In 2000, the couple and their four children upped stakes from their Burlington home and made the move to Millgrove. Within two years, Jeff turned a bookish interest in cattle farming into a going concern.

Make that an award-winning thriving enterprise.

The Whitelys – Katie, 25, Megan, 20, Chris, 12, Sean, 7, Connie and Jeff — and their family business called Majestic Livestock, is the Hamilton-Wentworth Federation of Agriculture’s 2008 Farm Family of the Year.

“We’re really humbled by this award,” said Jeff.

The clan receives the honour February 27 at the Rockton Fairgrounds.

The switch to farm life wasn’t a totally foreign experience to the couple. As a teen, Jeff worked at area stables and, for as long as she can remember, Connie made regular trips out to the area to ride her horse.

“But I didn’t know the back from the front of a cow and both Connie and I quickly learned there were big differences between caring for horse and cattle,” said Jeff.

As well as the two dozen or so heifers, calves and bull, more horses, (one for each family member), call the Whitely farm home now too.

After the land purchase, the Whitelys set to work building a barn for the growing herd of beef animals, a horse arena, fencing pastures for rotational grazing, laying down ten 100-foot hoses to water lower-level pastures and tearing down a silo.

“It’s a labour of love although there is constant worry over the health of the herd, tracking the traits of each heifer, calf and bull, as well as grooming and feeding in an ongoing effort to breed a better animal,” said Connie.

The ‘city folk’ also immediately immersed themselves in community life.

Daughter Megan joined the Hamilton-Wentworth 4-H club, with Jeff tagging along to absorb all of the rudimentary information that he could.

The quick study is now a director on the Ontario Angus Association board, the Central Ontario Angus Association, chair of the Ontario Angus Futurity Sale as well as major fundraiser for the Angus at the Royal Winter Fair. Sons Chris and Sean are carrying on the 4-H tradition.

Connie volunteers at her boys’ schools, Dr. John Seaton and Beverly Central, and for three years was a rider with the Rockton Musical Ride.

For Connie, farm life is a full-time endeavour. For Jeff, who commutes daily to Mississauga where his company, Rapid Aid, manufactures therapeutic wraps, the farm is a sideline.

“You really have to love what you’re doing to wake up at 3 a. m. in –20 Celsius temperature during calving season in frigid January,” said Connie.

The days are also long when participating in shows in Rockton, Brampton, Aberfoyle, Royal Winter Fair in Toronto and at Agrivision in Saskatchewan – typically starting at 3 a. m. and ending at 8 p. m.

Shows are like a catwalk for cows. Heifers and bulls are trained to walk correctly and calmly to show off their straight-lined backs to best advantage and coats groomed to look as impeccably clean as they are shiny. Show competitions are also a marketing opportunity that has resulted in the Whitelys’ stock being sold to farms all over the country.

“We could spend days talking about the people who have helped us,” said Jeff of neighbours like Barry Hanes and Ashley Ree, whose help is immeasurable especially during September show season.

In just three years of showing their cattle, the Whitelys have come away from competition with several wins, including Premier Breeder at the Royal Winter Fair for Angus Red/Black in 2007 and Grand Champion Male and Supreme Champion of all beef breeds at the 2008 Rockton World’s Fair.

To purchase tickets for the HWFA’s annual awards evening in February, call 905-387-6891, or email hwfa@hotmail.com .