Co-op Corner: Tupling Farms

June 9, 2022 · 0 Comments

Written By Aaron McGuirk

This week Aaron McGuirk from Centre Dufferin District High School shares a little bit about his experience and how Tupling Farms is contributing to our community’s future.

Tuplings Farms is located on Mulmur Melancthon Townline and has been in business for 78-years, starting in 1944 with Mel and Irene Tupling being the founders. The farm has certainly had its ups and downs, one being a fire breaking out March 7, 2017, but this tragic damage did not stop the family, instead they grew and rebuilt past the damage. Tupling Farms owns 3000 acres and rents 1200 acres. This land consists of 1800 acres of potatoes, 1100 acres of corn, 200 acres of hay, 500 acres of barley, and 700 acres of wheat. There are also 2000 head of cattle (steer). The company is family owned consisting of brothers and their parents- Andrew Tupling, Aaron Tupling, Burt, and Pat Tupling. There are 12 full time workers, as well as 10 seasonal workers from Mexico who live on the farm spring and fall for planting and harvest with a
house provided.

My job title within this business is a General Labourer. I have had the opportunity to operate the 10lb machine, do field work, unload seed, assist fixing machinery, clean barns, process cattle, and drive a forklift and potato trucks. A task I may still get the chance to do is operating and learning more about running the garder. Special equipment used at my placement is forklifts, potato trucks, diggers, planters, tractors, farm trucks, dump trucks, 10lb machines, spudnik machines, and more. Training programs I participated in as mandatory training within my workplace included WHIMIS training as well as safety training which included learning where all of the safety equipment is (eye wash station, fire extinguisher, first aid kit). I also had training on how to safely use and operate all machinery within
the workplace.

Working in the farming industry has taught me there are many different careers associated within this type of job. Truckers are used to transport goods and bring back supplies as needed. An accounting is used to sort out the financial aspect of a business such as paychecks for employees, as well as the amount of money being received and spent. Mechanics are used when there are more complicated issues with machinery needed to be fixed.

Tupling Farms has had lots of beneficial involvement in their local community. They have supported the Honeywood Hurricanes Minor Hockey Association by supplying new jerseys, and helped fund for new netting for the nets around the rinks. They have also supplied potatoes for Osprey Public School orders and donated all proceeds to fund for their year end trip.