They have the largest sub-surface drip irrigation project in Canada
Farmers from Wymark, Sask., are Saskatchewan’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2025.
“It’s a very prestigious award to win and we’re grateful for the opportunity to have this experience,” Brady Funk told Farms.com.
Brady and his wife Lindsay own and operate Braylin Acres in Lucky Lake while also farming with Lindsay’s family in Wymark.
Both farms produce crops like chickpeas, lentils, and durum.
But what sets Braylin Acres apart from the other family farm is its irrigation system.
The Funks purchased land in Lucky Lake in fall 2021 with zero prior experience of working with irrigation.
But multiple years of dry weather meant they needed to innovate to remain viable, Brady said.
“Facing severe drought in southwest Saskatchewan, we had two good years out of the last eight,” he said. “Incorporating irrigation into our operation was done almost out of necessity and to help ensure long term success.”
With a plan to bring irrigation to the farm in place, the Funks had to decide what kind of irrigation they wanted.
A scripture passage provided inspiration for what their farm would become.
“Genesis 2:6 says springs came up from beneath to water the surface of the earth,” Brady said. “I toured different farms and did some deeper investigations but ultimately made the decision to implement sub-surface drip irrigation instead of a traditional pivot.”
“I know it may seem odd that a multimillion-dollar project would come down to a bible verse, but I believe it to be complicitly true to the core.”
Design and construction started in 2022.
The Funks partnered with Southern Irrigation to transform 923 acres into an irrigated farm sourcing water from the South Saskatchewan River.
This relationship helps prove that a good team is essential for farm success, Brady said.
“Being non-irrigators, we knew we had to surround ourselves with incredible people,” he said. “We leaned on them to guide the design, direction, and install process. It’s a testament to the importance of surrounding yourself with good people.”
The difference between the two systems is in the water delivery system.
Traditional pivots water from the top down, wetting the plant foliage and soil and the water eventually makes its way down to the roots.
“There can be some negative side effects of that,” Brady said. “The plant is always wet and therefore can lead to disease pressure.”
The sub-surface system has permanently installed emitter lines 11 inches below the surface.
That depth takes root zones and topsoil into consideration.
“Through pumps and manifolds, high micron filtration and other valves, water is delivered to a north manifold that flows through the lines and we’re able to deliver water to the root zone of that plant,” Brady said. “The result is zero evaporation and zero disease because of how our water is delivered.”
While this system does allow for crop flexibility, it also comes with limitations.
The 11-inch depth means crops with deeper roots wouldn’t be suitable for the farm.
These include crops like carrots, sugarbeets, or potatoes, Brady said.
2024 was the farm’s first full season using the sub-surface drip irrigation system.
And the results from that year’s durum crop showed the system’s benefits.
“Comparing irrigated acres to dryland acres, which were literally 100 metres away from us on the other side of the road, the yield increase was 500 per cent,” Brady said. “And the durum bushel weight was 66 pounds per bushel. That’s about 6 or 7 per cent higher than what a normal bushel weight is for durum.”
In addition to yield benefits, the irrigation project also supports sustainability through reduced inputs and fewer chemical applications, he added.
Each field is split into 10 or 15 zones equipped with radio frequency towers.
Those towers transmit information from the system to a Galacon controller.
“That controller can monitor pressure differentials, flow rates, fertigation, and soil moisture,” Brady said. “And that’s all done through a cell signal, so the entire project can be monitored through every acre.”
For 2025, all but one acre is dedicated to CDC Blackstrap black bean production. One acre is for a vegetable trial that could lead to full-scale vegetable production in 2026.
The irrigation system at Braylin Acres is the largest of its kind in Canada and is now a destination for farmers interested in the same kind of investment.
And the Funks are happy to oblige.
“It’s a nontraditional way of irrigation and whenever new ways of farming are introduced, farmers are interested in learning about it,” Brady said. “We’re more than willing to share our findings and have people over to learn.”
With their selection as Saskatchewan’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2025, Brady and Lindsay will represent the province in the national competition in Toronto in November.
Joining them so far are Thomas and Catherine Cuthbert from B.C., Darren and Allison Hueging from Manitoba, and Romy and Ryan Schill from Ontario.