Founded in 2022, Sixteen Grains is transforming the Canadian farm experience, rooted in the values of a family-run operation. Based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, the farm grows a diverse range of grains, oilseeds, pulses, and specialty crops. By using homegrown spring wheat, Sixteen Grains is building a business around food ingredients. Derek Dery, the company’s founder and CEO, envisioned a way for people to connect with the authentic flavors of Canadian farm ingredients, while fostering stronger family bonds around the dinner table.
Agriculture’s Biggest Challenge–The Weather
Like any agricultural venture, Sixteen Grains faces its share of challenges, with weather being one of the most unpredictable and impactful factors. “Outside of the obvious impacts of daily operational planning for our farm activities, the trend, pattern and timing of weather significantly impacts our crop production,” Dery explained.
As the farm has expanded, it has become the main livelihood for Dery’s family, along with a small but growing team. The responsibility of ensuring successful crop production has placed considerable pressure on Dery, as he works to ensure the financial sustainability of the operation.
Streamlining Decision Making
The decision-making process at Sixteen Grains has been greatly streamlined with the support of Clarity and the BAM Weather meteorologists. Dery shared, “if I’m making a crop plan decision of the 16 crops we can grow then I talk to the BAM team before making a decision. Also for in-season operational decisions I check in with the team if I have questions because we are in the fields from April to October trying to execute our crop plan in the best operational windows as possible.”
According to Dery, one of the most useful features of Clarity is the chat feature, although the chances tab, which shows precipitation probabilities, is also a valuable tool. “My workflow starts with reviewing the 14-day precipitation and temperature forecasts, then I verify it with the chat feature to make sure it’s accurate for my area before making any operational decisions,” Dery said. These decisions may involve adjusting work hours to complete planting or harvesting before a weather event, or prioritizing which crops to focus on.
Sixteen Grains’ fields stretch across 70 km (about 45 miles) of land, so tools like the field-level observed hail, rainfall, and snow maps are invaluable. These maps help the team understand which fields may have been impacted by significant weather events, allowing them to take timely action.
Thanks to Clarity, Dery and his team have gained peace of mind throughout the season and even during the off-season when they are planning logistics and bringing in inputs. Weather is an inevitable challenge for farmers, but with a trusted weather partner, managing this uncertainty has become more bearable. As Dery puts it, “The biggest benefit of using Clarity and collaborating with BAM Weather is that I’ve gotten better at controlling what’s uncontrollable—the weather.”
