Last month Holstein World’s Frank Putman visited some farms in Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Sweet Pease Holsteins of Susquehanna, PA, is a great stop for Holstein enthusiasts that like tall, good uddered cows with plenty of strength. A number of Terrason daughters stood out in the milking string. Lloyd and Denise are shown with Sweet Pease Dundee Bently that never stopped growing after her Fall Calf wins in Harrisburg and NY Spring International. Hopes run high for her in 2010. In the background is the recently remolded barn to house show prospects. Out with the horses and in with the heifers!

Ricecrest Farm is an extremely well kept farm. The habits transcend from farmstead to the livestock. Ricecrest Luke Lauren is “living the good life” with other contemporaries. Some of these ladies are here to live out their “golden years”, but they are also a monument to the longevity and massiveness of Ricecrest cattle…

One of an impressive group of Shottle daughters. As fate would have it, the use of Shottle resulted in a number of daughters (many VG) while using Goldwyn left very few daughters. One great practice that could be listed under the old saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth a lb of cure”, is moving cows to individual pens when noticed in heat. Tall, wide, flat boned cows reside here.

Virginia Holstein breeders will be hosting the National Holstein Convention in 2011 and a young couple that have great enthusiasm and a plan are La Vaun & Jim Janney. Long term goals are to established a renowned herd from which to breed outstanding cows. Cows known by short names -Alicia, Ashlyn, Lana Rae, Toby, Deliha and Miss Special have granddaughters here by Stormatic, Dundee and other top bulls. A home bred family that focused attention on the Janney’s is Janney Talent Scarlett-Red (VG-88) and Janney Distrigene Cinnamon-Red (EX) that have gained R&W All-American nominations.

Lee Heizer of Heiz-Acres has bred both Holsteins and Swiss that have had success at a major level, in the show rings. Hiez-Acres Outside Vermont, the 2007 Res. All-American Jr-3-Yr-Old is much sought after for offspring and embryos. Lee has had the good fortune to have others successfully campaign his prefix, such as the Topps of Ohio.

The Callendar’s in front of a barn of relaxed cows that had just been milked out. Teresa is a committee person for Virginia’s National Convention. Walk-Up Holsteins has had great success using Durham with 18 VG or EX daughters bred here and presently have a good base of his daughters to breed the next generation to keep the herd moving in the right direction. Presently, they have been calving out daughters of M Leader, Pronto and Elmo.

This attractive sign greets travelers in front of Steve and Kathy Rhodes farm. The focus here is red (right down to the roses). Steve works with Paul Yoder of Cherry-Kreek Farm in ownership of some animals. Surprisingly he can be to Paul’s in about 2 hours by traveling through the mountains. Kathy has huge responsibilities for the Fresh Air program that locates city children to a country host for a time in the summer months. A group of heifers slated for export sported white flag tags as they awaited their “taxi” ride out of the US.

Holstein World’s Frank Putman captured these images from the Rocklan Dispersal that took place Thursday. The sale averaged $4204 on 150 lots.

Pfaffs Gibson Rally (2E-94) – $43,000 From left: Jeff Sharts & Dawn D Sharts of Beech Hill Farm

Rocklan Durham Pewvey- $24,000 From left: Jeff Sharts, buyer & Jason Thomas, leadsman

Lot 45- Ernest-Anthony Fashion (VG-87) $18,300 – From left Andre Poirier and Eugene Poirier of Blue Gene Holsteins, NO. Bangor, NY, buyers.

“The Outback” All sales have them!

Seth Carpenter of Carpsdale Holsteins in Enosburg Falls, VT and Horace Backus.

Ken Beerwart of Knowlton, QC went away with 5 purchases. He’s shown here with his parent’s Mr. & Mrs. John Beerwart.

Crackholm Independence-ET (2E-92) is offered to the crowd. She is a Skychief daughter of Dreane Astre Inksou (4E-96 Can), a perennial Canadian show winner.

As I traveled from my current home in southwest Minnesota on Friday afternoon to my original home in Hutchinson, I could clearly see that there were more tractors in the fields than cars on the road. The less-than-dry fall has delayed harvest in this part of the country, but a string of beautiful weather days has people catching up quite quickly. So much so, some were even able to take a break from their harvest to enjoy the Minnesota Fall Harvest Sale that was held yesterday at the McLeod County Fairgounds in Hutchinson.

