By Kevin Brown
EAGLE TIMES
GENERAL MANAGER
CLAREMONT — “We got cows.”
No, that isn’t just a line from the movie “Twister.” It sums up the first “Open Farm Day” hosted by Jason and Julie MacGlaflin, who, along with Jason’s dad, Ed, own and manage the two-generation dairy that hosted Saturday’s event.
The MacGlaflin Farm on Case Hill Road in Claremont created the event to introduce residents and children to life on a farm and all that comes with it. Visitors were treated to a completely free event that included hot dogs, ice cream by the Cruisin Cow, Cabot cheese, squishy cows, pens, pencils, kid’s cow hats and face painting.
“It was very important to us that everyone enjoy our farm without worrying about finances,” Julie MacGlaflin said. “We had around 600 attendees visit the farm.”
She said the family organized the event to give back to the community, introduce families to life on a farm and showcase just where dairy products actually start in the production chain.
“Our hope is that they better understand where their dairy products come from,” she said. “We also hope visitors were able to see how content and well-cared for that the dairy cows and calves are. In today’s time, we can assume that many of the kids – and some of the adults – have never visited a working dairy farm before.”
Visitor Mallory Scahill of Claremont brought her two sons – Harrison, eight months old, and Miles, three – to the event because “Miles loves everything farm-related.”
“He got to sit in the combine,” Scahill said, adding that the family appreciated the event.
Jamie and Tim McNicholas of Lempster brought their two daughters to enjoy the experience and support a local business.
“It is amazingly generous,” Jamie McNichols said. “It is nice insight to see the inner workings of a dairy farm. It is good to see the community come together and enjoy the scenery and the cows. This is one of the reasons we enjoy living here.”
Ed MacGlaflin, who owns the farm, said the family is very proud of the farm, the family’s commitment to sustainable dairy farming and in sharing their love of the lifestyle with their neighbors.
“We wanted people to see what we do here,” he said. “We wanted to be a good neighbor. Events like this are good for the industry; it allows people to know where their food comes from.”
Jason MacGlaflin said his wife was the driving force behind the event and that the family really didn’t know what to expect from the day.
“We like people seeing and experiencing what we do,” he said. “We had no idea what to expect. We prepared for about 500 people. We wanted everyone to feel welcome.”
Ed moved to New Hampshire in 1996 from Connecticut and purchased the 400-acre farm. The father and son team have co-managed the dairy operation together for most of Jason’s life.
“We share a deep connection to the land and a dedication to agriculture,” Jason MacGlaflin said.
In 2015, Jason married Julie, who brought a wealth of farming knowledge from her own dairy farm in Vermont.
“Today, our family works side-by-side with a team of eight full-time talented employees to ensure our cows get the best care and that farm runs smoothly,” Jason added.
The MacGlaflin Farm is home to 440 cows, which are milked twice a day. The farm produces 3,895 gallons of milk daily on 600 acres of owned and leased farmland.
Stay tuned, planning is already underway for next year’s event.
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