Producer
Sheldon Creek Dairy
Contact: Kevin Belluz local distributor for the Den Haan Family
Address: 4300 CONCESSION ROAD 5 LORETTO, ON, L0G 1L0
Phone: 705-434-0404
Website: www.sheldoncreekdairy.ca
About Us
The farm is currently owned and operated by John and Bonnie den Haan and family. John’s parents, Adrianus and Maartje immigrated to the Alliston area in Simcoe County from Holland following World War II. They arrived with five children and worked hard for three years in order to purchase their own farm.
In 1953, Haanview Farms was established in the Sheldon Valley with the purchase of a cow named Maggie. This cow family makes up about one third of the Haanview herd today.
In 2012 we opened Sheldon Creek Dairy, where we craft the milk from our purebred Holstein herd into whole milk, yogurt, kefir, 45% cream, and much more. We also opened an on-farm store where you will find many other locally produced goodies.
Today, Haanview Holsteins and Sheldon Creek Dairy are operated by Bonnie and John den Haan as well as Emily den Haan (Daughter) who manages the Haanview Farms operations, Marianne Edward (Daughter) who manages Sheldon Creek Dairy Operations, and Mike Edward who is Plant Manager of Sheldon Creek Dairy along with the next generation Wyatt and Walter Edward.
In 1953, Haanview Farms was established in the Sheldon Valley with the purchase of a cow named Maggie. This cow family makes up about one third of the Haanview herd today.
In 2012 we opened Sheldon Creek Dairy, where we craft the milk from our purebred Holstein herd into whole milk, yogurt, kefir, 45% cream, and much more. We also opened an on-farm store where you will find many other locally produced goodies.
Today, Haanview Holsteins and Sheldon Creek Dairy are operated by Bonnie and John den Haan as well as Emily den Haan (Daughter) who manages the Haanview Farms operations, Marianne Edward (Daughter) who manages Sheldon Creek Dairy Operations, and Mike Edward who is Plant Manager of Sheldon Creek Dairy along with the next generation Wyatt and Walter Edward.
Practices
All our cows have names and very detailed family trees. John and Bonnie started the herd with a cow named Maggie, a descendent of the original Maggie cow. She was John’s first 4-H calf project and her descendants have become a large percentage of the herd over the last 30 years. John’s brother, Harry also gave them a couple of cows and so the herd grew. Today there are five cow families in the herd, the Maggie family, the Dena Star family, the Ina family, the Plum family and the Alda family. We call each cow by name and work with them face to face everyday.
WHAT OUR COWS EAT:
Most of what our cows eat is produced on our farm. Just like each of us, our cows require a balanced diet and each have their own individual meal plan which consists of hay, high moisture corn and a mix of silage, which is pickled corn and grass which our cows love! We change each individual cows special mix as their needs change with age and the season. As soon as grass starts growing in the spring, cows and heifers(young animals) go outside to graze.
What makes your milk different other than its’ flavour?
What makes our milk unique is we keep it just as the cows have made it! It’s the real deal. The cream rises to the top on our milk because it is non-homogenized and minimally pasteurized at 72 degrees for 16 seconds. This keeps the nutrients intact and makes it easier to digest. Individuals with lactose intolerance and milk sensitivities have been able to drink our milk due to the non homogenization of our product. Our whole milk is always over 4% butter fat but ranges from 4% in the summer time to 4.5% in the winter time.
Our A2 FRESH MILK comes from our cows that produce only A2A2 protein. There are studies that suggest individuals with allergies, autoimmune disorders and lactose intolerance, can both tolerate and benefit from drinking milk with the A2 protein.
Are you organic? Non GMO?
Our milk is fresh, natural and minimally processed and is antibiotic and hormone free like all milk in Canada.. Our policy is to be honest and transparent. We are not certified organic because our cows are like our family members and just like humans, cows get sick. Cows get mastitis, like children get ear infections, and if a treatment of antibiotic will cure the mastitis in a couple of days then we believe in not letting the cow suffer and getting her better. If ever we do have to use antibiotics to help a cow, the milk from that cow is dumped down the drain. 60 days after she has been treated we test the milk for antibiotics if there is still residual the cow’s milk will continue to be dumped until the residual is gone. We also do not just give our cows antibiotics. This is a last resort if the cow is not getting better. We do not give our cows hormones at all.
Actually, no milk in Ontario can have antibiotics or hormones in it (see link http://www.albertamilk.com/ask-dairy-farmer/ive-started-buying-organic-milk-based-on-the-assum/) All milk in Ontario is tested and farmers can lose their right to ship milk if caught with antibiotics in their milk; additionally, this milk is dumped and the farmer is fined. Our cows are pasture fed in the spring and summer months and in the winter, get fed a grassy alfalfa hay which we grow right here on the farm. In fact, all our feed for our cows is grown right here so we know exactly what they are eating.
WHAT OUR COWS EAT:
Most of what our cows eat is produced on our farm. Just like each of us, our cows require a balanced diet and each have their own individual meal plan which consists of hay, high moisture corn and a mix of silage, which is pickled corn and grass which our cows love! We change each individual cows special mix as their needs change with age and the season. As soon as grass starts growing in the spring, cows and heifers(young animals) go outside to graze.
What makes your milk different other than its’ flavour?
What makes our milk unique is we keep it just as the cows have made it! It’s the real deal. The cream rises to the top on our milk because it is non-homogenized and minimally pasteurized at 72 degrees for 16 seconds. This keeps the nutrients intact and makes it easier to digest. Individuals with lactose intolerance and milk sensitivities have been able to drink our milk due to the non homogenization of our product. Our whole milk is always over 4% butter fat but ranges from 4% in the summer time to 4.5% in the winter time.
Our A2 FRESH MILK comes from our cows that produce only A2A2 protein. There are studies that suggest individuals with allergies, autoimmune disorders and lactose intolerance, can both tolerate and benefit from drinking milk with the A2 protein.
Are you organic? Non GMO?
Our milk is fresh, natural and minimally processed and is antibiotic and hormone free like all milk in Canada.. Our policy is to be honest and transparent. We are not certified organic because our cows are like our family members and just like humans, cows get sick. Cows get mastitis, like children get ear infections, and if a treatment of antibiotic will cure the mastitis in a couple of days then we believe in not letting the cow suffer and getting her better. If ever we do have to use antibiotics to help a cow, the milk from that cow is dumped down the drain. 60 days after she has been treated we test the milk for antibiotics if there is still residual the cow’s milk will continue to be dumped until the residual is gone. We also do not just give our cows antibiotics. This is a last resort if the cow is not getting better. We do not give our cows hormones at all.
Actually, no milk in Ontario can have antibiotics or hormones in it (see link http://www.albertamilk.com/ask-dairy-farmer/ive-started-buying-organic-milk-based-on-the-assum/) All milk in Ontario is tested and farmers can lose their right to ship milk if caught with antibiotics in their milk; additionally, this milk is dumped and the farmer is fined. Our cows are pasture fed in the spring and summer months and in the winter, get fed a grassy alfalfa hay which we grow right here on the farm. In fact, all our feed for our cows is grown right here so we know exactly what they are eating.