A KID’S LIFE ON THE FARM
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TAVISTOCK STUDENTS LEARNING AT HOME
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Serving Tavistock and area since 1895 VOLUME 124 • NUMBER 29
TAVISTOCK, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2020
ONLINE EDITION
CO VID
-19
A LOT OF EGGS-PERIENCE
WEEK 6
MAIN STREET A Quick Look at Our Town THIS ‘N’ THAT Sunny and cold with snow flurries early this week - warmer temperatures called for again toward the end of the week … Wednesday, April 22nd is Earth Day - many areas of the world are said to be experiencing much lower levels of air pollution; the ordinarily murky waters in the canals of Venice have cleared, and people living in major world cities say they are able to hear the birds sing again … Canada’s COVID-19 numbers are at 37,382 with Ontario’s number at 11,735 … Physical Distancing continues to be vital in our fight against the spread of COVID-19 - please remember to wash your hands often, and now health official encourage the wearing of face masks to help stop the spread of this virus.
BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES Charlie Van Nes is 2 years old on April 22nd; Jensen Gruber is 10; Carson Neumeister, 11; Hanna Edmonstone, 18; a birthday for Julie Bergsma; and a 3rd wedding anniversary for Adam and Meghan Bender … on April 23rd Lia Paige Van Nes is one year old; Lyla Hallman is 12; Peyton Duguay, 13 … Bridget Trachsel is 6 on April 24th; Blake Weicker, 12 … on April 26th Augustus Spylo is 2 years old; Sherman and Nancy Kropf celebrate their 51st wedding anniversary … Liam McGregor is 17 April 27th; Frank and Rebecca DeWeerd celebrate their first wedding anniversary … on April 28th Evan Heinbuch is 17; Elizabeth Vanstone, 16. Congratulations!
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The chickens are usually up and singing by 5:00 a.m. - Julie Wynette
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An old wire egg basket hangs as a light fixture from the ceiling of Julie Wynette’s office. It’s a reminder of the Brenneman family’s long history in the egg business. And on the wall is a collage of photographs, one of which shows her grandfather, Lorne Brenneman, collecting eggs in that same wire basket from their original 2,000 bird flock. Today, between her and her parents, Keith and Marilyn Brenneman, the family has nearly 20,000 laying hens, producing quality and nutritious eggs for the Ontario food chain. More than 50 years ago, ‘Grandpa Brenneman’ was instrumental in helping to form the egg marketing board and what is now known as the Egg Farmers of Ontario. In those days the eggs were gathered by hand and it wasn’t uncommon to have the young children sleeping on the cart while mom went to gather eggs, Marilyn recalled. Over the years, the Brenneman’s kept adding to their flock, and in 1993 Lorne’s sons Keith and Ken split up the Brenneman Farms business. Ken took the dairy cattle and Keith moved the egg laying operation to his property next door. In the old, original barn, they put in a conveyer belt system in the 1980's. Things progressed in technology even more when they installed an egg packer, which gently put the eggs into trays of 30. About 10 years ago, Keith and Marilyn renovated their barn to house a maximum of 14,000 laying hens. “We’re automated, but aren’t the newer style,” Keith admitted. When Julie and husband, Kyle, and their two boys, Nash and Reid, decided to join the family business in 2017, they were able to purchase more quota and build their own barn. “It’s a more typical, modern operation,” Keith said. Known as an "enriched housing" style, the new barn gives the hens room to walk around and practise some of their natural behaviours. Each section has a private nest box, perches and a scratch pad. “In response, the
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Keith Brenneman and daughter, Julie Wynette. chickens are usually up and singing by 5:00 a.m. and lay an average of one beautiful, nutrient filled egg every day,” Julie said. “We currently house 8,836 hens in our barn with room to add another 4,700,” Julie continued. “Mom and Dad still have 11,000 hens on their farm on the 11th line.” Every morning, Julie and Keith spend time walking through their respective barns to make sure the hens are looking and sounding healthy. They check the food and water supply and look for any equipment issues. It then takes about an hour and a half to run the egg belts and stack the eggs onto a skid. Keith’s eldest daughter, Pam Wallace, also gathers eggs every day with him and is an integral part of their operation. The skids are stored in a cold storage room and are picked up weekly by Gray Ridge Egg Farms where they are then graded, washed and packaged for stores. “It’s surprising what technology can do,” Keith said. At Gray Ridge, “it’s amazing how a delicate thing (like an egg) can be handled so fast, but (continued on page 2)
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Lorne Brenneman collects eggs in a wire basket in the family’s orginal chicken barn.