working partner. Taylor, our first grandson, loves being at the farm with Grandpa and Grandma, helping with horse chores and of course riding in the tractor with Grandpa.
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