PLAMONDON - The Kuznetsov family from the Plamondon area in Lac La Biche County recently received their 2021 Farm Family Award. The annual recognition is presented to families across northern and central Alberta that represent outstanding farming business practices and values, all while supporting their rural communities.
This year the Kuznetsov’s share the award with 10 other Alberta families for the 50th year of the award's history.
While the winners were announced in November of last year, the commemorative plaque recognizing their farm took some time to arrive since the busy family wasn’t able to accept the award in person at the Farm Fair International event in Edmonton at the Expo Centre on November 12. But this week, the award made its way to the family farm, presented by Lac La Biche County Mayor Paul Reutov and Lac La Biche County councillor Colette Borgun, who is also the local Agricultural Service board chair, and the person who nominated the family for the award.
The Kuznetsov’s family-run farm began in 1974 when Stepan and Uliana Kuznetsov immigrated to Canada with their children and settled in Plamondon. Originally, the farm “started with 20 heads of cattle and grew grains on a 40-acre piece of land,” the family said in a statement earlier this year.
However, after their two sons, Arseny and Nick, showed a real interest in the farming lifestyle as they grew up, the family began expanding the business, also partnering in a forestry company to utilize the property year-round. They eventually expanded their farming property to thousands of acres.
“Because crop production is seasonal in nature, the Kuznetsov's started a forestry company to plant and manage trees. The forestry company gave them year-round revenue, which was invested in expanding the farm. Today, that 40-acre farm in 1974 has grown to 13,000 acres,” the family’s statement said.
In 2000, Stepan and his son “Arseny sold their shares in the forestry company to work full-time on the farm.”
Today, 14 family members and three staff operate the massive grain farm, said Nick Kuznetsov. With more than 50 seasonal workers who operate equipment, seed and harvest in the growing seasons.
The award was a surprise to the family members who were unaware of the provincial accolade. They say for them it's about the farming lifestyle, working hard and enjoying the work they do.
“It’s an achievement I guess when you start from scratch, you work hard and at the end of the day, you look at what you’ve accomplished — it’s a good feeling,” Arseny told Lakeland Today during last week’s presentation. “I always wanted to farm so I went into it not for the money, but for the lifestyle and I think when you enjoy doing something you make it work.”
Furthermore, the family has had a large impact in their rural community for decades, especially in the winter season when their grain harvest is done, by utilizing their equipment to make deliveries and clear snow-covered community pathways.
"In the winter, they keep themselves busy by clearing snow from driveways of neighbours, the community centre, and the local church building, while servicing and maintaining their equipment for the next farming season,” stated another portion of the family's letter.
While the family admits they prefer to work behind the scenes and were a little uncomfortable talking about their award win, they are very appreciative, and they plan to hang the engraved plaque on their farm’s main entrance.
