CORNHILL FAMILY BUILDING BIGGER AND BETTER

Written By: Sharon A. Layton-Pollock

The Von Waldo’s welcomed over 2000 people during their open house on July 10. They came from far and wide to view first hand a new, to this area, technology for milking cows, as well as to examine their wonderful facilities.
Joerg first came to Canada from Germany to visit his dad, who had immigrated years before and now owned a farm in Cambridge Narrows. When the family was together in Germany they farmed and Joerg always wanted a farm of his own some day. While visiting his Dad, Jeorg was very impressed with the province of New Brunswick.
He returned home to resume his trade as a machinist as well as trying his hand as a car salesman. He traveled again to the western provinces where he worked on farms, then to Ontario before returning home again. When Joerg was 20 years old he decided to return to Canada permanently and in 1967 he became a Canadian citizen. In 1973 Joerg bought the Gerald McKenzie farm in beautiful Cornhill. At that time it consisted of 100 acres and 11 milk cows. He never wanted to milk cows and began building a beef herd. Then one day Alan Saunders a ‘dairy specialist’ paid him a visit and suggested he sell his beef cows and buy a dairy herd. Joerg bought a herd of 20 milking cows.
Things in Joerg’s life began to take another turn in 1982. He decided to pay a visit to his friend Dr. Nayak. There also visiting was Jane Couillard, daughter of John and Beth. Upon seeing young Joerg coming up the lane Jane immediately inquired as to who he was. Jane and Joerg became Mr. and Mrs. in 1986.
Jane had no farming background but settled in well and found it very interesting. Joerg looks after the fieldwork and Jane looks after the cows, Joerg said, “Jane is the real Cow Girl.”
Twenty two year old Karl Von Waldo, self-taught in design, began discussing with his parents and younger brother, Blake, his ideas of a new barn. His younger brother, 20-year-old Blake with his electrical engineering and telecommunication degree assisted greatly in the plan. Joerg figured he had the land and the feed to feed an expansion, so thus the planning began.
The family began traveling to see for themselves what new designs were out there and new farming technologies that would fit with their type of farming. Their travels took them to Ontario, Wisconsin, Germany and Holland. Although nothing was found exactly as what they had in mind, it non-the less was a great learning experience and good to talk to such forward thinking people.
December 2008 the Von Waldo family began the planning stages. In April of 2009, during a visit to Quebec to see a rotary milking parlor, they accidentally met with the engineer who designed the rotary. By May 2009 all of the engineering plans were drawn up. Karl then sent his plans to Group Alco out of Quebec who build 50 barns a year.
All during the planning and building of the Waldo expansion, Karl became the official translator. He and his family were very glad he had gone through the French immersion program at Petitcodiac Regional High, for only one man on the engineering team was able to speak English.
The Federal and Provincial government assisted in the amount of $100,000.00 and matched by the Von Waldo’s under the “New Technology Initiative Program.” The new technology Acti-Zyme, so far is the only one of its kind in eastern Canada.
February 2, 2010, the first dry cow walked through the doors of its new home. March 18th the milking cows began their new learning experience of when to go on and when to come off the rotary milking parlor.
Jane will be even more impressed with the new building when finally all of the paper work of running such a farm can go into the offices in the barn and out of her house. She enjoys doing her chores, due in part, to the great ventilation and heated floors in the parlor. Joerg says he feels good about what they have done and both their sons, Karl and Blake, are very proud. Karl said he always wanted the public to be aware and educated about modern farming techniques.
During the open house they handed out a Fact Sheet to help to answer questions anyone may have had, and the facts are as follows:
started moving fill in May 2009
moved into the barn March 18, 2010
number of employees are 8
size of building…main barn is 345’ X 124’
parlor barn is 80’ X 180’
385 stalls with individual water beds and bedded with pressed manure
the manure press is manufactured by Press Technology from Springfield, Ohio
milking 225 cows three times a day (5a.m. 1p.m. 8p.m.)
parlor…blom platform is 32 inside rotary brought over from Holland
Boumatic milking equipment
Milk tanks…large is 6000 gallons (23800liters) small is 3000 gallons (11856 liters
During the open house I was one of the 2000 in attendance, I too congratulated Joerg and as I was leaving I saw and overheard an old farmer briskly shake Joerg’s hand and exclaimed, “You have built a masterpiece!” *