Photo credit Charles Summers photo
Leeds-Grenville recently held farm tours as part of the Holstein Ontario Convention. Dwyre Farm from Elgin was part of the tour. In 2019 a web article was written about Addison Dwyre with her Jersey calf ( older post ) and now we are including the whole family and their Kemptville College connection. Micheal graduated from Kemptville in 2000 and returned home after graduation to farm. Tessa ( Kehoe ) graduated from Kemptville in 2003 and worked for a seed company. Michael and Tessa had both been in the same 4-H club so people were not surprised when they married in 2004. On the Dwyre Farm, Holsteins are the main breed but there are still some Jerseys and Ayrshires. Presently they are milking 96 cows and farm over 600 acres.
Tessa is involved with the Frontenac 4-H, Lansdowne Agricultural Society and the Rideau District High School Council. Michael has found time to coach soccer for North Leeds Soccer and really enjoys it. Their four children are all part of the farm operation and are involved in many activities. Addison has played soccer, including in Sweden and has a soccer scholarship in her first year at Lakeland College in Vermillion, Alberta. In 4-H she has received her 42 Project Seal – dairy being her favourite club.
Riley has played soccer and run track. He placed 6th in Canada for 200m Hurdles in 2024. In 4-H he enjoys dairy and swine clubs.
Reanne, in Grade 9, plays every sport possible at her school and competitive soccer. She has her 18 4-H club seal , with dairy as her top club. This year both Reanne and Addison were on the Frontenac Royal Team.
Brant will be playing on a competitive soccer team for the first time this summer. He only does the 4-H dairy club because his older siblings make him. He enjoys the farm but not all the fuss of showing cattle. His favourite is raising and showing his 4-H pigs!
Dwyre Farm has a Master Breeder Herd and their animals, including heifers and calves are in demand.
Micheal and Tessa are proud to tell people that if you look after your animals, they will look after you. Congratulations to the Dwyre family for their contribution to the agricultural community!
Other Kemptville College connections on the farm tours were Creekside Holsteins, Lombardy ON. Melanie (MacMillan) 2003 grad and Lucas Chisholm 2001 grad were proud to show their farm and animals.
Maple – Ain Farms from Smiths Falls, has Arlene Hunter’s dad John Fraser who graduated from Kemptville in 1969.
Mike Vissar, Ontario Holstein Director for East Central, is a 2002 grad from Thunder Bay. He attended the tours and annual meeting in Kingston.
Many people touring the farms were also proud of their Kemptville College connection. Tessa Dwyre was delighted to have a visit with John Joynt ’63 grad. She has known him since she was 12 years old. John was certainly involved in forming Tessa’s love of Jerseys. What special memories!