Keith Barrett’s 60-year farming journey highlighted at the Atlantic Agricultural Hall of Fame

Oct 31, 2017

The dairy producer started farming on his own in 1950

By Diego Flammini
News Reporter
Farms.com

Anyone who runs into Keith Barrett, a dairy farmer from Belmont, P.E.I., can call him by a variety of titles: farmer, husband and grandfather, just to name a few.

And on Oct. 19 he earned the title of hall of famer through his induction into the Atlantic Agricultural Hall of Fame.

Keith always had an affinity for animals and a love for farming, but never imagined he’d receive this kind of recognition.

“Receiving the call that I was being inducted was a surprise, that’s for sure,” the 87-year-old told Farms.com today.

With 60 years in agriculture under his belt, Keith has witnessed the technological advances in agriculture firsthand.

But he can remember a time when the definition of work differed from that of today.

“Back when I started in dairy farming, we had to milk all the cows by hand,” he said. “We’ve gone through quite a number of milk machines until we got to this day and age with robots.

“I guess I’m ‘old school’ when I say I don’t know if I like the idea of robots. You don’t even have to be at the barn while they operate. I kind of like to oversee things.”

Keith’s son runs the farm and has a son of his own, meaning there’s three generations of Barretts producing milk in P.E.I.

And that family legacy means a great deal to Keith.

“You can’t help but feel proud knowing your family shares the same interests that you do,” he said.

Keith’s official induction took place on Oct. 19 at the Dalhousie Agricultural Campus in Truro, NS.

The 2017 hall of fame class also included David Dickinson, a blueberry producer from Nova Scotia, Joseph Brennan, a hog farmer from New Brunswick, and Richard Oram, who spent 33 years working with Newfoundland and Labrador’s agricultural ministry.

Standing alongside his fellow ag colleagues felt special e said.

“You can’t help but notice your photos are beside some of the other past inductees,” he said. “It definitely felt great to be part of that group.”

Farms.com extends its congratulations to all of the inductees of the Atlantic Agricultural Hall of Fame class of 2017!

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