Highlights from the sale…

Unofficial Average: $2120.51 on 78 full lots

High Seller – Lot 5 – Benner Shottle Benz-ET for $11,000
Consignor: Benner Holsteins, Steinback, MB
Buyers: Chuck Will, Jerry Muzzy, Jay Morrison and Linda Kisner

Benz certainly was an elite model of the sale – well cut and balanced, she backed up her look with an outstanding pedigree. She is a Shottle daughter with a GPA LPI of +2367 +1690M +59F +45P +15 Conf. Her dam is Gen-I-Beq Morty Barbie-ET (VG-87 2yr CAN) with 1 Superior Lactation. Barbie just so happens to be the maternal sister to Braedale Goldwyn! Next dams, of course, are Baler Twine (VG-86 23*) and Gypsy Grand (VG-88 37*).

Pictured with the High Seller, from left to right, are:
Don Penner, consignor; Jay Morrison, Jerry Muzzy & Chuck Will, buyers; Ole Peterson, contender & sales staff; and Andy Steinhagen, leadsperson.
In the box are Steve Peterson, pedigrees, and John Hager, auctioneer.

2nd High Seller – Lot 14 – 7/09 Sanchez for $5,500
Consignor: Benner Holsteins, Steinbach, MB
Buyer: Mason Dairy, OK

A July ’09 Sanchez heifer from the highest LPI Champion in Canada, Benner Champion Jilly-ET LPI +3167. Jilly is scored VG-86 2yr CAN and has a best record of 4-02 2x 332 40,128 3.5 1420 2.9 1177. Next dam is an EX-90 2* Aeroline with 3 superior lactations. Maternal sisters to Lot 13 include 4 VG 2yr Goldwyns, one of which sold for $26,000 in the 2007 MN Fall Harvest Sale.

Pictured from left to right are:
Paul Trapp, sales staff; Scott Courtney, sales staff; Don Penner, consignor; Randy Kath, representing buyer Mason Dairy, OK; and Scott Culbertson, sales staff.
In the box are Steve Peterson, pedigrees, and John Hager, auctioneer.

3rd High Seller – Lot 3 – Da-So-Burn Boliver Brix-ET for $4,600
Consignor: Darin & Sonya Burnikel, Cresco, IA
Buyer: Aho Bros., Frazee, MN

Brix is a 9/08 Boliver daughter of Da-So-Burn Goldwyn Britt-ET (VG-86 2yrs). She currently has a best record of 31,950 4.8 1523 3.2 1033 at 2-04 and GTPI +1906M. Britt has numerous contracts for sons and embryos and is from a popular bull making family that includes dams sired by Oman, Mtoto, Rudolph, Aerostar, Mark, Board Chairman, Apache and Standout.

Once again the MN Red & White Showcase attracted a nice group of consignments and interested bidders. Leading the group was…

Lot 201 – 1st Choice Jet-Red x Silvermine Rampage Twister *RC for $3,300
Consignor: Randy Ober, Glencoe, MN
Buyer: Luke Alsleben, Glencoe, MN

The name Silvermine Rampage Twister *RC might not ring a bell but how about the name of her maternal sister? Silvermine Adv Tally-Red-ET, the HM Int. Champion of the Grand Intl. Red & White Show and HM Grand Champion Royal Winter Fair. Their dam is Spungold R-M Tammy-Red (2E-93). Buyer will have their choice of two beautiful 5/09 calves that were on display.

This is a snapshot in the pack of the Jet-Red choice that sold from the maternal sister of the HM Grand Champion of the recent Canadian National R&W Show at the Royal Winter Fair – Silvermine Adv Tally-Red. The buyer, Luke Alsleben of Glencoe, MN, chose the heifer on the left.

A perfect example of the quality animals sold in the sale, Lot 48 was a Stormatic daughter fresh in October from Donohoe Farms, Ltd. She sold for $2,600 to Nick Snuttjer of Doon, IA.

The annual MN Fall Harvest Sale is managed by the Minnesota Holstein Association and is currently coordinated by sale committee chairs Michael Sheehan (above), David Alberts and Russ Thyen.

Clerking duties were once again expertly handled by Diane Beuhring, Mary Swart and Jeni Dingbaum, MHA Executive Secretary.

I just received this e-mail as a forward and had to share!

You know you’re from the prairies when this kind of record amazes you.

A record setting harvest was done this fall in Biggar, Saskatchewan, Canada. 160 acres were harvested with 100 combines and several grain trucks in 10 minutes and 15 seconds!

