What’s your name? Dustin Gabor.
I have been a farmer since: My dad Ron started farming in 1978. My older brother Mike got involved full time in 2002. He has since taken the reigns, allowing Dad more time to take care of some of the more important things, like checking his trail cameras. My younger brother Rory has also moved home recently and is now involved in the farm full time as well. I am here during the busy times of the year. My main focus is running Grain Shark, watching the markets and helping my clients with their decisions. But as soon my daily job is done, I’m back in the field helping out.
I have been a Farm At Hand user: Not sure when we started using Farm At Hand. We find the app useful for keeping track of all our storage. Since our farm is widespread we have lots of bins in different places so it’s handy to be able to quickly check the app to see what crop is at what location before we head over there to fill a truck to take to the elevator.
Also I find Farm At Hand useful for keeping track of different times of year we are in the field and comparing it to times in previous years. We used to have everything written on napkins that would blow off the dash when the wind came through the cab. Now we all have access to the app and desktop mode for quick and easy updates and reviews.
Where do you farm? Our farm is located near Gladstone MB (a.k.a Happy Rock). We have 4,000 acres that can be found in a 20 or so mile radius from the home farm.
What do you grow: We have always grown canola and wheat. We have also introduced more and more soybeans into the rotation over the last 4 years.
How did you get into farming? The farm has always been in the family. For me personally, I left the farm in 2002 to go to University of Manitoba. After grabbing a degree in Agribusiness, I started working for a grain marketing advisory service in Winnipeg, MB. After 7 years I decided to move on and start my own grain marketing service called Grain Shark. With my own business it allows me more time to spend close to home and near the farm. During the busy times I’m focusing on the markets and helping clients from 7-2pm and then into the field for the rest of the day. During Fall and Winter I focus all attention on the markets and helping clients sell their crop.
What do you love about farming? I love the independence that comes with farming. You get to plan your day out the way you want (for the most part) I love the sense of accomplishment that comes at the end of each year. Especially the successful years when the bins are right full and we have made some good forward contracts to deliver against right off the combine.
Also I love how farming brings the family together, especially during harvest. Even though we are working long days and into the night, there is always time for some good laughs to keep everyone going.
When I asked my dad and brother on the CB radio what they loved about farming, I got the following replies:
Dad – “I love unplugging Canola from the combine when she’s jammed right full.”
Mike – “I love answering telemarketer phone surveys about how much crop I have this year.”
Dad – “Nothing beats the smell of fresh anhydrous being applied in the fall.”
What’s currently in your pockets? My phone.
What’s your most important piece of equipment and why? I guess the right answer should probably be combine because how else are you going to get the crop off before the snow flies?
But I gotta go with cell phone. I can access markets and receive recommendations and price updates from Grain Shark. I can track my yields, storage, and contracts with the Farm At Hand App. I can update my twitter followers and stay up to date with the Twitter community. I can text back and forth in a group message with my brothers and dad to make plans when the CB radio isn’t working in the trucks. I can check weather forecasts. I can get Blue Jays updates: just to name a few things.
I understand that without farm equipment there is no farming, but with technology advancing the way it is, the cell phone is becoming extremely important as well and should not go unmentioned.
Where can we find you online? Twitter @GrainShark or at www.grainshark.com.
Swing by Happy Rock and visit our farm someday.
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