Faba Bean
When it comes to superfoods, faba beans-also known as fava beans, horse beans, or broad beans-are quickly gaining recognition for their impressive nutritional profile and versatility.
Faba beans are an excellent source of plant-based protein, low in oil, and rich in nutrients. For our organic oat farmers, they are the “cream of the crop.” By incorporating faba beans into their crop rotation, farmers naturally replenish soil nutrients through nitrogen fixation, promoting healthier crops.
Healthy soil not only retains water and nutrients more effectively but also supports the biodiversity that organic farming prioritizes and protects.
Faba beans grown on Klondyke Farms
What do faba beans taste like? Faba beans come in two primary varieties: tannin-rich and low-tannin. Tannin faba beans, prized for human consumption, add a rich depth of flavor and texture, while low-tannin beans provide a mild taste that accommodates various dietary preferences. 1
Lovingly Made, a leading Canadian dry fractionation plant renowned for its unwavering commitment to quality pulse crops, transforms faba beans sourced from Klondyke Farms into the protein crisps we use in our protein breakfasts. Klondyke Farms, owned by husband-and-wife team Marcus and Jessie, is dedicated to sustainable farming practices in Saskatchewan.
Jessie and Marcus Koenig, the owners of Klondyke Farms
Just before harvest, Jessie and Marcus welcomed us to their family-run farm in Saskatchewan, where vibrant green and golden fields stretched as far as the eye could see.
Walking through their organic farm, we felt the care, passion, and sustainability that goes into every crop-reminding us that great ingredients start with people like the Koenig family who truly love and respect the land.
Klondyke Farms
Marcus’s journey in agriculture is as diverse as it is inspiring. His dad had a 10-hectare dairy farm in Switzerland, and both he and Jessie worked on the family farm before coming to Canada. He grew up immersed in a rich farming tradition, apprenticing on local farms, serving in the Swiss Army, and gaining experience at a farm supply co-op.
After earning a degree in Business Administration, Marcus balanced a career as an accountant with part-time farming on his family’s land, and other farms as a custom spray operator.
Jessie, Marcus and Maurice
The Koenig family moved to Canada 28 years ago from Switzerland. Marcus managed a commercial potato farm in Ontario before falling ill from the years of exposure to chemicals. In 2014, with their son Maurice, then 14 years old, the Koenigs sold their land in Ontario and relocated to Saskatchewan. Near Lucky Lake, on the shores of Lake Diefenbaker, they dedicated themselves to leave conventional farming behind and embrace organic practices.
During our visit, we were thrilled to meet two students from Denmark and Germany who had come to Canada as trainees to help out on the farm and learn about organic practices, showing how organic farming can connect cultures and inspire the next generation.
These organic oats are ready for harvest
To protect his crops and promote biodiversity, Marcus carefully cultivates tree lines. He also relies on irrigation from Lake Diefenbaker. His commitment to organic farming runs deep. This commitment is fuelled by both a sense of responsibility and a personal journey.
Marcus explained how conventional farming practices can deplete the soil’s organic matter and biology. Rebuilding soil health with good organic practices increases the natural resistance of crop plants to insects and disease eliminating the need of pesticides. Rebuilding that soil can take years, if even possible.
Maurice, Jessie and Marcus in front of their faba bean field
While conventional methods may appear more cost-effective and less demanding in the short term, Marcus and Jessie know the long-term consequences for both soil and human health can be severe.
They have traveled the world, attending organic farming conventions and learning from experts, continually refining their approach through trial and error. The result is a vibrant, thriving family farm that stands as a testament to their dedication.
Marcus and Maurice manage Klondyke Farms together
Today, Marcus manages 1,600 acres, rotating pulses, grains, and cover crops to keep the soil healthy and productive. He has a special fondness for growing faba beans, describing them as vigorous plants that provide essential carbohydrates and nitrogen, nourishing both the soil and the crops that follow, such as oats.
Jessie, meanwhile, tends a lush greenhouse vegetable garden, growing cucumbers, tomatoes, and a variety of other produce. Maurice plays an essential role in the daily management of the farm and is deeply committed to the organic ethos. He reflected on the demands of organic farming, noting that while some conventional farmers can spray their fields and go on vacation for two weeks until harvest, organic farming requires constant attention and care, a true labor of love.
Marcus surrounded by a lush golden field of oats
Maurice and Marcus are always innovating, recently experimenting with winter seeding on a portion of their crops. This approach allows seeds, and even weeds, to begin growing before winter sets in. As snow falls, it naturally suppresses the weeds, while the crop remains dormant, ready to grow when spring arrives. This method contrasts sharply with conventional farming, where chemical sprays are often used to control weeds, sometimes at the expense of soil biodiversity.
Another organic strategy they use to combat pests and natural diseases is soil building. Nature can grow the healthiest crops, but only if you know how to work with it. Marcus has spent years learning, sharing, testing, and experimenting, gaining the knowledge needed to cultivate rich, resilient soil. The results speak for themselves: vibrant, thriving crops.
The story of Marcus, Jessie, and Maurice is one of perseverance, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to producing clean, sustainable food, while caring for the land and inspiring others.
Kathy holding the faba beans picked on Klondyke Farms
The faba beans harvested at Klondyke Farms are sent to the Lovingly Made facility, where they are turned into the protein crisps found in our protein instant oatmeal and granola. With an impressive 65% protein content, these beans are organic, non-GMO, vegan, halal, and kosher, containing no additives or chemicals.
This faba bean protein is hypoallergenic and free from common allergens such as dairy, soy, and gluten. At One Degree Organics, we seek ingredients that are not only environmentally sustainable but also deliver functional benefits and a story worth sharing- bridging the gap from farm to table with just one degree of separation.
The faba bean protein crips sourced from Lovingly Made
Sourcing ingredients is by no means an easy task- the hard part of our development team’s job at One Degree Organics is finding ingredients that are clean by government health standards and grown completely organically. We search endlessly to find farmers and co-ops like Lovingly Made and Klondyke Farms to bring only the best to your breakfast table.
Our sprouted protein instant oatmeal and granola are made with only real ingredients grown by real farmers, because you deserve the peace of mind knowing where your food comes from and how it was grown.
Cinnamon raisin sprouted protein granola
Every spoonful, regardless of whether you enjoy a crunchy cluster-filled granola or a smooth, mouth-watering oatmeal, will provide you and your family with the nourishing benefits of clean ingredients for a healthier, sustained day. Eating a nutrient-rich breakfast isn’t just about fuel-it’s about giving your body the tools it needs to perform at its best, naturally.
Coconut chia and banana brown sugar protein oatmeal
We take pride in sourcing our organic faba beans from Lovingly Made and Klondyke Farms. Saskatchewan, known for its expansive prairie grasslands and fertile farmland, boasts one of the highest per capita agricultural outputs in Canada, making it the perfect place to source this plant-based ingredient that gives our breakfasts their rich, wholesome texture and high-quality plant-based protein.
Every bowl we create is designed to do more than satisfy hunger, it’s meant to nourish your body, support your well-being, and connect you to the story behind your food. We hope this breakfast provides you and your family with the lasting benefits of clean, healthy ingredients, while also celebrating the farmers, the land, and the care that goes into every bite.
Marcus showing us their incredible oat field
The next time you grab a bag or box of our Sprouted Protein breakfasts, scan the QR code to learn about our other farmer partners, just like Marcus, who grow clean ingredients. At One Degree Organics, every ingredient has a story, and we are here to bridge the gap between farm to table through our commitment to 100% food transparency.
REFERENCE LIST
