PEOPLE OF THANKSGIVING POINT: José Saiz, Farm Country

If you’ve visited Farm Country in the last two-and-a-half decades you’ve been affected by José Saiz. José has been working on the Farm Country grounds since the Fox Family owned the land in 1993. He then stayed on following the Ashton’s purchase of the property and has been a staple of Farm Country since day one.

Other than José’s work ethic around the farm, the trait everyone notices is his smile. “My work, I love it here,” he stated. “The time each day, it goes too fast. 6 am I arrive, feed the animals, milk the cow, check on the chickens and rabbits, all of them. Then I do some sweeping up and get ready for tomorrow.”

José was born and raised in farming in Mexico, and farming was his family’s profession. “My father was a farmer,” he said. “We had cows, horses, all of them.” For 12 years he worked back-andforth from Mexico to Idaho on farms before finally coming to Lehi, Utah in 1993.

“Working with animals is what I love, I have always loved the animals.

José has worked with or around thousands of animals in his time on farm, but what is his favorite animal of all-time? “It was a cow named Minnie, he said. “She’s gone now, but she was such a nice cow. Today, it’s Heidi (the milking cow) and her calf. They both know me and are always very nice.”

If you are lucky enough to bump into José while he is working throughout the week ask him to do some of his signature roping tricks. There’s a gleam in his eye when the kids say “Mommy, look it’s the cowboy!”

People like José Saiz have helped create memories for kids and parents alike for 25 years. It’s people like him that have made Thanksgiving Point a place for memories and will continue to be for 25 more years.

“Working with animals is what I love, I have always loved the animals. I have worked in the old Greenhouse, at the (Ashton) Gardens, I’ve worked everywhere (at Thanksgiving Point). But Farm Country is number one,” he said with a huge grin. “I hope people come see me soon!”