Oxford farmer lands second in North American competition

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

by SUSAN MANN

An Oxford County farmer finished second in the North American Forage Spokesperson competition held in Indiana last month.

Evert Veldhuizen, the general manager of Veldale Farms near Woodstock, says the competition attracted four competitors. It was held June 14 as part of the American Forage and Grassland Council annual meeting. The other competitors were all from the Untied States, including the winner who haled from Kentucky.

Veldhuizen, the Ontario Forage Master for 2010, says he had to speak for 15 minutes about their farm and forage management practices. Veldhuizen farms with his brother and father on their dairy and cash crop operation.

His second place finish earned him a plaque plus a $300 cheque.

Veldhuizen says he was the second competitor to speak. The first speaker ended up winning the competition and “he was really good. I never realized something like that existed the way they grazed with chickens, sheep and beef and then followed with pigs.”

Veldhuizen says when the first speaker finished his talk he thought: “Wow, the competition is extremely stiff here.”

The Ontario Forage Master is chosen each year from a pool of competitors that come from provincial county forage master winners. The winner has the opportunity to represent the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association in the American event. BF