Right after the winter Olympics concluded we received a message from the super-keen John Brand of JNJ Jerseys near Clinton, Ontario. The morning after the great games wound up he received his Feb/Mar 2010 Jersey Breeder. Hm...great photo of a Jersey cow and the Canadian flag. Fairly appropriate, he thought. Then he noted that Melissa Bowers of Ferme Lencrest near Coaticook, Quebec had taken the photo. The photo was a great winner of the Jersey Canada/Unique Stock Photo contest for 2009. Hm...John looked at the tag in the cow's ear. Hm....2642 management number. Sounded familiar. And....the cow is one John and his family bred at JNJ and sold to Lencrest! Hm....87% at 2-2, easily good enough to be at The Royal in 2009, by a neat young sire and making a nice 2-0 record...hm......and her most fitting name is......JNJ Tyler OLYMPIA!
Does it get any better or more fitting than that!???!
Saturday, March 6, 2010
When all the pieces fit together.....
Seemed like an innocuous enough kind of call....from the ever-enthusiastic and energetic Dean Cole in "Mosquito-Bite" in Halifax County, NS. Arriving on one December day in the year of Our Lord 2009. Dean is sire of Sandy Cole. In the deep, dark days of December Sandy was deep into preparations for his Semex/Holstein Canada three month junket to the wilds and wonders of Aussie, Ozi, or, if you must, Australia! One of Sandy's roles at the Cole's family's Eloc ( Cole, Eloc, you got it, eh?) is Lord High Chamberlain of Stall Card Preparation. On my latest foray into Eloc land on August 1, again in the year of Our Lord, 2009, we had been reviewing the cows prior to evening milking. Yours truly was caught up short by a card above a rather-young looking Holstein that read "Springbank Snow Countess". Hm.....seemed to me that the legendary black and white Snow Countess had been born at least 100 years prior to 2009! I was informed by Dean that I had just witnessed his son's puckish sense of humour in operation.
Anywho, back to December 2009. Dean wanted to know about "that cow from Tattrie's up in Brule on the North Shore of NS" (and there is no shore like the North Shore, that's for sure!) that had a big splash at the RAWF in the 1950s. Because of all my "life experience" I knew Dean was referring to the iconic (well iconic in some limited circles!) Patsy Of Windblown. This fine cow born in 1950 had been the $3800 high seller in the 1955 Sale of Stars at the Royal. Doug Tattrie and his brother Angus and wife Anne and their family were relatively new Jersey breeders at the time. The buyers from a little piece away in Truro, NS were the Norrie family of Fundy Jersey Farm. Now at this juncture I must note that the Tattrie farm at Brule is on "the doorstep to heaven" as it is in the very most eastward part of (north) Colchester County right up against Pictou County. Dean wondered if we could pull together a few pieces of information on Patsy. Sandy would then exercise his card-creation mastery for one of the fine Jerseys at Eloc before taking wing for the trek to Aussie. At this point I am compelled to ask if you are highly impressed by the extra-important tasks that Jersey Canada staff are asked to complete on a daily basis? Just nod and say: Yes, Suitably impressed!
I'll also add that the Eloc is a true United Nations herd with Holsteins, Jerseys, Swiss and Milking Shorthorns gracing the barns and pastures.
So, we set out to get the job done and started on a trail that had so many bunny trails one could hardly believe it!
Patsy of Windblown was an Excellent daughter of Popeye's Standard Dreamer. Dreamer was bred by J. Arthur Malcolm a very nearby neighbour of the Tattrie family. Mr. Malcolm is to date the only Nova Scotian ever to serve as President of Jersey Canada-a role he filled in 1955-56. This gent was also brother of Jennie Malcolm MacInnis. Mrs. MacInnins (wife of Logan M) was part of the MacInnis family of Scotch Hill farm about a mile from where yours truly grew up in Lyon's Brook in Pictou County. I recall slugging bales on that farm in my early teen years and attending 4-H meetings there when a few Jerseys were still part of the herd. Standard Dreamer was a son of Flora's Faye a member of a famous cow family bred by Edison Mutch of River North Jerseys on nearby PEI. And Edison Mutch was maternal grandsire of who? Wayne Boswell, 2004 President of Jersey Canada and only PEI resident to date to be President of Jersey Canada.
