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Home > Maine News > Lawrence Yeaton Honored as Distinguished Dairy Cattle Breeder

Lawrence Yeaton Honored as Distinguished Dairy Cattle Breeder

Perhaps Yeaton’s greatest contribution to the dairy industry is the start he gave to so many of the next generation of dairy producers.

The Distinguished Dairy Cattle Breeder Award honors individuals for their outstanding accomplishments in the genetic advancement of dairy cattle and their service to the dairy industry of Maine. Lawrence Yeaton of Gaylawn Farm in Farmington, Maine was honored as 2007’s Distinguished Dairy Cattle Breeder.

Lawrence was born and raised in Farmington, Maine, the youngest of nine children. He graduated from Farmington High School in 1949, where he excelled in football, and in his senior year was named to the All-State Varsity Team. While in high school, Lawrence began working for Milford Beal, a local dairy farmer. There he began showing cattle and developing his ability to pick out the good ones. Lawrence discovered he loved showing cattle and over the next few years he began buying a few Jersey cattle of his own.

In 1959, following four years in the US Air Force, he returned to Farmington and purchased his present dairy farm on Back Falls Road. That first summer he assembled a herd of ten head and loaded nine of them up on the truck to take to the fairs. He would’ve taken all ten, but they wouldn’t all fit on the truck. Loading up the cattle for the fair circuit was a ritual that was repeated without interruption over the next 46 years. Over the years, his cattle have been to every Maine fair from Presque Isle to Fryeburg, as well as, Rochester and Center Sandwich, NH, the Big E and Louisville, KY. When asked about what he loves most about showing, he replies that it’s the visiting with friends he has made on the show circuit over the years.

Lawrence sums his breeding program up in one statement, “They need to be good to look at.” But they especially need good legs and tight udders to give them the longevity. One of the first cows he ever owned was his favorite--Victoria Royalist Florette--a cow he purchased from Milford Beal in 1954. Florette was undefeated as a four year old and was shown yearly until she was 14 years old. Florette was also the foundation on which he built his own herd. Probably the best cow family Lawrence bred is exemplified by three cows, Gaylawns Anson Laine, Gaylawns Golden Faithful Lady and Gaylawns Steve Lana--all three possessed excellent udders and were all grand champions during their showing careers. Jersey cattle with the Gaylawns prefix have won blue and champion ribbons at most every fair and futurity in which they competed.

However, Lawrence’s greatest contribution to the dairy industry may be the start he gave to so many of the next generation of dairy producers. Lawrence estimates that more than 300 youth passed through his dairy club in the 25 years he was a 4-H Leader, and the list of names would read like a Who’s Who in the dairy industry in Franklin County and beyond. Lawrence taught them to judge and show and provided them with cattle when they did not have cattle of their own. He has leased well over 100 project animals to 4-H youth over the years. It is a rare year that a Maine 4-H Team does not travel to Eastern States with a Gaylawn animal on the trailer.
Lawrence has also been a leader in many agricultural and community organization including the Maine Jersey Cattle Club, Franklin County ASCS and FSA, the Maine Farm Bureau, Farmington Grange, the county 4-H leaders Association, and the county Agricultural Society. He has also served on the Town of Farmington Budget Committee, Planning Committee, Board of Assessment Review and Board of Appeals.

Lawrence and his wife Gaynelle have three children, Darlene Nelson of New Sharon, Steven who is active in the farm, and Scott of Farmington.

When asked about his herd management he says “I never did anything right”. By that he means he went against the general consensus and did not production test or classify his animals. Maybe he got to where he is a little differently, but it’s hard to argue with the results.