Farm family rebuilding after spring fire

Sep 15, 2016

Jobin Farms suffered $1 million in damages in April

By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com

A Windsor-area farm family has started rebuilding after a fire in April caused about $1 million in damages.

Phil Jobin of Jobin Farms said in addition to the $2 million facility, new farming methods will be employed to reduce the risk of another fire.

"Before, in our barn, for instance, we used to bed two to three times a day with straw. With the new facilities, we bed once a week with sand. So you're using non-combustible materials," Jobin told CBC.

Jobin Farms Fire
The afteramth of a fire at Jobin Farms in April.
Photo: Dale Molnar/CBC

A new barn is also being built on clay, and will be about two metres above grade. This allows for manure to flow to a new storage tank.

Construction on the barn begins October 1.

Jobin said the farm should be running by June 2017, but there’s still a lot of work ahead of them.

"It's coming together. A lot of planning, a lot of preparation that has to go into the new farm, because everything's going to be state-of-the-art and up to today's environmental codes," he told CBC.

The fire on April 18 caused about $1 million in damages and killed 100 cows.

It was caused when straw built up on the shredding machine’s muffler and engine.

Video: Early Fall Colors | Scenic Ontario Road Trip!

All adventures must come to an end, but not without one more journey! Join The Wandering Shepherds as we say farewell to our cozy Calabogie cottage and take the scenic road trip home to Ewetopia Farms. Our first stop was a breathtaking hydroelectric generating station, framed by cliffs, rushing water, and brilliant fall leaves that seemed to have changed overnight. From there, we meandered along winding backroads through lakes and hills, soaking in the spectacular autumn scenery. This year, the colors seemed to arrive earlier than usual—perhaps due to the summer’s drought? Whatever the reason, it was an unforgettable display of Ontario’s fall beauty. Finally, our holiday drew to a close as we pulled back into Ewetopia Farms, ready to return to the sheep and our daily vlogs. But this trip reminded us how important it is to pause, explore, and appreciate the simple beauty around us.