Sunnymead Farms

The Cotton Family - 1860 to 2007. The Cotton family came to Navan, Ontario, in 1860. The James Cotton's great-grandfather, also named James Cotton, started with a herd of grade Ayrshires in and around 1880. The barn that stands today was built by James's grandfather, James Jr. in 1907. In 1921 the herd was wiped out by tuberculosis and was started back and has been purebred Ayrshires ever since. James Jr. had a family of 5 boys and 4 girls. When he passed away in 1946, his sons George, Sidney and Ed took over Sunnymead. There are production certificates hanging in the farm house that date back to 1929. Ed Cotton also became an electrician to help raise his family of quatre, his wife Edith and two children Ruth (Cotton) Powell and yes, a son who he named James, the James Cotton we know today. The year 1946 would bring more hardship to Sunnymead; Uncle George would fall from the roof of the barn and become paralyzed and confined to a wheel chair for the rest of his life. But yes, Sunnymead farm and the Cotton Bros. would carry-on. With George, being cared for by his lovely wife Reta, Sidney, Ed, with the help of many hired hands from around town, Sunnymead and its Ayrshires evolved into what they are today "The Home of Good Ayrshires". James's father Ed passed away in 1965 and his mother Edith shortly there after in 1968. James and Ruth where cared for by uncle George and aunt Reta. In 1970, James became a partner in Sunnymead with Uncle George and Uncle Sidney. In 1974 James would marry Roberta Hill from near by Cumberland and eventually become sole proprietor of Sunnymead. James and Roberta have raised 3 children on Sunnymead, Jaron, Jeff and Shelly. Jeff became and electrician, Shelley works with children in a Daycare. In 2006, Jaron and his wife Kim joined Sunnymead in partnership with his father to continue the deep tradition of farming with the Ayrshire cow. The Sunnymead show string dates back to the 40's attending several shows throughout the Ottawa Valley and always with a full string - one in every class! One notable Sunnymead cow that was be sold to Stanley Mount and Allan Barr as a 2 yr old would go on to win two Grand Championships at the World Dairy Expo in Madison, one at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and three at the Quebec Spring Show. Sunnymead Jade's Silk EX 95 became a household name in the Ayrshire breed. Knowing that she needed to be developed to her full potential, selling her to Woodland View was the thing to do. We could go on for hours about the accomplishments of the Sunnymead herd but it is simply the love of the Ayrshire cow, the commitment to a way of life, his family and the people around him that has made James Cotton the Master Breeder that he is.