Open Farm Day set for Sunday
The 2019 Open Farm Day — often described as a backstage pass to meet your farmer and learn where our food comes from — is set for Sunday, Sept. 15.
“The biggest reason is we feel it is a great opportunity to invite people to our farm and have them experience agriculture first-hand,” Rhonda Macdougall said, when asked why her family participates in Open
Farm Day.
Macdougall and her husband, Jack Thomson, along with their children, own and operate West River Holsteins, a dairy farm located in Harbour Centre, Antigonish County.
“It is a great way for us to share our story,” she added of hosting the event.
West River Holsteins has participated in all but one Open Farm Day, since its inception.
This year, the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture (NSFA) initiative boasts 34 participating farms from across the province, including West River Holsteins and three others from the Quad Counties; Simply Ducky Farm in Antigonish County, along with Mamie’s Alpacas and Bayview Dairy Farm, both located in Inverness County.
“There is so much diversity,” Macdougall noted.
The Nova Scotia-wide event reflects that with organic, lavender, sheep, beef, maple syrup and even a winery just to name a few of the types of participating farms.
“It is an opportunity for people to learn about what we do — directly from a farmer,” Macdougall said, noting they always welcome questions from visitors.
She agreed initiatives, such as Open Farm Day, become more and more important as “generations become more removed from primary [food] production.”
“It is a really enjoyable day – for the visitors and for us,” Macdougall said.
Describing it as a “great family day,” she reminded that everyone is invited to drop by.
“We can’t do anything about it but, hopefully, the weather will co-operate,” Macdougall concluded, with a laugh.
For more information about Open Farm Day, including host locations across the province, visit meetyourfarmer.ca
MORE ABOUT MILK
Milking each cow takes about five minutes and the cow feels much better, when her udder is not so full. Farmers must milk their cows two to three times a day, producing on average 24 litres of milk.
Canada’s Food Guide recommends that Canadians should consume from two to four servings of milk and alternatives every day, according to your age group.
Milk products contain up to 16 nutrients and have been shown to build and maintain strong bones; help prevent and manage hypertension and attain and maintain a healthy weight; as well as contribute to the prevention of certain types of cancer.
This information, found on the Meet Your Farmer website (meetyourfarmer.ca) was produced in partnership with the Dairy Farmers of Nova Scotia.
EVER WONDER HOW MUCH MILK A COW PRODUCES IN A DAY?
The average dairy cow produces about 106 eight-ounce glasses each day.