Dairy farmers today are often called on to be grassroots ambassadors for the industry, but John and Cynthia Adam of Knollbrook Farm, Goshen, don't mind. In fact, they freely admit that their passion has always been education.
That is evident when visiting their farm. A small visitors' center was incorporated into their milking barn, finished in 2013, where people can observe the two robots that milk the herd of 115 Jerseys and Holsteins around the clock. School groups often come to see a real, working, family farm, where the Adams also carve out a corn maze each fall and host a U-pick pumpkin patch, along with offering mums for sale.
This summer, the Adam's operation is also one of the stops on the Northern Indiana Dairy Trail on Saturday, June 18.
They are excited to be a part of this project, which is helping to promote a unique area where family dairies are still a "heavy influence."
It is hoped that the experience will "put a face to the farmer" for consumers, and that if they have questions about how their food is produced they will "feel comfortable to come and talk," John Adam said.
"What better place to get correct information about dairy farming than to ask a dairy farmer?"
This has proved to be the case with the corn maze. Visiting the farm has "totally changed the thought process" of many who are unfamiliar with agriculture. Getting to know mellow, friendly cows that "chew on visitors' hats" has helped people establish a connection with the farm, and many are now bringing their families each year. It is hoped that a similar, positive result will come from the June Dairy Trail endeavor.
John Adam's interest in dairying reaches back to his junior high days, when he moved to the farm of his uncle, Dave Brenneman, south of Elkhart. "The (dairying) bug bit me," he says today. Indicative of his wanting to be with the cows—at any cost—is his impulsive decision during a snowstorm in 1978. Worried that the school bus would not make it to the farm, Adam hopped off in Wakarusa to walk 10 miles through the blizzard to the Brennemans'.
When John and Cynthia married, they began milking cows in a 1950s parlor that had been abandoned for over two decades, "cobbling together" a dairy with mostly used equipment.
"We started with four or five cows and a rusted-out pickup," he noted wryly.
Cynthia, whose parents raised row crops and hogs, soon fell in love with dairying. However, after some four years of milking, the couple took a hiatus while Cynthia finished college and they started their family.
Having children was the impetus to getting into farming full-time again 20 years ago, John said. He did not want to spend most of his hours working elsewhere. The couple felt that farming would be beneficial for giving their youngsters a strong Christian background and a good work ethic.
Today, their oldest son, Nate, is married to Alyssa (Ramer); two sons attend Purdue University—Nick is a junior in animal science and agricultural business, and Luke a freshman in aviation—while Faith, the youngest, attends Fairfield High School.
Nate is working on the farm with his parents and has brought in a small herd of Jersey cattle. He is also helping with the silage bagging, and is the main "chopper operator" with the silage chopping business.
The Adams farm some 400 acres; one third each of hay, corn and soybeans. They raise all their feed.
The DeLaval robots were installed two and one-half years ago because the 60-year-old parlor was "shot." That proved to be an advantageous move for many reasons.
"We still spend many hours in the barn, but we can choose the hours," John said. "And we probably spend more time observing cows. We can notice a cow that is 'off' just by looking at her, and then check the computer (statistics) and catch problems early."
The cows adapted surprisingly well to the robots, the Adams noted. The couple often chuckle when watching cows' behavior. A cow may lie down until the last minute, but knowing the sound of the robot's door, she will time her approach to "come barreling it and cut in line!"
More time lying down is definitely an advantage to the system. When the cows were milked in a parlor, some spent up to six or seven hours a day in the holding pen on concrete, thus not getting fed, drinking or lying down all that time. Now they can comfortably lie down until sauntering over to the robot.
This has even changed the cows' personalities. They are more tame, even to the point of being "annoying," Cynthia said with a smile, as they enjoy attention and often come up to be scratched.
Fresh cows will often be milked four or five times a day. And "the neat thing about robots is they don't get upset" with young cows who may initially not stand still or be cooperative. Robots just calmly continue the process of putting on the milkers until they are successful.
And the plethora of information about each cow—down to how each individual quarter of the udder is doing—can be studied in the farm office but is available remotely as well via cell phone.
The Adams plan to show visitors their milking system from noon to 5 p.m. on June 18. Other attractions will include a calf petting area and an antique tractor display as well as a tent with prom-
otional "goodies" and snacks sponsored by commercial representatives.