Based in Marwayne, Alberta, Six Strong Ag has spent the past 15 years building a consulting business rooted in hands on agronomy and long-term relationships. Early in the journey, benchmark soil sampling provided valuable insight, but as more data became available, it also exposed a growing limitation.
“We were calling a sandy hilltop the same thing as a low alkaline spot because they weren’t producing anything,” explains Owner Darcy Saskiw. “But they’re not the same, and we can’t treat them the same.”
That shift in thinking set Six Strong Ag on a path toward zone-based management and eventually toward SWAT MAPS. What stood out was the ability to tie agronomic decisions back to real field variability, rather than relying on surface level indicators that did not always tell the full story. Adopting SWAT MAPS allowed Six Strong Ag to bring variable rate management into their consulting work in a way that felt practical and defensible. It also helped bridge the gap between what farmers were seeing in the field and what the data was actually saying.
As with any new approach, hesitation was common in the early stages. Conversations often started with questions around cost and whether the technology would truly deliver value. Over time, those concerns began to fade.
“For the first couple of years, almost every customer was hesitant,” they say. “But once they used it for a season and saw the benefits, their perspective changed.”
Those benefits were not always measured in yield alone. Many growers noticed more even crops, reduced fertilizer and seed use, and smoother harvests. Yield improvements often followed, but the confidence came from seeing fields perform more consistently across zones. Some of the most impactful insights came from digging deeper into soil data. Variability in nutrients like calcium stood out, revealing opportunities that had previously gone unnoticed.
“In one field we varied calcium anywhere from a half ton per acre to four tons per acre,” Saskiw explained. “It didn’t show up right away, but within a couple of years it went from a poor producing field to one of their better ones.”
Salinity management also became more targeted. Instead of continuing to fertilize areas that could not respond, growers adjusted seeding and input strategies based on zone potential. With increasingly precise equipment, those decisions could be made at a much smaller scale, allowing problem areas to be addressed without compromising the rest of the field.
Looking ahead, Six Strong Ag sees precision agriculture continuing to evolve as more data sources come together. Improved harvest maps, imagery, AI driven tools, and tools like SWAT CAM are creating new opportunities to refine management strategies.
“Once we start integrating all that data together, we can keep getting better at how we build and manage zones,” Saskiw noted. “That’s where the future really is.”
Despite the technology, Six Strong Ag believes its biggest differentiator remains its hands on approach. The people making recommendations are the same people out in the field, season after season.
“We’re a small company and we’re very hands on. It’s actually us doing the work, not hired help, and our customers see value in that.”
That consistency has helped build strong relationships and long-term trust, even as the business continues to grow. Expanding SWAT managed acres remains a priority, along with exploring new services such as compaction testing and mapping to meet growing farmer interest.
Fall 2025 marked an important milestone as Six Strong Ag celebrated 15 years in business. Over that time, the impact of SWAT MAPS has become increasingly clear.
“One grower returned 20 bags of canola seed at the end of the year,” said Saskiw. “That alone paid for half of SWAT, and that’s before you look at fertilizer savings or other crops.”
For Six Strong Ag, the partnership with SWAT MAPS reflects a shared commitment to continuous improvement. Both are focused on adapting, refining, and finding better ways to help farmers succeed.
The SWAT MAPS Team is proud to work alongside passionate service providers like Six Strong Ag. Learn more about what’s happening in their corner by following them on social media:
X: @SixStrongAg
Phone: (780) 522-8135
Email: darcysaskiw@gmail.com
Farmers: visit https://swatmaps.com/find-a-service-provider/ to find a SWAT MAPS Service Provider near you.