This record will be entered in the Guiness World Records – no word yet on if it truly is a record breaking harvest.

Proceeds of this crop will be sent to a youth camp.

The Rocklan Holsteins Complete Dispersal is taking place today in Chateaugay, NY, and Frank Putman is there reporting sale highlights as they happen! Stay tuned throughout the day for updated results!

Sale average on 122 full lots: $4,204.71

HIGH SELLER:
LOT 1 – $43,000 – Pfaffs Gibson Rally (2E-94) – Purchased by Aghamora Farm of Greenwich, NY

2nd HIGH SELLER:
LOT 64 – $24,000 – Cowtown Durham Pewvey, a 5/08 Durham X Lylehaven-W BC Petra-ET (EX-92), 3rd Dam El-Dor Saber Pansy (3E-95 GMD DOM)

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS:
LOT 15 – $18,300 – Ernest-Anthony Fasion, a VG-87 Allegiance X Tri-Koebel Linjet Fearsome (2E-94), purchased by Blue-Gene Holsteins
LOT 24 – $17,000 – Arethusa Sammys Shadow-ET, a VG-87 Jordan X Ernest-Anthony LL Sammy-ET (2E-95)
LOT 63 – $8800 – Woodmansees Ljet Pewter-ET, an EX-93 Linjet X Lylehaven-W BC Petra-ET (EX-92)
LOT 83 – $8800 – Rocklan Brenda-ET, an EX-94 Linjet X Bruneberni Outside Bambi (3E-94)
LOT 6 – $8750 – 9/09 Goldwyn X Pfaffs Gibson Rally (2E-94), Purchased by Gerald Todd
LOT 25 – $8700 – Crackholm Independence-ET, a 2E-92 Skychief X Dreane Astre Inksou (EX-96,4E-CAN)
LOT 35 – $8200 – Rocklan Matag-ET, an EX-93 Astronomical X Ladyholm-R ML Missy (2E-94)
LOT 3 – $7500 – 6/09 Shottle X Pfaffs Gibson Rally (2E-94)
LOT 81 – $7500 – A 1/08 Aspen X Conant-Acres Roy Deva (EX-94) Due in February to Jasper
LOT 11 – $7300 – Pintail Point Rudy, a VG-88 September Storm from the Roxy Family, purchased by Monanfran Farms
LOT 4 – $6100 – 6/09 Shottle X Pfaffs Gibson Rally (2E-94)

A full house was on hand to witness the Sale of Stars was held Thursday evening, November 12th in conjunction with the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto, ON. Under the new sale management of Greaves, Lalande & Johnston, Inc., the 2009 edition achieved a remarkable average of $26,782 on 71 live lots and picks of flushes and grossed $2,001,250.

Stantons PS Eden, a May, 2009 Shottle heifer with a 9/09 GPA LPI of +2951 topped the sale at $105,000 and was purchased by Granja La Ponderosa of Spain. Consigned by Stanton Bros. of Ilderton, ON, Eden is a potential 11th generation Very Good or Excellent out of Crockett-Acres Echo-ET (VG-85), from the Lead Mae cow family that has been a noticeable presence at the top of the cow index lists for the past few years.

A 6/09 Planet daughter from Gillette Bolton 2nd Sleep (VG-87-2YR) brought $75,000 from Ferme Gillette and T-Wave Holsteins. Gillette Planet 2nd Snooze traces straight back into one of Canada’s most popular cow families with her 4th dam being Braedale Gypsy Grand (VG-88-CAN 37*).

Vieuxsaule Bolton Halia (VG-87-2YR), a 2-year-old Bolton carrying a +2428 GPA LPI out of an EX-94-2E-CAN 2* Allen dam brought $72,000 from Ferme Fortale of St-Christophe Arth., QC and Vieux Saule of St-Esprit, QC.

