Local Farm Receives Awards

By Dylan Marsh
EAGLE TIMES STAFF
CLAREMONT — MacGlaflin Farm has been named New Hampshire Dairy Farm of the Year, and has received the 2022 Green Pasture Award.

The award is given to one farm in each of the states in New England, and is based upon a number of qualifications all centered around environmental impact and quality of life for the animals. The awards were given out at a ceremony held at the Eastern State Exposition, which is known as the home of “The Big E”, the largest agricultural event on the eastern seaboard.

MacGlaflin Farm had its start in Connecticut before moving to New Hampshire in 1996. The farm has been a long time member of the Agrimark Cooperative and milks around 450 dairy cows. Sitting on roughly 400 acres, the farm was purchased by Ed MacGlaflin and his son Jason; it is still run by the MacGlaflins, along with Jason’s wife Julie. MacGlaflin Farms have been a member of the Agrimark Cooperative for a number of years along with many other farms their dairy is sent out to make Cabot Cheese.

“The farm was in bad shape and the milking barn had to be rebuilt. After that the cows were moved up and since then we try to do different projects to continue to improve cow comfort,”

said Julie MacGlaflin.

The Green Pasture Award had its start in 1947, when then New Hampshire Governor Charles Dale bet his hat that none of the other New England states could produce a better pasture than the ones found in New Hampshire. That bet, which Dale later lost, sparked the New England Green Pasture Program, a program that honors the tradition of exceptional dairy farming in the region.

“We were honored to receive this award. We try very hard to improve the lives of our cows and our employees and the community,” MacGlaflin said.

MacGlaflin Farm knows the quality of their product and the comfortability of their cows has a direct correlation and they take special care to ensure their cows are happy and healthy. The cows’ stalls are changed out with fresh sand multiple times a week and calves are kept in similar age groups with access to milk 24 hours a day.

The cows’ health is also of the utmost importance with preventative measures being considered, with each dairy cow receiving vitamins and nutrients after giving birth. The cows also receive vaccinations to keep them healthy, which the farm keeps records of going back as far as a decade.

Another incredibly important aspect of farming that resulted in MacGlaflin Farm being nominated for, and receiving the prestigious award, is manure management. The farm does consistent soil tests and ensures that it contains the proper nutrients for the best quality forage for the cows. The nominees are judged by the previous three years winners, who visit each farm to make their decision.