County Fair Show and Tell

While 4-H and FFA members and their families were proudly exhibiting their livestock at the 108th Benton County Fair this week, we were also providing a mega show and tell for consumers. My favorite county fair show and tell (besides the petting zoo) is the milking parlor. What better way to teach a child or adult where milk comes from than to show a dairy cow being milked!

Cows are milked twice a day at the fair just like at home on the farm. As you watch the milking procedure, you witness that no human hands touch the milk--once the milking machine is attached to the cow, milk flows directly from the cow, into the glass jar and then to the refrigerated tank.

This year's dairy show and tell also included a display showing that one cow can produce 60 gallons of milk in a week and the type and amount of feed and water that she needs to produce high-quality milk every day. Can you imagine drinking 50 gallons of water every day!

Although county fair show and tell only occurs once a year, dairy farm families like mine are working hard every day to provide you with safe,high-quality milk and dairy products as we care for our cows and the land we call home.  I'd love to answer any questions you have about dairy farming or you can find information at http://www.midwestdairy.org or http://www.dairygood.org.