(see photo gallery below)
Continuing the tradition of the family farm is a lifestyle that Brett Spray and his young family have never regretted. Learning the values and hard work that has been passed down from his parents and grandparents is as important as passing those values down to his children.
Brett grew up on a farm near Okla where his parents Brian and Karen Spray owned and operated the family farm. His grandparents, Henry and Ruth Weinhandl and Doug and Florence Spray, had settled in the area previously. He was always involved in all aspects of the farm and found his passion for farming increasing through the years. As a young adult he attended university, enrolled in a pre-veterinary medicine program, but soon discovered that the pull of the farm was too strong and school was not what he wanted to do. When he came home, he, his father and brother, rotated working away on his uncle’s road construction company. The work rotation between the father and sons presented the opportunity to get more serious and cofarm together. Due to personal circumstances his brother Shane was bought out in 2011.
In 2003 the family named the farm Triple S Cattle Company. Buying their first purebred Gelbvieh heifers, their intent was to build a purebred Gelbvieh herd and also use those Gelbvieh genetics in the Charolaiscross commercial herd. In 2008, Spray and his young wife, Krystal, purchased six quarters of land by Hazel Dell, bringing the farm total to 17 quarters. Triple S Cattle Company purchased its first purebred Gelbvieh bull back in 1993.
"We decided to bring the Gelbvieh breed onto the farm with the hopes of redefining ourselves and expanding the farming operations," said Spray. "We researched several breeds of cattle but soon realized that the Gelbvieh genetics stood for itself working well with our existing Charolais herd.
“The market for Gelbvieh bulls is growing. Our own sale bulls could bring in anywhere from $3,500 to $5,000 per animal, with the most we ever spent on a top herd bull being $8,250. We buy from reputable breeders and believe in good quality animals and would never sell anything we wouldn’t use ourselves. The cows are easy at calving with good reproduction. Anyone interested in the Gelbvieh breed is more than welcome to stop in and view our cattle," he said.
The Sprays are building their herd of Gelbvieh bulls, heifers, and bred cows. Today, they have 60 registered Gelbvieh cows and run approximately 90 Gelbvieh, Charolais and Black Angus commercial cattle. The young family also has a few chickens on the farm. The entire family is involved in all aspects of farm life.
Brett took on a more prominent role in farming when he quit working away from home to focus on the farming operation and to spend time teaching his young daughters the values and respect for farming and cattle.
"I am a firm believer in hands-on work with the cattle and we are always working with the cattle. My children are learning those traits, which makes me very proud that they want to be involved as much as I love it," he said.
Brett’s father, Brian, had been farming organic grain for over a decade but found the hay production had decreased. He then decided to farm conventionally, seeding cereals and oilseeds, using fertilizers to replenish nutrients and that allowing them to seed the land back to hay.
The future for the Spray family looks very positive with expansion and they are currently moving the majority of the farm operation from Okla to Hazel Dell. They want to improve their land base by breaking more land to incorporate into their growing operation. They have cleared 150 acres of their own land in the last year to allow the farm to expand. This year the family has built a new shop and will be adding a different water system to expand the cattle facilities.
Brett's passion for farming, despite the economic adversities on top of the many frustrations and difficulties normal to farming, is topped by his true passion for farming.
"He farms for the love of farming," said Krystal. "He loves to watch and nurture the growth of plants. He loves to live in the presence of animals. He loves to work outdoors. He loves the weather, even when it is making him miserable. He loves to live where he works and to work where he lives. The scale of farming is small enough that he can work in the company of his children. We love the measure of independence that farm life can still provide. I have an idea that a lot of farmers have gone to a lot of trouble merely to be self employed, to live at least a part of their lives without a boss. In the years to come, we plan on having our daughters participate in 4H and hopefully show our purebred Gelbviehs at Agribition. With the purchase of a D7-G Cat, Brett and Brian are open to doing custom cat work and clearing as they both have many years of experience from working on road construction," she said.
"I grew up on an acreage, outside of Wakaw where my parents farmed a few quarters of land. My grandparents, Paul and Victoria Shulhan and Clifford and Stella Marko had a few cattle, chickens, and pigs that they raised for themselves," said Krystal. "After school, I moved to Saskatoon to go to college. I graduated from the business administration program at the Saskatoon Business College and found my career as an assistant marketing manager at UNIGLOBE Travel for a few years. Soon afterwards, I moved into the radio business and worked as the promotions manager.
“After meeting Brett through a mutual friend, we dated a few months and he explained to me that he is a grain and cattle farmer. We purchased Ivan and Gail Peterson’s homeplace along with six quarters near Hazel Dell. We soon had our first daughter, Amber, and got married. Moving to a rural area, I wanted to continue my working career, and found a half-time job as an administrative assistant at Mackenzie Society Ventures Inc. along with a casual position at Canada Post in Preeceville.
“With Brett working away on road construction for his uncle’s company for weeks at a time, I found it challenging with a young baby, working and having to do farm chores. But I knew we were doing it to expand our farm. Over the next four years, we had Hailey and Rebecca, and I had to make a really difficult career decision. I left Mackenzie Society Ventures Inc. as the opportunity came to work for Canada Post part time, which gave me more time to focus on our family and farm. I have been with Canada Post six years.
“It is amazing to see the patience that Brett has in teaching our daughters things like fencing and explaining things about cattle. They are like sponges right now, and it is important to instil the values and importance of why we do things the way we do on the farm. The time, love and care it takes in raising cattle are important. We don’t want to see them lose that and only know that ‘milk comes from a store’ or ‘brown milk comes from brown cows.’ We are in the process of moving cattle operations from his parents’ place to our place and will then look at other options. I really don’t have much background in cattle so I will be learning a lot about calving alongside our daughters," she said.
“This is not a living for just anyone but a lifestyle that we have always wanted. To raise our daughters learning the values of hard work that has been passed down from our parents and grandparents," Krystal said.
Brett does find some time to referee hockey.
"I played hockey as a kid and really love the sport. Now as an adult I find it is a way to get out there, back on the ice and have the opportunity to give back to the community," he said.
The future looks bright for this second-generation young farmer and his family. There is plenty of opportunity to expand the operation for their children.
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