Blight Native Seeds is the 2017 Farm Family of the Year.

Jim Blight, Kam Blight, Krista Blight, Dorothy Blight and Kevin Blight accepted the recognition at the annual Portage la Prairie and District Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Appreciation Dinner at the MNP Exhibition Building Friday night.

“We've been a member of the community since 1890. We are now a fifth generation farm, spending 127 years in the Oakville area,” says Kevin Blight. “This recognition is very much appreciated.”

According to provided information, the Blight farm started on 240 acres of land purchased in 1890 and ten children were raised on the farm.

In 1988, they planted two native grasses for seed production and today approximately one-third of their acres are in grass seed production. Now, it's the largest native grass seed production company in Canada, wholesaling seeds throughout Canada and the Recently the United States.

The original native species grown in 1988 of “lodorm” green needlegrass and “rodan” western wheatgrass are still grown, along with 14 other “native only” species. The farm also grows grains and oilseeds such as wheat, canola and soybeans -- and have a seed cleaning facility.