There comes a time on every growing farm when grandpa’s shop is no longer useful — nothing fits in the doorway, it’s dark and cold, and just plain too small. Vandervalk Farms knew it was time to build a new, larger shop years ago, but it took a little time to decide on the size and all the aspects of the shop.
Now the shop near Fort Macleod, Alberta, is very nearly done, so Stephen Vandervalk agreed it was time to show RealAg Shops around the new digs.
What’s immediately apparent in the shop is how much the Vandervalk family loves a good auction and auction buy — and the very useful to the very quirky all have a place in the new 100′ x 140′ shop. There’s an office and well-equipped meeting and staff area, a parts room, the main shop with built-in wash bay, and a mezzanine larger than the old shop, which still on the property.
The shop has in-floor heat, a field-ready hydraulic press, added doors for drive-thru ease with large equipment, and really, really over-sized doors, that ended up being just big enough once a 50-foot header was purchased. Most tire changes and repairs can be done in the shop, and the parts and tools section has a duplicate of just about everything so as not to run out at key times.
Vandervalk says being in such a dry, windy area means that grass fires are a risk, so the farm has its own firefighting equipment and water source in the event of a fire. Check out the full tour in this video, including a some very cool auction buys!
Check out all the RealAg Shops tours here!
