Recognizing Dairy Farms!
We have already mentioned the most popular dairy products, but let’s take a minute to think about the nutritional aspect of dairy. It has 13 nutrients altogether, some of which are calcium, protein, vitamin D, phosphorus, vitamin A, many of the vitamin B’s, zinc, selenium, potassium, and iodine. This just goes to show how much of a positive impact consuming dairy products can have on the body.
By Lydia Clough
Rambling Rivers at the North Haverhill Fair 2024 - left to right Elise Sanders, Amy Vaughan, Mackenzie Pearl, Bryn Nelson, Lydia Clough, Lizzie Vaughan (Courtesy Photo)
As we close the month of June, which is known as Dairy Month, and summer begins, let us take a moment to remember the dairy farms in our community and to recognize all that they do. From providing us with ice cream in the summer to keeping the land healthy, dairy farms do so much more than meets the eye.
Most people enjoy some milk in their coffee or tea in the morning and the occasional bowl of ice cream or some cheese and crackers. Yogurt and cereal are popular breakfast foods, and who doesn’t like a glass of milk with their warm cookie? Dairy products are in so many foods, but how often do we stop to think about the people who work so hard to provide us with the milk? Sure, the milk comes from cows who do the actual job of producing milk, but who feeds them, plants and harvests food for them, cleans up after them, milks them, and pours their entire lives into the farm? Dairy farmers.
Raising and caring for cows is not as easy as it may seem. From the time they are born, they must be carefully monitored both health-wise and diet-wise. As they grow, their diet must continue to change to accommodate their development and maturity, which requires moving them to different groups and tracking each cow’s health and growth to ensure they are thriving. Once they themselves have had a calf and are in milk, it becomes even more crucial to keep an eye on them as they are now production animals. Even with the help of professionals in agriculture, including veterinarians and nutritionists, farmers still have their hands full managing the farm 24/7. Increasing restrictions on farming from the state and federal governments also provide stumbling blocks for farmers as they must continue to run their farms efficiently while complying with the new legislation.
We have already mentioned the most popular dairy products, but let’s take a minute to think about the nutritional aspect of dairy. It has 13 nutrients altogether, some of which are calcium, protein, vitamin D, phosphorus, vitamin A, many of the vitamin B’s, zinc, selenium, potassium, and iodine. This just goes to show how much of a positive impact consuming dairy products can have on the body.
In conclusion, as we move forward in the year and into the busyness of summer, let us take a moment to remember the hard work and dedication of the dairy farmers in our area and around the country. Next time you stop for an ice cream cone or a maple creamie, think about all of the work that went into producing the milk for that delicious treat, and whenever you get the chance, thank a farmer for everything they do to provide food for the community.
To Learn More:
Rambling Rivers 4-H dairy club, based in Newbury, Vermont, currently has six members who are passionate about agriculture and cows. Not all of the members in the club have their own animals, so they lease show heifers from neighboring farms, including Harkdale Farms in Newbury, run by the Carsons, and Scotchburn Farm located in Ryegate and run by the Nelsons, which allows them to have the opportunity to see how different dairy farms are run. When we are not showing at the fair or working with our animals, we participate in State 4-H activities such as dairy quiz bowl, dairy judging, and learning about dairy products through club activities. We also have club officers, which allows us to get a glimpse of how governments and democracies are run. Our goal is to live by the 4-H pledge, which encourages us to pledge our head, heart, hands, and health to better living for our club, our community, our country, and our world. Lydia Clough of Ryegate, the author of this article, is a member of the club.
Rambling River club at the North Haverhill Fair 2025: left to right starting in the middle- Mackenzie Pearl, Anna Clough, Lizzie Vaughan, Amy Vaughan, Bryn Nelson, Lydia Clough (Courtesy Photo)
Rambling Rivers at the Vermont County Dairy Quiz Bowl 2024 - left to right Lizzie Vaughan, leader Judy Vaughan, Elise Sanders, Bryn Nelson, Amy Vaughan, Anna Clough, Lydia Clough (Courtesy Photo)
The club’s cow at North Haverhill Fair 2025 (Courtesy Photo)