KENNEDY - Leon Dube has worn many hats over the years.
Dube began his farming career 1974. Although they had worked on the family farm many times over the years, Dube and his brother Ron partnered in the 1974 to take over their parents' operation in the Kennedy area, as his father retired.
The quarter section was owned by his grandfather, Armand Lautier, who settled there in 1917. Lautier passed the farm on to his two boys when he retired from farming.
In 1942, Dube’s father and mother, Carmel and Anne, purchased land adjacent to the original Lautier farm. They remained as two separate operations until the brothers combined the properties, and Dube Farms was formed.
The farming practices have changed and developed over the years. Mixed farming with grain and cattle has always been part of the heritage of their land. Dube and his brother worked long hours, maintaining their farm with good success. Their partnership successfully ran the farm until his brother passed away.
The farm has always been in the family. Dube’s son and daughter have moved away and pursued careers of their own. He hopes that when he is ready to retire that one or both will return to continue the lineage created.
Dube rode horseback to run the cattle and travel the land. He has since retired his horse. He kept himself busy with employment off the farm as well. He worked as an outfitter for hunters visiting the area in search of waterfowl through the early fall. He worked as a guide until the pandemic hit and trends changed.
Dube has run a trap lease since 1975 in Moose Mountain Provincial Park. He has also worked maintenance for the past couple of decades.
For the past 20 years, Dube has resided on a beautiful little acreage just outside the north end of Moose Mountain Provincial Park. When asked about the wildlife trends and occurrences, Dube sees the natural numbers changing in an ebb and flow relationship.
Mule deer are coming back, whitetails vary constantly, moose numbers are down while elk are up. There is the occasional bear, skunk, raccoon and porcupine. The acreage is crossed by a busy stream that parades these creatures as they follow the course of the stream.
He continues to operate the farm himself. He practises summer fallow on certain areas. Dube seeds and harvests. He also includes in his efforts, hay fields for harvest and sale. Some of his hobbies include hunting, trapping, farming and fishing.
Now over 100 years old, the farm has seen many changes over the years. Oil wells have multiplied exponentially. There are fewer individual farms. Many are bought up and combined as part of larger operations. The newest change in the landscape is the introduction of windmills. Dube sees them out his kitchen window.
