From Dryland to Dripline

Wednesday, January 21, 2026

The Funks prove that risk, research & resilience can reinvent Prairie farming

By Mary Loggan

Brady and Lindsay Funk’s Braylin Acres is a young and ambitious operation that blends Prairie roots with innovative farming technology.

Honoured as Saskatchewan’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2025, the couple operates a multigenerational farm near Wymark, Sask., and simultaneously manages Canada’s largest subsurface drip irrigation project near Lucky Lake.

Their success stems from a thoughtful response to drought and changing agricultural economics, marked by a commitment to stewarding the land well. Better Farming recently connected with the Funks to explore how their operation is changing conventional farming in the Prairies.

Beginnings

Both Brady and Lindsay were raised on farms in southwest Saskatchewan, and that shared background strongly shaped their vision for building an innovative operation.

Today, they farm with Lindsay’s parents, Marv and Talita Hildebrand, and her brother and sister in law, Jordan and Alissa Hildebrand.

In 2015, the couple formalized Braylin Acres, marking an important step toward establishing their independent farming identity while remaining integral to the family operation.

“Both of us grew up on farms and are happy to pass down this heritage to our children,” Lindsay explains.

In 2021, after several consecutive dry years, six quarters of land became available within an irrigation district near Lucky Lake, roughly 200 kilometres from Wymark. With the blessing of their partners, the Funks purchased the land and launched a solo irrigation project they manage independently.

The Lucky Lake acquisition marked a decisive shift in their business strategy, moving from a strictly dryland focus to a dual-track model that combines the stability and scale of a multigenerational grain operation with the growth potential of a high-input, high-output irrigated farm.

“We continue to farm with family while simultaneously managing the irrigation project at Lucky Lake, separately, and solely on our own,” Lindsay shares.

This structure has allowed Braylin Acres to diversify agronomic risk, spread fixed costs over more acres, and pursue crops that would be impossible to grow consistently under local dryland conditions.

“We wanted to step outside of our comfort zone and take a risk, and it was worth it,” Brady says.

Innovations

On the Wymark operation, the family grows traditional Prairie staples such as canola, durum wheat, lentils, and peas – crops well-suited to local dryland conditions.

At Lucky Lake, they have grown durum and CDC Blackstrap black beans and are researching specialty crops and vegetables.

The project represents a leap forward in agronomic potential. Their adoption of subsurface drip irrigation technology, inspired spiritually by a biblical vision in Genesis 2:6 of “streams coming up from the earth,” sets Braylin Acres apart from traditional operations.

Brady explains, “When considering irrigation on our land, I had a thought – if that was the way God intended plants to be grown in the beginning, why not try to emulate that perfect design?”

This led them to research Netafim’s subsurface drip irrigation from Israel.

“Brady spent so much time researching options for what we could do; he was on a mission, and once he had a plan, we all got on board,” Lindsay reflects.

They found that there could be many potential benefits from surface drip irrigation.

“Subsurface drip irrigation is more environmentally friendly than traditional pivots, with savings in consumption of electricity, fertilizer, and water,” Brady says.

Through collaboration with Southern Irrigation, the Funks installed a 24-inch mainline nearly five kilometres long from the South Saskatchewan River to the farm, building infrastructure from scratch.

“We had to build all of the infrastructure from the ground up, installing all of the water pumps, filtration systems, and subsurface drip lines in the soil,” Brady explains.

The drip lines lay about 11 inches below the soil surface, delivering water directly to the roots with minimal evaporation loss.

“The new tech and irrigation system has opened the door to higher value specialty crops like canola seed production and vegetable production, and we are excited to see where this goes,” Brady says.

Management is complex, requiring soil moisture sensors, variable-frequency-drive pumps, and cloud-linked controllers for remote monitoring.

“This project has been a steep learning curve, as there is not much locally to compare it to or learn from.

“We did a lot of research and trial and error.”

The biggest challenge during construction was cash flow.

“We were able to lean on government grants and work with our banking relationship managers to find a solution to get across the finish line,” Brady says.

Early results are promising, including higher yields and reduced disease risks compared to conventional pivots.

Looking ahead

Family remains at the heart of their operation. Their children are involved primarily at the main farm near Wymark.

“They ride on tractors and combines with us, but because they are still young, their work contribution mainly involves work around the yard,” Lindsay says.

The couple values instilling a strong work ethic, love of the land, and perseverance learned from farm life.

Lindsay shares, “Personally, our faith in Jesus Christ guides everything that we do, both as a family and in farming.”

Brady notes, “If we can increase our crop yields through subsurface irrigation, we increase our income and can better bless those around us, making their lives better.”

Community connections are vital, too.

Brady emphasizes that “the agricultural community is well connected. The best, most honest conversations come from one-on-one phone calls, texts or in-person meetings.”

Collaboration is key to their success.

“You are only as good as the people you surround yourself with.”

Looking ahead, the Funks plan to continue expanding with the Hildebrand family while scaling irrigation projects at Lucky Lake.

They are experimenting with vegetables and specialty crops and considering canola seed production for 2026.

The Funks encourage farmers not to shy away from experimenting and taking risks in agriculture.

“If you don’t take the risk, there is no reward. Taking risks is how innovation happens, and we can only do our best to improve on what we are given. This is how we make progress. I can always say it's worth it, so go for it,” Brady reasons.

Lindsay stresses, “Young farmers can’t be scared of innovation and change. You need to be able to step out of your comfort zone and take a risk. It’s an exciting time to be a farmer.” BF