Working beef and sheep farm visit highlight of Welsh holiday

by George Fullerton

Wales is a delightful place to visit if you like a countryside dominated by small fields, lots of sheep, narrow roads, rock walls, hedges, and plenty of old and even ancient built infrastructure, and don’t mind a moist climate.

A visit in October meant fewer tourists on the road, so finding accommodations, food, and drink was easy.

Renting a car allows choice of how fast to get around the country and visiting points of interest. Driving on the left takes some getting used to and roundabouts add an additional challenge. Big trucks and large buses on narrow roads consistently generate a bit of excitement. If your driving pace is relaxed, eventually there is a pull-off to allow native drivers – all of them fast – to pass.

Our Wales trip was an opportunity to explore the concept of a farm stay … since we don’t get enough at home.

Online searches identified numerous farm stay accommodations, but only certain ones were actually identified as working farms. Without a definite itinerary for our visit, we didn’t book ahead. 

Rural Wales is very green, with a rolling landscape, save for the Snowdonia and Brecon Beacons national parks, which feature mountainous terrain and deep, dramatic valleys. In early October, there were lots of sheep on the grass and occasionally on the road. 

Our first farm stay was a bit disappointing, since the advertised “working farm” was actually an unused farm with only a handful of rams occupying a pasture.

The accommodation was a shepherd’s hut, which provided an interesting adventure. The hut interior measured six feet wide by about 16 feet long, with a double bed at one end and the bathroom (shower and composting toilet) walled off in the opposite end. The main room decor included a counter with a propane stovetop, a small fridge, and a wood-burning stove.

TRUE WORKING FARM

Our search for a second farm stay led us to the Tyddyn Chambers B&B, and it was true to its working cattle and sheep farm advertisement, with a 300-head feeder cattle operation and 200 ewes. Tyddyn Chambers, near the small town of Ruthin, is on the edge of the Clwydian Range, a series of hills and mountains in northwest Wales.

Tyddyn Chambers is a large two-storey farmhouse constructed in the past century, with an older attached outbuilding. It’s owned and operated by Huw and Ella Williams.

Pulling into the farmyard, we were welcomed by Huw, and he quickly introduced us to his brother-in-law as well as a contractor who had his big Fendt tractor hitched to a liquid manure tanker.

Huw is a gregarious soul and was hardly distracted in organizing the loan of his stock trailer to his brother-in-law while simultaneously introducing his contractor and joyfully accusing him of becoming a millionaire at Huw’s expense. It was easy to see that the banter was long practised and enjoyed by all.

Huw’s brother-in-law is a part-time beef farmer and also works for the local council. Huw quipped, “You know, leaning on the shovel along the side of the road.”

The Williams’ feeder cattle are on grass in season and housed in the winter months. They keep 300 head – from days old to their finish point.

Huw, who is a former dairy farmer, purchases bob calves at the livestock auction in Ruthin. The calves have dairy dams (lots of Holstein by their coat pattern) and British Blue, Simmental, and Limousin sires. The more mature cattle in the yard displayed lots of double muscling. The British market is for lean beef rather than the marbling that the North American market demands.

The “shed” (barn) adjacent to the house is divided into pens by steel fence and gates. It houses the youngest calves as well as mature cattle close to finish. A cull Holstein cow serves as wet nurse for new calves, and Huw also supplements small calves with milk replacer. The wet nurse serves until she dries off and then goes to slaughter, after which a new cull cow is purchased at the livestock auction. 

Calves are vaccinated against pneumonia upon arrival at the Williams farm.

“Since they left the farm they were born to, they have been on trucks and mixed with other cattle as they were handled through the sale,” said Huw. “So they have been exposed a lot, and the inoculation gives them a fighting chance to get accustomed to our place.”

FEEDING THE CATTLE

The calves remain on milk replacer for 10 weeks. They’re then weaned to a high-protein grower mixed with rolled barley and offered free-choice straw until they’re four to five months old. They’re then switched to silage or go on grass pasture.

Huw said straw is better for the calves until they’re four or five months old, when their rumen really gets working and they can handle silage.

Backing on the loose housing pens is a double alley – former free-stall dairy housing – where 100 larger cattle spend the winter. It has automatic alley scrapers dumping manure into a liquid manure pit.

