Summer On the Farm with #YourFarmer Sarah Benham

Meet Sarah Benham, a seventh-generation farmer from Eramosa Township. At Parkinson Farms, she balances many roles—from planting and harvesting to crop scouting and soil health management. Her story highlights the teamwork, technology, and passion that go into growing Ontario grains while raising a family on the land she loves.

For Sarah Benham, farming isn’t just a job—it’s a way of life passed down through seven generations of her family in Eramosa Township, Ontario. As the general farm manager at Parkinson Farms, Sarah plays many roles depending on the season. In the spring, she plants corn and soybeans; in the fall, she runs the grain cart and helps coordinate trucking during harvest. Some days she’s out scouting crops or soil sampling, while other days she’s managing logistics or jumping into the combine. No two days look the same.

Parkinson Farms grows corn, soybeans, and wheat, rotating these crops each year to protect soil health. As Sarah explains, “Growing the same crop over and over can be hard on the soil and its nutrients.” Crop rotation not only supports fertility but also helps manage diseases and pests in the field, keeping the soil healthy for future harvests.

Sarah is also passionate about using technology on the farm. With new digital agriculture tools available, she sees opportunities to better understand the land, spot problems early, and improve efficiency. It’s all part of her commitment to growing high-quality grains while caring for the environment.

Of all the busy seasons on the farm, planting time is Sarah’s favourite. It’s when the entire team comes together, working side by side toward the same goal—getting the crop in the ground. “It’s so satisfying to see everyone come together,” she shares. That teamwork, mixed with a bit of cooperation from the weather, sets the stage for the rest of the growing season.

Beyond the day-to-day challenges of weather, pests, and changing farmland, Sarah keeps her focus on the bigger picture: producing food and fuel that touch people’s lives. “We’re ultimately producing something that has a ripple effect on others,” she says. That sense of purpose keeps her motivated through long days in the fields.

For Sarah, the most rewarding part of farming is being able to balance hard work with family life. After years working in plant breeding and genetics, she returned home to the farm to raise her children in the same rural community she grew up in. “Farming has always been my life,” she reflects. “It’s more than a career—it’s a lifestyle.”