by Evelyn Leubner

If you have ever taken a drive through Cayuga County, there is a good chance you have cruised past some fields that belong to the Patterson family. The Pattersons run a sixth generation large-scale dairy and crop farm in Auburn, NY. On top of the 1,600-cow milking herd and 1,200 replacement heifers, they grow about 2,500 acres of hay, corn and wheat. Julie Patterson said that their children Tad, Wyatt and Rylie have their own show cows as well, but “they don’t get treated very special around here and are just a part of the herd.” She noted the show cows “still have to pull their own weight, just like the rest.” (more…)

by Stacey Johnston

The Niagara County Fair in Lockport, NY, has been postponed until 2021, but that isn’t stopping Niagara County 4-H youth from pressing forward with market animal projects. The Niagara County Fairgrounds will look emptier than usual come August, but the 4-H’ers barns and hearts are still full. (more…)

by Enrico Villamaino

A state program dedicated to recognizing the very best in New York’s milk producers has reached a milestone in 2020.

For the 30th year, the Empire State Milk Quality Council (ESMQC) has conferred its “Super Milk” award to dairies both large and small across the state. The award was created in 1990 and first presented in 1991 to acknowledge those producers who consistently go above and beyond New York’s quality standards for dairy herds. (more…)

by Evelyn Leubner

The average person is more than four generations removed from the family farm. This means the majority of the public has never stepped foot on an operating farm. This poses a threat to farmers everywhere, as consumers grow confused about how their food is grown and raised. It is especially an issue in the dairy industry because there are so many groups that push untrue information out to the public as a way to scare them away from consuming dairy products. The good news is that there are people in the industry working hard to share the reality of dairy farming. One of those agvocates is Dairy Princess Kailey Kuhn of Marion, NY. (more…)

by Evelyn Leubner

Just off of Route 20 lies a farm that goes by the name of Fesko Farms. Nestled in between Skaneateles and Otisco Lake you can find this dairy and crop farm. Kim and Eric Brayman are the brains behind this 4th generation operation. Along with raising around 730 milking cows, they have 3 young kids who also take interest in the farm life. They utilize a double 11 herringbone to milk their primarily holstein herd. Along with livestock, they crop 2,300 acres of corn, hay, wheat, oats, and soybeans, allowing them to have all of their cow chow grown in-house. They work alongside 12 full-time employees and a handful of part time employees as a way to keep the farm running smoothly, and take some stress off their shoulders! (more…)