Ontario Jr. Hereford Association Adult Advisor

Congratulations

CANADIAN HEREFORD ASSOCIATION LEGACY AWARD

We would like send our congratulations to Jack and Jean Batty of Coboconk, Ontario on receiving a Canadian Association Legacy Award. This award recognizes commercial producers who have been raising Hereford cattle for at least 75 years as a continuous operation. John Giles (Jack) Batty was born March 27, 1928, near Empress, Alberta. As a young boy growing up on the prairies, he was so impressed by a Hereford cow that had come home with the family’s herd one day that he declared, “If I ever have cattle of my own that is the kind I will have.” The Depression forced the family to give up their homestead and seek work in Vancouver. However, in 1944, the opportunity arose for John P. Batty to purchase the Batty family farm just North of Coboconk, Ontario, from his brother Jim. It was a mixed farm where Jack and his father raised beef cattle and pigs and cut wood together. In 1951, Jack married Jean McKee, a very knowledgeable cattlewoman, whose family had raised Purebred Shorthorns. Hereford bulls were crossed with the Shorthorn cows and the herd grew to 50 red and white cows, the only colour of cattle allowed! Registered Hereford bulls were always purchased. Breeding season was about 2 months. The calves were born in early winter and grazed on the rough pastureland all summer to be sold in October, either privately, or at the Ontario Stockyards, weighing approximately 550-600 lbs. The Hereford cows and forest products from the homestead supported the large family. Jack and Jean still take pride in producing easy doing, uniform calves from sound, good milking cows. Jack introduced the idea of joining 4H to the family, and over the years, several purebred heifer calves were purchased as projects. The progeny of these purchases proved successful and some were the foundation of registered herds for the next generation, Jean was an active director on their County Cattlemen’s Association for years and a mentor to her children and grandchildren as they participated in 4H, school, and community activities. Both Jack and Jean were recognized for their long-time participation as directors and competitors in the Central Canadian Horse Pulling Association. The East Central Ontario Hereford Zone also honoured them in 2016 for the family’s contribution to local Hereford activities. The purebred cattle introduced the family to cattle shows and activities, and thus, involvement with the Canadian and Ontario Hereford Associations. Jennifer and Lois have both been directors on the ECOHZ, and Lois is a Past President of the Ontario Hereford Association and ECOHZ, as well as former Adult Advisor to the Ontario Junior Hereford Association. It is the contribution to succeeding generations that will continue Jack’s Hereford dream. Three of their eight children raise Hereford cattle, and several grandchildren are actively involved with Herefords. A granddaughter, Cassandra Gorrill is a Past President of both the OJHA and CJHA. Another, Maggie-Jo Hickson is the current OJHA vice-President and Bonanza 2022 Co-Chair. Jack and Jean Batty still live on their farm and have about 15 cows. This award will be presented at Bonanza 2022 in Lindsay, Ontario.

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“BRUCE FROM BRUCE”

MEETING HO LEE….

I’m not always sure how I get myself in these situations but this time is fairly clear, about 10 years ago I got a call from Bruce, at the County Planning department. Bruce had helped me with a planning issue and now was wondering if I might be able to help him. Before I go any further I should mention that if you ever get an opportunity to work with a Bruce you really should take it, charming, witty, often above average in intelligence and looks…..oh and humble…. Bruce explained to me that he was working with a Professor at the University of Waterloo in the Land Use Planning department. This Prof was running a short course in Rural Development that was all Chinese students, the students came right from China and did a 2-week course here learning about rural development issues in Ontario. As part of the course, they did a bus trip and Bruce wondered if we would be willing to host the students and explain a little about Ontario agriculture and experience with some planning issues. I figured this sounded fairly harmless and agreed. The day arrived and that afternoon the bus pulled up our laneway, Bruce and the Prof got off the bus and I explained how we could do a short tour around the farm, and then maybe head into the house for a cool refreshment and answer any questions they might have. I guess I had never really asked how many were coming as I assumed a bus load would be 30 or 40, but when the doors opened, they just kept streaming out. These were little people and they must have had them stacked on top of each other, some people talk about “herding cats” but this was more like trying to herd a jar of spilled ants, they were everywhere!! They were on stuff and under stuff, they were opening every door, going into every building, climbing on every piece of equipment, it took about 20 minutes to get them formed back into a group for a brief tour and even then, a straggler would pop up from some unknown destination. We got them all contained in the house, and did a Q and A session. The questions were quite diverse but the one that sticks with me was one student asked about the pipe sticking up out of the ground outside the house, I explained that we had drilled a new well last fall and then the question was “why would the government drill a well for just one family, were we related to the Governor?”, I explained that in Canada you drilled your own well and we did our best to stay as far away from the government as we could which left a lot of puzzled looks. I thought it would be kind of neat if the participants could maybe get a fairly close picture with some cattle, the kids had brought a few yearlings up close to the house and my plan was we’d sprinkle a bit of grain along the fence beside the house and they could snap away. We went back outside to get the pictures, I was explaining to the interpreter how the electric fence had power in it, like about 10,000 volts, so just to be careful not to touch it. The words had barely left my mouth when I noticed one of the students about to rest both his arms across the top wire….now up until this point I hadn’t heard a single word of English out of any of them except the interpreter…..there was a sizzle and then a large SNAP as the electricity did it’s thing….,and then the victim screamed out “HO LEE FUQ” !!! The group turned and all ran over to Ho Lee who was doing minor convulsions on the ground, I thought they were running over to help …..but instead they got there cameras and cell phones out and were laughing hysterically at Ho Lee. This was apparently the funniest thing they had ever seen, after about 5 minutes of pictures they dragged Ho Lee over under a tree I thought to get him out of the sun….but no, they were just getting him out of the way…..they started to re-enact the events and before long all of them were “Ho Lee Fuq’ing” as others snapped pics and video while occasionally running over to the tree to get a pic of a still some what dazed and confused Ho Lee, I’m pretty sure some laughed until the tears ran down there legs. After about 20 minutes the hysterics subsided enough to get Ho Lee and the rest back on the bus. I think it was a very memorable experience but funny enough I haven’t been asked to host another bus since…

REDWING FARMS

The Jones Family

FENELON FALLS 705 887 5859

redwing_farms_93@hotmail.com POLLED HEREFORDS

WRITTEN AND SUPPLIED BY

Bruce Ribey

BRUCE LIVES IN BRUCE COUNTY, ALONG WITH HIS WIFE AND 3 CHILDREN. THEY RUN ANGUS AND HEREFORD CATTLE AND HAVE A LARGE CASH CROP OPERATION. THEIR FARM NAME IS IRIS CREEK.

JDL Cattle Co. & D&S Livestock

David, Shirley, Josh & Jessica Lasby Justin, Jaimie Lasby & family

667019 20 sideroad Mulmur, ON. L9V 0V5 Justin: 519-943-4147 Josh: 519-278-6819

Jessica: jessica.lasby@hotmail.com