When you’re in a bind, it helps to have a few friends, which farmers like Lane Stockbrugger can attest to.
On LDS Farms outside Englefeld, Sask. — which Stockbrugger operates with his brother, Lance — those friends include the team at Lake Lenore Co-op.
“We’ve always looked at our farm business as truly a business and relationships are so important. People that are there for the long haul, who are going to help us out, are the ones who we want to work with,” said Stockbrugger, who farms 4,000 acres of grain and oilseeds.
“It’s about someone who is dedicated to the success of our business, who really is walking the talk.”
Customer service
Across Western Canada, Co-op works with growers to address the opportunities and challenges on their farm.
As any farmer knows, those challenges are often unpredictable.
That was the case in 2015, when the Stockbruggers’ growing season faced uncertainty. With the May long weekend only a few days away, the pair had just started seeding — a late start to say the least.
That’s when the axle on the farm’s liquid fertilizer tank broke and everything came to a halt.
On a Thursday night, Stockbrugger called Rick Puetz, Crop Supplies Manager with Lake Lenore Co-op, which supplied the brothers with crop inputs and equipment, including grain bins and fertilizer tanks.
“Making sure our growers are looked after is one of my biggest priorities and I could tell by the tone of their voice that their back was against the wall,” said Puetz, who went to work finding a fix for the brothers. “I knew of a couple wagons and everything kind of fell into place and worked out.”
On short notice, with a long weekend approaching, the brothers’ options were limited, but Puetz located a suitable replacement from Pattison Liquid Systems — a few hundred kilometres away.
“Somehow he tracked down a trucker that was heading back empty from the U.S.,” said Stockbrugger. “He convinced him to stay over night in Lemberg, Sask., and loaded him that afternoon on Friday. On Saturday, it was at Lake Lenore Co-op.”
Back to work
With some last-minute plumbing and preparation work from the team at Lake Lenore Co-op, the Stockbruggers were back in the field.
“Our downtime was just over a day, which is pretty incredible,” said Stockbrugger.
“I can’t say enough good things about the service and work that Rick and his team at Lake Lenore Co-op did for us. It’s made our relationship even that much stronger and solidified that going forward.”
Co-op provides effective tools and support to producers across Western Canada. Visit your local Co-op Agro Centre to learn how Co-op can equip your farm for success this spring.