Representing County of Warner No. 5

CRONKHITE FAMILYWarner, Alberta

The Cronkhite clan boasts six generations’ worth of fam-

ily tree, and a century’s worth of history, in the Warner-New

Dayton area of south-central Alberta. And until just recently,

four generations’ worth of Cronkhites gathered around the same

kitchen table every night for supper. So it’s no surprise that in

Darcy and Carol Cronkhite’s farmhouse, happiness is a six-let-

ter word that starts with ‘F.’ “What’s really rewarding to us is be-

ing able to work side-by-side with our family,” says Carol. “Not

many businesses will do that. Most businesses will include one

or two generations, but by the time a third generation comes

along, that second generation

is usually in the process of

buying out the first, or taking

over. Our little 2½-year-old

grandson (Jaylen) is out on the

tractor with the guys . . . and

he’s got a pretty good grasp of

what’s going on for 2½.”

The Cronkhites, whose

Cronkhite Cattle Co. Ltd.

ranch sits 14 kilometres north-

west of Warner, are the County

of Warner’s choice as a BMO

Farm Family Award recipient

for 2010, in recognition of their contribution to their com-

munity’s quality of life as a family unit. And that family history

dates all the way back to 1908, when Darcy’s grandfather Otto

arrived from Ontario as a boy; four years later, he was a horse

wrangler on the last big open-range cattle roundup of the area.

These days, Darcy and Carol run a cow/calf operation with the

help of their son Cody, his wife Aspen, a certified animal health

technician, and their young son Jaylen, as well as Darcy’s mother

Bette. The Cronkhites also grow barley and spring wheat,

although much of their cultivated land is seeded to oats and cut

for green feed. “We have a strong belief in family dedication and

participation,” says Carol. “There is no ‘I’ or ‘me.’ Everyone

pitches in to make sure ours is a ‘we’ business.”

Through their commitment to land and wildlife sustainabil-

ity, the Cronkhites are currently involved with the Alberta Con-

servation Association to improve habitat for sharptail grouse.

The Cronkhites mostly use zero-tilling practices with some

minimum till, and grow and bale alfalfa-grass hay for home use.

The Cronkhites also throw themselves into community work

with gusto. Darcy has sat on various boards, including the

Warner Curling Club and

Writing-on-Stone Roping

and Riding Club, and sat

on the committee that suc-

ceeded in getting much of the

Milk River Ridge grassland a

Special Places 2000/Heritage

Rangeland designation. Carol

has served on various boards

and committees, most recently

the Warner Hockey School

board, and volunteers at the

long-term care facility in

nearby Milk River. Both have

held assistant leader positions with the Warner 4-H Beef Club,

while Cody currently sits on the Warner Curling Club board

and slings granite in the winter, along with Aspen.

Younger Cronkhite hands will eventually steer the ship, but

that doesn’t mean Darcy and Carol will be looking around for a

rocking chair.

“Farmers and ranchers never really retire,” says Carol with a

chuckle. “They come out of retirement to help with branding,

or weaning, or round-up, no matter how old they are.”

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