We're still GACD - Great American Cattle Drive, that is.
Today, we'll bring you a visit with a family that we think is peachy keen, absolutely fabulous, and the cat's meow (and yes, there were cats there, too). Three generations of the Freier Family hosted us for a delightful morning at Every Season Farm, learning about life on a dairy farm (and mini science lab) in the rolling hills of Seneca Falls, New York.
With the patriarch starting the milk jug rolling, and a pediatrician and an E.R. physician in the next generation, it's no wonder that the third generation of Freiers wowed us with their current progress and future potential in both agriculture and science. Two budding veterinarians, a potential agricultural engineer and a future ag law environmental specialist bustled about in the milking barn while we grilled (interviewed) Dr. Dale (Jr.).
The whole family has "truly likeable overachiever" written all over them. While we were there we were treated to a draft display by two teams and two Frieres and a grant writing discussion from a lad young enough to have recently received his driver's license. We learned that there is the intellectual equivalent of a "poultry bowl" Jeopardy! competition, at which one Freier excelled (humble though he was about it). A blue-ribbon bunch all around, and not just with the Virginia State Fair and showing their Milking Devons. We will definitely have a Part 2 Podcast of this get-together, but...
After all that, we felt it was important to cover the "milking" part of "Milking Devons," and this was the perfect place to do it. Dr. Dale and his intrepid crew are in the midst of studies on the output, content and nutritional values in the milk they gather, and the information might just bring some interesting insights into variances of production due to genetic diversity, even within a single breed.
We hope you enjoy listening to the hustle and bustle of a milking barn, filled with kids, kittens, cows and camaraderie. What a joyous time we had.
P.S.
Got Milking Devon?
Links:
www.everyseason.farm
www.milkingdevons.org
www.livestockconservancy.org