For Dena and Trent Lewis, the rigours of everyday life include chasing cows, herding pigs, putting up fence and everything else that goes into their family-run direct-to-customer operation.
As owners of One Mile Ranch and parents of three children, one thing is essential to their lives in the rural southern prairies.
“We live 20 minutes to the closest small town and nearly two hours from anywhere we get anything for work, so having a reliable vehicle means absolutely everything for us,” Dena says.
“And it means more every year. The more our business grows, the more our family grows, the more we need something that’s going to be able to handle whatever we throw at it. That’s where our Tundra comes in.”
The Lewis family bought a 2023 Toyota Tundra Platinum edition with a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V-6 last fall and have been throwing a full load of farm and ranch tasks on it ever since.
“We take a regenerative agriculture approach to our land and herd management which means we’re constantly moving our animals from field to field,” Dena says. “We rely on the Tundra to handle everything to do with moving the electric fencing and rotational grades.
“Add to that the weather here in the southern prairies. It’s wild. You never know what to expect. The Tundra really is incredible as a ranch truck. It’s impressed us in that way,”
The Lewis family is not alone. Western Canadians are discovering the value of Toyota’s mix of capable and dependable ranch trucks, led by the award-winning Tundra and Tacoma.
Backed by 80 years of global truck heritage, both four-season pickups are built to fit life and work on the Prairies and are available in a diverse set of models and packages to meet all needs and preferences.
“We are really proud of our full family of Toyota trucks,” says Evan Ortynsky, Dealer Principal at Yorkton Toyota. “Whether it’s a Tacoma or a 4Runner, a Tundra or a Sequoia, these vehicles provide incredible functionality and dependability. Drivers in the Prairies can be confident that a Toyota truck is the best choice for everything from daily tasks to heavy lifting.”
The Lewis family relies on their Tundra both on the ranch and off. It’s their daily driver for trips to get groceries, visit the doctor or do supply runs.
Trent notes most ranch trucks they have owned haven’t been able to balance those two worlds – that is, chasing cows and fitting in on city streets. The Tundra does a really good job of both.
“In terms of an everyday life, it’s been amazing, honestly,” he says. “We’ve literally looked at each other a few times this past year and said, ‘we’re so glad we have this truck.'”
Built with plenty of brawn, both the Tundra and Tacoma offer plenty of brains, too. Intelligent features supplied with Toyota Safety Sense include everything from assistance with gentle braking, adaptive cruise control to help maintain distance, and steering support to keep vehicles centred in their lanes.
“It’s peace of mind when the unexpected occurs,” Ortynsky adds. “We truly take pride in the craftmanship and safety of our full family of Toyota vehicles.”
Dena and Trent point to conveniences such as the tailgate release bump switch and eight-way power adjustable driver’s seat as their favourite features. These provide some much-needed handiness when running a ranch and raising a family of five.
“We also both love the power vertical rear window,” Dena says. “The kids love it because they can call after the animals. We love it because, on the farm, tons of things are happening behind you. This is handy and safer because it offers use better visibility of everything going on around us.”
“And the power extendable and folding mirrors,” Trent adds. “Toyota has really nailed them. As far as trying to appeal to farmers, that’s a huge thing – to have something that makes it easy to see what’s behind you. I’ve never driven a truck with better mirrors.”
Learn more about Toyota’s dependable lineup of ranch trucks by visiting shoptoyota.ca.
