MIKADO, Sask. — A Mikado-area farm family traded the combine cab for a supper table Oct. 1 after winning GX94's annual Supper in the Field contest.
The event was held in a canola field east of Mikado on the farm of Carson and Olivia Dereniwsky, bringing together family, friends and community members for a meal and an opportunity to pause during a busy harvest season.
For Carson Dereniwsky, the evening offered a welcome break from a harvest that is about halfway complete.
"We're probably about 50 per cent done," Dereniwsky said. "It's going slowly but surely. You get a little bit done every day."
Dereniwsky farms approximately 4,700 acres with his father, growing about 2,000 acres each of canola and wheat. Despite a wet spring that delayed seeding operations, most of the crop was planted, with only about 140 acres left unseeded.
"It was wet and we were kind of pushing off getting going," he said. "Finally we just had to start and it never really dried up."
The challenging conditions continued through the growing season, with excess moisture leaving some drowned-out areas in fields. Even so, Dereniwsky said yields have been better than expected.
"Decent yields. Can't complain at all," he said. "When you seed that late and it wasn't a great summer and it rained lots, it's averaging pretty good, so we're happy."
The harvest has also required extensive grain drying, with most of the crop passing through the dryer before storage.
"We've basically dried every bushel," Dereniwsky said. "We're kind of just getting some drier stuff now."
The winning entry came courtesy of Dereniwsky's grandmother, who has made a habit of entering the contest year after year.
"My baba. Nobody's ever entered except baba around here," he said with a laugh. "The past five or six years she's always entered."
Knowing previous calls had sometimes gone unanswered, Dereniwsky's grandmother supplied organizers with his cellphone number and made one request.
"She said, 'If you see them calling, just make sure you answer it for me.'"
The evening featured a catered meal from The Chalet and a variety of prizes for the family and their guests. Dereniwsky said the event was especially meaningful because harvest often leaves little time to connect with relatives and friends.
"There's a few family members you don't really see that much during harvest," he said. "When you can slow down for a little bit like this and enjoy something, it means a lot.
"You can't do it every day, but every once in a while, it's really nice."
Dereniwsky thanked GX94, sponsors and everyone who attended the event.
"Thanks for coming out too," he said. "We really appreciate everybody here."
