To the Editor:

As one of hundreds of local dairy farmers, I am very disappointed that we have a neighbor who truly does not understand farming as we practice it! Dairy farming is our way of life as well as our business. We think of our cows, not only on Mother’s Day, but every single day of the year!

Should you have questions about how we operate our farms, please ask us! Our farm sends newsletters to our neighbors, maintains a Facebook page, and we offer tours for interested folks. Also, a group of approximately 50 local farmers offer an “open barn” called, A Day On The Farm, in rotating locales of St. Lawrence County each fall.

I want to offer a few short explanations of how our dairy farm is operated. Our cows spend their lives roaming freely in open air barns, where they eat and drink fresh water anytime they want. We recycle manure solids for fluffy bedding to put on top of the water beds, yes I said a water bed for a cow!

Following birth of new calves, we move them to a nursery area while the mother re-joins her herdmates. We ensure the calves are fed their mothers’ milk, which contains antibodies needed to maintain them until their own immunities kick in at about 10 days old, hence the need for separation from the adult herd which could make them sick.

We keep the females and they grow in open housing and groups of their peers, but we do not raise the males. Bulls are often dangerous and we are not equipped to properly house them, so we do take advantage of artificial insemination to keep our cattle and people safe.

We also employ many types of recycling and nutrient management practices on our farm that we are happy to explain to anyone interested.

Please remember as you make your food choices, that just as you care about your family and you want to be the best at your chosen occupation, we also are proud of what we do.

When you buy cows’ milk the only added ingredients are vitamins, however nut juices that use milk in the name have a very complex ingredient list.

Milk is packed full of vitamins and minerals, which makes it an economical choice to feed your family while supporting all those families providing for you locally!

LouAnne King

Waddington

Lake St. Lawrence Winter