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Christ-centred. Creative. Canadian.
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When we bought Eskerhazy Farm in 1991, we had an active beaver colony living on the northwest corner of the property. They had created a large pond which was full of all sorts of wildlife, from shoveler ducks, mallards and teal to muskrats and a moose with her calf, the two of them standing up to their bellies munching on water weeds and grasses. Two years later, the beavers’ dam was breached and the pond drained by a neighbouring landowner who was justifiably sick of plugged culverts and flooded fields.
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More recently, a different local farmer changed his mind about flooding. Eugene Wittwer of W. Diamond Ranch near Telkwa says he’s stopped his endless war with beavers that flood some of his pastures. Wittwer is quite vocal about the benefits of having beaver colonies on his pastures. During normal years he loses some grazing, but during drought years, there is always green grass near the beaver ponds.
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Prominent Alberta rancher Steve Kenyon has also learned to live with beavers. In fact, he praises the effects of beavers on his grazing operations. In 2018, he designated beavers as his ranch’s Employee of the Month.
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“Usually, the beaver gets the reputation of being a nuisance as the pond will cause issues with our roads or fields,” said Kenyon. “Yes, in some cases, the beavers can become overpopulated and need to be controlled – mostly because we have pushed out their predators. But the job the beaver does is very important, and we need to try to work with him in agriculture, instead of against him. That dam he built in the fall, so his family could survive through the winter, will create enormous amounts of biodiversity in the spring and provide me with more water sources.”
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On Eskerhazy Farm, we have protected more than 80 acres of land, primarily wetlands, via a conservation covenant. Many forms of life benefit from this wetland, including moose, bears, elk, muskrats, otters, mink, many species of birds and . . . people. The spongy nature of this wetland helps store water and that benefits surrounding farms, too, including the ones that can’t tolerate flooded fields. Wetlands store water and raise the water table. And on the Eskerhazy Covenant lands, beavers may make dams without flooding fields.
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The beavers are a great blessing to the land, but also to our spirits. Betsey and I sometimes drive out on our quad (ATV) just to look at these dams that are turning our marsh into a permanent water source filled with willows, sedges, grasses and rushes.
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Looking at the beginning of our beavers’ work, there’s no classic large structure of rocks, mud and branches forming a neat pond with a lodge in the centre. Actually, very few beaver ponds look like that: most look like a job site of a messy carpenter who doesn’t finish tasks and leaves supplies and other junk lying around his work in progress.
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Like Steven Kenyon, I know that my neighbour may find it necessary to remove the beaver dam that is flooding his fertile field. Beavers may not be our employee of the month, but they are fellow creatures whose presence benefits our lives and lightens our spirits here on Eskerhazy Farm.
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Did someone forward this newsletter to you?
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CANADA IS LOSING FARMLAND, FAST
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With only 189,874 farms left in Canada today, the toll on rural communities and food security, if left unchecked over time, could be staggering. A societal shift is necessary.
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TENDING CREATION
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In this harvest season I have a fresh appreciation for the farmers in my life and in the world. They are co-creators, partnering with God to bring new life into the world. They tend and keep creation, honouring our Creator with their hard work and sacrifice.
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PRAIRIE DREAMERS
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A sense of abundance enfolds Sunrise Farm in east central Alberta, the fruit of 20 years of working in harmony with creation. Reopening the door to more small farms offers hope for would-be farmers and the land they tend.
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Just like a garden, each issue of Christian Courier takes time to grow. By the time it arrives on your doorstep, it's in full bloom! Subscribe to CC in print to support our growing community.
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