The Rural Voice, 2019-09, Page 82Email: perthcountyfedofag@gmail.com Website: www.perthcountyfarmers.ca
Agnes Denham, Secretary: 519-229-8866 or 1-866-829-8866
Tim Halliday, President: thalliday33@gmail.com or 519-291-3374
Perth County Federation of Agriculture
78 The Rural Voice
* The Rural Voice is provided to OFA Members in Perth County by the PCFA.
The Perth County Federation of
Agriculture (PCFA) along with Perth-
Wellington MPP Randy Pettapiece
organized Ag 2.0 to bring MPPs to
Perth County Farms.
Along with representatives from
PCFA, MPP Randy Pettapiece, MPP
Toby Barrett of Haldimand-Norfolk,
MPP Will Bouma of Brantford-Brant
and six staff from Queen’s Park visited
four farms in Perth County: Stonetown
Artisan Cheese, St. Marys, Chaffe
Farms Ltd, Mitchell, and Follings
Farms, Shakespeare. Lunch was held
at Beaumont Farms Ltd, Monkton
highlighting Perth County Products.
The first stop was Stonetown
Artisan Cheese on Perth Line 8
operated by the Weber family. The
Weber family moved to Perth County
in 1996 to start their own dairy farm.
Having previously worked in the Swiss
Alps, it was always their dream to
produce delicious, high quality cheese
reminiscent of the renowned Swiss
Mountains and made from their own
milk. With a profound commitment to
creating cheese of the highest quality
and the support of their family, as well
as Ramon Eberle, a Master Cheese
Maker from Switzerland, their humble
dream became a reality. They milk 250
Holstein cows in a double-12 parallel
parlour. Their two sons and families
look after the cows. Their commitment
to producing high quality cheese is best
reflected in the care they give to their
Holstein cows.
Chaffe Farms Ltd. is a family-
owned and operated farm in its fifth
generation, located just north of
Mitchell in Perth County. Chaffe Farms
Ltd. markets most of its 2,500 cattle
each year through the Ontario Corn Fed
Beef branded program. In addition to
the feedlot operation, the family’s next
generation has a 50-cow calf herd
which is housed in some of the older
barns on their property over the winter
and trucked to Bruce County for
summer pasture. Most of the 1,000
acres of crops that are grown each year
are fed back to the cattle that consist of
hay and corn. The farm also grows
wheat and soybeans as a cash crop,
which helps maintain a good crop
rotation. They believe the key to a
successful future is adapting to new
technology at an affordable cost, and
giving customers a product they desire
at an affordable price.
Beaumont Farms is a family-owned
cash crop farm. It is currently being
operated by Chris and Sara Wood, the
fourth generation of the family. Chris
and Sara look after the day-to-day
operation, while mother Deb Little is
an advisor to help with questions. The
couple grows corn, wheat and soybeans
on a rotation with no tillage. They
believe in improving the soil and
leaving it in better condition than it is
today for the next generation. To
achieve this, they are using many
modern technologies such as precision
planting technology to pair with cover
crops, and agronomy that helps to limit
the amount of commercial fertilizer that
needs to be purchased. Their goal is to
work towards using zero commercial
fertilizer while maintaining and
growing high quality produce.
Follings Farms is a large sheep farm
located in the rolling hills near
Shakespeare, Ontario. It is run by Jason
Follings and his parents Ron and
Lorraine. In 2011, the family started to
produce market lambs. In 2016, they
decided to expand the flock and build a
large modern barn. The structure is
bright, with excellent ventilation to
keep sheep healthy. It also has
geothermal heat and an innovative
feeding system. The barn is also
monitored by an internet-based camera
system that allows the farmers to
monitor the sheep when they aren’t in
the barn. This family-run farm relies on
innovation and hard work to get the job
done.
Thank you to Mr. Pettapiece for co-
hosting this event, to the host farms for
taking the time to allow us to tour their
farm, and to the various commodity
groups who helped with the lunch. ◊
MPPs visit Perth County farms
PCFA INVITES
APPLICATIONS FOR
CONTINUING EDUCATION
SCHOLARSHIPS
• Up to 2 (two) – $1,000 scholarships
• Youth continuing their education in
Agriculture or/and Agricultural-related
field
• Entering their second, third or fourth
year of college or university
• Home address when not attending
school must be in Perth County
• Must be able to show a connection to
an OFA farm member.
To request an application please contact
PCFA at perthcountyfedofag@gmail.com
Call 519-229-8866 or download form from
website: perthcountyfarmers.ca/PCFA
Scholarship.pdf
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS MUST BE
RECEIVED BY SEPTEMBER 30, 2019
Presentations will be made at the Perth
Harvest Gala, Saturday, November 16, 2019
Nominees can be individuals, couples, families, businesses or organizations who have made
a recognizable contributed to Agriculture and the Agricultural Community
To request an application contact Perth County Federation of Agriculture at
perthcountyfedofag@gmail.com. Call 519-229-8866 or download from website
www.perthcountyfarmers.ca/ PCFAAgAward.pdf
Deadline: Nominations must be received by September 30, 2019
Presentation will be at the Perth Harvest Gala on Saturday, November 16, 2019
PCFA AGRICULTURAL RECOGNITION AWARD