A Thunder Bay area dairy farmer and a cheese maker received more than $800,000 from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund to expand their operations.
Peggy and Gert Brekveld of Woodstar Farm in Murillo received $410,682 to build a new barn to grow their herd of milkers from 58 head to 90. In a Oct. 7 release, the government said the barn will “focus on cow comfort and is more worker-friendly than the original barn was.”
The barn is already up as the Brekvelds are holding an open house on Oct. 11.
Walter and Joanne Schep of Thunder Bay Oak Cheese netted $403,000 to relocate and expand their cheese making facility with a new 6,000-square-foot plant, equipment upgrades and a new retail outlet.
“This funding has allowed us to build a larger plant with an expanded retail store. As a result, we are able to produce more Gouda cheese, employ more staff and showcase locally produced products."
