Sundaes on the Farm at Tierney Farm Jerseys
- Sunday, June 21, 2015, 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
4473 State Route 11, Malone, NY
- Short Guided Tours, starting every half hour or whenever a group assembles
- Free Ice Cream Sundaes
- Family Fun
- Learn about Farming in Franklin County
Public is welcomed to come celebrate “June Dairy Month” with two farm tours sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Franklin County, Franklin County Farm Bureau, and Farm Service Agency. PAPAS Dairy, 322 Wheeler Road, North Bangor, NY is the site of our first tour on Sunday, June 14th followed with Tierney Farm Jerseys, 4473 State Route 11, Malone, NY on Sunday, June 21st from 12:00 to 3:00pm each day.
New York ranks third in dairy producing states behind California and Wisconsin. Locally, Franklin County has a diversity of dairy farms; from very large dairies with thousands of cows to small, grass-based organic dairies and everything in between. According to the 2012 Census of Agriculture there are a total of 688 farms in Franklin County. Of those, 155 are dairy operations with a total of 14,500 milk cows.
All ages will enjoy seeing a bird’s eye view of functional farms in full operation. This wonderful educational opportunity highlights the region’s largest contributor of our local economy. Farmers in general are notorious for putting revenue back into their surrounding communities with the purchase of new equipment, supplies, building materials, repairs, employment opportunities, etc.
Just like every other industry, so has the dairy industry changed. In an effort to combat the fluctuating milk prices herd sizes have increased. With the help of modern research from institutions like Cornell University and Miner Institute, dairy farmers can maximize production, quality, and milk components with the implementation of “best practices”. These include but are not limited to the following; cow comfort, improved genetics, harvesting top quality feed, and maintaining quality control measures that ensure a healthy environment. Since the 1950’s the U.S. trend continues to show a decline in the total number of dairy cows with a steady increase in total milk production. Evidence that cows and farmers are becoming more efficient.
Using biosecurity practices, families will be able to see firsthand all aspects of the dairy operation including; feeding, calf and heifer rearing facilities, milking parlors, and maternity housing. Specialist in the dairy field will facilitate tours including; Kim Morrill- CCE Regional Dairy Specialist, Kitty O’Neil- CCE Regional Agronomist, Rick LeVitre- CCE Ag Team Leader/ ED, Harry Fefee- CCE Ag Outreach Educator, Jennifer Tierney- Franklin County Farm Services ED, Pete Hagar- Clinton County Soil & Water District Manager, Dr. Pfaff- North Star Veterinarian, Elizbeth Trombly Couillard- Dundee Feeds/Farm Bureau, and more.
Tierney Farm Jerseys
4473 State Route 11, Malone, New York
Charles and Jennifer Bosley own and operate Tierney Farm Jerseys in Malone. This is a small family farm consisting of 65 milking cows and 65 heifers with 165 acres of hay and pasture. Their children Kathryn and Patrick along Jennifer’s sister Amy and her niece Brittany also help on the farm.
Originating from Massachusetts, Jennifer’s parents, Jack & Caryl Tierney purchased the farm in 1978. In the beginning, the farm was home to a herd of mostly grade Holsteins, with a few registered Holsteins. The Tierneys brought with them a few registered Holstein heifers and 2 registered Jersey heifers. Their original goal was to milk half Jerseys and half Holsteins. They liked the Jerseys so much, they began selling the Holsteins and purchasing Jerseys, some locally but the majority came from Canada. In less than eight years the herd transitioned to all registered Jerseys.
Charles grew up on a dairy farm in Peru, NY where they milked Registered Holsteins, Jerseys and Ayrshires. Both Jennifer and Charles were actively involved working on their families’ farms, showing cattle in 4H as well as going to college to pursue degrees in agriculture, so it really was a natural progression for them to pursue dairying. They purchased the herd from Jennifer’s parents in 1997 and later purchased the farm in 2009.
Despite their smaller size, Jerseys are very adaptable to a variety of facilities and management styles. They are very efficient grazers and produce milk high in protein and butterfat which is very valuable in making cheese and other dairy products. Compared to average milk, cheesemakers make 25% more cheese from Jersey milk and butter-makers see an increase in yields by over 30%. The price of milk paid to dairy producers is in part based on the fat and protein content of the milk, so although Jerseys do not produce as much milk as a Holstein, Jersey milk commands a higher price.
In the fall of 2012 began the construction of a compost bedded pack barn for the milking herd and a new calf barn/nursery. The milking herd moved into the new barn in March of 2013. In a compost bedded pack barn, the area where the cows rest is tilled daily and fresh sawdust is added. Below the surface the manure is being broken down in the heating process. The compost makes for excellent fertilizer on the fields and pastures. This type of barn is also very comfortable for cows.
A portion of the old tie-barn was converted to a step-up flat barn milking parlor. Even the older cows (8 to 15 years of age) made the transition from the tie-stall barn to the new barn and milking parlor very well. The rest of the old barn is used to house heifers and dry cows in the winter. The milking herd is managed under an intensive rotational grazing system, supplemented with hay and grain from May through October. In the winter they are fed balage, corn silage and a complete grain mix.
An important part of their operation is marketing and showing cattle. Every year they sell show cattle, breeding stock and herd replacements to others who are interested in Jerseys. Showing cattle helps to promote the herd and provide name recognition. Over the past several years there have been several cows and heifers that were nominated for All-American and All-Canadian status with the “Tierneys” prefix. This past fall they bred, owned and exhibited the Junior Champion at the National Jersey Show in Louisville, Kentucky.
Dairy farming takes a lot of dedication, hard work and a positive outlook. Working with family and a love for cattle make it all worthwhile. It is a great way to grow-up and to raise a family. There is nothing like a farm to teach children the value of hard work and the responsibility that comes with caring for animals.
Thanks to Stewarts' Shops for donating the ice cream!
Fee
FREE
Location
Tierney Farm Jerseys
4473 State Route 11
Malone, NY 12953
Last updated June 8, 2015