'Cowboy' Fred Cahill receives award

Friday, April 8, 2011

by PAT CURRIE

"Cowboy Fred" Cahill, the Kerwood farmer rancher who has devoted 20 years to bringing the farm message to urbanites in London and the surrounding area of southwestern Ontario, has been honoured by the Ontario Farm Animal Council (OFAC) with a Friend of OFAC award.

Presented at the annual joint general meeting of the OFAC and Agricultural Groups Concerned About Resources and the Environment (AGCare) in Guelph on April 5, Cahill was saluted as "a great voice for agriculture" by Bruce Christie, past OFAC chair, who made the presentation.

"There were a lot of heavy hitters in that room. I really felt honoured," Cahill said.

The award was created in 1999 to recognize individuals, organizations and businesses that have helped to inform the public about animal agriculture.

Cahill has turned his the Texas Longhorn Ranch near Kerwood into a combined cattle ranch, bed-and-breakfast and farm information centre.

The unique bed-and-breakfast operation has guests sleeping in queen-sized beds in covered wagons. The wagons were used for 20 years as sleeping quarters for 400 kids "from all over the place" at a summer camp the Cahills ran for 20 years but now have phased out," Fred said.

In 1993 Cahill was asked to help with guided tours of the barns at Western Fair. It became a turning point, leading to Cahill’s Country Coral – short shows at the fair teaching people about farming.

"This is a natural for Fred. He can talk about any area of agriculture and make it shine," says Cheron Chamberlain, agricultural manager for Western Fair. BF