Wall of Fame grows
Seven people were inducted to the Peterborough County Agricultural Wall of Fame Sunday at a ceremony at Lang Pioneer Village Museum.
J. Francis Crowley, Kevin Leahy, W. Clarance and Helen A. Mann, Vivian S. Milburn, Richard Ross “Dick” Stewart, and Morris J. Telford were this year’s inductees.
The wall of fame, established last year, recognizes individuals or groups who’ve made an outstanding contribution to the agriculture industry.
It’ ll be located in the Peter borough County Agriculture Heritage Building at Lang after construction of the building is completed. It’s expected to be open by the end of 2017.
About 250 people attended Sunday’s ceremony, where five of the inductees were posthumously added.
J. Francis Crowley was humbled to be recognized.
He began dairy farming in 1977 on the family farm in Norwood. Crowley developed many superior type Holsteins and is a Holstein Canada judge. He’s been a 4-H club leader for 35 years and has also volunteered at the Norwood fair for more than 40 years.
When Crowley isn’t farming, he’s busy volunteering. Yet he didn’t think he was well known enough for this type of honour.
“To gain this recognition is just huge. I would have never predicted that this would happen and I’m very, very honoured,” Crowley said.
Kevin Leahy was also surprised to be honoured.
Leahy has been involved with the agricultural community in the county for most of his life, including County Cattlemans’ Assocation and Farm Stewardship. His farm in Douro developed organic grains and his Belgian horses are sought after around the world.
“It’s an honour, a pleasure, very unexpected, but I appreciate it all,” Leahy said.
Telford’s citation was accepted by his son Wayne and his daughter-in-law Marg.
Telford (1925-2014) farmed in Smith township. He was dubbed as one of the first farmers to by a tractor. A director of the Beef Improvement Association, Morris was one of the first cattle producers to join the Weaning Weight Program in the county.
Morris’s recognition Sunday was emotional for Wayne, saying how much the Telfords miss Morris.
“It’s a great honour to us and we’re really proud of him,” Wayne said.
Stewart’s two sons, Dave and Gary, and his grandson, Scott, accepted his citation.
Stewart (1899-1977) farmed in Otonabee township for 70 years. He ran a mixed farm of beef, cattle, chickens, horses, sheep, and grain. Stewart hosted Farm Forum meetings for aspiring, young farmers during the winter for several years. He was the manager of the Peterborough Agricultural Society for 14 years and served as county warden.
“He has achieved what many of us try to,” said Gary. “It’s a great honour to have been part of his family.
Brothers Robert and Hudson Milburn were on hand for their father’s citation.
Milburn (1898-1980) was the managing director of the Peterborough Exhibition and the inaugural Peterborough president of the Junior Farmers. Due to asthma, Milburn was unable to continue with the family farm, but became a Supreme Court commissioner with the goal of supporting farmers.
“From a farm kid to a Supreme Court person, that’s really something. It’s getting the brass ring, and that’s what we’re really proud of,” said Hudson.
Barbara Nichols’s parents, the Manns, were the only couple to be inducted.
W. Clarance (1907-1992) and Helen (1907-1999) bred Ayrshires, which they showed from local to international levels, winning superior banners. They bought the first grain combine harvester in the county and established a seed-cleaning plant on the farm.
Nichols said it was a great honour to have her late parents recognized and she was appreciate of her years on the family farm.
“They worked really hard for what they were doing and gave everybody in the community a lot of help. I think that we learned a lot of lessons growing up on a farm, too,” she said.