What happens when Ford Canada takes city folks to the farm in new F-150s?

 

Over the past year, Ford Canada has invited various media and "influencer" types out for experiences involving their vehicles in real-life settings. The latest opportunity gave us the chance to spend a day-in-a-life with Gro-Pak Family Farms located just on the outskirts of the city as they were gearing up for harvesting season.

So, why did Ford decide to send a bunch of city folks into the country? We wondered as well and, to be honest, it intrigued us. 

We first met in Toronto's downtown core and teams jumped into new Ford F-150s. We were handed over the keys to a gorgeous Ford 2018 F150 Limited. The instructions? "Follow the map, or preloaded directions on the navigation system and enjoy." 

This was clearly way more luxurious than any other pick up truck that I've ever been in. Okay, I haven't been in many trucks but stepping into this one felt more SUV than truck! 

As we were making our way out of the city on a warm and sunny morning, we were not the least bit surprised at the gridlock in the city. We started wondering about just how efficient this really was going from city to country. Did it make sense driving a pick up truck in the city? We took note of the Auto Start-Stop. Whenever we came to a stop and sat idling the engine automatically turned off but restarted when the brake pedal was released. This of course, would help with not only vehicle emissions but also would make fuel consumption more efficient. We were told that this is now standard across the full F-150 line up. And what about the city driving? We were reminded later that indeed people in the farming industry do need to get to into the city once in a while! 

Our first meet up destination was at the home of the Devald Family in King City. This was our first chance to see several new F-150s together including our 2018 F-150 Limited, 2018 F-150 Platinum, 2018 F-150 King Ranch, 2018 F-150 Lariat and a 2017 Raptor.   

"Did you check out the massaging seats?" asked a few others upon our arrival. "UM, NO! Wait...what? That sounds a little posh for a pick up truck, don't you think?" or so we thought. We made note this feature for the trip home.

Mike McGarrell, Ford's Truck Communications Manager, tells us that these kind of features are important especially for drivers who often have to travel long distances. Safety and comfort aren't just of interest for city folks! 

Yes, to massage seats!

We then returned to our trucks and headed out to the carrot field with Ryan Devald who gave us some background history to his family's farm and learned more about the carrot, onions and other produce they grow. The ones we were pulling were planted in May/June and the 29 acres of carrots were just getting ready for harvesting. We're just in time to pull out a few for ourselves!(Bucket list checked off) We also learned that the timing of harvesting is sensitive. If you wait too long the green tops will break and the machines won't be able to pull them out of the ground. "It's a far cry from when they use to pull everything by hand," said Ryan referring to the time when his grandfather ran the farm. The family also designed most of the equipment to help during the harvest. Ryan explained that since it's marsh land, this terrain had very specific needs. But this day, we were all pretty delighted at the thought of getting our hands dirty to pick our own. I couldn't wait to bring them home to the kids who were equally as excited to have super fresh veggies. Note to self, get them out of the city more  By the way, you'll sometimes find Devald family member photos on packaging and signage in your local grocery stores in the produce section.

Ryan tells us his family's been in the farming business for over 75 years and they've been driving Ford F-150s for 50 years. "They're realiable and dependable and the features on these trucks that make our lives that much more easier on the farm on a day-to-day basis," says Ryan. "They're pretty indispensible actually, like the back up camera.  A lot of times you're by yourself and backing up the trailer is common. This feature is really great because it means you don't have to keep getting in and out. Okay, and the Raptor is pretty fun to drive too!"

Ryan tells us he puts on about 35,000 km per year just from the day-to-day being on the job going from field-to-field, going to get supplies, driving workers, and hauling stuff. 

Farmers typically drove trucks because they had to. It use to be that the quality was just okay but it was always about function over anything else. But over the past 15 to 20 years, the use of trucks have changed. While they are still used for every day farming the industry is starting to see interest also for recreational use like hauling stuff to the cottage or kid's dirt bikes. Today, people like trucks on a day-to-day basis because not only do they serve their purpose but drivers are now finding the ride itself is becoming more enjoyable. "Consumer demands have driven huge shifts in what you see today. It's more consumer friendly," said Mike. 

The focus in the past few years has been on technology. While there's tons of great features, and you can go to Ford Canada's site to learn more, we asked Mike for his absolutely most favourite latest tech in the fleet. 

Adaptive Cruise Control: while they're not the first company to do this, Ford is the first to use it in a truck. You  can even hook up a trailer behind the truck and the system will manage that as well. It actually uses a radar system. People who want this feature, whether for trade or recreational, tend to drive long distances so Mike tells us this offers an easier drive.

Lane Departure Assist: there's a camera mounted with a rear-view mirror that watches for the markings on the road and gives your warnings and input if you're starting to turn out of your lane. Again, comes in really handy for those who spend a lot of time on the road. 

Ford also gave us the opportunity to experience the Pro-Trailer Back Up Assist. Mike explained that it's one of the most daunting tasks for drivers. "The challenge is when you get into a situation where you're backing up and others are around watching." No kidding. But the two volunteers from our group tested it out and they did really well with the feature.

Checking out the Pro-Trailer Back Up Assist.

The F-150s are definitely beauties with brains and brawn. We visited the storage facilities where thousands upon thousands of onions would be moved. Here we learned more about the "payload". What's that? It's all about how much weight a truck can actually carry. Ryan tells us there's over 1000 lbs of onions in one container and this beast of a truck is "best-in-class" for payload. 

Learning about the payload. Take note of the details like the side step feature and the tailgate pole! All in the details!

As for other technologies, there are plenty more including WiFi connectibility  for up to 10 devices! And not just inside the trucks, connectivity also can be accessed 50 feet outside of the vehicle. 

FordPass app is handy to help drivers search and find parking as well as sorty prices and distances from your destination. The app also locates gas stations along your route as well as compare fuel prices. With SYNC connect equipped vehicles you can also located your parked vehicle, and lock and unlock and start your vehicle remotely.

After all the fun of seeing the F-150s in action we all settled for a farm-to-table harvest feast with Ryan and his mom and dad. We knew we would be enjoying some of the fresh produced right from the farm but the surprise on this day for me personally was learning about Ford's continued commitment to sustainability. I had no idea that Henry Ford himself was interested in alternative resources. 

Farm to table harvest lunch.

Carrots and beets straight from the Gro-Pak Farms. Must learn now to make Carrot top pesto!

Did you know in the 1930s and 1940s, he was interested in soybeans as a potential alternative to petroleum in car production? Ford owned a 7,400-acre soybean farm and invested in soy crop research. He actually unveiled the first Ford "Soybean Car" in 1941 unfortunately as a result of World War II, auto production was suspended. 

Recently, food by-products, oversupply and other bio materials are being revisited. In 2007, Ford introduced the auto industry's first use of soy-based foam in seat cushions and backs. In 2011, they were in every vehicle built in North America. Today, the company continues to research how to incorporate plant-based materials that would otherwise go to waste, as well as renewable and recyclable materials, into their vehicles.  

The Ford Farm Day haul! 

Thanks to the Gro-Pak Farms, the Devald Family and Ford Canada the great outing! I must admit that I've got a whole new appreciation for the day-to-day life of those who work long hours to get their fresh produce to my local market. Learning about how Ford is very much part of this family's life is pretty special! Big thanks to Mrs. Devald for inviting us to the family's private apple orchard. Although it wasn't part of the itinerary, she gave us tips too! Pick apples for eating from the top and baking apples from the bottom. Got it!

Post and photos by Sonya Davidson