The dam of Patsy of Windblown was Brownie's Anne 02Z, born in 1945 and bred by one Amos C. Tattrie of River John. And where is River John? East of Brule on the western edge of heaven on earth-i.e. Pictou County. Anne was a rather intensely line-bred daughter and maternal grand-daughter of a bull named Norway Prince Charlie. Hm...Norway.....I wonder? So, checking on Prince Charlie's roots I discovered that he was indeed bred at the Maritime Oddfellows Home Farm on the west edge of the marine town of Pictou-about three miles from where I was raised. Norway refers to Norway House the large house that had served as main building on the retirement home on the farm.
If you track back on Anne's maternal line you'll going back almost a century in the Amos Tattrie herd.
Then you'll find genetics from herds near Amherst still on the North Shore and near the border with New Brunswick.
So? Well at Christmas time my Dad, the feisty Jack(son) Gammon was visiting some neighbours named MacConnell and brokered the loan of an amazing scrapbook the family had kept on their Stony Acre Jersey herd. The MacConnells had farmed at Meadowville, a great farming community between Lyon's Brook and River John and Brule. Rollie MacConnell has been a family friend for decades. The scrapbook told a compelling story about Rollie's grandparents Sigbert Mac Connell and Mrs. M and his parents the late Rae and Helen MacConnell and their family. The MacConnell kids had been part of the Pictou County 4-H program at the same time as the Gammon brood.
Helen MacConnell was an especially energetic and keen Jersey person. She was for a time the dynamic Secretary of the provincial Jersey association. As was the case at the time the local newspapers carried lots of stories on the exploits of the Mac Connells and their top Jersey herd. From a herd of 35 to 40 head and maybe 25 to 18 milking cows the family won numerous show championships and even produced a couple of Canadian All Time Class Leaders for Production in the late 1950s and 1960s. One of their cows even broke a 30 year old Canadian production record set by a cow in BC on the west coast! Sometime ago I wrote that they had hosted a Provincial Jersey Field Day in the summer of 1959 that attracted well over 250 guests!
And where was Helen MacConnell born and raised? As daughter of the aforementioned Amos Tattrie of River John she was raised by the sea on her Dad's farm. Later in life Helen took to expressing herself through painting. On my desk at home in Fergus sits one of my most prized possessions a small original painting of a lovely horned Jersey cow in pasture by the sea. I have to believe Helen was painting a Jersey cow at her home sea-side farm.
Many of the foundation cattle at Stony Acre farm were from the Tattire herd. Their champion producers were by a bull named Dalcraig Royal Dick, a bull who was bred by the Master Breeder Adamson family at Heathbell which is between Lyon's Brook and Meadowville.
Hm..are you tracking with me?
One day over Christmas I was doing my much-needed walk on a trail close to home and just west of Pictou. Hm....part of the trail was "off limits" due to construction but I could see tracks in the snow that told me "everyone else was walking on the trail anyway". In addition the off limits section would on a seaside portion of the trail right in front of Norway House and the former Oddfellows Farm where Norway Prince Charlie had been born in 1939, 70 years earlier. Seemed like a no-brainer that I had to do that walk. As I did so I there was, as Canadian singer Jann Arden would say: "A massive explosion of thoughts in my head" as I reflected on the Tattries and Mac Connells and other Jersey families on the North Shore not far from home.
On the afternoon of Sunday, December 27th my Dad and I headed west along the North Shore for our annual Christmas visit with the Thompson and Johnston families at Pine Haven Farm at Oxford another almost-North Shore towns. Over Christmas I had browsed an amazing book about the communities of Seafoam and Toney River on the North Shore, in Pictou County east of River John. As we drove through these villages I thought of learning that there had been Jersey 4-H calf clubs there in the 1940s. West of River John Dad pointed out the former Amos Tattire farm. Then we passed Amet Farm formerly owned by the Jersey-loving Langille brothers, over the county line into Colchester and past the two barns where Doug and Anne Tattrie and Harold and Kathy Tattire had milked Jerseys at Windblown, the Semple farm, home of some very famous Jerseys once upon a time; Arthur Malcom's former farm, then quickly by farms where families with names like Reid, Gunn, Ross, Schaad, MacLanders and Cock had milked cows. At the Cock's Norwall farm a cow named Norwall Castor's Anda had been bred. She spawned a bevy of great cows at Pine Haven. One branch of the Anda family had yielded the Miss Pixie line at Norval Acres in Quebec. As we drove to Oxford we were not aware that, on that afternoon, Don McCaig of Norval Acres was leaving this earthly life.
