Sometimes it seems like a very long way from childhood to wherever I am today. I must admit that for the most part I have enjoyed the ride.

My grandson, Tim Hurst, continues to grow in knowledge, wisdom, strength and grace. He recently reached his 13th birthday to kick off the years of teen wonder.

He will do great in this new era, as he has done throughout each of the preceding stages of growth and learning. It was 67 years ago when I entered my teens as a schoolboy and newspaper boy, then ended the period as a Navy war vet and a member of the adult work force. Half-way through my teens, I fell in love with Mary, who made me wait another eight years before saying “Yes.”

I mention all of this as I continue to learn, coming to realize that we do indeed become “Too soon old and too late smart.” My friend, Len Shaffer, once again brought me to this realization when he introduced me to his energetic bowling buddy, Willard Schafer. Len wanted Willard to tell me about Eugene L. Vesley’s 1,500-acre, ELV Apache Farms, of Lapeer, where Willard had been cattle superintendent for 600 head of Holstein cows from 1964 until the enterprise was sold in 1978.

For a city boy from within the depths of Chicago, I thought I knew all about milk and cows that there was to know. Milk came in glass bottles from the horse-drawn milk wagon, delivered by an early-morning energetic man dressed in white who placed it on our doorstep.

I also learned about cowboys from the gunslingers in the movies wearing either white or black hats. In addition, I learned from the late baseball announcer Harry Carey to shout “Holy Cow!” whenever something spectacular happened on the baseball diamonds. I knew that milk was great to drink with meals and even discovered that it was a major ingredient in chocolate milkshakes. With Len, I brought all of this knowledge to a meeting with Willard in his Lapeer home.

Willard generously and patiently told me about the real world of cows and cowmen. I was in awe! After leaving his father’s farm, Willard began working at Apache Farms in 1968. Mr. Eugene Vesley entered the agricultural and breeding enterprise while still enjoying a successful career in the construction field then as the manufacturer of the Apache Trailers. The age of artificial insemination (AI) had become full-blown in America. There was much to do, to study and learn, to share and develop, all with ample successful financial opportunity. The once-small farm soon became operating headquarters for breeding registered Holsteins at 904 Morris Rd. in Lapeer.

The single farmhouse gave way to a dozen family homes for the highly organized work force, ever busy in selecting, purchasing, evaluating, selling, mating, nurturing, showing, feeding, milking and grooming champions.

Keeping the cows healthy required constant daily and monthly inspections of all animals and timely vaccinations — along with tagging, dehorning and recording vital information covering histories of sires and dames, milk production and reproduction. Housing for the herd required fine temperature control, daily maintenance and cleaning, along with moving the cows through five different lots of the “cow hotel” when after 24 months the breeding cycle would resume, followed by the birth of calves which had to be separated from the mother within one to two days.

The breeding skill of the Vesley Ranch attracted buyers from all over the world. During a 1973 Holstein Convention, held in Cobo Hall, 17 busloads of visitors came to the ranch from Hungary, Africa, Japan, Italy, Chile and Brazil. Shipments were then made by ocean-going ships and aircraft. Visitors also came to the ranch to undergo extensive training courses for successful operation of the entire procedures for maximum benefits in production and breeding. George Hosoto and his family stayed with Willard during the training courses. He went on to become president of the Holstein Association of Japan. He never tired of expressing his appreciation for learning “Apacheism” in Lapeer.

Vesley withdrew from the cattle business in 1978 after selling the entire herd and the land, including a 55-acre parcel that has become the campus of Lapeer East High School.
Now retired from life on the farm, Willard, an avid bowler, also continues to be engaged in the food business, helping others as an energetic volunteer member of Goodfellows, providing food and clothing for those in need.

Yep, too soon, old; and too late smart. Keep studying, Tim and look around you.

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