I spent three great days at Lewis Farms, located at Spruce Grove, west of Edmonton. Lewis Farms grows 800 acres of seed potatoes, 3000 acres of grain and run 800 purebred Simmental and Angus cows. It was fantastic to have the opportunity to tour both their farms and see all their cows! While I was there, they took blood samples from their Simmental heifers to test whether they were hetero- or homozygous for the poll gene, and also to test for colour gene. We put minerals and salts out; moved cows to different pastures; and tattooed some young bulls. I also helped them take hay equipment and rakes out to their haylands, about an hour away.
On Thursday, I was able to accompany Lewis Farms to Vermilion Fair, some 2 hours east of their ranch. I enjoyed helping them get ready for the Fair – it’s given me a taste for the shows in our local area as soon as I get back home! They took two heifers and had a really successful day, winning the Jackpot Heifer Show with their Simmental heifer (pictured left), with their Angus heifer (Bismark x Final Answer) which I showed for them running second to her (pictured below).
I am so grateful to Lewis Farms for having me stay, and also for running me around so much. They took me to the finals of the Chuckwagon Races at ‘Capital X’ in Edmonton on Tuesday night – very exciting! – and on Wednesday, they took me back into Edmonton so I could visit the Spring Creek office. Thanks so much!!