Port Hood’s Sutherland wins two prestigious agriculture awards
-by Rankin MacDonald
If you work hard, with an eye to perfection all of your life, you’re bound to receive at least two plaques and the respect of your peers and community.
Such is the case for Jimmie Sutherland, who owns a farm on East Street in Port Hood known as East Street Farms.
On March 4th in Halifax, Jimmie was presented with the Minister’s Award of Excellence at the Agriculture Minister’s Conference.
In honour of James Sutherland, East Street Farms, who has worked tirelessly and effectively to increase the sustainability and prosperity of Nova Scotia’s agriculture industry. Over his life time raising purebred Hereford cattle, James improved the quality of beef genetics on his own farm and throughout the province, instilled a strong work ethic in his children, and provided mentor ship to other farmers in his community. His quiet leadership and good example have positively influenced others in the industry. On behalf of the provincial government and all Nova Scotians, I would like to congratulate James Sutherland for his lifetime achievement in providing leadership to Nova Scotia’s agriculture industry.
It was signed by the Honourable Keith Colwell, minister of Agriculture.
He also received a plaque and a 50-year pin from the Canadian Hereford Association, the highest honour they bestow, which was presented to him at his home by J.D. Campbell, who did the research for the award.
Jimmie bought the farm from Dan Alfred MacDonald in July 1969, did some fishing, and worked as a boiler maker, all he farmed his herd of Herefords.
“I started with just a few cows and it seemed everyone was doing a little farming in those days,” he said.
“Jimmie flew the Hereford flag at his farm over the years with pride. During that tenure, he stayed focussed on Hereford genetics. He started farming in 1969 when he moved to East Street, Port Hood, NS. He raised four children, three boys (Jeff, Todd, and Bobby) and a girl (Beverly). His wife Brenda has been his rock and has been by his side throughout the journey. Jimmie was known throughout Nova Scotia for having great genetics and cattle. He raised bulls and some cows and heifers, which he sold several locally. Throughout the years, he brought in bulls from the West and Ontario to further along his progress. During this time, the introduction of exotic breeds was introduced to Nova Scotia, but he stayed the course having great faith in his Herefords. Jimmy made lots of friends in the Hereford association and throughout the farming community. Jimmy was a very hard-working man who always found time to help others. My father said, ‘Jimmy wasn’t scared of work, very hard worker.’ During the early years Jimmie was involved with 4H as was his son Todd. I know he personally helped me out, I had calves dying after birth and couldn’t figure out what was happening, it was Jimmie who figured out what was taking place, IBR (red nose), I was able to save the rest of the calves that would eventually calf that year. He always had time to help, I asked him lots of questions when I was starting out and he showed great patience and always had time to answer them. I can’t think of anyone more deserving when you think of all the factors, hard working, honest, focussed, loyal. When I think of Hereford, I think of Jimmie Sutherland!” said friend and fellow farmer, JD Campbell
Bev recalls what it was like as children growing up on a farm.
“We all have our own fond memories of the adventures that we had while living on a farm. A few I have are: the freeness of being able to roam safely throughout the farm, the ability to ask questions, and being able to work on finding out the answers if Dad didn’t know the answer, which was rare that he didn’t know the answer. Going to the sale barn in Truro was a fun trip for the kids to go on, with limited room in the truck only one child could go at a time. So, we learned early on that we could use food to leverage our seat in the truck for those trips – let’s just say fudge was king!
Mom and Dad always made sure that we had enough and taught us to enjoy the simple pleasures of life, to never forget where we came from and to always look out for your neighbours. To remember to appreciate what we had in life and this became especially true when Mom and Dad took Charlie over from Ski Lanka to give him a better life, which he repays them by doing good deeds for others.
I remember the excitement of hearing that there was a calf born on Christmas morning and the heartbreak of losing one at another time.
The wonderment of being woken up around midnight to see a calf in the bathtub getting a warm drink, after Dad had chipped it from the ice as it was frozen to the ground after being born outside. Because Dad would get up at all hours of the night during calving season to check and count the cows. Then seeing it run around inside the barn with my poncho on so it would be warm. The barter system was always the way of life on the farm.
At times when Dad was away or sick, Mom would jump in and take over the chores of farm life as well as doing the job of raising four kids, she was the backbone of keeping everything running smoothly.
I especially like seeing how the next generation is still enjoying farming, seeing the enjoyment in my niece Monica’s eyes when she’s going to do chores and listening to her name the new calves, so far there is Merle, Alan Jackson, and Johnny Cash to name a few!”
The family gathered at the farm on Sunday to help Jimmie celebrate a lifetime of achievement, while the Herefords enjoyed the March air.
