My Husband the Dairyman

If you follow my blog, you know my husband Lad. In this post, I’ll tell you more about this wonderful man who loves cows, his family and farm life.
  
Lad was raised on his family’s dairy farm in Redhaw, Ohio. He developed a love for cows at an early age that is still with him today.

Lad playing with his tractors as a little boy

Young Lad driving his tractor

A happy boy with his Dad

As a boy, Lad considered it a treat to go with his Dad to the farm. He grew up like most Midwest farm boys, spending many hours working with cows and crops. His family sold the cows when he was in high school, but Lad always maintained his dream of having a dairy farm of his own someday.

Lad and his brother, Lane, on a JD 4020 

Lad with his cow, Gloria

 After graduating from Northwestern High School, Lad headed to Columbus to study animal science at The Ohio State University. During his college years and after graduating in 1994, he worked at Carmony Dairy in Wooster. 

At work on the farm during college

In 1995, Lad got a job at a dairy cattle genetics company in central California so he headed west for a new adventure. I’m glad he did. His work brought him to World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin where we met in 1995. We married in 1997.

In the late 1990’s, Lad went to work for a large dairy farm in California where he served as the herd manager for five years. In 2002, we had our first son, Garrett, which motivated us to start looking to buy a dairy farm of our own. In preparation for this venture, Lad went back to school at The University of Phoenix to obtain an MBA. For two years, he worked full-time at the dairy while attending school at night.

Garrett (4), Jack (1) and Lad at our dairy in 2006

Lad with one of his favorite cows in 2007

Feeding cows with a JD 4020 just like he drove as a boy

Lad and the boys walk the barn

Checking the cows

Taking a lunch break from manure hauling

Repairing our CAT 920 Loader

In 2004, we purchased the dairy we're currently on in Ohio. Starting a new business and being in the dairy industry the last seven years has had many ups and downs. Through it all, Lad maintains a positive outlook and enthusiastically greets each day. Lad has a great spirit and energy, which I love about him.

He wears many hats at our farm including personnel manager, cow and calf feeder, manure hauler, mechanic, veterinarian, public relations representative, grain farmer, and generally takes on any task that needs to get done.

On a cold, winter day

Jack and Lad water the calves

A joyful setting with this group of heifers

Jack and Lad chat in the maternity are

Lad and I are partners in our business and family. He has an infectious sense of humor and is the master at keeping things in perspective. Lad makes each day interesting and keeps the boys and me laughing with his ornery side. We make a good team.

Lad and I in the milk house

Got Questions about Milk and Dairy Farms?

I know where you can find answers. The Ohio Dairy Farmers YouTube channel  is dedicated to providing accurate information about dairy topics. Consumers want to know how their milk is produced so Ohio dairy farmers are making an effort to share information about what happens on their farms.

The videos feature Ohio dairy farmers on their own farms, veterinarians, and other experts talking about a variety of dairy topics. Here are some of my favorites, just click on the title to link to the video;

Milk Safety: Are there Antibiotics in Milk?

Hormones in Milk: The Truth (and myth)

Organic and Regular Milk: What’s the Difference?

Calf Care: Where a Lifetime of Caring for Cows Begin

Environmental Practices: A Daily Job for Dairy Farmers

Dehorning: A Humane Practice Focused on Cow Safety

I’m proud my family had an opportunity to participate in making some of these videos. I blogged about it a few months ago in Lights, Camera, Action!

In addition to the videos addressing specific topics, there is the Meet Ohio Dairy Farmers series featuring videos and information showcasing real Ohio dairy families. Farmers share information about their farm, their families, cow and calf care, environmental stewardship and other topics near and dear to them.

If you live in Ohio, you might have seen some of these videos on television. They are currently running as commercials on local television stations.

The YouTube channel and television commercials aim to connect farmer to consumer. As dairy producers we take pride in what we do and want to share information with consumers. I hope you’ll check out the Ohio Dairy Farmers YouTube channel.

Come On Down to the Farm - Visitors Welcome!

In celebration of June Dairy Month, we’re opening our dairy to visitors every Saturday in June. We’ve been hard at work mowing, raking, building a playground, mapping out a hayride route, and generally making our farm look its best. 

Lad mows the playground while Jack trails behind

I rake up the grass

Garrett cleans off the front porch

Jack serves as the look out

Lad and Joe build the "tire snake"

The boys test the tire snake

Garrett tries out the racing slide

Jack tests the seesaw Uncle Lane made while Grandpa Duane watches

This is fun!

