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My Pride Holsteins – Mike Visser – 2002 Grad

“When you love Holsteins and want to own your own farm you have to “think outside the box “ to make that dream come true.”This is a direct quote from Mike Visser, owner of My Pride Holsteins, given to Bonnie Cooper when she wrote an article for The Link Winter 2024 – Holstein Ontario.

Mike is a 2002 agricultural grad from Kemptville College. He is originally from Owen Sound and did not grow up on a farm. 4-H played a large part in his love of cattle. After graduation, Mike worked on the farm with his grandparents and his uncles. He started buying his own cattle and building My Pride Holsteins. When he realized he would not own a farm in Southern Ontario, he made a major life change. In 2012 he moved to Thunder Bay in Northwestern Ontario. He had a connection with Thunder Bay since when he worked for Foundation Sires, he would travel there to sell semen. College classmates also lived in Thunder Bay. Trudy (Aalbers ) Reid , Jason Reid, Johan Huisman, Joel Veurink and Ryan Jaspers ‘03 are all involved in agriculture there. Mike had been thinking about the veal industry and rented a farm so he could raise veal calves. In 2013 he started his sale of veal and in 2015 he purchased his own 30 acre farm. His first year, he sold veal from 15 calves and now he markets over 100 animals a year. His sales are in “red” veal since his animals are fed milk and corn. The picture below shows Mike at the local “County Market “ where he also sells pepperettes, breakfast sausages and pre- made hamburgers. His 20 My Pride Holsteins provide the milk needed for the calves.                             

In 2016, his veal business received the Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence. Moving to Thunder Bay gave Mike the opportunity to own his own farm. He has friends and a community that supports him. Fairs in the area benefit from seeing him show his home bred animals with high classifications. Mike is also able to give back to his community by sponsoring the youth prizes at the Thunder Bay Show. Remembering his 4-H days, he also helps sponsor the 4-H team that shows at the Royal each year. It is nice to see a Kemptville grad achieve his goal and give back to his community. Congratulations Mike!                                          

The complete article, which includes the info on the records of My Pride Holsteins can be found at:

https://www.ontarioholstein.ca/the-link-magazine

This is the Winter 2024 edition. Enjoy pages 32-34. Thank you Bonnie Cooper and Martina Arth for your co-operation.

A new baby has arrived in the MacIntosh – Wheeler family! The picture is in the beautiful log structure at their sugar shack, in front of the large stone fireplace. Warren MacIntosh’s grandfather started the farm in 1927 and in 1986 Warren, a 1986 Kemptville grad, took over the farm. Glengarry Stock Farm has been in operation for 97 years. Warren married Trudy Hughes, a 1991 Kemptville grad, in 1992. Brittany followed in her parents’ footsteps and graduated from Kemptville in 2014. She has been farming full-time since 2020. She was also an alumni board member after graduation. Brittany and Isaac Wheeler were married in August 2022. Isaac works off the farm for Trans Mountain Equipment in British Columbia. With the new family addition, he will become a ‘farmer apprentice” as well as running his own company EYEZYK’s Excavations Services.

In the picture below, Trudy is holding Aida Lynne Kimberley Wheeler.

Standing in front of the fireplace ( left to right ) are Isaac, Brittany, and Warren. It is great that Aida enjoys going to the barn morning and night with Brittany!

On Feb 22, 2024, Governor General Mary Simon invested 61 recipients into the Order of Canada at Rideau Hall. There are three levels of appointments. Ken Knox was inducted as a member which allows him to use C.M. after his name. The Order of Canada was established in 1967 – the year that Ken graduated from Kemptville College. The Order of Canada is how our country honours nominated people who make extraordinary contributions to the nation.

You may view the ceremony by entering the Order of Canada Investiture Ceremony – February 22, 2024. On YouTube, you will see Ken at 1:02.38 and hear his presentation. You can also view, in writing, why he was presented the order on the listing below the YouTube video.

Congratulations Ken. The Kemptville College Alumni Board is proud to see you get this award.

The Kemptville College Alumni recognizes two students who are in their second year, in an accredited college taking an Agricultural or Food related program.

Ethan Booker from Fournier, ON (Prescott County) has been awarded one of the $1,000.00 scholarships for 2024. He is presently completing his second year at Lakeland College in Alberta. Before heading to college, Ethan was involved with the farm’s beef cattle, different aspects of cover cropping the soil and no-till farming. In the community, he was involved with leadership work with primary children at Metropolitan Bible Church, Scouts Canada, and 4-H cooking and crop clubs led by Pat and Gordon Wilson. A highlight for Ethan when at Lakeland was to be on the Dean’s Honor Roll as he studied Crop Technology. He plans to return to farm alongside his parents, Allen and Margit Booker, on their grain and cattle family farm. As well as continuing cropping and expanding the grazing for their purebred beef cattle, there may even be some Boer goats on the Booker farm. Congratulations Ethan.

Jack Link from Winchester, ON ( Dundas County ) was also awarded a $1,000.00 scholarship. Jack is completing his second year at Lakeland College in Alberta. He is taking courses with an emphasis on Dairy Herd Management and Nutrition. Before college, Jack was a full-time milker, and he also helped with cropping. Earlier before the farm dispersal in 2017, Jack worked alongside his parents, Murray and Lori Link, and his grandparents on the family farm. Jack volunteered at county fairs and Dairyfest. He competed at provincial championships in running and curling. A highlight for Jack while at Lakeland, was to be the Nutrition Coordinator of the Student Managed Dairy Farm. Upon graduation, he plans to work on a dairy farm and create a succession plan to have his own dairy farm in Eastern Ontario. Congratulations Jack.

At the end of September, the new Scholarship for 2025 will be on our webpage under Scholarships.

Visitors are welcome to contact us and make arrangements to visit the Alumni Historical Building. Betty Ann Clitherow, whose late husband Mike graduated in ’61, visited this autumn with her daughter and granddaughter. They appreciated that our Vice President Mel Shannon opened the building so they could see the display case named in memory of Mike. They enjoyed scrapbooks and pictures with info on Mike and Betty Ann’s two sons. Carl graduated in ’86, and Kevin graduated in ’88. Lots of memories for the Clitherow family.