Ontario Young Farmer nomination an ‘unexpected honour’ for fifth generation farmer

Tyler McBlain is a fifth-generation farmer, who runs a 4,000-acre cashcrop operation alongside his wife Allison and parents, Barry and Minnie. While young, their three kids - John, Ellie, and Ben - are also showing an early passion for farming. ~ Submitted photo

By Luke Edwards

He could measure success by how much money he makes, how high his yield is, how much land he manages, or any other number of variables.

But when Tyler McBlain considers success, he goes back to the words his grandfather Bruce left him many years ago.

“Success is doing what you love to do, and making a living at it,” he said, repeating an inscription Bruce included for Tyler in a book he wrote before passing.

So whether McBlain and his wife Allison win this year’s Ontario Young Farmer award doesn’t make an impact on his vision of success. Either way, he’ll wake up the next morning and do what he loves.

“I look at what we do and I don’t consider it a job, I don’t consider it a career. I consider it a passion, a hobby and a lifestyle. Getting up in the morning I don’t feel like I’m going to work,” he said.

The McBlains are one of two finalists for this year’s Ontario Young Farmer award, alongside Drew and Heather Spoelstra. The winner will be announced at an April 8 event in St. Jacobs, and go on to represent Ontario at the national level in B.C. later this year.

“It was an unexpected honour,” said McBlain, about receiving the nomination.

A fifth-generation farmer, McBlain grows soybeans, wheat, corn and oats on 4,000 acres of land spread out between multiple farm sites in Wentworth, Norfolk and Brant. It was Bruce, as well as his father Barry who instilled in young Tyler a passion for farming.

“I never wanted to do anything but farm,” Tyler said. His parents, Barry and Minnie, are still involved with the operation as well.

That passion includes a desire to leave the land in better shape than he found out. That’s why Tyler prefers to use the term regenerative instead of sustainable. To him, sustainable means keeping things the status quo.

He follows the 4R method for farming: Right place, right time, right rate and right source.

His practices include no-till and strip till.

While his passion is farming, Tyler and the McBlains are also community minded. Tyler sits on a couple boards and is also deputy district fire chief with Brant County’s volunteer service.

Allison, who grew up in nearby rural Ancaster, had some experience with farming before meeting Tyler. Her father had a hobby farm and she worked at a bakery agritourism operation located at a local orchard.

It was at the bakery where the two met. She would go on to teacher’s college, but now plays a key role on the farm, looking after much of the logistics, paperwork and behind-the-scenes work. She also uses her teacher background to play a key role in the Bite of Brant program, which introduces Grade 5 students to local agriculture, giving children who mostly have little to no experience on a farm a basic understanding of rural life and what goes into food production.

“She has a passion for education, she loves it,” said McBlain.

The nomination for the young farmer award comes with a lot of homework, with the McBlains having to fill out a questionnaire and write an essay that describes everything from their passion for farming, to financials and community involvement.

While that’s been a lot of work, McBlain said it’s also been an opportunity to take a step back and reflect on a 20-year career in agriculture.

“My wife and I have had a lot of fun doing it,” said McBlain, who graduated from Ridgetown in 2005.

Having a chance to take a step back and reflect on his career, McBlain realized it’s hard to pick a favourite aspect. Each season brings its own excitement and challenges and spring planting is just as enjoyable as the fall harvest for him. In the end, he said it’s not what he does that gives him the greatest satisfaction.

“My favourite part is seeing my children enjoy what I enjoy,” he said.

McBlain knows Drew and Heather quite well and while he hasn’t had a chance to talk to them since they were announced as finalists, McBlain said the Spoelstras are worthy nominees.

“He’s done a lot for the agriculture community,” McBlain said of Drew.