Youth Feature

HOLSTEIN YOUTH

Mitchell Anderson – Commitment at its Finest

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PHOTOS 1. Mitchell at the 2021 Brant-Wentworth show leading Kingsway Jordy Adobe, the first heifer he registered under his Ron Ridge prefix, 2. Fun with his cousins, Reegan (middle) and Raechel at the Paris Fair, 3. Mitchell remembering Papa Ron with his grandma Ruth Ann, 4. Celebrating his first goal with the Blenheim Blades Junior C club.

PHOTO 1 BY CLAIRE SWALE, ALL OTHERS SUBMITTED.

a big family gathering,” Mitchell says, thinking back to his first few years at the show. “It was always chaotic and fun, with lots of cousins running around.” The 18-year-old from Ridgetown, Ont., is always on the go and that’s just the way he likes it. “I love to be busy,” he says, admitting that relaxing doesn’t come easy. “I just get a feeling I should be doing IIF THERE’S ONE THING YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT MITCHELL ANDERSON, IT’S THAT HE HATES TO SIT STILL. something.” 4-H has remained an important part of his life since then, with his

Between wrapping up his final year of high school, participating mom serving as the leader of the Chatham-Kent Dairy Club and in school sports, working at home, fitting at shows, playing and Mitchell contributing as a keen member. While he has tried other refereeing hockey, and taking part in his local 4-H club, Mitchell’s clubs, including rabbit, poultry, beef, the dairy and dairy judging time is often accounted for well in advance. clubs will always be his mainstays. The latter, he admits, took

He was raised at Anderson Acres, a 200-acre grain operation in Kent County, a stone’s throw away from Ridgetown College. Here, he helps where needed, often taking care of the “nitty-gritty” jobs like cleaning equipment, hitching it up and putting it away. He also some gentle nudging for him to continue. “I definitely had to be encouraged to keep pursuing judging,” he says. “When you’re not good at something right away, you generally don’t think it’s fun. I enjoy it now and it’s become easier and easier.” helps drive tractor when his dad or grandpa need a break. Though he In addition to gaining confidence through 4-H, Mitchell says the wasn’t raised on a dairy farm, both of his parents have a keen interest program has instilled a sense of commitment he never imagined in agriculture, with his dad, Glenn, working as a New Holland Sales possible. The livestock clubs, especially, require dedication seven

Rep. for Delta Power Equipment and his mom, Janice, working as an days a week. “If you don’t get up and do your work, you’re going to

Agricultural Account Manager at RBC. Janice was raised on a dairy pay for it at the show and you’re not going to enjoy your time.” farm in Brant County (Elm Bend), now operated by her brother and sister-in-law, Terry and Pam Charlton. It’s that connection, Mitchell says, that has fostered his growing love of dairy. In the past few years, Mitchell has really ramped up his love of showing and fitting. An early introduction by one of his 4-H leaders, Colin Pool, to Chris Steven helped him get started. “Chris took me under

Mitchell and his siblings – Morgan, 20, Mack, 15 and Meredith, 14 his wing, took me to his county show and spent time teaching me – have all borrowed 4-H calves from the farm since they were able how to clip.” Later, Wes Haggins from neighbouring Essex County to join the program, and after his first year showing in the pre-4-H helped him hone his skills. He learned a lot from attending shows class at the Paris Fair, he was hooked. “Every year, the Paris fair was with Wes and watching him clip, and since they share a similar style

of preparing cows, things have worked out well. “He’s been really good to me,” Mitchell says, acknowledging the many relationships Wes helped him broker. Just recently, Mitchell has built up enough of a clientele to go out on his own. He has worked for well-known show herds like Karnview, Cavanaleck, Bridon, Fraeland and Willow Creek in Ontario, and Mosnang Holsteins in Alberta. Regardless of what his schedule brings, he always makes time to clip for his siblings when county show time rolls around. “It might not have the best ring to it, but it means a lot to me,” he says. “It represents a little bit of my grandpa and a little bit of where I am from.”

Mitchell is involved in the Junior All-Ontario program and with the help of his cousin, Jenn Charlton, he purchased his first animal last summer at the Kingsway Tag Sale. Partnering on Kingsway Jordy Adobe made good sense to Mitchell, and Jenn was happy to lend a hand. “Jenn’s very smart and she’ll find a good buy here and there,” he says. “For my first one, I figured I should probably buy with Alongside his regular fitting gigs, Mitchell spent three summers working in the U-Pick hut at Park’s Blueberries, not far from his home. Last summer, he decided to switch gears and worked full-time at Elm someone who has done it and can help me along the way.” Adobe is housed at Jenn’s family farm in Brant County, not far from Elm Bend, and the partners are excited about her future. Bend where he was able to experience the As for Mitchell’s future, he has been “real side” of dairy farming. “Showing accepted into the Food, Agriculture and isn’t the whole picture,” is a lesson his uncle Terry helped him learn. Terry has “When you’re not good at Resource Economics (FARE) program at the University of Guelph and will start in the been a big influence in Mitchell’s life, and something right away, you fall. Though he doesn’t know just yet what Mitchell knows he can always count on generally don’t think it’s fun. he’d like to do after his four years there, he’s him to get his “dairy fix.” Working there last summer, Mitchell did I enjoy judging now and it’s become easier and easier.” confident his career will be somehow related to agriculture. morning chores, helped sort cows, bedded In the meantime, he’s enjoying his last year them, observed breedings, participated in - MITCHELL ANDERSON of high school and soaking up lots of time herd health and helped look after the dry with his family before he heads off to the next cows and heifers. He also helped with hay chapter. Mitchell knows that thanks to their and wheat harvest and worked on cleaning up the old tie-stall that influence, he’ll be ok. “Dad’s not a dairy guy; he grew up on a beef was replaced by a free-stall robot barn in 2016. The original tie-stall and grain farm so it’s different for him,” says Mitchell. It’s his work was where Mitchell’s late papa, Ron Charlton, milked and built the ethic, however, that Mitchell admires and hopes to emulate in the Elm Bend herd. Though Ron passed away a month before Mitchell years ahead. His mom is the dairy enthusiast. “She takes us to all the was born, he feels a deep sense of connection to him through dairy shows, she’s there for us, supports us and allows us to have those farming and loves nothing more than to spend an afternoon with his experiences,” he says, noting that she spends a lot of her free time grandma Ruth Ann, peppering her with questions about what he was running the 401. “She’s the one who makes it all happen.” like. “She doesn’t mind at all,” Mitchell says. Last year when Mitchell took out a Junior membership with Holstein Canada, he paid tribute to his late grandpa when he chose Ron Ridge Holsteins as his prefix. Armed with a strong work ethic, a great group of mentors, a love of dairy, and a sense of commitment that’s second to none, Mitchell is sure to succeed in whatever the future brings his way.

Youth Shows are Back!

Western Junior Show – July 14/15, Woodstock Fairgrounds West-Central Junior Show – August 25/26, Grand River Raceway, Elora East-Central Junior Show – July 6/7, Orono Fairgrounds Eastern Junior Show – July 6, Spencerville Fairgrounds