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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, but we do carefully follow government norms and the advice of veterinary experts on animal husbandry.  This is just plain run of the mill farming like the monks that make up the community.  We use the methods of any average farmer and are happy to feel our solidarity with the farming community.  We hope that there might be others out there that would 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.

FARM OF THE YEAR 2008
FOY2008SHresized.jpg
Br. Stephan receiving the award

There is a testimony from Jean_Eudes Chiasson, President of the National Farmers Union in New Brunswick, on the French version of this site.

The Pope on agriculture:
Almost fifty years ago, my predecessor Blessed Pope John XXIII had this to say about the task of tilling the soil: “Those who live on the land can hardly fail to appreciate the nobility of the work they are called upon to do.  They are living in close harmony with Nature – the majestic temple of Creation…Theirs is a work which carries with it a dignity all its own” (Mater et Magistra, 130-131).  All human labour is a participation in the creative providence of Almighty God, but agricultural labour is so in a pre-eminent way.  A truly humane society will always know how to appreciate and reward appropriately the contribution made by the agricultural sector.  If properly supported and equipped, it has the potential to lift a nation out of poverty and to lay the foundations for increasing prosperity.
Benedict XVI, Address to the members of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, 20 February 2009

In December 2009 the animal rights organization, based in the United States, PETA, attacked us in the local press over our cows and chickens.  They wanted us to go out of all animal and poultry production!  The Abbot said that he would not change a thing.  He does not believe that our methods amount to cruelty to animals, nor that they are contrary to Catholic principles.  We do nothing that thousands of Catholic farmers the world over don’t do.

Click the link below to see what people say about PETA

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

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Winter downriver

TUESDAY 24 - We heard that the firefighters have moved out of our garage into one within the village limits. They originally took refuge in ours after the fire that destroyed their operation centre in Rogersville on January 7. But they had to conform to regulations that they should be within the village limits.
WEDNESDAY 25 - Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. We started using a new edition of our choir books for feast days. Father Maurice has put a lot of time and effort into getting them out.
THURSDAY 26 - Solemnity of our Holy Founders, Robert, Alberic, and Stephen Harding, who started the monastery of Cîteaux in France in 1098, thereby giving birth to the Cistercian Order. Our Trappistine sisters honoured us with their presence for lunch. So did Brother Henry, coming in from his care home in Moncton. He looked a lot better. Our cook, Melva, did us a magnificent meal.
SATURDAY 28 - Feast of Saint Thomas Aquinas, the greatest theologian of the Latin Church. We woke up to more snow than we have seen so far this winter, but still nothing compared to other years.
SUNDAY 29 - 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time. The Abbot presided at the Mass and preached, all in the two languages.

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Potter's wheel built by Br. Stephan

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

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