Twenty View recognized for its work supporting Niagara’s farmers
- Luke Edwards
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
By Luke Edwards
When he started what would become one of West Lincoln’s most prominent farming operations, Daryl Haanstra had little more than his 1998 John Deere 6620 Titan II combine and a strong work ethic.
Not long after he’d add a sprayer to his inventory, as he looked to grow his fledgling agricultural services business. But then disaster would strike, forcing him to lean on that work ethic.
“The first year I had my sprayer, I had a $13,000 breakdown in the first month,” said Haanstra, owner of Twenty View Farms.
“And I thought, how am I going to get through this?”
The answer was simple: one job at a time.
“So when the phone rang, I said ‘yes,’” he said.
That hard work eventually paid off. Now Haanstra employs more than a dozen people, providing crop support for farmers in Niagara, Haldimand and Wentworth. The business helps with crop planning, planting, crop care and harvesting. They also have a licensed grain elevator on the Twenty Road property, are a Pioneer Seed dealership and sell crop protection products and fertilizer to local farmers.
They also now have municipal recognition, having won this year’s agri-related business award from the West Lincoln Chamber of Commerce. The win was humbling for Haanstra, who said he’s not one to seek publicity.
“I don’t wake up in the morning looking to get recognized,” he said. “I think our focus has always been on our customers.”
However, Haanstra did say the recognition is a great way to remind the greater public of the importance of agriculture in West Lincoln and Niagara in general.
“I think it’s critical that agriculture stays in the spotlight in Niagara. It’s a prime sector. It’s the foundation of Niagara,” he said.
Putting the sector in the spotlight can help overcome some of the misconceptions out there. Haanstra said the general public needs to understand that farming isn’t a 9-5, Monday to Friday type job. He said farmers are also stewards of the land, working to provide Canadians and the world with high quality food.
“We care about the land, because it’s our bread and butter,” he said.
Much of Twenty View’s clientele are conventional farm operations like cash croppers and dairy farmers. However, he said there are some more niche operations opening up in the region that Twenty View works with, along with some tender fruit growers.
Haanstra grew up on a dairy farm before going to study at the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown campus. He then worked in retail for a few years before striking out on his own with the custom harvesting business, which combined his love of serving people with his love of driving tractors.
“I love agriculture, I love equipment, I love operating equipment. Even as a kid, I loved driving tractors and doing all that kind of stuff,” he said.
As the business grew, though, so did the kinds of skills Haanstra needed. No longer could he just be the kid on the John Deere. With employees working for him, Haanstra said he read books and studied leadership techniques. Developing those skills has paid off in spades, he said, as he relies on a strong and dedicated team that makes his life easier.
Like many farmers, Haanstra’s favourite part of his job is still harvest season and the satisfying feeling of getting the crop off. After months of preparation, planning and care, the harvest is the culmination of it all.
Twenty View wasn’t the only ag-related business honoured by the chamber. Green Sums Ltd. won the agricultural excellence award for their work growing high quality, sustainable soybeans and soft red wheat, while the Niagara 4-H Club received the non-profit community impact award.
Turkstra Lumber also won the community impact award for that company’s community support, including the summer barbecue fundraisers
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