Franko Family
A History in Saskatoon
Stefan Franko was born and raised on a small farm outside Theodore, Saskatchewan. While earning a degree in Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, he would return after exams to the family farm to help his parents Wasyl and Katie plant and harvest crops. After he was hired by the Engineering Department of the City of Saskatoon in 1958, he would bring his wife Roma and his young sons Roman and Ivan to the family homestead to visit and help with farming before the farm was sold in 1967.
Stefan Franko purchased the Franko Lands in the early 1990s several kilometres past the boundaries of suburban Saskatoon as a hobby farm where he could once again feel the fulfillment of planting and harvesting various food crops. He took his holidays at times that would allow him to do so.
One beautiful sunny autumn day, Stefan took his sons to the new farm. The sun was warm and golden grain stretched out as far as the eye could see.
“So father, why did you buy this farm?”
“I wanted to drive a tractor!” was the immediate response.
Franko Family
A History in Saskatoon
Stefan Franko was born and raised on a small farm outside Theodore, Saskatchewan. While earning a degree in Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, he would return after exams to the family farm to help his parents Wasyl and Katie plant and harvest crops. After he was hired by the Engineering Department of the City of Saskatoon in 1958, he would bring his wife Roma and his young sons Roman and Ivan to the family homestead to visit and help with farming before the farm was sold in 1967.
Stefan Franko purchased the Franko Lands in the early 1990s several kilometres past the boundaries of suburban Saskatoon to continue his passion for farming and where he could once again feel the fulfillment of planting and harvesting various food crops. He took his holidays at times that would allow him to do so.
One beautiful sunny autumn day, Stefan took his sons to the new farm. The sun was warm and golden grain stretched out as far as the eye could see.
“So father, why did you buy this farm?”
“I wanted to drive a tractor!” was the immediate response.
Franko Family
Passing down the passion
Stefan enjoyed farming the land, and his sons and grandchildren shared in his passion for tractor driving. Yes, there were a couple of bicycles that the grandchildren could ride near the quonset. But for the grandchildren the highlight of their trips to Saskatoon was to sit on top of a tractor – with Stefan sitting immediately behind them – and to “drive” a tractor through the fields. Their delight in steering these wonderful machines, and spending time with their doting grandparents in Saskatoon, are memories that they will always cherish.
After Stefan and Roma moved to Toronto in 2002 to be close to their sons and grandchildren, Stefan flew back every year for both seeding and harvesting periods to maintain his connection to his farm.
Franko Family
Passing down the passion
Stefan enjoyed farming the land, and his sons and grandchildren shared in his passion for tractor driving. Yes, there were a couple of bicycles that the grandchildren could ride near the quonset. But for the grandchildren the highlight of their trips to Saskatoon was to sit on top of a tractor – with Stefan sitting immediately behind them – and to “drive” a tractor through the fields. Their delight in steering these wonderful machines, and spending time with their doting grandparents in Saskatoon, are memories that they will always cherish.
After Stefan and Roma moved to Toronto in 2002 to be close to their sons and grandchildren, Stefan flew back every year for both seeding and harvesting periods to maintain his connection to his farm.
