Cool, wet weather may not be ideal for Stampede festivities, but for farmers gathered at the annual BMO Farm Family Awards on Monday down at the grounds, it couldn't come at a better time.

While many say this year's hay crops won't be very good, grain farmers like Claresholm's Jeff Darch say the rain is most welcome right now.

"Yeah, we've been pretty grateful for it. We had a pretty dry spring, but things are turning around pretty good now. We've had some violent storms rolling around, but we've managed to dodge the bullets so far. We're keeping our fingers crossed."

The Darch's have been farming in the Claresholm area since 1917, and up until around 2006 ran cattle along with a grain operation.

But Jeff says when the bottom fell out when BSE struck in 2003, he knew it was time to shift to grain, oilseeds and lentils.

Darch's family were one of the 20 chosen as the Calgary Stampede Farm Family Award winners this year.