By Catherine O’Hara, REVIEW STAFF

Nestled in the old township of Beverly, the Ringelberg clan operates a successful dairy operation. But the family’s involvement in and contributions to the agricultural sector far exceed the milk produced on the Lynden Road farm. For their efforts and positive influence in the community, the Ringelbergs are the recipients of the 2011 Osborne L. Sager Farm Family of the Year award, presented by the Hamilton-Wentworth Federation of Agriculture.

The family, including Jake and Janet, and their children, Kathryn, Deanna, Mikayla and Ethan, will be presented with the honour at a banquet on February 11.

“We are all pretty excited,” said Janet.

The Ringelbergs, who own and operate Fennema Holsteins, are the third generation to farm on the Tory property. Janet’s dad, Peter Fennema, and his father originally purchased the farm in 1955 after they came to Canada from the Netherlands and settled in Flamborough in the late 1940s.

In 2000, Janet and Jake purchased the cattle and quota. Today, Fennema Holsteins boasts 120 purebred Holstein dairy cattle and the family milks 50 to 55 cows.

The operation is truly a family affair.

With 170 acres of land, the majority of which is used to produce hay, soybeans and wheat, the farm needs as many helping hands as it can to guarantee its success.

Alongside Jake and Janet, Peter and Joanne, as well as the Ringelbergs’ four children, Katheryn, Deanna, Mikayla and Ethan, are heavily involved in the operation.

On and off the farm, all members of the Ringelberg family keep busy raising awareness of farming. And their desire to promote agriculture is unmistakable.

Fennema Holsteins has played host to numerous events, including meetings of the Brant-Wentworth Holstein Club. The family has also opened its barn doors to Holstein Club members and a high school co-op student.

Jake, Janet and the Ringelberg kids are greatly involved with the Rockton Agricultural Society. “They are a great supporters of Rockton Fair,” said RAS president Bob Campbell.

“They are associate directors and they are also major exhibitors,” added Tim Christiansen, who is chair of the RAS nominating committee that supported the Ringelberg family for the Farm Family of the Year award.

According to the president of the local federation of agriculture, Roy Shuker, the Ringelbergs have been involved in agriculture for generations.

“They are a family that have been involved in agriculture all their life. They grew up in 4H and showing cattle. Janet was a Dairy Princess back at the time when that was going on. Both (Jake and Janet) graduated from the University of Guelph with degrees, they’ve taken over Janet’s family farm and they are doing an excellent job of that with their cattle,” he said.

“The Ringelberg family is obviously very worthy of this award as they contribute so much to our community,” noted the Hamilton-Wentworth Federation of Agriculture in a statement.

The Farm Family Banquet is slated to begin at 7 p.m. on Saturday, February 11 at the Rockton Fairgrounds. Tickets, which cost $25 each, are available by calling the Rockton Fairground office at 519-647-2502 or Michelle at 905-692-5751.