A Graysville family has marked two incredible achievements this fall — a 50th annual harvest and a first annual harvest — and they completed it together.
For Glen McIntosh, this harvest season was especially meaningful. After years of waiting, he finally got to share the field with his grandson, Adrian, for the very first time.
Both Glen and Adrian come from a long line of farmers. Glen’s parents — Adrian’s great-grandparents — began farming in 1954. Glen completed his first harvest in 1976, right after finishing high school, and hasn’t missed a season since.
He fondly remembers that first harvest, recalling how slow and labour-intensive the process was in those early days, when their cornfield was just starting out.
“It’s quite a bit easier with the GPS and all the equipment nowadays, like how the dryers run more efficiently than they did 50 years ago,” he said.
Over the decades, crop yields have more than doubled, and Glen has worked nearly every machine on the farm. This year, he ran the combine while Adrian took control of the grain cart — a proud passing of the torch between generations.
“It’s nice to have family members. I already farm with my two sons, so the more family that get involved, it’s kind of neat to see the different generations all working together,” Glen said.
For Adrian, joining the harvest was both exciting and humbling. Having recently graduated high school, he had time before starting university in January and figured it was the perfect opportunity to make this his first harvest season.
“I’ve always been interested in farming ever since my first tractor ride as a kid. I’ve helped out around the farm before, but this is my first year truly following in their footsteps,” he said.
He enjoyed his experience out on the field, despite the fatigue from long days. He battled his tiredness by listening to music, podcasts and tips his grandpa had to offer.
“I learned how busy it can be at times because timing is a huge thing when you have to take into consideration weather and other factors — like how long it takes for a truck to reach a field, then dealing with muddy spots. There are so many different things you have to watch out for that could slow harvest down or speed it up.”
Looking ahead, Adrian hopes to work more efficiently next year and reduce grain spills. His long-term goal is to build a career in agriculture after completing his agriculture degree at the University of Manitoba.
As for Glen, he plans to slowly wind down his career and eventually pass the torch completely to his two sons and Adrian.
“I’ve never really considered farming to be a job — it’s a passion. When you like something, you can’t really consider it work,” he said. “As the boys take over, I’m slowly getting pushed out the door, but I know it’s in good hands.”
