The Paradigm Shift with Jonathan & Stefan Bouw

Beef and Forage Roundup

Today we highlight Jonathan & Stefan Bouw who own and operate Edie Creek Angus at Dugald, Manitoba & Howrey Angus in Sterling, North Dakota.

They are the third generation on the Edie Creek Farm, where they raise cattle that calve in the spring in a low management system. They have worked for many years to incorporate genetics into their herd that work well with their management, and sell bulls and bred heifers with these genetics at their annual bull sale.

Jonathan Bouw loves trying crazy new grazing and farming practices, trying to push the envelope of things that can (‘t) be done. Jonathan enjoys seeing the intersection of grazing management & the well-being of livestock operations—logistically and economically. Developing water infrastructure and planting fence posts (temporary posts & permanent) have made a big difference in the grazing capacity and cost of production with limited land resources on his family’s farm. Electric fencing has also improved cattle-handling psychology as the cattle are trained to temporary electric fence (Polywire), which has a multitude of applications. Water pipeline infrastructure has enabled the flexibility to create small paddocks that result in short graze periods and long recovery times, which has improved the productivity of their pastures.

The Genetics of maternal Angus cattle that thrive in low-input management systems is Jonathan’s passion, which is shared with his brother Stefan. Together with their families, they run Edie Creek Angus at Anola, MB with parents Herman & Marilyn, and have recently acquired the Howrey Angus herd which stay in North Dakota under the care of the Rath Family Ranch in Sterling, ND. They’re excited about the first “Grazer’s Edge” bull sale, which will be held online & ending November 16th.

Jonathan and his wife Eileen have 4 wonderful kids, and they enjoy being actively involved in their neighborhood & church communities.

Stefan was raised on a feedlot operation in the small town of Anola, just east of Winnipeg, Manitoba. He has always had a passion for the cattle industry, and his parents taught him the value of combining a thirst for knowledge with hard work and passion. Stefan received a diploma in Agriculture from the University of Manitoba while also playing Volleyball for the University of Manitoba team. During that time, he also married his wife Kendra and has since been blessed with four children - Jaxon (13), Mikaya (11), Alexa (9) and Micah (7).

Twenty years ago, the Bouw family shifted operations with the start of a purebred Angus herd - Edie Creek Angus. Alongside his dad and brother, the third-generation farm now has an annual bull sale, where they sell two-year-old bulls and bred heifers. Their breeding program centres around maternal traits, with fertility and longevity in low input, forage-based systems being focal points. .

Stefan continues to be an active participant in opportunities that expand his knowledge of the industry. Having taken the Holistic Management and Ranching For Profit courses, he uses its principles to ensure that business decisions benefit his family, the community, biodiversity and profitability.

Through their years of farming, they have attended both the Holistic Management and Ranching for Profit courses, which have resulted in a change of mindset and a change of their paradigms. Together, they are challenging the norms of raising cattle in Canada to increase their profit and to help other producers with profitable beef production as well.

They believe in the power of sharing information, attending professional development and continuous learning. Annually, they host a fall grazing tour at their Edie Creek farm and they invite producers to come and take a look at their grazing practices, genetics and management approaches. Their 2023 tour is set for December 1st from 1:30-4:30 p.m. They invite you to attend, if you are able.

If you would like to contact Jonathan or Stefan, you can reach them by phone, though their websites or on social media as listed below:

Edie Creek Angus Website: https://www.ediecreekangus.com/

Howrey Angus Website: https://howreyangus.com/#why_howrey

Jonathan: 1-204-471-4696

Stefan: 1-204-232-1620

Twitter: @ediecreek_howrey

Facebook: Edie Creek Howrey Angus

The research programs and daily operations at MBFI would not be possible without the funding from the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada, and Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC).

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