WALL SPACE: Brule Creek Farms

Art of Growing and Processing Grains

Initially, Brule Creek Farms owner Jeff Burke wasn’t going to farm. “I was just going to process flour,” he explains. But then in 2008, the price of wheat was going through the roof and there just wasn’t much wheat around, so he started growing his own. “It meant I could start growing wheat the way I wanted to,” he says. “And it was easier to try different things.” For instance, this year is the first year he planted five acres of oats. He doesn’t have enough to process yet, but hopes eventually he will harvest enough to make oat flour or rolled oats. Over the years Burke has experimented with other crops like barley, buckwheat, and red clover. “I find it entertaining. I love plant biology and looking at the relationships of plants in the field.” On 320 acres, just outside of Kakabeka Falls, Burke primarily grows wheat, rye, and canola. Brule Creek is known for its local stonemilled flour, cold-pressed canola oil, and baking mixes. Burke does all the planting, harvesting, milling, bagging, transporting, repairing, and building. “I’m never bored out here,” he laughs.