By David Jons
A full day was packed into the World Ayrshire Conference on Monday, September 26th with a start at Country Life Farm owned by Mike and Lisa Pons.
Mike Pons of Country Life Farm
The Bel Air, Maryland Thoroughbred
breeding farm is the oldest in Maryland and is currently managing 50 to 75
horses per year. Last year over 200 mares were bred at the farm and each
breeding must be a natural breeding.
Mike displayed many of the farms stallions available for stud service and explained the Thoroughbred industry.
The group then traveled to the Maryland State Fair grounds for lunch and then to the Antietam National Battlefield Memorial in Sharpsburg, Maryland.
The Antietam battle during the
United States Civil War was the bloodiest one day battle in American History
where 23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or missing after twelve hours of
savage combat on September 17, 1862.
Attendees enjoyed lunch before moving on to the next stop.
The final stop of the day was
at Palmyra Farm a third and fourth Generation Family Farm including family
members Ralph & Terrie, Erin, Brian & Austin Meyers, Ryan & Amanda
Shank and Mary & Mike, Mark, Michael, Evan Creek, Jordan, Richard &
Nolan Gelber.
Mary Creek addressed the crowd at Palmyra Farm
The current herds consist of
111 Ayrshires averaging 20,245M 807F 651P and 62 Holsteins averaging 23,844M
897F 755P.
Palmyra Berkely P Ruth-ET VG-88 EX-MS @2Y
A few of the cows that drew
attention from attendees were Palmyra Berkely P Ruth-ET VG-88 EX-MS @2Y with
2-0 264
18,270 4.5 814
3.1 565. She is fresh again and
this Sr. 2 Year Old looked great in her work clothes and is certainly a
beautiful young cow.
Palmyra Goodvue Reality-ET EX-91
EX-93-MS, she was nominated All-American Jr. 3 Yr. Old in 2015.
Palmyra Berkely P Rosy VG-89
EX-MS, nominated All-American Fall Calf 2013.
Palmyra Farm has also
ventured into using their milk to produce cheese to be sold directly to
consumers and distributors. The farms manure management and soil nutrient programs were presented by state officials on a tour around the farm.
An super evening meal was served at the farm.