Heather Latter
The Rainy River Hereford Association is inviting everyone to attend a “fall cattle tour” across Rainy River District this Saturday (Sept. 8).
“We normally do a top-of-the-line sale, where cattle producers bring in what they think is their top cattle and sell them to local farmers,” noted Laura Zimmerman.
“But lately that hasn’t been working, so we decided to do something a little more fun,” she explained.
“To let people see what the farmers across the Rainy River District are doing with their cattle.”
But Zimmerman stressed the tour is not just for farmers.
“We want to make people aware of what’s going on with the cattle industry here and provide a little bit of education on where your beef is coming from,” she noted.
However, farmers also will likely benefit from the tour by viewing cattle on other farms.
“The whole idea is just to get people out there seeing what other producers have, what they are doing,” Zimmerman said.
“We want people to stay local with their buying.
“For example, if some guy wants replacement heifers and he sees that someone we visited had a nice set of heifers, he might go and buy them and keep things in the district,” she reasoned.
“Or if someone who is not a farmer comes and sees a farm that has gorgeous animals, you might like to buy your beef from there.”
Zimmerman said they’ve had lots of response so far, with both farmers and non-farmers already signed up.
“It does sound like there’s going to be a good turnout,” she remarked, stressing there is no fee to attend and that it is an all-breed tour.
“A lot of people are thinking it might just be a Hereford tour, but it’s for all breeds,” she reiterated.
The bus will leave from the Emo Agricultural Research Station at 8 a.m., stop at Zimmerman Farms in Barwick for a light lunch (12:30 p.m.), then finish up in La Vallee for a steak barbecue and entertainment at Cornell Farms (6:30 p.m.).
“Anyone can join at anytime,” Zimmerman said. “If you can’t make it at 10 a.m., then you can come and pick us up at the next farm and drive your own vehicle.
“We’re just doing the bus for more convenience,” she noted.
Other stops include Railview Farms (Philip Krahn and family) at 9 a.m., Pine River Ranch (Amos and Heidi Brielmann) at 10 a.m., McNabb Farms (Jack, Kathy, and Scott McNabb) at 11 a.m., Flatt Farms (Penny and Tony Flatt) at 2 p.m., Bujold Farms (Louis and Shari Bujold and boys) at 3:30 p.m., a roadside stop at Joe Sletmoen’s pasture at 4:20 p.m., and Vista Limousins (Stan and Vicki Calder) at 5 p.m.
Maps are available from Kim Jo Bliss.
If you have any questions or would like to book a seat on the bus, call Zimmerman (487-1585) or Louis Bujold (274-7410).
