26 Ate Today? Thank a Farmer. Better Farming | October 2024 UP CLOSE ‘OPPORTUNITIES REALLY ARE CREATED.’ The dairy farm is the core of the Wilson family’s diverse interests. By Emily McKinlay The Wilson family of Port Perry is always looking for new opportunities – both inside and outside of their dairy barn. Scott and Beth Wilson, along with their children Jeff, Jaime, and Ericka, own and operate West Port Holsteins, a division of Emlane Farms, where they milk approximately 70 cows with two Lely A4 robots. “We are a multi-generation farm,” says Ericka. “It started in 1905 as a potato farm and then transitioned into a bit of a mixed operation. The dairy farm started with our grandfather, and our father carried that on with our mother, Beth. Our generation – Jaime, Jeffrey, and I – is the fifth generation on the farm. There’s a lot of pride and passion for our family farm.” Over five generations, Scott says that diversification and staying progressive have been key goals. “The farm came into the family in 1905, and each generation has created their own way with it,” says Scott. “The first two generations paid for the farm with potatoes as the farm grew. It was 200 acres at the turn of the century. Our livestock have carried the farm over the last 50 years with the milk production starting in the ’60s, coming out of a mixed farm in the ’50s. Genetics became a focus in the ’90s. With imports and exports of embryos and bulls, we did a lot of work internationally with West Port Holsteins.” Each generation has brought a new skill or aspect to the farm to continue growing and evolving. “This all leads to the next 10 years. We are only an average-sized dairy farm, and you still have to have alternate sources of revenue. That’s where the girls and Jeffrey have been looking for opportunities,” Scott adds. In addition to their greater focus on red and white Holstein genetics, Scott and Beth run a commercial trucking business and have a one-acre greenhouse, for which they are exploring new opportunities. In the fifth generation, Jeffrey and Jaime work full-time on the farm. Jeffrey is also a professional cheesemaker and recently spent time in Switzerland. Jaime works in the insurance industry, and Ericka works offfarm full-time in advertising and plays a supportive role on the farm. Herdsman Jim Ross has worked on the farm for 14 years and treats the herd as if they are his own. They refer to the farm as their core. As their own farm project, Jaime and Ericka run social media account Tailes from West Port. “It’s kind of a funny story,” says Ericka about the initiation of their social media presence. “I studied advertising and marketing, and my large project was to create a blog. I created the account and ran with it during my schooling, but eventually, I pretty much stopped. Then during COVID, I was home more. Jaime loves taking photos on the farm so I started using them, and said maybe we should collaborate because it would be more fun.” Jaime adds, “In April of 2020 we had an activist come on the farm. It The WIlson Family: Jeff, Ericka, Marie, Jaime, Beth, and Scott. Justyne Edgell Photography & Design photo
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc0MDI3