George and Agnes Dickenson

George and Agnes Dickenson both attended Ridgetown College. George studied production and management while Agnes majored in business and commerce. They married in 1980 and moved to the family farm in Sarnia Township, known as Perchlane Farms. 

For 40 years, the Dickensons were breeders of Holstein cattle and milk producers. When they sold their dairy herd in 2015, almost all the cattle remained in Lambton County. This was a testament to their success at breeding functional and productive animals that were easy to work with.

Keeping the same breeding philosophy, they transitioned to beef farming. Their operation is Verified Beef Production Plus. The animals are raised using rotational grazing and fed cover crops integrated into the Dickenson's cropping methods. 

The Dickensons have used no-till methods since 1992 to build their soil. In 2007, they were named Outstanding Farmer of the Year by the Lambton Soil and Crop Improvement Association.

Farming is a family affair. In the early years, the Dickensons were supported by George’s mother Carol and their children Joe, Barb, and Pat. Today, each child has a family and farm of their own.

Both George and Agnes are active in agricultural organizations. As members of the Lambton 4-H Farm Safety Club, they helped develop and market a Grain Extrication Tool (GET). The GET is an inexpensive cofferdam made from metal panels. The panels can be pieced into a barrier to protect someone trapped in a grain bin. This product won a Premier’s Innovation Award and is now used throughout Canada and the United States.

For over 25 years, George and Agnes have tried to make farm families safer. They have been active with Farm Safety and demonstrated safe farming practices to children at Lambton Farm Safety Days. Agnes provided input into the Workplace Safety and Prevention Services as part of the provincial Agricultural Advisory Committee. George has served on the Milk Committee, Bluewater Milk Transport, as well as the Lambton and Ontario Federations of Agriculture.

The Dickensons have been actively involved with local sports, their church, and the Bluewater Growing Project of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. They recently opened their home as hosts of two families of Ukrainian refugees.

Community Contributions:

• Named Outstanding Farmer of the Year by Lambton Soil and Crop Improvement Association, 2007
• 4-H Club members
• Twenty-five years involvement with Farm Safety
• Agnes served on the provincial Agricultural Advisory Committee
• George served on the Milk Committee and Bluewater Milk Transport
• George is involved with the Lambton Federation of Agriculture and is an advisory councillor for the Ontario Federation of Agriculture
• Involvement with Bluewater Growing Project of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank
• Hosts for Ukrainian refugees