YORKTON — Visitors stopping at Yorkton's crop plots this summer can learn much more than what is growing in Saskatchewan fields.
The demonstration plots near Tourism Yorkton and the Yorkton Brick Flour Mill offer a walk through centuries of agricultural history, tracing the development of wheat from ancient varieties to modern cultivars while showcasing many of the crops that drive the local economy.
Now approaching its 30th year, the Crops of the Parkland project was created to help educate tourists and residents alike about the crops they see growing across the Prairies.
"We came up with the idea that we should put the crops out that the tourist people driving by are going to take a look at and be able to see the crops that are grown," said Thom Weir, who helps oversee the plots. "They drive by the yellow fields or they drive by the blue fields not knowing what they are. This is a way of describing to them what the crops actually are."
One of this year's most striking features is a design incorporating blooming flax and canola to form a giant Ukrainian flag.
The blue flax blossoms and yellow canola flowers were intentionally planted side-by-side as a tribute to the region's strong Ukrainian heritage.
The colourful display has become especially eye-catching during the flax bloom, drawing attention from visitors touring the plots.
Beyond their visual appeal, the demonstration gardens tell the story of how wheat breeding transformed agriculture across Western Canada.
A series of plots arranged as a timeline showcase wheat varieties that marked major advances in the industry.
Weir explained that the story begins with Red Fife wheat, developed from seed obtained by Ontario farmer David Fife in 1842. The variety became renowned for its quality and laid the foundation for much of North America's milling industry.
"When settling started here in Western Canada, one of the limitations of Red Fife was that it matured later, so a lot of times it got hit by frost," Weir said.
To solve that problem, plant breeders crossed Red Fife with an earlier-maturing variety known as Hard Red Calcutta, producing Marquis wheat around 1910.
"It turned out to be very high quality, very early, and allowed for the development of the wheat and milling industry in Western Canada," he said.
The timeline continues through notable varieties including Selkirk, Manitou, Columbus, McKenzie, Unity and Brandon, highlighting innovations such as disease resistance, improved maturity, protection against wheat midge and advancements in breeding technology.
"What we're trying to show is that the industry is under good stewardship," Weir said. "We're trying to improve the varieties to lessen the load on the environment."
The wheat plots are accompanied by displays featuring crops ranging from lentils and mustard to faba beans and rye, along with heritage grains such as spelt, and Polish wheat.
Weir said the displays often spark memories among local residents.
"We have a lot of people come along and say, 'I remember Dad growing that,' or 'I remember that variety,'" he said.
Another popular feature is the "Three Sisters" garden, an Indigenous planting method that grows corn, beans and squash together. In the traditional system, corn provides support for the climbing beans, the beans add nitrogen to the soil and the squash helps suppress weeds.
Tourism Yorkton Executive Director Randy Goulden said the project fills an important educational role for visitors unfamiliar with modern agriculture.
In addition to self-guided visits, Crops of the Parkland walking tours are available through Tourism Yorkton, giving visitors a guided look at the plots and the stories behind Saskatchewan's major crops.
"What we're finding is visitors are always very quizzical about what they're seeing in the fields," Goulden said.
"As I was growing up, it was wheat, oats and barley. That has now morphed into many, many different things."
Interpretive signs throughout the site explain crop uses, export markets and production practices. Visitors can also learn about leafcutter bees, potash mining and other aspects of Saskatchewan agriculture.
Goulden said the display helps answer growing public interest about food production.
"People are very interested in where their food comes from and how it's produced," she said.
The attraction also serves a tourism purpose by encouraging travellers to spend more time in Yorkton.
"It provides intervention for visitors," Goulden said. "We can get visitors to stop here and do the tour. It's an hour minimum really, by the time they read all the signs and gather the information."
That extra time can translate into visitors exploring more of the city, she added.
For Weir, the crop plots help connect residents and tourists to an industry that helped build Yorkton.
"You consider that Yorkton probably 75 per cent of the reason Yorkton is here is agriculture," he said. "It's just a way of showing people what agriculture means to this area."
Located beside Tourism Yorkton Visitor Centre, the plots are open for self-guided tours throughout the growing season, while Crops of the Parkland walking tours can be arranged through Tourism Yorkton.
