Hands-on learning available at the London Dairy Congress

Feb 02, 2018

Farmers can also network with exhibitors and attend panel discussions

By Diego Flammini
News Reporter
Farms.com

Attendees of the London Dairy Congress will have ample opportunity to network with exhibitors and participate in panel discussions with industry experts.

The two-day event brings together more than 100 organizations and 10 guest speakers to share the latest innovations and ideas in the dairy industry.

“The exhibitors will always have the latest technologies available to farmers,” Cheron Chamberlain, agriculture manager at the Western Fair District, told Farms.com today. “And we always have new educational sessions.”

One of the new sessions revolves around mental health within the agricultural community.

Dr. Andria Bitton, a University of Guelph researcher who’s conducting industry research on mental health, Wendell Schumm, ruminant division manager with Wallenstein Feed & Supply, and Gary Hazeleger, a dairy farmer and co-founder of Natural Motion Health & Training Centre, will participate in a panel discussion about mental health.

The fact that a mental health discussion is taking place at a farm show indicates how far the industry has come in acknowledging the illness, according to Hazeleger.

“The more we talk about (mental health), the more other people talk about it … (which) can help remove the stigma that we have had on it over the past few years,” he told Farms.com today.

The first hurdle is often the biggest hurdle, Hazeleger said, adding that confiding in one person is the first step to recovery.

Gary Hazeleger

“I know my biggest challenge was telling the first person because I was so ashamed of the feelings I was having,” he said. “When I did start telling people, I received nothing but love and support, and everybody wanted to help.”

Other educational sessions at the London Dairy Congress will focus on dairy goats.

Dr. Gillian Davidson from the Kirkton Vet Clinic in Kirkton, Ont., will discuss caprine arthritis encephalitis (CAE) in dairy goats. And Erin Harris, a dairy goat specialist with B-W Feeds in New Hamburg, Ont., will talk to farmers about maximizing margins using on-farm data and benchmarks.

The London Dairy Congress takes place Feb. 7 and 8 at the Metroland Media Agriplex in London, Ont.

Tickets can be purchased at the door or online for $15.

Video: Drone Flight & Baling Success at Last!

Drone Flight & Baling Success at Last!

After weeks of rain delays and frustration, we finally have a reason to smile — it’s hay time again at Ewetopia Farms! In today’s episode, we head out to the fields where Arnie is baling hay, and I attempt my second drone flight to capture it all from the air. The drone still had some hiccups, but I managed to get some aerial footage of the baling process.

Back at the farm, the work doesn’t stop. Arnie brings the bales home, and the next critical step begins — wrapping and stacking the bales to make haylage. This process is essential for preserving feed for our sheep and ensures they have nutritious forage in the months ahead.

It’s a good day on the farm — the sun is out, the drone is flying (sort of!), and we’re making progress. Join us for a satisfying and productive day that brings a long-awaited sigh of relief to this year’s challenging hay season.

?? Let us know in the comments: Have you had to deal with weather delays this season?

?? Thanks for watching and supporting Ewetopia Farms — where every day is an adventure in sheep farming. Please like, comment, and subscribe to follow our daily journey with the flock!