In 1924, Charles O. “CO” Peart of Hagersville signed up for his first membership in Holstein Canada and started a tradition of dairy excellence. That commitment was recognized in 2024 as Doug and Mary-Ann Peart and family of Peartome Holsteins received Holstein Canada’s Century of Holsteins award.
CO and Bernice Peart’s farm was originally on Plank Road in Hagersville, but in 1920 they were forced to sell so the property could be made into a quarry. Doug and Mary-Ann explain, “The stone was needed to convert the Plank Road to Highway 6.”
The Pearts purchased a 250-acre Guernsey and shorthorn dairy farm on First Line in Hagersville. The timing of the move was memorable. Doug says, “Imagine the excitement for CO and Bernice on the 29th of February 1920 with the birth of their first child and then on the very next day having to move to a new farm.”
In 1921 CO purchased Lyndenwood Gano Countess, his first registered Holstein. He further invested in the farm in 1926, building a state-of-the-art 40×100-foot steel truss barn. His sons, Alvin and Frank, registered the Peartome prefix in 1953 and gutted the main barn to double the number of stalls. A calf barn and feed barn were also added.
The Holstein Canada membership was transferred to Peartome Holsteins in 1980 and Doug purchased Alvin’s share of the farm. Frank helped as management transitioned to Doug and Mary-Ann. Their daughters, Jennifer and Heather, were actively involved from an early age. In 2023, two DeLaval robotic milkers were installed.
Jennifer and her husband, Charlie Anderson, and their daughter, Olivia, now operate Erieview Holsteins and Maple Leaf Jerseys in Jerseyville, Ontario. Heather has been a full-time member of the Peartome team for 15 years.
The longevity of Peartome is not only attributed to the Peart family, but to the cow families, beginning with Lyndenwood Gano Countess. Countess has truly ‘reigned’ as Doug explains, “Two thirds of the current Peartome Holstein herd are direct descendents of Countess and this entails 24 generations of females.”
Mary-Ann adds, “It is no surprise that, since Doug is two-thirds of the way to being 100, he has knowledge of 16 of the generations.”
Countess descendant Peartome Thunder Joy became their first cow classified Excellent to achieve 14 stars. Joy’s daughter, Peartome Tony Joanie, Ex 2E – 26 stars, was a Cow of the Year finalist.
Joy and Joanie became the first homebred dam/daughter pair in Canada to be classified Excellent with 10 or more stars. Joy’s family also produced class extra bull Peartome Jackpot and three superior type sires. Doug says, “Jackpot, Skydome, and Jurassic have all had daughters become class winners at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.”
The influence of the Joy family accounts for three quarters of the points for the farm’s three Master Breeder Shields. Doug says, “A major highlight for the Joy family is there are two branches of eight generations of homebred Excellent cows.”
The Peart family has contributed off the farm as well. Frank, Doug, and Jennifer have all been president of the Haldimand-Norfolk Holstein Club and Mary-Ann was secretary-treasurer. Doug has been a national director with Holstein Canada for the past 10 years. Heather has been a Gay Lea delegate for six years and is currently the Zone 2 chair.
Four generations of Pearts have accomplished this “100 year relay.” Doug and Mary-Ann reflect, “It has been our privilege to be members of Holstein Canada. We have benefitted from the outstanding programs that Holstein Canada provides and the friendships that were built along the way.”
With the Century of Holsteins award achieved, Doug and Mary-Ann, Heather and her husband Peter, look to the future and the pursuit of another milestone – the Bi-Centennial Holstein Canada membership award.
