GUELPH/ERAMOSA – Family, friends and the local farming community are mourning the loss of a young farmer in a tragic accident on Monday.
James Bailey, who operated A&J Bailey Farms on Wellington Road 26 with his wife Amber, was 27 years old.
“The family is understandably devastated by this loss and are grappling with life without James,” states a GoFundMe page set up to raise money for the family.
The page describes James as “a dedicated father” who “cared for his family more than anything” and was “very passionate about beef cattle farming and loved living in Eramosa Township.”
Wellington County OPP officials say emergency crews responded to a farm on Eramosa-Garafraxa Townline on Dec. 11 at about 4:30pm.
“It was reported that an individual was injured in a farming accident,” states a Dec. 13 press release from the OPP.
Police added a 27-year-old was “pronounced deceased at scene.”
10th generation
According to A&J Bailey Farms’ Facebook page, James represented the 10th generation of his family to farm on their land northwest of Rockwood.
“He was definitely a sweet man and a hard worker. He loved his family deeply,” states a comment from Rob Swackhammer on a post on the Facebook page regarding Bailey’s death.
James cared for about 100 cattle and 250 sheep as well as pigs, horses, chickens, ducks, geese, cats and dogs with help from Amber and their children. He also ran a livestock trucking business.
He had farmed since childhood, caring for his own flock of sheep by the time he was about 10 years old and his family’s herd of 20 cows by the time he was 16.
“Can you tell by James’ smile that he was pretty proud of these lambs?” his wife Amber asks on Instagram. James Bailey died in a farming accident on Dec. 11. Photo from A&J Bailey Farms’ Instagram
Loved to talk farming
The couple met when James was 10 years old, and Amber said as a child James “would talk to anyone who would listen about his sheep for hours – not much has changed.
“James and I are both so lucky that we have had families that have always encouraged and supported the things that we were passionate about,” she adds.
The GoFundMe page, set up by Lilly Anne McLean, notes James leaves behind four young children.
“His children are eight, six, four and two years old,” it states, noting Bailey was the family’s main financial supporter.
“We’d like to show our support to Amber and her family during this difficult time by helping them cover unexpected costs due to this sudden tragedy and give them a small leg up moving forward.”
As of 12:30pm on Dec. 15, the campaign had raised over $55,000 of a stated $60,000 goal.
