Farming communities, surrounding counties toured generational, innovative farms
The Center for Dairy Excellence's "Open House" events were a big success this year, drawing more than 330 producers and vendors. The two events were held earlier in July at Misty Mountain Dairy in Fulton County and Lloyd B. Zimmerman & Sons in Northumberland County. Nearly 40 organizations offered their support as sponsors, helping to offset the cost of the "Open House" events.
"Both Misty Mountain Dairy and Lloyd B Zimmerman & Sons served as excellent examples of dairy farm family businesses looking to thrive and grow in Pennsylvania's dairy industry," said John Frey, executive director of the Center for Dairy Excellence. "We were pleased with the positive message portrayed about opportunities in dairy, and we were appreciative with the support they received from local and industry businesses."
Misty Mountain Dairy is a family partnership between Richard Mosemann, his sons Scott and Mark, and Mark's wife Lauren. The family milks 350 cows in a double-8 herringbone parlor recently renovated from a swing 16. Lloyd B. Zimmerman & Sons involves father Lloyd and sons Merle and Nevin. They milk 360 cows in a brand-new double-16 parallel parlor. Embracing newer technology is something that this family embraces, as they installed two robotic calf feeders.
During the open houses, participants had the opportunity to tour the farms and visit with other dairy families attending the event. Both the Mosemanns and Zimmermans shared their dairy stories with the group and highlighted key management areas on the farm. Frey shared information on programs and on-farm resources available from the Center for Dairy Excellence.
Organizations that supported the center's "Open House" events included Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative, Barrick and Stewarts, Priest Refrigeration, Bestline Equipment, MSC Business Services, AgChoice Farm Credit, Select Sires, Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association, Lancaster DHIA, AgriService Agency, Smith's Implements, Precision Diagnostics, Allegheny Ag, Farmer's Union Coop, Acuity Advisors and CPA's, Canby Insurance, Red Dale Ag, Bonebrake's Dairy Service, Red Barn Consulting, Fisher & Thompson, Farmer Boy Ag, DHIA Dairy One, Rovendale Ag, Binkley & Hurst, Alta Genetics and Land O'Lakes Purina.
"Thanks to the generous support we received from these sponsors, the center was able to provide a free picnic-style lunch to everyone who attended the open houses," Frey said. "Their contributions played a significant role in helping to make the events
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