Observing a shed full of high-density baled straw and asking if the straw was produced on the farm, Huw said, “I am a stockman. I raise beef and sheep and I rely on contractors to produce silage and hay, as well as spreading manure from our operations. We buy in grain feeds and straw.”

Cattle older than three months go out on 200 acres of pasture from April through to early November if the weather cooperates. The youngest calves continue to get high-protein mixed feed while on pasture.

A large bunker silo contains the major winter feed supply. Huw said the quality of his silage hadn’t changed since switching from dairy to beef cattle.

“High-quality silage is just as important when producing beef,” he said. “We contract the silage and store it in the bunker, which is a lot more economical compared to bale silage. We book our contractor when we expect the forages to be at their prime and then we hope for good weather so that it gets harvested and stored away. This year, we did well. We have very good quality. When the weather does not cooperate, we might have a larger volume, but not as good quality. We always do some bale silage, which we store near the shed and feed out in the sheds or to supplement pastures.”

Huw said that he raises steers and some females to the point that he described as “looking their best.” The cattle are sold through the Ruthin livestock auction and purchased by operators who will finish them on a finishing ration. Hauling cattle to auction and buying in new calves continues throughout the year. 

Questions about the auction resulted in an invitation to go along with the delivery of four animals the next morning.

SHEEP OPERATION

The Williams’ sheep operation is carried out on a separate rented farm. It’s stocked with 200 Suffolk cross “mule” ewes. The term “mule” in British sheep farming refers to a cross between a lowland ram and a purebred hill or mountain ewe.

Pregnant ewes are scanned in mid-November. Any carrying twins or triplets get protein supplements until lambing.

In mid-January, the lambing gets underway inside. The ewes and their lambs go outdoors two to three days after lambing. The ewes get bale silage at lambing and continue to be fed forage outdoors for a couple of months until the pasture starts.

Following the farmyard tour, we met Ella, who is a warm and informative hostess.

The two-storey house has been extensively renovated and accommodates eight guests. Our room, with ensuite bathroom, was tastefully decorated and provided a splendid view of the calf pastures and the hilly countryside. 

For our supper, we were directed to a number of places in Ruthin, which has a central square, historic buildings, narrow and winding streets, and plenty of eating establishments.

Border Collies welcome visitors to the Williams farmyard, and at least one accompanies Huw as he works. He explained that one of their four dogs was for sale, and pointed out that one named Tess had mothered 24 pups to date.

When asked if he trains the dogs, Huw said, “God, no! Sioned does the dog training.”

Sioned (pronounced “Shon-ed”) and Llinos are the Williams’ daughters. Sioned works at a veterinarian office in Ruthin and Llinos is a teacher and mother of two children.

Sioned also helps Ella and Huw at lambing time and she takes care of the farm when her parents go on holiday. 

“At the veterinarian service, Sioned is the one who takes the calls from the farmers and tells the vets where they have to go and what the call is about,” said Huw. “She likes to talk with the farmers and she understands what they need the vet for, and she enjoys the work a lot. I expect she will be the farmer when I stop.”

FUN AUCTION RUN

For the early morning auction run, I got a lend of Huw’s rubber boots and stood where told as he loaded four 1,000-plus-pound animals on his Ifor Williams livestock trailer pulled by his Toyota Hilux pickup truck. The cattle were easy to sort and load, with one Welsh stockman, one Border Collie, and one Canadian tourist just standing strategically by.

Commenting on my struggle driving the narrow lanes, Huw quipped, “No worries, plenty of room for everyone,” as he used the entire width of the twisting lane.

Driving in Wales is complicated by having all traffic signs in Welsh, with English translation seemingly an afterthought. They also make a particular point of not having very many traffic signs. Regardless of the travelling challenges, the Welsh are friendly and glad to help lost travellers find their way.

Huw said Ruthin had historically been a market town, and continues to be a major agriculture centre, with equipment dealers, vets, and other ag services, in addition to the livestock auction operation.

The large livestock sale building was busy for our Oct. 10 visit. A number of area farmers invested in the livestock auction business when it was reconstructed some 25 years ago, and they now hold shares in the operation.

