The Innovative Ag Tour is a staple event of Quebec 4-H, and although it was through a virtual format again this year, it brings great opportunities that members do not normally get – such as four tours and presentations from three different regions, all in one day!
The tour started off with a presentation from Nutrients for Life about the growing need for food, how crucial it is to maintain agricultural land area, and how to improve efficiency in our food systems. A nice transition then brought us to Brylee Farms in Thurso, which operates a high-intensity, rotational grazing, pasture-based beef herd. In the afternoon, we “moved” back into the Valley.
This was not my first year on the provincial 4-H board committee helping to organizing the tour, and it also wasn’t the first time touring one of the businesses. Back in 2016, when Howick 4-H hosted the tour, we visited Tullochgorum Farms and the broiler barns with Steve and Loraine Lalonde. It was a little different this year, as the new owner of that broiler facility, Doug Bryson, gave members another extremely valuable tour of the operation. He took the full opportunity to show his barns, chicks, and how the facility works. He took the time to answer questions about his management style, what has worked well for him and Steve over the years, and his decision to continue in the industry after Steve.
The day finished off with a tour of the Suntor Holsteins robot barn and dairy herd, given by Kevin and Amanda and their kids.
We are fortunate to have had tours from multiple 4-H alumni as they showed their passion and knowledge to the next generations in agriculture.
Kevin MacFarlane,
vice president of Quebec 4-H
and Howick 4-H member