At Tatamagouche, just a few miles west of Brule and that cluster of former Jersey farms, we passed the Balmoral Inn-scene of many NS Jersey meetings and then the former Weatherby Jersey farm.
In life it is always important to be active today and to plan for and be expectant about the future. Then again, it is always helpful to be reminded of your past and where you came from back in the mists of time.
Thanks to Dean Cole for starting this walk down memory lane!
Anywho, back to December 2009. Dean wanted to know about "that cow from Tattrie's up in Brule on the North Shore of NS" (and there is no shore like the North Shore, that's for sure!) that had a big splash at the RAWF in the 1950s. Because of all my "life experience" I knew Dean was referring to the iconic (well iconic in some limited circles!) Patsy Of Windblown. This fine cow born in 1950 had been the $3800 high seller in the 1955 Sale of Stars at the Royal. Doug Tattrie and his brother Angus and wife Anne and their family were relatively new Jersey breeders at the time. The buyers from a little piece away in Truro, NS were the Norrie family of Fundy Jersey Farm. Now at this juncture I must note that the Tattrie farm at Brule is on "the doorstep to heaven" as it is in the very most eastward part of (north) Colchester County right up against Pictou County. Dean wondered if we could pull together a few pieces of information on Patsy. Sandy would then exercise his card-creation mastery for one of the fine Jerseys at Eloc before taking wing for the trek to Aussie. At this point I am compelled to ask if you are highly impressed by the extra-important tasks that Jersey Canada staff are asked to complete on a daily basis? Just nod and say: Yes, Suitably impressed!
I'll also add that the Eloc is a true United Nations herd with Holsteins, Jerseys, Swiss and Milking Shorthorns gracing the barns and pastures.
So, we set out to get the job done and started on a trail that had so many bunny trails one could hardly believe it!
Patsy of Windblown was an Excellent daughter of Popeye's Standard Dreamer. Dreamer was bred by J. Arthur Malcolm a very nearby neighbour of the Tattrie family. Mr. Malcolm is to date the only Nova Scotian ever to serve as President of Jersey Canada-a role he filled in 1955-56. This gent was also brother of Jennie Malcolm MacInnis. Mrs. MacInnins (wife of Logan M) was part of the MacInnis family of Scotch Hill farm about a mile from where yours truly grew up in Lyon's Brook in Pictou County. I recall slugging bales on that farm in my early teen years and attending 4-H meetings there when a few Jerseys were still part of the herd. Standard Dreamer was a son of Flora's Faye a member of a famous cow family bred by Edison Mutch of River North Jerseys on nearby PEI. And Edison Mutch was maternal grandsire of who? Wayne Boswell, 2004 President of Jersey Canada and only PEI resident to date to be President of Jersey Canada.
The dam of Patsy of Windblown was Brownie's Anne 02Z, born in 1945 and bred by one Amos C. Tattrie of River John. And where is River John? East of Brule on the western edge of heaven on earth-i.e. Pictou County. Anne was a rather intensely line-bred daughter and maternal grand-daughter of a bull named Norway Prince Charlie. Hm...Norway.....I wonder? So, checking on Prince Charlie's roots I discovered that he was indeed bred at the Maritime Oddfellows Home Farm on the west edge of the marine town of Pictou-about three miles from where I was raised. Norway refers to Norway House the large house that had served as main building on the retirement home on the farm.
If you track back on Anne's maternal line you'll going back almost a century in the Amos Tattrie herd.
Then you'll find genetics from herds near Amherst still on the North Shore and near the border with New Brunswick.
