There's still a bit of dairy left on the Bocock farm.
John and Bill Bocock of Sturgeon County may have sold their dairy cows nine years ago, but they still have some of their old milking machines and barns, one of which is now occupied by a mother and her two calves. Up on the roof are a large number of solar panels – part of the Bocock clan's lifelong commitment to sustainability.
"We've graduated from machines milking cows to cows milking cows," John joked.
"Much more efficient!"
Alberta Milk producers recognized the Bococks last month for their wisdom, generosity and decades of dedication to land and animal stewardship with the 2016 Dairy Industry Achievement Award.
Established in 1940, the award is given out at Alberta Milk's annual conference and recognizes those who have given their time and talents to the betterment of the Alberta dairy industry. It is the organization's highest honour.
The Bococks were practicing ethical and sustainable farming decades before it became standard practice, said Alberta Milk general manager Mike Southwood.
"One of their biggest attributes has been around environmental sustainability and being good stewards of their land."
In addition to promoting soil conservation and donating 777 acres of their farm to the University of Alberta for agricultural research, the Bococks are also long-time animal welfare advocates, and have been recognized by the Alberta SPCA for animal care.
"A quote they often use is 'Contented cows provide contented customers,'" Southwood said.
Bill, 84, and John, 82, said they were completely surprised by this award, which earned them a standing ovation at the conference.
"We stopped milking cows in 2007, so it's a bit of a carry-on on what we did earlier," John said.
Dairy history
Bill and John say their grandfather, Richard Kingston, was originally a dairy farmer from Ireland. He came to Canada in 1921 and bought this dairy farm next to what is now Hwy. 2 and 37. It was mostly trees and sloughs at the time, which meant a lot of brush clearing, much of which he sold for use as support columns in local coal mines.
"He had many fine qualities but he happened to be a workaholic," John said of Kingston, and worked his staff very hard.
"People who worked here in the 1920s referred to this place as the Kingston Penitentiary – you didn't want to stick around longer than you had to."
Kingston chipped in cash to start the Northern Alberta dairy pool's first fluid milk operation, and invested in milking machines as early as 1939.
Bill and John's father, Geoff, was also an innovator, and built one of the first milking parlours in Western Canada in 1947. Geoff had a bad back, John explained, and the raised platform of the parlour meant he could milk his cows without bending over.
The Bocock brothers were early advocates of cross-bred dairy cows, and twice won provincial awards for cows that produced milk with the highest butterfat content in the province. They also strongly opposed the introduction of bovine growth hormone into Canada, which was used to boost milk production at the expense of a cow's lifespan.
In recent decades, the Bococks have been noted advocates for the environment, promoting the use of solar power and sustainable farming practices.
John is a strong defender of Canada's supply management system for milk, and said it helps ensure dairy farmers earned enough to cover their production costs.
"Supply management is a bit like democracy. As Churchill said, it may not be perfect, but it sure is a heck of a lot better than the alternatives."
While the Bococks no longer drink milk from their own cows, they are working with another farmer to raise a herd of 50 beef cattle.
"We're surviving on store-bought milk so far," John said.
John and Bill received a print of a painting with their names on it as part of their award.
