Dairy Farmers, My New Heroes

When I was 10 years old my grandmother taught me how to milk a cow. That day stands out in my mind very well and I remember her putting on her bonnet that farm women wore then, and commenced to show me how to milk. She had two cows so I had one and she had one. She showed me how to sit on the stool, place the bucket and then how to get that milk out. Little did I know that over 60 years later I would be associated with the dairy farming industry and how interesting it really is. The dairy farmer is truly remarkable since they must provide so much synergism in the process of getting their cows to produce good quality milk. They really partner with these amazing animals. The good news for me is that I am able to learn from the real professionals of this industry and every time I visit a Select Milk dairy I learn something new.

This past week I was given another tour of the Legacy Farms just North of Ransom Canyon, owned by the Bouma Family. These folks represent a long history in the dairy business dating back to the early 1900’s in the Netherlands, so they really know their stuff. The tour was conducted by Brad the Elder, and son Brandon and what I saw was extreme professionalism and pride in their dairy operation. It wasn’t just about milking the cows and selling the milk, but it included extreme care in the way the “bovines” were cared for, with tender loving care. As Brandon said, “when you check into a hotel you want clean sheets, clean towels, and a clean room each night you are there. Well that is the way we treat our cows, we take care of them and then they take care of us by producing quality milk.” So, their pins are kept immaculate and their diet is watched over with a careful eye. Reminded me of a Marriott! Since the cows are milked three times a day they must eat a lot, rest a lot, pee a lot, and poop a lot. Then they yield that healthy milk with tons of calcium, magnesium, potassium and vitamin D. What a package of healthy ingredients.

As we made that one last swing through the pin area where 13,000 head of prime Holstein cows were doing their thing, I swear it looked like they were winking at Brad and Brandon as we drove by. These guys were very happy and you could feel that they enjoyed their work. Thanks Legacy Farms for producing many heathy milk products, Athletes Honey Milk being one of them, for the world to enjoy!

EA, SH, ......:),

greerman