So? Well at Christmas time my Dad, the feisty Jack(son) Gammon was visiting some neighbours named MacConnell and brokered the loan of an amazing scrapbook the family had kept on their Stony Acre Jersey herd. The MacConnells had farmed at Meadowville, a great farming community between Lyon's Brook and River John and Brule. Rollie MacConnell has been a family friend for decades. The scrapbook told a compelling story about Rollie's grandparents Sigbert Mac Connell and Mrs. M and his parents the late Rae and Helen MacConnell and their family. The MacConnell kids had been part of the Pictou County 4-H program at the same time as the Gammon brood.
Helen MacConnell was an especially energetic and keen Jersey person. She was for a time the dynamic Secretary of the provincial Jersey association. As was the case at the time the local newspapers carried lots of stories on the exploits of the Mac Connells and their top Jersey herd. From a herd of 35 to 40 head and maybe 25 to 18 milking cows the family won numerous show championships and even produced a couple of Canadian All Time Class Leaders for Production in the late 1950s and 1960s. One of their cows even broke a 30 year old Canadian production record set by a cow in BC on the west coast! Sometime ago I wrote that they had hosted a Provincial Jersey Field Day in the summer of 1959 that attracted well over 250 guests!
And where was Helen MacConnell born and raised? As daughter of the aforementioned Amos Tattrie of River John she was raised by the sea on her Dad's farm. Later in life Helen took to expressing herself through painting. On my desk at home in Fergus sits one of my most prized possessions a small original painting of a lovely horned Jersey cow in pasture by the sea. I have to believe Helen was painting a Jersey cow at her home sea-side farm.
Many of the foundation cattle at Stony Acre farm were from the Tattire herd. Their champion producers were by a bull named Dalcraig Royal Dick, a bull who was bred by the Master Breeder Adamson family at Heathbell which is between Lyon's Brook and Meadowville.
Hm..are you tracking with me?
One day over Christmas I was doing my much-needed walk on a trail close to home and just west of Pictou. Hm....part of the trail was "off limits" due to construction but I could see tracks in the snow that told me "everyone else was walking on the trail anyway". In addition the off limits section would on a seaside portion of the trail right in front of Norway House and the former Oddfellows Farm where Norway Prince Charlie had been born in 1939, 70 years earlier. Seemed like a no-brainer that I had to do that walk. As I did so I there was, as Canadian singer Jann Arden would say: "A massive explosion of thoughts in my head" as I reflected on the Tattries and Mac Connells and other Jersey families on the North Shore not far from home.
On the afternoon of Sunday, December 27th my Dad and I headed west along the North Shore for our annual Christmas visit with the Thompson and Johnston families at Pine Haven Farm at Oxford another almost-North Shore towns. Over Christmas I had browsed an amazing book about the communities of Seafoam and Toney River on the North Shore, in Pictou County east of River John. As we drove through these villages I thought of learning that there had been Jersey 4-H calf clubs there in the 1940s. West of River John Dad pointed out the former Amos Tattire farm. Then we passed Amet Farm formerly owned by the Jersey-loving Langille brothers, over the county line into Colchester and past the two barns where Doug and Anne Tattrie and Harold and Kathy Tattire had milked Jerseys at Windblown, the Semple farm, home of some very famous Jerseys once upon a time; Arthur Malcom's former farm, then quickly by farms where families with names like Reid, Gunn, Ross, Schaad, MacLanders and Cock had milked cows. At the Cock's Norwall farm a cow named Norwall Castor's Anda had been bred. She spawned a bevy of great cows at Pine Haven. One branch of the Anda family had yielded the Miss Pixie line at Norval Acres in Quebec. As we drove to Oxford we were not aware that, on that afternoon, Don McCaig of Norval Acres was leaving this earthly life.
At Tatamagouche, just a few miles west of Brule and that cluster of former Jersey farms, we passed the Balmoral Inn-scene of many NS Jersey meetings and then the former Weatherby Jersey farm.
In life it is always important to be active today and to plan for and be expectant about the future. Then again, it is always helpful to be reminded of your past and where you came from back in the mists of time.
Thanks to Dean Cole for starting this walk down memory lane!
Thursday, February 18, 2010
In praise of and celebrating "Comeback Kids"
Recently the Eastern Ontario publication " Farmers Forum" published an article with the title "Comeback Kid". The article was about Rob and Jody Beggs and family of North Gower in the Ottawa Valley and their decision to re-enter the ranks of milk producers! It has been a few years since the Beggs family have milked Jerseys with the well-known Cranbrook prefix. Now, they are back at it with a young family and great enthusiasm!
