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At many of the dairy farms in the area, you may see structures such as these:
Free-Stall Barn – Free-stall barns allow cows to
lie down or enjoy fresh feed and water at their convenience. Manure is scraped daily and
applied to fields as fertilizer or stored to be spread later. Curtains on the walls are
lowered to provide ventilation in the summer.
Free-Stall Barn
Calf Hutches – Calves are often raised individually
in hutches for the first few months allowing them fresh air and individual attention and a
healthy environment.
Calf Outside of Hutch
Dry Cow Barn – Cows get a two-month vacation each
year before giving birth. They need the rest and a special diet to prepare for the next
calving. During this period the cows are considered "dry" and are not milked.
Milk House
and Parlor – The bulk tank in the milk house holds and cools the milk before
it is picked up daily by a milk truck and transported to milk processing plants and on to
market. Long ago, milk was delivered to consumers by horse and wagon. The milk had a
short shelf life and had to be consumed shortly thereafter. The advent of
pasteurization in the 1890’s increased the safety and keeping time of fresh milk.
Today, processors can guarantee a 10-12 day shelf life of fluid milk and a longer period
for manufactured dairy products.
King-Ransom Milk Palor
Tower Silo – Tower silos resulted from turn-of-the-century technology that enabled farmers to feed their animals summer-grown corn throughout the winter months. Corn preserved and stored in this manner is called silage. Many of the region’s tower silos are no longer used and have succumbed to age with a rustic charm that adds to the texture of the landscape.
Bunk or Trench Silo – The bunker or trench
silos that have replaced the towers are three-walled structures made from cement. When
filled with silage, bunkers are covered with black plastic held down by used tires. With
this form of silo, the farmer can store and manage large amounts of different kinds of
feed including hay and corn, using a front-end loader to move the feed to a mixer wagon
where nutrient rations can be added. Supplying cows with a healthy diet has a direct
correlation to overall productivity.
Filling Trench with Silage
Ag Bags – Large plastic bags for airtight storage of
forage silages or grain, for cattle feed.
Manure Storage – Large earthen ponds
used to temporarily store animal waste, until it can be spread on the land as fertilizer.