Taylor builds a fence on the future sand box

The boys take a ride on the merry-go-round

Garrett, Lad and Jack dig holes for the swing frame

Garrett digs a hole while Jack assists

There's always time to take a break to check out Jack's frogs

Join our family to see the cows and calves and have fun on our farm. Your whole family will enjoy experiencing a modern, working dairy farm during Open Farm Days. Visitors can watch the cows being milked, pet the calves, take a hayride, and learn how milk is produced on this scenic farm. Admission is $5/person and children 2 and under are free.

We look forward to hosting you on our farm! To find out more, check out the Hastings Dairy website.  

The Boys Adventures on the Farm

One of the great perks of being dairy producers is raising our family on the farm. There are fascinating adventures all around.

 Garrett and Lad take a moment to chat............

Jack telling his Dad about what he's going to try next...........

There he goes.....a dirt pile "slide" is so much fun!

Play time's over, Jack decides to move the hay rack...........

He takes a break by the tree..............

Garrett explores in the woods on our farm..............

Jack knows there are always neat things to discover in the woods........

Garrett and Jack search for unique rocks and creatures in the creek............

The boys dream of warmer days when they can swim in our pond. They are happy to be joined by our neighbor's dog, Thunder..........

Jack and Thunder run down the dirt road on our farm. The boys want to find their Dad to tell him about their journey through the woods...........

When we arrive back by the barns, we find Lad fixing the loader.......

Spring time in Ohio is a mixed bag of weather. One day it's 30 degrees and the next it's raining and the next it's 70 degrees. We loved the sunny warm weather we experienced last Sunday. We wore short sleeve shirts for the first time this spring!

The boys and Lad take in the view overlooking the front of our farm.........

Jack is never still for long. He spots a tree that is begging to be climbed.........

Our farm is on the top of a hill where it can be very windy some days. The warm breeze was moving fast on this day and made the boys feel like they were flying..........

Where will their next journey take them? Stay tuned to find out.

Introducing Hastings Dairy Tours & Events

Welcome to Hastings Dairy!

This spring we’re starting a new venture on our farm – Hastings Dairy Tours & Events. Our mission is giving consumers the opportunity to learn about animal agriculture by experiencing a working farm. Our farm will be available April 15th to October 31st for organized farm tours and events by appointment. In addition to the scheduled tours, we’ll host some “Open Farm Days" when we’ll be open to the general public. Our offerings include;

Farm Tours
Visitors will experience a modern, working dairy farm in scenic Geauga County, Ohio. Guests can watch cows being milked, see where they're housed and discover how we care for our animals, what they eat, how we assure milk quality and other facts about our dairy farm. Children will enjoy playing in the Calf Corral outdoor playground while parents relax in this picturesque rural setting. We also offer the Junior Dairyman indoor play area which is tailored to children five and younger.

Visitors will have the opportunity to see where our cows live

We can easily accommodate bus excursions and school tours by appointment for groups of 10 or more. Check out our website for pricing and package deals for dairy tours, school tours and birthday parties.

Cows walking to the milking parlor where visitors can watch the milking

The Parlor Rental
Rent this 1,450 sq. ft. rustic barn facility for a unique meeting or event. Guests can observe the cows being milked through large windows while in The Parlor. This facility includes a large porch and balcony area which provide a beautiful view of the farm and is perfect for a reception. Your group can enjoy a meal or snack while relaxing in The Parlor. There are several food and beverage options we’ll provide prior to booking your event.

This is The Parlor

The Parlor set up for a group 

Lad talking with a group - the windows allow visitors to watch the milking

Open Farm Days
Join us for one of our "Open Farm Days" when we’ll open our farm to the public. You don’t need an appointment, just come on over. Celebrate June “Dairy Month” with a visit to our farm. We’ll be open every Saturday in June from 10am to 5pm. We’ll also be open some weekends in September and October. Check our website for dates and pricing.

Always a favorite with visitors - the calves

We’re excited to share the story of our farm and look forward to hosting your family, school or group! To learn more, check out the Hastings Dairy Tours & Events website.

To receive updates and information about our Open Farm Days via Facebook “Like” the Hastings Dairy Facebook page. I’ve added a “Dairy Tours & Events” tab to the menu at the top of this blog. Click on the tab for a link to our website for tour and event updates and information.

Enjoy other attractions in beautiful Geauga County while you’re here. Visit Discover Geauga County for information about local sites, restaurants and events.

We hope to see you at our farm!