The autumn sales will bring 50,000 sheep and 4,000 feeder cattle through the auction facility. The livestock sale we attended featured 3,800 sheep (breed stock and market) and 385 cattle. Most of the livestock come in from within 30 miles of Ruthin.

Huw explained that putting cattle through the auction requires lots of paperwork. He books specific animals prior to delivery at the sales barn. He said each animal requires a printed “passport.” The information includes identification numbers corresponding with ear tags, and a history of the farms and sales each animal had been at from birth.

The auction facility includes a café, which Huw said is “where all the real business gets covered.”

A TASTE OF WALES

Back at Tyddyn Chambers, Ella announced that our traditional Welsh breakfast was being prepared.

The breakfast conversation came around to the family’s participation in choirs. In addition to learning the Welsh language through grade school, the tradition of choral singing is also a significant part of the education system in Wales. For a taste of Welsh singing, Ella put on a CD featuring Huw in his barbershop quartet.

Our third farm was hosted by Ceinwen Nixon of Brynhir Farm in the community of Llandrindod Wells in Mid Wales. The Nixons operate a sheep and cattle farm. They have a bed and breakfast in their beautiful old stone farmhouse and also have a self-catering cottage nearby.

The Nixons were excellent hosts and suggested that we plan our next trip to Wales to coincide with the Royal Welsh Show, which takes place near their community in July. Unfortunately, we were scheduled to return our rental car the following day, so there was only limited time to see the farm and the neighbourhood.

If a visit to the British Isles is in your plans, farm stays are a great way to see and engage with rural and farming communities. The rates are fair and the breakfasts are excellent.

Island teen named top junior dairy showman in the country

by Kathy Birt

Porter Weeks of Springfield, P.E.I., was always eager to show cattle at fairs. In fact, he began doing just that at a very early age. “I was showing at Old Home Week since I was seven,” he said, referring to the annual Charlottetown summertime fair.

Now at 14 years of age, and with many wins at local fairs to his credit, he is proud to show off his awards from the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto in November.

At the Royal, he competed in the Canadian 4-H Dairy Classic. A total of 336 4-Hers from P.E.I., New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Quebec, and Ontario took part in the three-day event, which was held from Nov. 3-5, with 4-H members competing individually in both showmanship and conformation categories.

Porter, who competed in the Dairy Classic for the first time in 2018 without any wins, was named the champion junior showperson at the 2019 event. The junior division is for those aged 12 to 14.

According to his father, former dairy farmer Kent Weeks, there were 120 4-Hers in the junior division competing in heats.

“Last year, Porter didn’t make the cut, but did this year and he won the final heat,” said Kent proudly. “It’s quite a thing and not easy to do.”

Porter also had a win in the conformation classes, placing first in the Holstein senior heifer division for heifers born in September, October, and November 2018. The animal he showed is Hi-Calibre Goldchip Ariel.

Getting to this point meant hard work and consistency on Porter’s part. To be selected to go to the Royal means showing at the local level and qualifying. Once that hurdle is past, it’s all about gearing up for the big competition.

The heifer that Porter won with – Hi-Calibre Goldchip Ariel – was bought as a young calf early in 2019 from Nova Scotia dairy farmer Alex Brown. He is a partner in cow ownership with the Weeks farm and always seems to have a steady supply. “He and Porter have worked together for four to five years,” said Kent.

Porter is the eldest of four brothers, all of whom get up early to do chores. “I’ve been doing farm chores since I was seven,” he said.

Porter, who is quiet and humble, talked about the very first calf he showed at the same age. “It was a September calf and I showed it at the 4-H achievement day and came second,” he said.

The following year, when only eight years old, Porter was off to a fair in Fredericton and managed another second-place finish there. “I showed every year after that since I joined 4-H and won in my class two or three times,” he said, adding that his father and cousin Kyle Bouma have coached him in showmanship, which includes grooming and leading. “I rinse the cow every night and lead about three times a week to get better at it.”

Bouma, who is 21, also had a win in the conformation classes at the Canadian 4-H Dairy Classic in November. He placed first in the Holstein summer yearling division for animals born from June 1-Aug. 31, 2018. Fellow Atlantic Canadian, Hayley Cox of Mabou, N.S., won the Holstein junior yearling competition for animals born from March 1-May 31, 2018. And Caleb McCurdy of Clifton, N.S., showed the champion Ayrshire at the Classic.

