Visit a Real Dairy Farm this Fall

There are two more open events at our farm this season. Join us to see the cows, taste milk, and enjoy the beautiful fall colors from our dairy on the hill.

Cow Tales Adventures (for children 5 & under w/ caregiver)
October 7 from 10:00am-12:00pm @ $6/person (12 months & under free)
This farm adventure allows young children and caregivers to take a wagon ride around the farm, pet the calves, ride the train, play, and have fun! Arrive by 10am and plan to be at the farm until 12pm to take part in all of the activities.  

Milk from Cow to Bottle Tour & Tasting 

October 11 from 1:00-3:00pm @ $6/person (12 months & under free)
Interested in tasting delicious fresh milk and meeting the cows who produced it? Attend “Milk from Cow to Bottle Tour & Tasting”. This event will include milking parlor tours, wagon rides, petting the calves, the cow train for kids, viewing the creamery, and milk tasting. This is an open house, so visitors can come and go during the event.

Take a wagon ride to the barn to see the cows (photo taken by one of our visitors)

A young visitor interacting with a calf

Let's go for a train ride!

Making a cow hat at the cow craft table

Friends enjoying a wagon ride around the farm

Tractor fun!

My sons, Jack and Garrett, and Mom (Carolyn) pour milk samples for visitors

Taste milk bottled at our on-farm Rowdy Cow Creamery. This is one of only a few farmstead milk bottling operations in Ohio. The milk is fresh and delicious! Milk will be for sale during all tours and events, so bring your cooler.
 

Me sharing information and answering questions from visitors

Parking is free. Activities are outdoors and indoors. No reservations are necessary. Remember, you're visiting a farm so dress for the occasion. The farm is located at 13181 Claridon Troy Road, Burton, OH 44021.

For information about Rowdy Cow Creamery, the Cow Tales and Milk Tasting events, private tours or party packages, go to http://hastingsdairy.com/ or contact me at hastings97@gmail.com.

Making Learning about Agriculture Fun

We host tour groups at our farm with the goal of providing a unique and fun experience. Visitors tour our farm to watch the cows milking, gointo the barn to see where the cows live and interact with the calves.

Our barn is set up with a variety of “agri-education” stations and displays. These provide the opportunity to learn more about dairy farming and agriculture.

The Dairy Diet Display allows people to see, touch and smell cattle feed and see the size of a cow's stomach. . . .

The Animal and Food Match Game is a hands-on way to match the animal with the food that animal produces. . . .

Milks Journey from Cow to Table illustrates the process our milk goes through to go from the cow to the grocery store. There are also items used in the milking process like the teat dip cup, milking machine liner, milk inspector score sheet, milk filter, milk sample cup and eartag. . . .

 

This MyPlate nutrition display provides information about creating a balanced diet. . . .

This banner hangs in our barn because I believe it's important that people know that almost every farm in this country is owned by a family. . .

They also learn about the different breeds of dairy cows. . . .

Kids can get hand-on with a Cow Craft project, Build a Barn with lincoln logs, or play Barnyard Games. . . .

We have a bookcase full of neat farm books for kids. . . .

We have a great Modern Pig Barn display from Ohio Pork Farmers. We don't have any pigs on our farm, but are happy to have an opportunity to share accurate information about all types of modern agriculture. . . .

I’m always looking for new and interesting ways to share information about agriculture. It’s even better if it’s hands on. I’d love to hear your ideas or get links to websites with photos of creative agriculture displays that don’t take a huge budget to build.

Quality Milk Starts at the Farm

Dairy farms are the first stage of food manufacturing. It’s here that milk is produced and stored before being picked up by the milk truck to be delivered to a processing facility where it’s made into a final product you find in the grocery store.

It’s important that we do the right things on our farm to produce quality raw milk. The first step in milk quality is healthy, well-fed cows. We make sure our cows eat food that contains all the nutrients they need and provide fresh, clean water for them to drink. 

Our cows eating a well balanced meal

Cows gathering around the water trough in their barn

The parlor where cows are milked plays an important role in milk quality. The milking machines, lines, equipment and holding tank are cleaned daily. Clean and well maintained equipment contribute to good quality milk. 

Our milk is stored in two refrigerated tanks

A milk inspector comes to our farm regularly to confirm we are following the rules that ensure quality milk. To learn more about this process, see my blog The Milk Inspector is Coming.

Ever wonder how milk gets from our cows to your table? Take Milk’s Journey from Farm to Table to see the process.

Dairy farmers and the dairy industry have a history of providing wholesome, nutritious products. There are many dairy producers who share information about their farm on a blog. The Proud to Dairy website is a great resource for dairy blogs. The Dairy Blogs We Love page includes links to dairy blogs written by producers from all over the country.

If you have questions about what dairy farmers do to produce the milk you drink, just ask them. You can post a question on my blog or any other dairy blog. We take a lot of pride in what we do and are proud to share it!