We recall a time just over 18 years ago when a then very young Rob was showing a really nice cow named Cranbrook Ray's Lee, Ex in the big leagues at the National Jersey Show at the RAWF. And not just showing her but doing really well in the fast company of veteran showmen!
All industries need renewal! The Beggs family are not the only young people who have returned to milking cows-and indeed Jerseys, in this region within the last six months!
We have been encouraged by the number of new entrants and re-entrants to the dairy industry who have chosen to milk herds of all or a large percent Jersey! The trend seems to be growing!
May all these folks find ways and means of drawing a good living from the industry and making a positive contribution by producing a valuable, high quality product!
Jerseys are unquestionably the "comeback kids" of the global dairy industry and it is great to see keen and able young people like Rob and Jody decide to work with our growing breed!
We recall a time just over 18 years ago when a then very young Rob was showing a really nice cow named Cranbrook Ray's Lee, Ex in the big leagues at the National Jersey Show at the RAWF. And not just showing her but doing really well in the fast company of veteran showmen!
All industries need renewal! The Beggs family are not the only young people who have returned to milking cows-and indeed Jerseys, in this region within the last six months!
We have been encouraged by the number of new entrants and re-entrants to the dairy industry who have chosen to milk herds of all or a large percent Jersey! The trend seems to be growing!
May all these folks find ways and means of drawing a good living from the industry and making a positive contribution by producing a valuable, high quality product!
Jerseys are unquestionably the "comeback kids" of the global dairy industry and it is great to see keen and able young people like Rob and Jody decide to work with our growing breed!
Monday, February 15, 2010
Pure Inspiration!!!
What wings of joy we were carried upon when we learned of the Gold Medal victory of Alexandre Bilodeau at the Olympics on Sunday! What a true success story for this 22 year old wunderkind!
Perhaps most touching is the joy this victory brought to Frederic, 28 year old brother of the Gold Medalist-the first ever for Canada on home soil as host of the games after three go rounds over almost 34 years!!! Frederic has cerebral palsy and is more than a hero to his younger bro!
I sometimes feel waves of moderate despair wash over me when I read the reactions of fellow Canadians to moments of pure mountain-top delight like this! In the comments sections of CBC and CTV news websites there are those who blow off this spectacular victory with carping about it being a judged rather than timed sport. There are those who wanted to post-mortem and nit-pick the stunning opening ceremonies to pieces. Perhaps I should stop reading these comments! Everyone is entitled to their own take on things and their own opinions. I do feel sorry for some of these folks who carp and make put-downs at times like these. How dark and negative and lonely and long their days must be!
I shall pitch my tent with those who think bigger and brighter and know how to celebrate a glorious moment without dissecting it to bits!
This is a great moment for a young man, his brother and other family members and friends, coaches and fans! Tis a great moment for an entire country too! My response is to cheer: Bravo, Alexandre!
Perhaps most touching is the joy this victory brought to Frederic, 28 year old brother of the Gold Medalist-the first ever for Canada on home soil as host of the games after three go rounds over almost 34 years!!! Frederic has cerebral palsy and is more than a hero to his younger bro!
I sometimes feel waves of moderate despair wash over me when I read the reactions of fellow Canadians to moments of pure mountain-top delight like this! In the comments sections of CBC and CTV news websites there are those who blow off this spectacular victory with carping about it being a judged rather than timed sport. There are those who wanted to post-mortem and nit-pick the stunning opening ceremonies to pieces. Perhaps I should stop reading these comments! Everyone is entitled to their own take on things and their own opinions. I do feel sorry for some of these folks who carp and make put-downs at times like these. How dark and negative and lonely and long their days must be!
I shall pitch my tent with those who think bigger and brighter and know how to celebrate a glorious moment without dissecting it to bits!
This is a great moment for a young man, his brother and other family members and friends, coaches and fans! Tis a great moment for an entire country too! My response is to cheer: Bravo, Alexandre!
Love that sign at Gencor.....
And the roadside sign in fornt of the Semex partner unit north of Guelph, Ontario on Highway 6 simply reads:
GO CANADA, EH!
We fully concur!!!!
GO CANADA, EH!
