Eager for Dairy

We kicked off Dairy Month a day early yesterday with a whole lot of dairy. Beginning the day with our own local 4H club's annual 4H Project Workshop and Chicken BBQ.

The workshops are held to help instruct 4H members how to show or just to practice showing different animal breeds at the local fair.  Non 4H members are also encouraged to come out and learn and try handling the animals as well.  Fun for all.

In the photo above, Paige is practicing her Showmanship techniques in the ring with her cousin's Jersey dairy cow, Ruby.

Many of the kids attending, eagerly awaited their turn to participate. 

(Thanks Jenny for the cute photo below)

We also had a beef cow workshop, which is completely different than showing a dairy cow.

A rabbit, cavy and poultry workshop....

(Two additional photos by Jenny, thank you!)

Much was learned about showing swine as well.  The beach balls doubled for the actual live animal in the swine workshop.  So much fun!

Appetites were on fire after the workshops concluded, so after washing up we enjoyed a fabulous chicken BBQ paired with plenty of Clover Stornetta milk and Three Twins Ice Cream..

June kicks off Dairy Month and we have an entire month+ of dairy related excitement to come!  My kids are eager to show their dairy heifers at our local fair in a few weeks, hope to see many of you there!

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Our Move to Clover Stornetta

At one time, there were 200 dairies in all of Marin County.  That was 64 years ago in 1950. Today, Marin County has dwindled down to 27 dairies.  Our family farm, George Grossi & Son Dairy, is one of the remaining few but not without a lot of sacrifice and love for dairy farming and the lifestyle that comes with it. Like many of the remaining dairies in our area,  a few of the adjustments we've had to make over the years include building new free-stall barns and updating our calf barn to help contain all manure produced here on the farm, year-round and to keep up with the ever-changing and stringent water and air quality regulations.

An important factor in our continuance as operating as a working dairy farm, was the decision to join the Clover Stornetta family. With no end in sight to high feed costs, being accepted by Clover Stornetta and joining Clover in the spring of 2012, was a much needed and welcome step for us.

Clover Stornetta was founded in the 1970's.  As a multi-family run operation, they see the value and importance of locally produced milk.  By collecting milk from dairies in Marin and Sonoma counties, they are able to process the milk quickly after receiving it at their creamery and processing plant located just 12 miles to our north, in Petaluma, CA.

As a Clover Stornetta family dairy, we are required to pass the American Humane Certification and maintain that certification for as long as we are a member of Clover . Clover also created the North Coast Excellence Program, which requires its producing dairies to maintain very high quality standards of milk.

It's been almost two years now, since becoming part of the Clover Stornetta family and I wanted to share with you, our change.  If you're local and drink Clover Stornetta Milk or are eating Clover Stornetta butter, yogurt, cheese or ice cream, know that it's coming from our family farm.

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