Family, community remember Quinn Farm patriarch Elwood Quinn

A celebration was held for the patriarch of the popular Quinn Farms, Elwood Quinn, who died at 78 years old.

On Victoria Day weekend, Quinn Farm at Notre-Dame-de-L’ile Perrot is hosting a celebration of life for patriarch Elwood Quinn, who died in January.

He was 78.

Quinn was a passionate farmer who cared deeply for the land and loved sharing his knowledge.

The farm is well known for its apple orchard, pumpkin patch and animals. It has long attracted visitors, including school groups, building lasting memories for generations.

Elwood Quinn loved his farm and his animals, and sharing his knowledge was his purpose and brought in lots of visitors.

His son Phil, who now runs the farm, says it’s an emotional weekend.

“All kinds of stories coming out of the woodwork and how he is a father figure to so many people,” said Phil.

Elwood’s daughter Terry says this weekend was her dad’s favourite on the calendar.

“The spring gives us a chance to look into the new year so as much as we are mourning his passing as family,” she said. ”It allows us to share with people who want to come and see the heritage animals that he loved so much.”

Heritage Livestock Canada office manager Pam Heath was wearing a memento: An ear tag from one of Elwood’s cattle from years ago.

She says he had an extensive knowledge of animal breeds.

“Elwood, that was one of his first jobs,” she said. ”He worked for Ketchum Manufacturers and that’s identification of anything from fish to probably elephants, I’m not sure, but a lot of cows and sheep and whatnot.”

“Elwood worked so hard to manage and take care of and support rare breeds and domestic breeds of livestock,” said Rare Breed Canada poultry coordinator Adam Mastine-Frost.

Grandson Keith Quinn learned a strong work ethic from the patriarch.

“He was always the guy doing chores in the barn. He took care of all the animals,” he said.

As friends shared their eulogies of Elwood, if became apparent that he could be “gruff”.

Apparently, Elwood neither suffered fools nor bureaucrats, but former employee Nancy Leblanc says if you were neither, “he was charming!”

“It was a lot of fun actually,” she said. ”I really enjoyed Elwood was so kind and so warm.”

Phil says his dad would approve of this gathering in his name.

“[He was] real happy to share the place with everyone and have everyone enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend,” he said.

“There’s that many people that valued him that much, that they’d come out and pay tribute to him,” Keith added.

All are invited to Quinn Farm on Sunday to remember the man who started it all.