No calf, no problem: P.E.I. dairy producer welcomes 4H members who don't live on farms

As 4-H celebrates its centennial year on P.E.I., the group is facing an interesting challenge. More than half of the current members don't live on farms.

That has led to some creative solutions, including more and more Island farmers who have opened up their barns to 4-H members and "sharing" their animals.

At first they thought it was a little gross that I was working with cows but as soon as I started showing them pictures and videos, they loved it.— Lydia Doyle, 4-H member

"We have lots of animals here so when people ask us, do you have a calf we can borrow, and pet and train, we said sure," said Amber Craswell of Crasdale Farms in Hunter River, P.E.I.

"It's always interesting to hear the comments not even just from the kids but from the parents too like how much does a calf weigh, how old is a cow, all these things that we take for granted."

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Craswell grew up in 4H in Quebec and has been a dairy leader for the Cavendish club for 11 years.

Last summer, she was approached by another leader to see if the farm could help out some 4-H members who wanted to do a dairy project. The farm ended up hosting nine young Islanders, each with their own calf.

Training a calf takes time and patience, Craswell said.

"Introducing them to the calf and getting that calf to follow them, basically like a dog, takes some training," she said.

"The more you put into it, the more calf co-operates and it's a good relationship."

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Craswell points out that the size of the calves can be daunting, which is why they usually suggest one under a year of age.

"A baby calf when it's born is a hundred pounds and by the time it's two months old, it's double that if not more," she said.

"These kids aren't nearly that big."

Lydia Doyle,12, was one of the 4-H members who spent time at the Craswell farm last year, preparing a calf to take on the exhibition circuit. 

"I learned different breeds of cows, I learned how to train a cow, how to pull hundreds of pounds along with me," said Lydia, a Grade 6 student at Sherwood Elementary.

Her calf was born in March and her official name is Crasdale Uppercut Danni, or Danni for short.

"I really loved her, she was so sweet. She really liked to lick you and she was great at the shows, she didn't act up."

Taking Danni to shows was a learning experience for the first time competitor.

"You have to wear crisp white clothes, which isn't ideal for cows and you have to bathe her, gel her," Lydia said.

"You have to put black stuff on her to make all her black stuff stand out and you have to put white on her white spots and it's really fun."

Lydia did well in her first year of competition, placing at every show in confirmation and showmanship and even got a first-place ribbon.

It took a while but Lydia has even convinced her non-farm friends of what she likes about 4-H.

"At first they thought it was a little gross that I was working with cows but as soon as I started showing them pictures and videos, they loved it," Lydia said.

"I even brought some of my friends out to meet Danni and they loved her."

Lydia said she appreciates the welcome the Craswells have given her.

"I think it was really nice of them, such lovely people to help us 'cause I don't own a cow, I don't live on a farm so in order to get one I had to come to a farm," she said.

For Amber Craswell, the 4-H experience is taking a new turn as her daughter, Aleah, 9, has joined the youth group. However, Aleah's first love is not dairy cows, but poultry.

"I like chickens a lot and I feel like they have a personality," Aleah said.

"I just thought it would be a great learning experience because I can learn more about chickens and how to take care of them."

Lydia is looking forward to her second year of doing a dairy project, even though she will be starting over with another calf because Danni is now over 900 pounds.

"I have more experience now than I did last year, coming in and not knowing anything," she said.

"It'll be really great because now I know all my dairy friends and I can work along side with them."

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