DAKOTA ODGERS
Territory Manager: Saskatchewan
Spyhill, Saskatchewan
Image: Sean & Dakota
About Me
I grew up in cities across the United States and Canada, but every summer would come home to our fifth-generation family farm. For this reason, the family farm has always held a special place for me as a true sense of home. Our family farm is located near Spy Hill, Saskatchewan where we run a mixed farm with both cow-calf pairs and grain land. I am fortunate enough to still be able to actively farm with both my father, Jeff and grandfather, Fred. Beginning when I was 15, I moved away from the family farm to pursue my dreams of playing hockey at the highest level possible. For the next 10 years, I would get a chance to live that dream with stops in Yorkton, Swift Current, Vancouver, and Moose Jaw. Upon completion of my junior career, I was offered an opportunity to continue playing hockey while obtaining my education at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario. In 2021, I graduated from Carleton University with an Honours Degree in Environmental Studies. Hockey still plays a large role in my life as I currently play locally, with the Rocanville Tigers and am actively engaged in officiating in multiple leagues including the SJHL and WHL.
Following university I moved home to Spy Hill, Saskatchewan where I continue to be active in our family farm. The family farm attempts to integrate cattle throughout the farm with our operation consisting of cash crops, pasture, cover crops, corn grazing, hay land and rotational grazing. The farm has seen some large changes with irrigation being implemented on 140 acres 7 years ago with application through centre pivot and traveling gun. Outside of the farm, I have held professional roles working for the local potash mine, and most recently the Saskatchewan Association of Watersheds. Together with my fiancée Sean we enjoy spending time with family and friends and spending time in the community through both sports and her business of Hallow Clothing.
Why Did I Choose Covers?
Covers is a company that has always had a strong impression on me through their presentation of materials for education, quality, diversity, and simplicity of use of the product. While previously growing intercrops such as peas and oats and other cover crop blends in 2023, our farm planted both the cool-season and full-season blends on dryland and irrigated acres. I have always had a very strong interest in cover crops for their ability to fit our farm’s needs in both present and future. Their ability to fit in our rotations, act as high-quality feed and naturally improve the soil for future crops was something I saw as a key staple in our farm’s future for maximization of acres. While 2023 proved to be challenging in terms of moisture and growing conditions, it was a great year to have acres under irrigation. Having both the cool-season and full-season blends under irrigation, the potential was realized. We took the Full Season blends for silage and Cool Season for swath grazing having fantastic results with both. I was sold.
Moving forward, we will be utilizing Covers product to rejuvenate acres to serve within our crop rotations as well as looking at options of intercropping with our corn grazing for livestock feed. The potential of Covers is immense, and I truly believe in it. Then came an exciting phone call about the possibility of joining the team. I was ecstatic to have an opportunity to join the Covers team and serve the province of Saskatchewan to help farms see the benefits and potential of plant diversity and the utilization of cover crops on farms across the province.