"Our land is basically too light to keep on doing what we were doing. Direct seeding was the only way to go", said Ivan Olynyk at his farm just north of Gorlitz. Phyllis, his wife agrees. "We even have blow outs in some of our pasture so cultivation leaves the soil pretty vulnerable", she said.
The Olynyks first began to direct seed in 1990 using a Morris Hoe Drill. made available to them by the District 19 ADD Board. In 1991, one of their neighbours did some custom seeding for them using a Great Plains Air Drill through the Save Our Soils program. Other seeding equipment the Olynyks used includes an Amazon No Till Drill, a Bourgault with shovels and a Haybuster 1206. In 1994, they purchased a Haybuster 1000 and have used it ever since.
At one time, the Olynyks were forage seed growers but have since scaled down their operation so they are forage seed dealers. To keep some diversity on the farm, they purchased a few brood cows in 1993. With the arrival of the cattle, some of the poorest land was seeded down to pasture and hayland. Ivan said, "All our forages have been direct seeded with the Haybuster 1000 and we've had excellent results." Pature mixes include meadow brome grass, intermediate wheat grass, crested wheat grass and bird's foot trefoil. The hayland has been seeded to a mixture of 50% alfalfa and 50% meadow brome grass.
As the herd expanded, more and more manure needed to be spread. The Olynyks have one half section block that has only 150 acres cultivated. It's those 150 acres that have been designated to receive the manure on a rotating basis. "Every year, we spread the manure over about 30 acres of summerfallow while the rest is cropped so only once in about every 5 years does a parcel in that half section ever see the cultivator", explained Ivan. He adds that the land isn't left bare. "Once the manure is spread, we disc it in, cultivate, harrow and seed oats for green feed."
Will the Olynyks ever go back to cultivating their entire land base? Both Ivan and Phyllis are quick to say no. "Our Bourgault cultivator was a very nice unit to work with so it was hard to sell it but when we pencilled out the costs of cultivating, it just had to go!" said Ivan. Phyllis reports that since they moved to direct seeding, quack grass has been virtually eliminated from the farm. Canada thistle and sow thistle are still present but the Olynyks intend to apply some preharvest Roundup in the fall of 1997 to help clean up those problems.
The light soils the Olynyks farm respond well to direct seeding. Their operation, based on a good understanding of the soil base, has improved the land's ability to produce both grain and forage. The Olynyk's "Pretty View Stock Farm" is an example of how a well managed cattle operation can fit into a well planned direct seeding system.
Phyllis and Ivan and their two children, Nicholas and Roxanne, raise purebred Red Angus cattle.