Farm Programs

Farm Programs

Our Bucket Calf Program instills responsibility, leadership, and hard work through owning an animal, working with it daily before the show, and showing alongside peers at the local county fair.

Bucket Calf 4-H Project

For over 20 years the Alexandre Family has hosted the Bucket Calf Project for children 6 years and older. Working with the Del Norte County 4-H program every year to give kids hands-on experience in the Bucket Calf Project, in 2014, they had over 100 kids come out to pick their own calf.

The name “Bucket Calf” refers to the fact that the calves are still drinking milk as opposed to grazing in the fields. As participants, children and even parents will learn basic care for cows, the production cycle including feeding and calving, and they’ll even get to watch the milking parlor in action. Each child starts by choosing a calf, most of which were born only a month before the project starts each June.

Project meetings occur on a weekly basis. This is where children lead the calf on a halter and learn how to work with them. Children also get a chance to show the calf at the Del Norte Country Fair, where they stand them correctly in front of a judge, with a big smile on their face. This wonderful project allows kids to see how agriculture in their own backyard impacts their daily lives.


Click here for a week-by-week explanation of what the kids learn.

4-H Community Involvement &
The National FFA Organization

4-H has long been a part of the Alexandre family. Both Alexandre parents – Blake and Stephanie – were involved, showing cows at young ages up through high school. This led Stephanie to become a local 4-H Club Leader while Blake became involved with the Del Norte County Jr. Livestock Auction Board.

All the Alexandre kids grew up showing animals and returned back to our family farm as Junior Leaders and eventually became 4-H Club Leaders. We believe this program instills responsibility, leadership, and hard work through owning an animal, working with it daily before the show, and showing alongside peers at the local county fair. From showing cows to steers to pigs to horses, and even chickens and turkeys, we have shown a variety of animals and have gained valuable experience teaching others about farm life.

The National FFA Organization, formerly known as the Future Farmers of America, has roots in the Alexandre family that go back more than 40 years. Blake was the 1980-1981 California State FFA Sentinel, traveling across the state to put on conferences, teach, and educate high school students in the areas of service, leadership, and agriculture.

As our kids went through high school, all five of them were involved in the FFA. Christian, Vanessa, and Dalton all served as North Coast Region FFA Officers, with both Christian and Vanessa receiving the highest honor, the National Star Farmer degree. Christian was also a National Winner in Poultry Production and a National Finalist for the American Star in Agribusiness, while Vanessa was a State Finalist for the American Star in Agribusiness. Largely because of their love for agriculture that was instilled by growing up on our farm and being involved with FFA, five of our five kids attended California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, majoring in agriculture.