Another of Porter’s cousins, Connor Mann, who’s had previous wins at the Royal, often teams up with Porter to show at local events. Working with his cousin, along with his father’s constant guidance and encouragement, seems to motivate Porter.

While Kent Weeks no longer has milk cows, he operates a hoof trimming business and keeps about 40 replacement heifers. “We always show our own cows,” he said, making it obvious that he and Porter work as a team in that respect.

“A good feeding regime is important to get a good body look,” said Kent, adding that each animal has a different feeding regime depending on its body conditioning. “Some we do feed three times a day.” Although Kent noted that finding good feed isn’t easy, he currently has an established supplier in Albany.

Porter noted that one basic principal of showing cattle is to always make sure the animal’s throat is up. “And when backing up with the cow, you have to walk straight and not cross your legs, and you have to be able to always make eye contact with the judges,” he said, adding that it’s important to be in sync with the animal … a feat that takes much repetition.

“He builds a really good connection (with the animals) because he spends so much time with them,” said Kent.

As for grooming, Kent noted that a show animal’s hair has to be clipped to highlight the ribs. “It’s a characteristic of dairy cows to be highlighted,” he said. Porter said he does some clipping with his cousin Kyle helping out. The hooves also have to be nicely trimmed and that is left up to his dad. But, said Kent, “They do all the other work.”

Summing up what his win at the Royal means, Porter said, “It was awesome – a great experience. I don’t think I’ll ever do it again. But I’ll try.”

AANB rooting for “no trespassing” education and legislation

by Christian Michaud
It rains, it sleets, it snows, it freezes, it thaws – and every change in the sky above affects the earth below. Farmers struggle to adapt to the impacts of climate instability, but there’s not much we can do about the weather.   

However, there is one threat to the sustainability of farms that is within our power to control: the damage suffered by agricultural land due to trespassing. This is a man-made issue that causes unnecessary grief to the very people on whom we depend for food. New Brunswick producers want to stop vehicles from destroying fields, ripping up crops and soil, and creating ruts that can damage equipment and disrupt natural drainage systems. The biosecurity risks are increasing, with the potential spread of soil-borne diseases, pathogens, invasive weeds, and infectious animal diseases.

There is currently no legal recourse in this province because legislation requires the perpetrator to be caught in the act or with “sufficient” evidence. Enforcement has been very weak, leaving producers with no meaningful legal options for protection. The onus of liability or permission remains in the hands of producers. But we believe that individuals entering private property should be deemed trespassers unless they received permission from the landowners.  

 The trespassing problem pervades Canadian agriculture. As a society, it’s time to draw a line in the sand when it comes to unauthorized entry onto farms, interference with farm animals and their welfare, and breach of critically important biosecurity protocols. Other provinces have a variety of actions underway to address the problem. 

 The Ontario government introduced legislation on Dec. 2 to create “animal protection zones” with higher fines for trespassing – as much as $15,000 for a first offence and up to $25,000 for subsequent offences. The legislation will include biosecurity protection for the entire food chain, including farms, transporters, food processors, and food retailers.   

 Last spring, the Saskatchewan government passed new trespass legislation removing any requirement for posting “no trespassing” signs on agricultural land. It is the responsibility of the visitor to know where he or she is and who owns the land, and to obtain permission to go on the land.   

 Alberta is introducing amendments to its trespass legislation to increase penalties to a maximum of $10,000 for a first offence and as high as $25,000 for a second offence. For organizations, the penalties can reach $20,000. Imprisonment for as much as six months is also a possibility. Another proposal calls for anyone found to have breached biosecurity protocols to face a fine of up to $15,000 for a first offence and $30,000 plus imprisonment of up to one year for repeat offences. 

Amendments also include increasing the maximum compensation paid to farmers affected by biosecurity breaches by trespassers from $25,000 to $100,000. The Alberta government has also promised to fund 50 new Crown prosecutor positions during the next three years, which it states will help the government better prosecute trespass offences.

