Moo again! It’s Ali from High Meadow Farm. What’s winter like on an organic farm in Hoosick Falls, New York?! I asked my farmer, Eric Ziehm, to tell you all about it.
Moo! (What’s your favorite thing about winter?)
The snow covered landscape. There is a calm about winter as we are hunkered in just taking care of the cows and planning for the upcoming summer season.
Moo. Moo! Do the cows like winter?
The cows definitely enjoy winter as their ideal temperature is around 32* degrees! They can “chill out”, have all their meals delivered to them and also don’t have to fight off the pesky flies.
Moo? How do the cows stay warm in the winter?
Our ladies have a toasty insulated barn to rest in for the winter. They don’t have to battle the wind and snow so as they lie in their beds ruminating with their four stomachs churning, lots of heat is self generated!
Moo? Moo? What else happens on a dairy farm during the winter? Anything?
Winter is a perfect time for business analysis. It’s a chance to spend some time in the office and compare our past year’s financials to see where we shined and where we need to improve. It’s also a great time to repair equipment and prepare for the upcoming harvest season.
Moo! What’s your favorite winter treat? Do the cows have a favorite winter treat?
Any kind of warm pie that I can melt ice cream on! We feed our cows beet pulp in their winter rations and they love it.