A. Colbourne Clow
The late Allan Colbourne Clow was born Oct 2, 1942 in Lower Freetown, PEI.聽 He attended schools in Lower Freetown and then attended the Nova Scotia Agricultural College graduating in 1960.
Returning home to the fifth generation family farm in Freetown, he began his career.聽聽 It was there that he established Cassialane Farms into an award winning, nationally known, dairy farm which is now run by his son, Derwin.
Those who knew Colbourne through his efforts and organizational skills could not help but be inspired by his dedications to farm life and his enthusiastic work on behalf of the farm community.聽 Over the years he has done much for the agricultural community. He was a Director of the Kensington Co-op and a member of both the Federation the Agriculture and the National Farmers Union. Colbourne was founding President of the Central PEI Holstein Club and President and Director of the PEI Holstein Association. He was on the ADLIC committee and the selection committee for the PEI dairy team going to the Royal Winter Fair.聽 He served on the Natural Products Appeals Tribunal for Agriculture and Forestry, was an active member of the PEI Holstein Historical Committee and chairperson for the travel committee of the national Holstein Maritime convention.
With a keen interest in helping young and new farmers get started, Colbourne was a 4-H leader in the Freetown 4-H club and welcomed farm tour groups to help increase agricultural awareness.
With interests outside of dairy, he was a founding member of the Purebred Poultry Association. 聽He enjoyed breeding and selling Purebred Border Collies.
Colbourne received many awards and was recognized for his efforts over the years. He began early by winning judging competitions while at NSAC. He won trips to the 4-H National Members Conference and the Royal Winter Fair. Achieving numerous individual production awards, Colbourne bred several Excellent Holsteins, received top Herd in 2003 and 2005 in the 45 head category, several awards for Top Island Bred BCA Cow as well as herd with greatest production increase. Colbourne exhibited cattle at local, Maritime and Royal Winter Fairs receiving various awards and trophies. He was an official judge for Holstein Canada and was presented with the 鈥淭hirty years Veteran Pin鈥� by that organization.
In addition to recognition from the dairy industry, Colbourne received awards too numerous to mention through showing purebred poultry in the Maritimes and at the Royal.聽 He received the 鈥淗edge Row Award鈥� from the Bedeque Environmental Management Association and the farm section of the 2003 Rural Beautification award.聽 Cassialane Farms was winner of the Confederation Farm Award (seven generations) and Colbourne held several sales awards from Bishop鈥檚 Seeds.
He enjoyed his Holstein breeding program and spent much time in conversations with people from all over the world.聽 This led to cattle sales to countries such as Mexico, Spain, Venezuela, Japan, Cuba and England to name only a few.
Colbourne and his wife Blanche, raised three children, Darla, Derwin and Julie.
Colbourne Clow died March 16, 2006.
Nominated by the PEI Federation of Agriculture for outstanding achievement in the agricultural industry, A. Colbourne Clow is a worthy candidate for induction into the Atlantic Agricultural Hall of Fame.