7 minute read
Big farm family to retire
Sweeping a draw shot
Photo 2220 — Greg Nikkel A pair of sweepers tried to encourage this rock to go over the hog line, during a fun competition on Sunday for the annual Boxing Day Bonspiel at the Weyburn Curling Rink.
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One of the biggest farming families in the area is retiring
By Anastasiia Bykhovskaia
One of the biggest farms in the Estevan area is up for sale.
Earlier this year, the Hanson family, who farms near Torquay on Highway 18, completed their final harvest and decided to retire, selling their property in what will be the biggest unreserved auction in Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers’ history.
“We’ve done some very large complete farm dispersals, including real estate before. But this actually will be the largest unreserved farm auction in Ritchie Brothers’ history,” said Brandon Basler, the agriculture territory manager for southeast Saskatchewan with Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers.
“We’re very proud that the Hanson family placed their trust in Ritchie Brothers to deliver results and put on this auction. We’re very honoured to have the sale and we really look forward to it.”
The current three generations, Lorne, Kirby and Connor Hanson, have been working the land in southeast Saskatchewan almost all their lives.
“Connor (the youngest generation) started running a combine when he was seven,” said Kirby Hanson.
Lorne Hanson started farming in 1968 and kept on going for over 50 years. The decision to get out of the business wasn’t an easy one, but his son Kirby said, “at the end (Lorne) was for it.”
The idea to sell the farm came a few years ago when a Hutterite colony reached out to the Hansons, willing to buy them out. While that deal never came through, the thought of retiring from farming took root.
And once the decision was made, things started rolling. Hansons got Ritchie Bros. to take care of the sale, so they could focus on other things.
“We felt relieved. We seeded 18,000 acres for a lot of years, praying for rain and praying that grasshoppers don’t eat your crop. We did it lots and enjoyed it. And we’ll get to do something else now, enjoy our life, enjoy our summer instead of work like a dog all summer,” Kirby said.
Kirby’s sister, Lorne’s daughter Christine Hanson-Daae, came out to the field on Sept. 4 to take some pictures during the family’s final harvest. On that day, she also was wearing overalls that belonged to their little sister, who was a big part of Hanson Farms too, but unfortunately passed away from cancer in 2002.
“I am wearing her overalls in the photo, keeping her memory alive,” Christine said.
Hanson Farms saw five generations of men and women dedicating their lives to growing crops and at some point, raising cattle in this part of the province. Lorne’s grandfather, Carl Bod, came to Canada from Sweden when he was 17 years old. The first job he got in the new country was as a carpenter. He was working until he finally got some homestead land out by Lake Alma.
Bod started the farm and raised the family. He kept buying and renting land throughout his life. He later moved to Torquay, where the farmland was better.
When Lorne’s father got out of the army after the Second World War, he and his wife, Lorne’s mother, started farming as well, but they always lived in Torquay. Later Lorne moved to his grandfather’s farm and continued with the family business, raising his children and grandchildren in farming traditions.
Now that they turn this page of their lives, the Hansons plan to enjoy some spare time they never really had before.
“We bought a place at Boundary Dam, we’ll be living at the lake. It’ll be good,” Kirby said.
He added they may travel to Arizona or up north, but they plan to stay in the Estevan area, where their kids and grandkids are.
It was decided to have the final accord and have the auction in January.
“We just felt January would be the best, as it gives everyone time to revise a plan because you just can’t hop into it right away; you need a few months to get ready,” Kirby said. “Hopefully whoever buys the land, enjoys it.”
The Hanson Farms auction will be conducted by Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers and will see a great variety of land parcels and bid items.
“We have a land auction included with equipment. The land is 9,600 titled acres of high producing farmland, it includes home quarter with two houses, large, heated shop, 500,000-bushel grain handling facility. Many of the parcels have surface lease revenue. There is 59 parcels in total, being 61 quarters of land that’s going to be up for sale. And then (a) great lineup of late model farm equipment included as well,” explained Basler with Ritchie Brothers.
The land sale will be held on Jan. 25, and the lineup of equipment will be sold on Jan. 26. Everything will be sold online via timed auction at Ritchie Brothers’ website.
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Red Wings-Bruins ‘Huston Classic’ postponed due to COVID
The Estevan Bruins and Weyburn Red Wings will be postponing the games for the Tom Huston Classic, that are scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 30 and Saturday, Jan. 1.
The teams have players that are deemed close contacts with positive COVID cases, and as a precautionary measure these games will be played at a later date.
All tickets for postponed games will be valid on the new game date once rescheduled.
Activities held at Wheatland Seniors Centre
The results of games and activities at the Wheatland Seniors Centre for the week of Dec. 13-17 are as follows.
Trump whist: 1. Basil Holyer; 2. Gladys Lokken; 3. Ray Boucher.
Spades: 1. Connie Boucher; 2. Erskine Sandiford; 3. Shirley Sparks.
Kaiser: 1. Doug and Edith Lupanko; 2. Marg Schultz and Myrna Oxelgren; 3. Norma Kapusianyk and Alice Schneider.
All games are cancelled until the New Year.
Bingo games are held every Thursday at 1 p.m., and slider cards are 50 cents each.
Wheatland is looking for new bingo callers. Those interested are asked to call at 306-842-3503 to leave their name, or come in to the centre and write your name and number on the new bingo caller list.
The next casino bus will be going on Monday, Jan. 3. Phone 306-8423503 to leave your name on the list.
Membership dues for 2022 are $25, or $45 for two years.
Protection against harassment comes into effect on Jan. 1
Students, contract workers and volunteers in the province will now be protected against harassment including sexual harassment while in the workplace.
Legislation will come into force on January 1, 2022, that clarifies that the definition of harassment includes any unwelcome action of a sexual nature. In addition, independent contractors, students and volunteers will be included in the definition of workers protected from any form of harassment.
“This legislation will ensure that contract workers, students and volunteers can go to their jobs without concerns about being exposed to harassment,” Labour Relations and Workplace Safety Minister Don Morgan said. “We want to protect all workers from harassment and create safe, healthy workplaces.”
Additional amendments to The Saskatchewan Employment Act include:
• removing the requirement for the Labour Relations Board to exclude supervisory employees from the same bargaining unit as those they supervise unless the employer and union have entered an irrevocable election.
Instead, the board will be given authority to determine the appropriate bargaining unit, which may include a unit comprised only of supervisors. Transition provisions have been included which authorize the board to hear applications from employers or unions to amend existing certification orders which exclude supervisors from the bargaining units; and • providing protection for public and private sector employers that comply with the new COVID-19 vaccination regulations that provides employees with the choice of showing evidence of being fully vaccinated or evidence of a negative COVID-19 test at least every seven days.
City Information
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