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6 WC DAIRY NEWS  CHRISTMAS 2024
Women
+
in Dairy
Proudly
sponsored by
Scotiabank
“As a farm woman,
Yvonne took care of
many things both in the
barn and in the house. I
always enjoyed happily
pointing new salesmen
in Yvonne’s direction
in the barn after they’d
come to me, looking
for the boss.”
Heinz Roemer
“I couldn’t ask for
a more passionate,
driven individual to
help pursue our goals
for the farm and our
family. Her behind-the-
scenes dedication is
what allowed our farm
to become what it is
today, as she took on
any job that needed to
be done, while always
leading by example for
our children.”
Ben Cuthbert
When it comes to
Agriculture, we get it.
For information on
our complete suite of
services, visit:
scotiabank.com/
agriculturalservices
Bonded by
Sisterhood
and the
Love of Cows
Yvonne (age 18) with 4-H calf LIMBRANT CITATION WILMA – 1978.
Amanda Poelman
I once read a quote from Marilyn Monroe
that said, “Sisters make the best friends in
the world.” For Yvonne Roemer and Suzanne
Cuthbert, there is obvious truth to that
statement, a built-in friendship rooted in
a strong family foundation, withstanding
the highs and lows of life. However, equally
as strong as their bond together, is their
passion for the dairy industry, fuelled
from a young age on the Janssen family
farm and continued in parallel on separate
operations with their spouses and children.
farm of 30 cows were all grade Holsteins.
“My mom did the National Identification
Program (NIP) at the time,” says Yvonne,
“so we quickly moved towards a purebred
herd on test.” It is important to mention
that Therese was a city girl! She’d had no
exposure to farm life before meeting John.
Undeterred, Suzanne says, “Mom was game
for anything! She adapted quickly to the
farm and was happy to work alongside
my dad – she would wash udders, and he
would milk.”
John and Therese would milk with Robert
and Rosemarie at 6pm, following an early
dinner. “Suzanne, Bill and I weren’t allowed
in the barn during milking at first,” says
Yvonne, “It was a stanchion barn, and
the cows didn’t like the (kids’) noise.” She
quickly adds, “But I hated washing dishes,
so to get out of that I always volunteered
to get the machines set up for milking.”
Yvonne alongside
MEADOW GREEN STAR
JOSIE (Grand Champion
VI Show 1991), and
longtime mentor, Bill
Vanden Dungen.
in showmanship, one of Yvonne’s best 4-H
memories includes having Grand Champion
Calf in Abbotsford with PERRILEA PERSEUS
MISTY, purchased from Gene Wautier.
A move to Vancouver Island
By 1977, with the three youngest kids in high
school and the oldest working fulltime on
the farm, John felt the need to expand their
herd. Along with their longtime friends,
the Vanden Dungen family – who were also
looking to relocate, the Janssens brought
eight cows and 22 heifers and moved
to Riverside Road in Duncan, BC, while
their friends purchased a farm a short
drive away. They bought their farm ‘going
concern’ and it came with quota and 85
cows, along with 150 acres of land.
The passion for dairying that had begun
in Aldergrove was evident as Suzanne and
Yvonne were involved with every aspect
Suzanne (age 10) with LIMBRANT
SOVEREIGN DALE, her first year at the
PNE – 1971.
The Early Years
John Janssen always knew he wanted to
farm. Emigrating from the Netherlands in
1950, he boarded a train for Alberta upon
his arrival by boat in Halifax. However,
due to the flooding of the Red River in
Manitoba, all single men had to get off the
train to help with the sandbagging. This
was a blessing in disguise as he would meet
Therese at a dance hosted by the Dutch
Club, shortly after her immigration in 1951.
The couple was married in November 1955
and welcomed their five children quickly:
Robert (1956), Rosemarie (1958), Yvonne
(1960), Suzanne (1961) and Bill (1962).
“My mom was very organized,” says Yvonne,
“You had to be with kids so young! Dad left
early for work and mom would get all the
housework done so she could spend all day
with us.” Suzanne adds, “She never learned
to drive until Bill was seven years old, so
we did a lot of walking – she wore out the
wheels on the baby buggy twice!”
BC Bound
By the early 1960’s, many of their relatives
had moved to BC and John, who never lost
sight of his dream, said, “This is where I
want to farm,” during a train trip through the
Fraser Valley on the way to visit family. The
family relocated to Richmond, BC, where
John worked as a truck driver, but they
always had a big yard with a giant garden.
“We grew potatoes and veggies, and raised
chickens for eggs,” says Yvonne, “Then we’d
fill our blue wagon and sell the products in
the neighbourhood.”
After looking at several farms, the Janssens
settled in Aldergrove in 1971. The modest
Yvonne, Heinz,
Tia, Diana,
Karl, Erich and
Maria Roemer.
In 1972, all five kids joined the newly formed
Otter 4-H Holstein Club, spending the next
several years showing their animals from
July to September, while John and Therese
served as leaders. “Our parents would
drop us off at the fairs and we’d sleep in
the barns,” laughs Suzanne, “They’d visit in
between chores to make sure everything
was running smoothly, but that would
never fly nowadays!” The girls remember
the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) as
one of their favourite events. “We both had
jobs there,” says Yvonne, “Suzanne worked
in the Horse Show office, and I worked in
the 4-H office, so we got to spend three
weeks at the PNE!” Both very competitive
of the farm in Duncan. “Dad said we are all
part of working on the farm together,” says
Yvonne, “so in the barn was where we were
every day.” Therese also continued to help
daily, “She looked after the calves and got
up every morning with dad,” says Suzanne,
“She would make meals during hay season,
and we’d take a break for milking, but then
we’d all be back at it.”
Noting how great a role model their
mom was for them on the farm, Yvonne
and Suzanne also share that Therese
encouraged them both towards post-
secondary education and to always be “self-
reliant.” The sisters both headed to BCIT in
Vancouver, earning diplomas in Business