We fully concur!!!!
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Oh Canada! Go, Canada, GO!!!!!
"The Olympic flame kissed the dark Vancouver sky..." So begins a CBC news report on the spectacular opening of the 20-10 Winter Games on our west coast on Friday evening!
What a moment! What a moment to be Canadian in our "true north, (so) strong and free!
From time to time it is good to be reminded of who you are, where you come from and how much potential that gives your life today, and in the future!
Even before the moment when the snowboarder whipped down a run, vaulted through the Olympic rings and offered a welcome to game, wonder was at work!
In a short video clip prior to the actual ceremony we were reminded that we live in the land "Where anything is possible...because we live in the greatest country on earth!!"
Nationalistic pride and patriotism aside this was a message we all need to hear more than once!
The video clip also reminded us that "We are more than gracious hosts....we are a nation of leaders, heroes and champions!" Too true!
At this point even before things really got heated up I was already thinking that I was turning to mush. The line about Canada being the land where anything is possible resonated with me so deeply. I'll tell you why in a later blog as it relates to my "maternal grand sire" Harry A. Barnard, the orphan boy form England who came to Canada with his brother Frank and ended up owning a farm and raising a fine family. Tears flowed as I thought about my Poppa B and his great life in his adopted land. But for now.....
That electric moment when BC folks rockers Nellie Furtado and Bryan Adams took to the stage and belted out : Bang Your Drum.....the lyrics which include " Bang your drum a little louder so the whole world can hear" fitting in with the drumming and joyful gyrations of the dance that the first Nations reps had been doing all around the stage! Then those important lyrics.... "Dream Big!!! Aim High!!"
How inspirational.
I thought about how these words apply to all of us in Jersey Canada and involved with our growing breed around the world.
And there was so much more...meaningful to me because of my love for the Island nation of Haiti was having our Haitian-born Governor General officiate at the games. Another person adopting Canada as home like my Poppa and soaring!!!!
The Great One Gretzky lighting the flame, assisted by greats Nancy Greene Raine; Catriona Le May Doan; The Man In Motion Rick Hansen and super-talented Steve Nash! WOW!
k.d. lang singing Cohen's Hallelujah! Canuck titans like Barbara Ann Scott; Anne Murray (you knew she was born in Northern Nova Scotia, eh?); Romeo Dallaire; and Terry fox's Mom Betty ushering in the Olympic flame! Have mercy!
And in the midst of it all that moment when Clara Hughes with the widest smile possible had the distinct honour of leading the rock solid, amazing, glory-bound Canadian team in the ring-magic!
This morning I have listened to that awesome West Coast girl Nellie Furtado sing that powerful song of her making, FORCA!
A fitting send-off to Team Canada as they get ready to do what forca means...kick some you know what!
So, yes, OH Canada, GO CANADA, GO!!!!!!! God speed all competitors!!!
What a moment! What a moment to be Canadian in our "true north, (so) strong and free!
From time to time it is good to be reminded of who you are, where you come from and how much potential that gives your life today, and in the future!
Even before the moment when the snowboarder whipped down a run, vaulted through the Olympic rings and offered a welcome to game, wonder was at work!
In a short video clip prior to the actual ceremony we were reminded that we live in the land "Where anything is possible...because we live in the greatest country on earth!!"
Nationalistic pride and patriotism aside this was a message we all need to hear more than once!
The video clip also reminded us that "We are more than gracious hosts....we are a nation of leaders, heroes and champions!" Too true!
At this point even before things really got heated up I was already thinking that I was turning to mush. The line about Canada being the land where anything is possible resonated with me so deeply. I'll tell you why in a later blog as it relates to my "maternal grand sire" Harry A. Barnard, the orphan boy form England who came to Canada with his brother Frank and ended up owning a farm and raising a fine family. Tears flowed as I thought about my Poppa B and his great life in his adopted land. But for now.....
That electric moment when BC folks rockers Nellie Furtado and Bryan Adams took to the stage and belted out : Bang Your Drum.....the lyrics which include " Bang your drum a little louder so the whole world can hear" fitting in with the drumming and joyful gyrations of the dance that the first Nations reps had been doing all around the stage! Then those important lyrics.... "Dream Big!!! Aim High!!"
