It all begins with the ground. My Opa (grandfather) tended to this farm since 1956, and in 2021, the job of farm manager was passed down to me. What we both had in common, was a goal: To sustain, to grow, and ultimately; to survive, on the same piece of dirt. Sixty-five years later, the legacy I have chosen to continue was one born out of an obligation I felt to my family, and an unpayable debt to the farm which nourished those who raised me. On paper, the land technically belongs to us, but I ultimately believe that we belong to it. It will be here long after I am not. I believe it is my duty to be its caretaker so long as I am able. The hope is that one day I will become a father, and then eventually an Opa as well. I am dedicating my life’s work to this land to honour those who came before me, and to those who I will leave behind. When the job of caretaker is passed on to the next generation, I hope to give them a farm that is better than how I found it. My only hope, is that the next generation chooses to continue and improve upon the legacy which all started, with my Opa.

-Wyatt Brauer - Third Generation Farmer - Founder Opa’s Acres