By BOB MARTIN
Eagle Times Staff
CLAREMONT, N.H. — MacGlaflin Farm will be holding its second annual Open Farm Day on July 13, where farming enthusiasts can learn about the process that goes into the products they buy and consume.
The event offers a variety of activities, including a hot dog lunch, face painting, cheese samples, ice cream and tours of the farm.
“This is a free community event,” said Co-Owner Julie MacGlaflin. “We will have milk sampling from New England Dairy, and The Cruisin’ Cow ice cream truck will be here. You can take a guided farm tour, or go on your own to tour of the farm and see where the cows are milked. A bunch of our tractors and farm equipment are here so people can climb in, get some photos and check them all out.”
MacGlaflin said the fun event has a focus on showing people where dairy products start before items hit the shelves. She and her husband, Jason, and his father, Ed, will be on hand to talk about the ins and outs of the farm. There will be volunteers at the event to discuss various aspects of the farm, as well.
“Nowadays people are so far removed from where their food comes from,” she said. “I’ve done many field trips over the years, and a lot of kids really don’t know where their food starts. We, as best as we can in a few hours, try to answer questions that people might have about the process.”
She explained that there are some adults who may understand that milk comes from a cow, but never really seen it in action, or even touched a cow. McGlaflin pointed out that there are a lot less farms now than 50 or 60 years ago, and people often don’t have a friend, cousin or grandpa who own a farm like in years past.
“We want people to come and see the care we put in to raising our animals, and obviously to see where their milk starts,” said McGlaflin. “Yes, it ends up at your school or grocery store, but this is where it starts. A lot of people don’t know what goes into raising a baby calf.”
MacGlaflin’s Farm is a second-generation farm started in 1971 by her father-in-law Ed MacGlaflin, and for more than 50 years they have been producing top-quality, local milk. Nearly all of Jason’s life, he worked with his father at the farm.
Julie MacGlaflin also grew up on a farm in Vermont, showing that farming is in all of their blood. She joined the team in 2015 after selling her small Vermont dairy farm and marrying Jason.
“We both grew up dairy farming, and while we don’t sell milk directly off the farm, we are members of the Agri-Mark Cooperative,” she said. “Cabot Cheese and McCadam Cheese are the brands where that milk comes from; it could have started here. It becomes the cheese that you see in the store.”
The farm began in Connecticut but moved to the Granite State in 1996. According to the farm’s website, the family milks 450 cows as part of Agri-Mark. They also raise their own calves and crop about 600 acres of farmland.
The MacGlaflins believe that the treatment of cows directly impacts the quality of the milk produced, and they take such excellent care of them by providing a happy, healthy environment. Another point of pride is practicing sustainability, to not only reduce their environmental impact, but also set the stage for future generation of farmers and customers.
Open Farm Day will be the perfect opportunity to talk directly to a dairy farmer and get to know where your food comes from first-hand. McGlaflin said it is a good chance for people in the community to become better educated on the overall process and know a little bit about what they are eating.
“It’s shaping up to be quite the event for the community,” MacGlaflin said. “We expect a good turnout.”
The family friendly event takes place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 35 Case Hill Road, and additional information can be found at macglaflinfarm.com.
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