Kawartha Dairy: A Dynamic Dairy Dynasty Keeps on Truckin’

By Susan Bracken

Originally Published in the Bobcaygeon Independent, March 28, 1990

In this modern world of corporate amalgamation and globalization, not many family businesses have survived. This is particularly true in the food business. In the Fenelon Falls-Bobcaygeon area there is a notable exception to the trend: the proven and still thriving family business: The Kawartha Dairy.

In 1935, Jack and Ila Crowe were married in Oshawa. Jack was an employee of the Oshawa Dairy. Just two years later, they moved to Bobcaygeon and bought a small diary of their own. Operation of that dairy was vastly different than the hi-tech methods used today. Raw milk was picked up daily from local farms by horse and wagon (or horse and sleigh in the winter). The glass milk bottles were washed by hand and a boiler was used for heating. There was no electricity. Filled bottles were kept in a cold storage room maintained by blocks of ice. Production had to be carried on seven days a week because of this primitive refrigeration. Delivery of the processed milk was done to individual homes by horse and wagon in summer time, to cottages by boat. Jack and Ila accomplished all this work together, with the help of one part-time employee. In their second year of business, Jack broke his leg and was laid up for the whole winter. Ila managed to keep everything going until he recovered.

In 1942, the Crowes bought out another local dairy, and over the years have kept up with the changes in the dairy business, have overcome setbacks like a major fire in 1976 and have expanded their product line and facilities. In 1955, they started making ice-cream. The horse and wagon passed into history and was replaced by tucks, and then by refrigerated trucks (in 1960) and then by refrigerated tractor trailers. There are 16 Kawartha Dairy trucks today, and two tractor trailers. From its initial servicing of only part of the village of Bobcaygeon, the dairy now delivers throughout the whole Haliburton Highlands and Kawarthas, and along Lake Ontario from Oshawa to Port Hope. Home delivery was phased out in 1980, and milk today is delivered to supermarkets, variety stores and restaurants. The one part time employee that worked for the Crowes in 1937 is matched today by 60 full-time employees, including an office staff of four. All of the processing is still done at the Bobcaygeon site, but depots and dairy bars are located in Minden and Bancroft. The Bobcaygeon facility now occupies over 14,000 square feet and is filled with state-of-the-art equipment. A major expansion is taking place in 1990 that will double refrigeration space.

The Crowes raised a family of six. Four of their sons, together with their wives and families, are involved in the business. From all indications, this local dynasty will thrive and grow in our ever-changing world, and continue to be, for all of us, an example of what it is possible to achieve.