Tag Archives: livestock

It’s the Cheese out Here

25 Wednesday Feb 2026

Posted by in agriculture, animal husbandry, family farm, farm, farm animals, food, food production, homesteading, the sustainability plan for food

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Hail Brave Hearts

Who were these illustrious, hearty humans who came to conquer all?  Who were the brave hearts of the day who settled and prospered in these great lands?  The land of plenty?  The land to conquer.  The land that claimed so many lives, but eventually was farmed, colonized and a new world began.

From a land of serfs, of peasants who toiled, who carved an existence from hard work, collaboration and ingenuity.  These are the people of the new world.  Those who set themselves apart and braved the cold winters and basked in the radiance of the warm summers.  Hard work, but worthwhile, to till the land, harvest the crops and make room for themselves from the forest.  These industrious, hard working colonialists invented many things, and livestock breeding was one of their successes.  The interbreeding of animals to produce their own hardy, well adapted, heritage breeds, which come from a stunningly beautiful place, now a UNESCO site, the area of Charlevoix Quebec which is home to a cow.

Charlevoix – Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB)

This is not just any cow, this is a beauty!  Canada’s only indigenous breed of cow, the Canadienne.  Small in stature, but mighty in  other areas, this rare bread of cow, is an early invention from farmers in the ‘1600’s in Quebec.  Known for the high quality of it’s milk, it has made cheese production in Charlevoix, and Isle de la Madeleine  superior and sought after.   This cow which was once the most common cow in Quebec, is now on the rare breads list and in need of protection.

The milk is high in butterfat and has it’s own unique flavour.  The cheeses from this cow are unique in taste and texture and the delicious flavour makes  them a specialty of the house.

Canadienne cattle – Wikipedia

So all of this about a cow.  But it is a worthwhile cow.  The richness of the milk produces some of the worlds finest cheese, which is a specialty item  and a souvenir in the tourist industry.

The importance of protecting Canadian livestock and heritage breeds is a responsibility for us.  This breed has nearly become extinct, except for a few places in Canada, one of which is also the tiny islands in the Gulf la of the St Lawrence, the Isles de la Madeleine.

Îles de la Madeleine | Magdalen Islands | Québec maritime

The trip of lifetime, to visit these small islands, full of unique heritage and unique tourism.  A place to sample fine cuisine, sought after specialties and fun filled tourism.  A place of cultural heritage.  All of this, just for a cow, but not just any cow, our own cow.  Dairy for ice cream, dairy for milk and cheese.  The rich goodness of good food, high quality ingredients and it’s ours.  Ours to protect and ours to enjoy.  And lucky for us, that these unique Canadian experiences are in far flung places, which are an adventure to reach and a joy to experience.  Places to put on our destination list, in order to enjoy the fine cheeses and delicious ice cream from a heritage breed who we need to know and save.

written by Dr. Louise E Hayes

February 21, 2026

Pasturization

06 Sunday Sep 2020

Posted by in agriculture, animal husbandry, family farm, farm, farm animals, food, food production, health, homesteading

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Good Day. Brave hearts
This day is a day of adventure. Follow your pursuits. A grand day of living, of joy, of praises to you, almighty human for your gifts and treasures, for the great gift of spirit and mind. Praises to you for dedication, for curiosity, for belief and daring. To never stop, to accept the challenge and to use the mind for the purpose that it was intended. To use that intellect for the greater good of mankind and of the great planet. What benefits that one persistent intellect will benefit us all.
Praises, brave hearts, to the heroes among us. We live longer, we live better, we are healthier and more prosperous. Praises to you for that great gift, the gift of a great mind.
In Canada, the food industry protects the consumer from the ravages of disease caused by unhealthy food sources. Unsuspecting victims of contaminants in food products, strains of bacteria that cause disease. The work of thinkers and doers, of persistent curiosity and well educated intellect. The work of determination, of perseverance, of never accepting defeat. The work of years of dedication to task. The thought process of I will, I can, I must. This is the thinking that brings about revolutionary ideas, discovery and cure. Brilliant mankind, who lives forever, for genius never dies.
From the lowly life of a pauper rises the aptitude of a shining star. A brilliant mind from an obscure family. A mind of inspiration, of imagination, of toil, of diligence, of perspective. An unusual twist of an average student to rise to the fame of a doctorate in science. A brilliant doctorate of science and microbiology.
Hail, Louis Pasteur for the gift of your aptitude that brings cure to us all.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Pasteur

The work is the constant diligence that resolved the problem of bacterial contaminants in milk. Bacterial contaminants that cause disease and spoil the product.
Hail, Louis Pasteur for the invention of pasteurization. Nearly two hundred years ago when a brilliant mind focused on the need for a cure to a deadly disease that spread throughout Europe. Milk is a widely consumed whole food that was the cause of this disease. Pasteur invented a method of bringing milk to a high degree then cooling it quickly to kill off the contaminating bacteria. This was also done with alcohol, since it had also become contaminated.
An astute observation brought about an immediate cure. A simple process, easily done, but not so easily conceived.
Pasteurization is still used today, to eliminate deadly bacteria in foods such as milk and other beverages. Pasteurization is required in Canada to prevent the milk from spoiling and becoming a deadly food.
Milk is labelled according to the fat content of the product, such as Whole, Skim, or Partly skimmed 1% or 2% milk, never as raw milk. It is also labelled as pasteurized and homogenized.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasteurization

Pasteur also invented a cure for rabies, anthrax, chicken cholera and a disease that was killing silk worms and ruining the silk industry. He also invented vaccines.

written by Dr. Louise Hayes
December 20, 2013