For the Baliskys, it truly is a family affair.
On Friday, the generational business owners were honoured as the County of Grande Prairie’s Farm Family of the Year at a ceremony as part of the Foster’s Peace Country Classic Agri-Show.
Todd and Lexi may have started their own business in 2004, but the Balisky family farming tradition has been a staple in the County of Grande Prairie since 1963.
“We’ve been running as a separate operation for a while, but this goes back generations. My grandparents, parents, uncles, aunts, and cousins. It’s not just our award it is everyone’s. It’s generational,” says Todd Balisky.
Splitting from the original DeBolt-based family business in 1998 to start a beef cow/calf and buffalo ranch along with a grain and Oilseed operation, Todd and Lexi Balisky then moved further off on their own in 2014, when they moved specifically into the beef business.
Todd says they’ve had their shares of triumphs and heartbreaks as a family unit, but he wouldn’t change a thing.
“Hard times don’t last. You just need to last longer than the hard times.”
He adds they are thankful and appreciative for the award and knows the calibre of farming in the area speaks volumes about his fellow professionals.
“This region is full of good farmers that deserve this award too. The greatest resource in this region is the people.”
The Balisky family operates close to the original family homestead near Bear Lake with their children Emma, Luke, Heidi, and Wyatt.