How did Morning Sound Farm come to be?

Chuck and Danea were married in 1996, and lived in Winnipeg (where Chuck grew up), where we had our first three children.

Just before our fourth child was born, we found what we had been looking for- a farm for sale. We moved out to Sanford on February 14, after fixing up the rundown farmhouse, and our daughter was born two weeks later. Although the property was perfectly suited to our needs, it had been abandoned for several years and required extensive cleanup. In 2006, Chuck quit his city job and so the transition to hosting tours at Morning Sound Farm was begun in earnest.

In 2007, Morning Sound Farm was launched, and Danea’s parents, Peter and Marilyn, made the journey from Kleefeld to Sanford every day of May and June to be Mr. and Mrs. Farmer and help make the transition to the new location smooth. The Goertzen’s support throughout the time of learning to be farmers has been invaluable. The first few years were very time consuming and challenging, but as the kids have grown, the property has improved, the routines have been established, and client loyalty has solidified, our vision was coming to fruition.

Peter and Marilyn Goertzen originated the farm tours in 1989 at Maplewood Farm near Kleefeld, MB. They served students and teachers there for 18 seasons. They still live there, farming sheep and cattle. The Lawrenson family purchased Morning Sound Farm in Sanford in 2004 and worked with Danea’s parents, the Goertzens, to establish the farm tours in 2007 at this location. Morning Sound Farm is a reclaimed feedlot that previously housed up to 6000 head of cattle. The process of changing the property to a family farm continues to involve restoration of the land, water and infrastructure, as well as learning about sustainable farming practices, like rotational pasturing and natural fertilizer gardening. Tourism is another sustainable practice that impacts the next generation, both those who provide and those who receive the tours. We want to help visitors gain a greater appreciation for where food comes from and to get a chance to talk to farmers who are eating what they grow.

Our family has been driven by one main vision: to serve and honour the Lord Jesus Christ and to raise our children to follow Him. We believe that we are responsible before God as sinners and that He provides the only way we can be saved. We trust that the death of Jesus, the Son of God and the perfect man, paid the price we owed for our sin and brings forgiveness, making us righteous before God. We have been part of a church family in St. Vital that seeks to follow the New Testament example of church, with simple fellowship, careful trust in the Bible and opportunity to serve. We have also had the privilege of educating our eight children at home throughout their lives, which has been both a blessing and a challenge. As they transition from home education to a lifetime of more education, we pray for God to be honoured by our family’s life, wherever that may lead.