Sunday, June 18 is the day to spoil dad
By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com
In advance of Father’s Day, some Ontario producers took the opportunity to share memories of spending quality time with their dads on the family farm.
“Every day, there’s things I see around the farm that he’s taught me my entire life,” Josh Butler, a cash crop and livestock producer from Chatham-Kent, told Farms.com. “Whether it’s something that’s happened in the past or learning what works and what doesn’t, everything I’ve learned has been from something he’s told me.”
And now Butler and his father collaborate on farm-related issues.
“He learns from me the same way I learned from him,” he said. “We can take our own experiences and put them together to see what works in certain scenarios.”
Turning to farm dads for advice seems to be a common theme among producers – even on Father’s Day, when some fathers may want to put their feet up.
“It’s just another work day for us,” Timo Brielmann, a cash crop grower from the Rainy River district, said with a laugh. “My dad and I spend time walking the fields together, usually on Sundays, to see if there’s anything we need to improve on.”
Brielmann credits his father for teaching him the art of evaluation.
“He’s taught me how to change things, how look back on them and see if anything is better than it was,” he said. “We’ve actually eliminated some field issues after evaluating the situation.”
If someone is stuck for a Father’s Day gift, take a look in his toolbox for clues.
“Pretty much any kind of tools make a good gift,” Butler said. “There’s usually always something around the shop he can use. A gift card to a restaurant could make a nice gift too.”
Looking for somewhere to take dad on Father's Day? Some Ontario farms are hosting events for dads on Sunday.
Thatcher Farms in Elora is hosting a Father's Day barbecue from 12pm to 4pm.
Families can enjoy a farm-made BBQ lunch with music and drinks from Elora Brewing Company.
Tickets are $25 for adults and $12 for children 10 and under.
Springridge Farm in Milton is hosting its 4th annual Food Truck Festival June 17 and 18 from 11am to 3pm.
More than 10 gourmet food trucks will be on hand to serve up their delicious offerings.
And a number of farms in the Clinton, Varna and Seaforth areas are opening their gates to visitors on Father's Day.
From 1pm to 4pm, visitors can connect with fellow farmers.
Contact Doug Yeo for more information.