 The strategies that seem to be most actively pursued by provincial governments and organizations include increased fines for trespassers and those who interfere with gates or disturb animals, removal of the obligation to post “no trespassing” signs on private land, and placing the onus on the potential trespasser to know whose land they are on. There is also a need to educate law enforcement officials about the serious nature of trespassing and the importance of treating these cases as significant offences in the eyes of the law. 

 The Agricultural Alliance of New Brunswick has requested that our provincial government engage with our organization and others to develop meaningful mechanisms of deterrence against trespassing on farmland and significant penalties for doing so. A new industry/government committee has been struck and was scheduled to have its first meeting in December.

There’s a lack of awareness and concern about the importance of maintaining the viability of agricultural land for food production. Most of the public is distant from our food sources and doesn’t understand the challenges faced by those who feed us. Hunters and recreational vehicle users may harm property and animals because they are unaware of the consequences of their actions. Other damage results from a variety of causes, some with deliberate intent. Trespassing may be controlled to some extent by legislation and enforcement, but our goal should be to prevent it in the first place through a concerted and collaborative educational effort. 

As the second-most important contributor to the provincial gross domestic product, farming is keeping many rural communities alive and is the only sector that has experienced growth in recent years. We can only continue to contribute if the sustainability of farms is protected from trespassers through education and enforcement.

(Christian Michaud is president of the Agricultural Alliance of New Brunswick.)

N.L. young farmers gathered to talk, learn, and eat local

by Matthew Carlson The Newfoundland and Labrador Young Farmers Forum (NLYFF) hosted its fifth annual Leadership Summit in St. John’s on Nov. 26 and 27. We once again built on the success from previous years, with positive feedback, steady attendance, and new learning opportunities added to the agenda. About 40 delegates attended the event. They included young farmers, government representatives, and other industry stakeholders. This was the first time attendees were able to choose the topics they wanted to hear about through breakout sessions. They could choose from topics important to them, such as livestock production, vegetable production, succession planning, and beginning a farm. There were a number of speakers. Cedric MacLeod, a New Brunswick beef farmer and the owner of MacLeod Agronomics, spoke about leadership and best management practices, while also touching on succession. Alberta tax and legal expert Tom James discussed succession and farm finance topics. Local farmer Chris Lester spoke about plasticulture and greenhouse growing. Jane White, a crop development specialist with the provincial government, talked about vegetable production topics. Susanne Tilley, a pesticide application specialist with the provincial government, discussed pesticide management. And I conducted a mini workshop for new entrants. Attendees also went to Lester’s Farm Market for a dinner made from local products on the first day of the conference. Chef Ross Larkin had prepared several dishes to showcase food available locally, including carrots, beets, cabbage, parsnips, and pork. This was also the first time we added virtual farm tours to the agenda. This was adapted from the Canadian Young Farmers’ Forum (CYFF) conference. Three Newfoundland producers profiled their operations at our event. Rodney Reid profiled his sheep and bee operation in central Newfoundland, Susan Lester profiled her vegetable market in eastern Newfoundland, and Nelson Fagan profiled his beef operation in eastern Newfoundland. A panel discussion by local young farmers has become a favourite part of the event. This year’s panel focused on advice to farmers and lessons learned. Panel participants were Krista Chatman, a vegetable producer, mentor, and market operator from Lethbridge; Chris Oram, a vegetable farmer and market operator from Wooddale; and Rebecca Williams, a dairy farmer from Goulds. Each of the three panel members highlighted something new or different they’ve done on their farms. Questions from the audience covered work/life balance, hay production yields, till versus no-till farming, advice for new entrants, and mentorship. Another new feature of the 2019 conference was online content for those who couldn’t attend in person. Some video and audio were recorded as part of a small pilot to see how much demand there is for such content, which is now available at nlyoungfarmers.ca. As part of the event, the NLYFF also held its annual general meeting. Three board positions were available to be filled. We are pleased to announce that Rebecca Williams is the new vice-chair, Sheldon Cameron returns as the western representative, and Jenny Reid is the new at-large representative. The Canadian Agricultural Partnership Funding provided funding to host the conference. Tom James’s presentation was sponsored in part by Farm Credit Canada. (Matthew Carlson is the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Agriculture’s young farmers coordinator. He has been with the federation since 2007 and moved into his current position in 2015.)