How inspirational.
I thought about how these words apply to all of us in Jersey Canada and involved with our growing breed around the world.
And there was so much more...meaningful to me because of my love for the Island nation of Haiti was having our Haitian-born Governor General officiate at the games. Another person adopting Canada as home like my Poppa and soaring!!!!
The Great One Gretzky lighting the flame, assisted by greats Nancy Greene Raine; Catriona Le May Doan; The Man In Motion Rick Hansen and super-talented Steve Nash! WOW!
k.d. lang singing Cohen's Hallelujah! Canuck titans like Barbara Ann Scott; Anne Murray (you knew she was born in Northern Nova Scotia, eh?); Romeo Dallaire; and Terry fox's Mom Betty ushering in the Olympic flame! Have mercy!
And in the midst of it all that moment when Clara Hughes with the widest smile possible had the distinct honour of leading the rock solid, amazing, glory-bound Canadian team in the ring-magic!
This morning I have listened to that awesome West Coast girl Nellie Furtado sing that powerful song of her making, FORCA!
A fitting send-off to Team Canada as they get ready to do what forca means...kick some you know what!
So, yes, OH Canada, GO CANADA, GO!!!!!!! God speed all competitors!!!
Friday, February 12, 2010
Thoughts for the future from John Brand
Below is an excerpt from an email received from John Brand in recent weeks, posing some interesting questions on the future of the Jersey cow in tomorrow's dairy industry....
------
Three thinks that make me think...
- We were given a small horse for my kids this year. I feed this horse very mature average hay. She is FAT now. Horse people tell me - you are feeding her WAY TOO GOOD OF HAY! No balanced ration. No grain!!. She basicly lives outside!! What is wrong with my cows? aren't they supposed to be forage digesters??
- I regularily change my feeding ( heaven forbid a nutritionist find out!!) to suit my quota requirements. Some cows go down in milk with less grain but there are afew who always go up!!
- I can dry off a thrifty cow and have her lose weight when on my heifer ration of staight hay. Yet I can also dry off an unthrifty cow and have her gain weight on the same hay !!
Some points that maybe give support...
- Young people (20-30's) are now rated as having equal heart health as that of seniors
- We are seeing an increase in digestive cancers -animal product foods are seen often as the culprit.
- Canada is the largest exporter of flax in the world -which has been hit hard in recent weeks
- We are regularily told we need to use an ovsync program to get our cows pregnant.We are told that we need to feed palm kernal fat (imported from malaysian rain forest) to give our cows enough energy.
- The use of grain as biofuels means that we will need to protect our soils with better crop rotations.
- Nutrtionists tell us that the only way to meet the needs of "todays high producing cow" is to feed a ration of corn silage and straw.
- Decades old research tells us that flax fed cows have healthier and 2x larger follicles.
- Flax fed cows have milk that is 75:25 good to bad fat.
- Palm kernal fat gives milk that is 25:75 good to bad fat
- Flax gives the cow itself a healthier blood profile and is a natural anti inflammitory for the cow as well.
What might be some of the results?
- The demand for more flax would enhance crop rotation opportunities.
- Milk from cows fed grass and pasture is more heart healthy.
- This milk also has 10x-50x more CLA (the most potent cancer fighter known) than heavily grain fed cows.
- The larger the percentage that forage makes up in the diet , the higher the CLA in the milk ( and meat !!)
- High forage fed cows can have a less acidic body enhancing conception and improving forage digestion by 10%.
- More demand for forage from cattle farms would improve the sustainability of our soil rotations.
- Cow manure that is deposited in the field has 80 % of the nutrients returned to the soil.
- Cow manure stored in the barn and spread on the field has 80% of the nutrients lost to the environment
- Forages when seeded can last for several years.
- Corn needs to be seeded every year with fertilizer, diesel and pesticides.
The Bottom Line....
- A forage-farmer benefits and the consumer benefits
- if grain fed...the suppliers benefit
Which one do you think will be promoted to us??
We say we sell natures most perfect food...will we let our practices prove it??
Opportunities for genetic diversity, genomics and the Jersey breed??
We say we sell natures most perfect food...will we let our practices prove it??
Opportunities for genetic diversity, genomics and the Jersey breed??
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