Tomtene Seed Farm in Saskatchewan: History, Seed Services, How It Makes Money and Contact Notes
Profile updated November 2026
Tomtene Seed Farm is a family seed and grain operation at Birch Hills, Saskatchewan, founded in 1967 by Terry Tomtene. Two of his children and their spouses run it today, growing cereals, pulses and specialty crops and offering seed cleaning, testing, color sorting and dehulling services, as profiled by Farms.com and John Deere.
| Location | Birch Hills, Saskatchewan |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1967, by Terry Tomtene |
| Sectors | Seed and grain: wheat, oats, barley, peas; specialty crops |
| Scale | Acreage not published in the sources used |
| Why it is notable | Nearly six decades of family seed production with specialty crops and on-farm processing services |
| Ownership | Tomtene family: Steve and Jeannette Tomtene; Susan Tomtene and Dan Slind |
| Official website | Farms.com producer profile (no official website found) |
History of Tomtene Seed Farm
Terry Tomtene started the farm in 1967 because he wanted to make his living from farming. His uncle helped him buy his first property. Terry and his wife Lois raised three children on the farm.
Today two of those children run the business: Steve Tomtene with his wife Jeannette, and Susan (Tomtene) with her husband Dan Slind. The Farms.com producer profile, sponsored by John Deere, describes the farm as one that produces and supplies seed and grain, and it includes Steve Tomtene's comments on equipment.
What Tomtene Seed Farm Grows and Raises
The farm grows wheat, oats, barley and peas, along with specialty crops such as yellow flax, spelt, high oleic acid canola and dehulled food barley varieties. That mix serves both conventional seed buyers and growers or processors looking for niche products.
A distinguishing feature is service work. The farm cleans and tests seed, color sorts, and debeards or dehulls grain, using certified equipment. Seed is a quality business, so owning the cleaning and testing steps lets the family control the product it sells and offer the same service to others.
How Tomtene Seed Farm Makes Money
Seed and grain sales
The farm produces and supplies seed and grain, so its core revenue is the sale of seed lots and commodity grain. Sale volumes and prices are not published and none are estimated here.
Processing services
Seed cleaning and testing, color sorting and debearding or dehulling are offered as customer services. That turns the equipment investment into a second revenue stream tied to local growers' needs.
Specialty crops
Yellow flax, spelt, high oleic canola and dehulled food barley target narrower markets than the main cereals. Niche crops can add margin but need careful contracts and handling.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Tomtene Seed Farm
Lesson one: own the quality steps. Cleaning, testing and sorting on the farm lets a seed grower stand behind what it ships. Lesson two: serve neighbours as well as yourself. Processing services let one set of equipment earn money beyond the farm's own crop.
Lesson three: keep the family structure clear. Two siblings and their spouses share the work, which spreads management across more people than a single operator could cover.
A farm that debeards barley has clearly seen more of a grain's personal grooming than most barbers. At farm.FM we publish farm satire, farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes, and Birch Hills' seed family gives us plenty to admire, from yellow flax to spelt. We promise every kernel in our jokes is thoroughly color sorted.
farm.FM, the nation's first satirical farm site, also runs Tractor Tunes, a country music lineup for farmers. For a sample of the writing, try the archive of one of its staff humorists.
How to Contact Tomtene Seed Farm
Website: https://www.farms.com/news/farm-equipment/tomtene-seed-farm-producer-profile-97247.aspx
No official website, address, phone or email was found in the sources used, so none are listed. The Farms.com producer profile is the best verified public page. Confirm services and seed availability with the farm directly.
Tomtene Seed Farm Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Farms.com: Tomtene Seed Farm producer profile - Founding, family and services
- Statistics Canada: Canadian Agriculture at a Glance - 2021 Census of Agriculture context
- SaskCanola: Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame - Provincial recognition of leading producers
- Government of Saskatchewan: Century Family Farm Awards - Provincial farm heritage program
- Farms.com: Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame inductees - Another view of provincial recognition
Tomtene Seed Farm FAQ
Where is Tomtene Seed Farm?
At Birch Hills, Saskatchewan.
When was it founded?
In 1967, by Terry Tomtene.
What services does it offer?
Seed cleaning and testing, color sorting, and debearding or dehulling, using certified equipment.
Who runs it now?
Steve and Jeannette Tomtene, and Susan Tomtene with Dan Slind.
Tomtene Seed Farm is a good example of a family seed grower that adds value through cleaning, testing and specialty crops. For provincial context and more profiles, see the Saskatchewan farms guide on this site.