Compost Bootcamp

Sharing our Story

Whole Grain Flour

"Embracing change is about adopting a growth mindset” ~ Marco Marsans

Making compost has become an excellent way for us to recycle byproducts and supply beneficial microorganisms and nutrients to the soil. At this point, we cannot make enough compost to spread on every acre we own, so making compost extract is a way we can reach every acre. Diverse microorganisms are essential for healthy soil. Below is a video to explain how we make compost extract.

If there is one thing we have learned while farming, it is to keep an open mind. Being open to new ideas has challenged our way of thinking and pushed us to constantly make improvements in our farming system. Seeing our grains as food instead of a commodity has been a great transition. We want to see our products go to those who are as passionate about their ingredients and food as we are about our grains. Introducing and selling our grains to a direct market requires a brand-new perspective. A new perspective is exactly what we needed on our farm team…a cook’s perspective! We are so honored and thrilled to be working with Bridget Bueche. Bridget is a classically trained chef who has in-depth knowledge of food ingredients. She has worked nationally with consumers, farmers, retailers, and manufacturers in their supply-chains to understand and convey the necessity and importance of high quality and nutrient-dense foods. From our farmer perspective, we see the story behind the grain…the field and soil in which it was grown, the amount of rainfall it received, the day it was harvested, etc. Every grain we grow is something we look at with pride and satisfaction. Bridget adds a whole new perspective on our grains. She sees our high food quality and full-flavored single-sourced grains. Bridget is excited to share our story and bridge the communication gap between farmers, food manufacturers, food artisans, home food enthusiast, wellness seekers, doctors, and their patients. Opening our eyes to new perspectives is inspiring and exhilarating! If you have any questions about our products or wholesale purchases, please contact Bridget at [email protected]

Exciting New Changes on the Farm

The 2017 crops have been seeded. Once again we have seeded many intercrops to increase our diversity. We have lentils/flax, mustard/maple peas, sunflowers/hairy vetch, chickpeas/flax, canola/chickling vetch, and canola/winter peas. The cereals (oats and durum) were not seeded as an intercrop, but were seeded with clovers as a companion crop.

Axten Farms is a multigenerational farm that we are proud to be part of. The first Axten’s arrived in the Minton, Saskatchewean area in 1916, and we farm that original homestead today. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of our ancestors, we have expanded our farm and made it what it is today. In 1973, the corporation, Axten Farms Ltd. was formed. In the beginning, it was believed that in order to turn the natural prairie into productive farm land, it would have to be worked. At this time, the only way to control weeds and plant your seeds was to aggressively work and disturb the soil. Over the years, the idea of summer fallow also became popular. This is where farmers, including us, only seeded half the farm, while spending the summer cultivating the remainder of the land to control weeds and let the soil “rest”. As farmers watched their top soil blow away from the constant working of the soil, and herbicides were introduced, many farmers began to chem-fallow. Land that was not seeded was sprayed with chemicals that would control the weeds and keep anything from growing.