Other top sellers include:
Dymentholme Planet Silky – a 9/09 Planet daughter from Misty Springs Shottle Silk (VG-88-2YR) brought $75,000 from Sjendi Farms of Grimsby, ON

1st choice 9/09 Sanchez from Harvue Roy Frosty (EX-95) – $72,000 – purchased by Gen-Com of Bon-Counseil, QC

1st choice MAS X Ms Atlees Gold Abigail-ET (VG-89-2YR) – $72,000 – purchased by Lookout Holsteins & Ricardo Pesce of Canton de Hatley, QC

Florbil Goldwyn Lily (VG-88-2YR) – $65,000 – purchased by Gen-Com of Bon-Counseil, QC

Choice of Deslacs Glacier Alika-Red or Deslacs Glacier Aly-Red – $56,000 – purchased by Fleury Holstein of Arthabaska, QC and Deslacs Holsteins of Victoriaville, QC

3/09 Jeeves from Comestar Lautamia Bolton – $54,000 – purchased by Tom Simons of Indiana

Okay all you history buffs! It’s time to take a pictoral trip down memory lane, courtesy of our friend Kris MacLeod, Eastern Ontario Holstein Representative. Kris and his fiancee, Laura, went for a Sunday afternoon drive through Hudson, Quebec, home of the famous Mount Victoria Farms, home of the Montvic herd. If you’re like us in the office, you’ll enjoy remembering when this was an active and quite impressive dairy.

“One of the greatest geneticists of all-time was T.B. Macaulay. He learned through experiments with corn and beans, then put that knowledge into practice by breeding Holstein cattle. Mt. Victoria Farm was located on a plateau atop a beautiful small mountain near where the Ottawa River flows into the great St. Lawrence. The herd was founded in 1924 and dispersed in 1942 at an average nearly double the previous record for either a Canadian or U.S. Holstein dispersal. Mort Butchers, one of history’s greatest herdsman, played an important part at Mt. Victoria. In 1948, six years after the dispersal, there were six Gets of Sire shown at the Royal Winter Fair. The first five were all by bulls carrying the “Montvic” prefix. Montvic Rag Apple Gladiator, sire of Osbornedale Ty Vic, was bred by Mr. Macaulay.” ~Horace Backus, Seed Stock

New Jersey Holstein Association Celebrates 100 Years
Nearly 170 Holstein enthusiasts from the Garden State enjoyed a gala banquet on Nov. 14 in celebration of 100 years of the New Jersey Association. Long-time state treasurer and leader Jeannie Lorenzo Roberts was the driving force, as she so often is for successful Holstein activities in that small but active state.
The evening’s activities included a social hour, a delicious banquet feature featuring beef filet and chicken fresco and a lovely and unique cake complete with a black & white cow atop the multi layers.
Joe Valen was master of ceremonies introducing the current officers and several guests. Joe was credited with making arrangements for the facilities at the Neshanic Valley Country Club near Flemington.
Jeannie herself did a remarkable job of recognizing nearly a dozen individuals or couples in attendance who had begun their careers in New Jersey and then gone on as successful breeders and leaders in others states including New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia.
Melissa Osgood of the American Dairy Assn. and Dairy Council introduced both the outgoing and newly crowned New Jersey Dairy Princesses. Katie Albert surrendered her crown to Molly Boyle. Another junior member receiving a round of applause was Joseph Martinelli, winner of the Holstein youth speech contest, intermediate division, at the National Convention in Sacramento this year. The future looks to be in good hands.
Peter Cole of the Holstein Association USA complimented the New Jersey group and presented a plaque commemorating the event to New Jersey President Melanie Richman.
The evening concluded with 60-year member Ken Roehrich introducing guest speaker Horace Backus of Mexico, NY. He recalled people and occasions from his work with New Jersey Holsteins and breeders over the years. He invited questions and in response commented on great bulls (Sir Pieterje Ormsby Mercedes 37th and Johanna Rag Apple Pabst, along with Elevation and Ivanhoe), great cows, milk marketing and the value of high quality Registered Holsteins.
As the very difficult year of 2009 winds down, this gathering provided a timely reminder of enduring relationships created by the great black & white cow. -JPH

Grand Champion: Elmbridge FM Loveable-Red, 1st 4-year-old, Tuytel & Lookout Holsteins
Reserve Grand Champion: KHW Regiment Apple-Red, 1st 5-year-old, Apple Partners
HM Grand Champion: Silvermine Adv Tally-Red, 1st Sr. 2-year-old, Milksource Genetics

Mature Cow (3)
1. Sildajak Regiment Sofie (Carrousel Regiment-Red x Loubel Top Gun Sofie), George Sikma, Bradley, Transfer Genetics
2. Roumers Rubens Dania (STBVQ Rubens), Fred Fornwald & Sons, Wedgwood Holsteins
3. Cobequid Rosette Marker (Indianhead Red-Marker), Richard Green