COLUMN: Report from the Legislature – A proud Oakbank history

As summer winds down and fall approaches, the community of Oakbank prepares for another season of harvest. While the leaves begin to turn and the fields near their final yield, local farmers are working hard to bring in their crops. This time of year, often invites reflection and for our community, it also marks the end of a significant chapter in Oakbank’s agricultural history.

After more than a century the Bredin family farm has ceased operation, and has rented the land out to other area farmers.

The farm’s legacy dates back to 1891, when Michael Ruttig, a newcomer from Eastern Europe, settled in the Oakbank area and began cultivating the land. Just a few years later, in 1895, he became one of the founding members of the Oakbank Baptist Church, a congregation that remains closely connected to the Bredin family today. The original farm encompassed a significant portion of land between Vernon Road and Main Street, an area that has since evolved into residential neighbourhoods, schools, and commercial developments.

Later in life, Michael passed the farm on to his daughter Hulda, who married into the Wilde family. The Wildes carried on the family farm.

The farm entered its next chapter when daughter Myrtle, from the Wilde family married into the Bredin family. In 1963, the Bredins officially took over the farm, continuing the agricultural legacy that had begun more than 70 years earlier.

Over the years, portions of the original farmland gave way to Oakbank’s growth, gradually becoming residential neighbourhoods and commercial developments, while the remaining acreage continued to be farmed. The farm produced prairie crops including wheat, soybeans, canola, flax and oats. In 1996, it was recognized as a Manitoba Century Farm, marking more than 100 years of continuous family ownership. Howard and Darryl Bredin continued farming until the operation closed in 2018.

Off the field, the Bredins also left a lasting mark on the community through entrepreneurship. In 1994, Howard and Darryl Bredin launched H&D Farm & Auto Supply on Main Street in Oakbank. They started out selling farm toys, Pic-a-Pop, jeans, farm and auto parts, lawn and garden tractors and shortline farm equipment. Then in 2006 they moved to their newly constructed facility just south of Oakbank on PR 206. Their efforts had made getting necessary parts and supplies easier for area farmers and residents.

In 2014, they sold the business to Ag Advantage. The brothers then focused back to just the farm.

Throughout its long history, the Bredin farm wasn’t just a workplace, it was a gathering place. During harvest season, the family often hired extra hands, creating a sense of community that extended far beyond the fields. It was a place where family, friends, and parishioners of the Oakbank Baptist Church came together. Even today, the Bredin’s continue to host the church’s AWANA children’s program by offering shop space for kids to build wooden cars for their annual grand prix. They also host a men’s fish fry and the occasional outdoor service.

From its roots in 1891 till today, the Bredin family farm represents more than a piece of land, it symbolizes the spirit of community, resilience, and tradition. As we head into another harvest season, we celebrate the legacy of those who worked this land and gave so much to Oakbank.

The work I value most is serving you and your family as your MLA for Springfield – Ritchot. I welcome your questions, comments and concerns to Ron@RonSchuler.com or by mail at Box 150, Oakbank, MB R0E 1J0.