The Ell Family – Dairy Trailblazers in Western Canada

Showcasing the contributions of Canadian dairy farmers in the building and growth of our country, the book was created in celebration of the 150th anniversary of Canada. The book traces the emergence of dairy farming in each of Canada’s provinces through the personal stories of a family of dairy farmers who have been farming for many generations.

“We are proud to be part of a Canadian dairy family. There is no work more gratifying than taking care of our animals and producing food for Canadians,” says Gord Ell. “It’s a challenging life, but we love what we do and are honoured to be able to maintain our family’s tradition.”

Gord, who farms with his wife Tiffany, is a fifth generation dairy farmer. His ancestors arrived from Germany in 1899, settling in Kronau because there was land to spare and farming was cheap. Soon after, they were milking cows and thus began their dairy legacy. The Ell family are dairy pioneers in Western Canada, building the first milking parlour in Western Canada in the mid-1950s and becoming the first family in Saskatchewan to milk more than a 100 cows by 1970. Today, Gord and Tiffany milk 200 cows on 3,000 acres of land.

“By feeding the country in a sustainable way, Canadian dairy farmers have withstood the test of time, from even before Confederation, to produce Canadian quality milk,” said Wally Smith, DFC’s President. “I am honoured to introduce the Ell family, whose story shows a great love for dairy farming, and a deep sense of community.”

To read the Ell family and Ell Dairy Farms full story, please visit www.dairyfarmers.ca for a PDF version of the book.