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The Farm

corn harvest

cows

Farming is by no means the easiest or most economically viable way of making a living nowadays.  But the local community in the Rogersville rural area still tries and the monks are happy to be part of this community. 

 

Mankind will always need farmers because farmers produce food.  We believe that the smaller farmer will soon come back into his own as consumers become more insistent on knowing where their food comes from and grow more interested in locally produced foods.  The new sensitivity to the environment will also favour the smaller farmer over the giant mass-producer.  So we believe that any farmer who can manage to hang on in there may see his fortunes turn around. 

 

The monastery was founded with a specific view to monks who would engage in agriculture.  There is certainly something to be said for those who are trying to live a life of prayer focussed on God the Creator being in touch with the land and with animals.  Few monasteries remain that are still farming. 

 

Our Lady of Calvary remains committed to this style of life and tries to husband its forestland and make its modest contribution to providing milk and chickens for consumption by the larger community.  Monks like to do things that are good in themselves without looking too hard at the financial returns.  This is in no way sophisticated or hi-tech farming, nor is it organic.  Just plain run of the mill like the monks that make up the community.  But we still hope that there might be others out there that might be interested in joining a farming monastic community rather than one that is involved in more enclosed industries.

the calves
the calves

new born
new born

chicken barn
chicken barn

green house
green house

our latest tractor
our latest tractor

The following analysis of our farm operation was made by agricultural advisors in March 2007:

The Trappists operate a dairy farm, broilers, and contract raise day old chicks until they are ready to lay eggs, 21 weeks of age, for another producer.  Currently they have 75 mature cows, 40 heifers and 15 calves.  Forage, pastures, forage corn and grain corn cover 350 acres of cultivated land.  Slopes range from about 1% to 4%, and the soils are a sandy loam.

Mature cows are housed in free-stall barn year round.  About 15 dry cows and 10 bred heifers have free access to pasture from June to October.  Calves are housed in hutches until 2 months old.

The farm produces liquid dairy manure which is mixed with wood shavings from bedding.  The manure is stored in an earthen lagoon.  Milk-house wash water is added to the lagoon contents.  15 young heifers are housed separately and produce dry stack manure in a limited quantity.

Broilers are raised going through 6 cleanouts per year with roughly 40,000 birds each time.  Chicks are also raised up to laying hen size, numbering 30,000 birds twice a year.

The fields are currently managed on a 6 year rotation.  Four years for forage or hay production, one year grain corn and then one year forage corn.  There is generally one cut of forage per year.

"Black & white photos by Noel Chenier. For a complete photo essay, visit
http://www.noelchenier.ca/monks.html."

Our Lady of Calvary Abbey
11505 Route 126, Rogersville NB, E4Y 2N9
Tel : 506 775 2331 Fax : 506 775 6220
E-mail : CalvaryAbbey@yahoo.com
 

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