Brenda O’Farrell
The Advocate

The Allen-Lafond family of the little Témiscamingue town of Saint-Bruno-de-Guigues was named the Farm Family of 2024 by La Fondation de la famille agricole during the Union des producteurs agricoles’ annual Congrès Général in Quebec City earlier this month.

The family is headed by Diane Allen and Damien Lafond, who married in 1969. They bought a small farm in the community, located almost 500 kilometres northwest of Ottawa, two months before their wedding and two weeks before it was set to be sold at auction. It cost them $18,000 to purchase 80 acres of land, a house and 13 Ayrshire cows.

And that is how their adventure began. Fifty-five years later, their story has evolved and expanded.

The couple had five children – Patrick, Édith, Benoit, Luc and Danny. And now have several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. When they accepted the honour at the UPA gala on Dec. 4, 27 members of their family joined them to mark the occasion. It was an impressive crowd.

Four of the couple’s children – Patrick, Édith, Benoit and Danny – operate dairy farms today, while Luc works as an electrical mechanic for Lactalis, a processor that manufactures a variety of dairy brands, including Cracker Barrel, Black Diamond, Lactancia, Beatrice and P’tit Québec.

Benoit and his family have taken over his parents’ farm, and where Damien Lafond at age 80 still helps out, while Patrick bought a farm in Plessisville, east of Drummondville. Édith runs a dairy farm in nearby Saint-Eugène de Guigues, while Danny operates his diary farm in his home town.

From modest beginnings with 80 acres and 13 cows producing about five kilos of milk per day, the Allen-Lafond family now operate four farms, collectively producing 388 kilos of milk per day and cultivate 2,500 acres in the Témiscamingue area, with the next generations set to expand operations even more. Seven of the grandchildren are studying or have recently completed their studies in agriculture in St. Hyacinthe.

The couple expressed their gratitude for the honour and invited all who were attending the gala – about 800 members of the UPA from across the province – to visit their corner of Quebec. The coffee is always on, said Diane Allen.

Cutline:

Twenty-nine members – four generations – of the Allen-Lafond family accepted the honour of being named the Farm Family of 2024 during the UPA’s Congrès Général on Dec. 4 in Quebec City.

Credit:

Photo courtesy of Union des producteurs agricoles