The end of the family dairy farm?

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Unk's Wild Wild West : One Thread

Wisconsin cheeseheads threatened by California mega dairy farms

-- Lars (larsguy@yahoo.com), June 30, 2001

Answers

We will never give up our cheesy whey, eh?

-- (FarmerBlue@Baraboo.WI), June 30, 2001.

"There was a time when Wisconsin was undeniably "America's Dairyland," when small farmers, growing their own feed and milking herds of 40 or 50 cows, made a good living under government-supported milk prices."

The family dairy farm is a romantic, attractive lifestyle but is apparently an economic anachronism and doesn't warrant taxpayer subsidies any more than any other business that can't compete.

-- (Paracelsus@Pb.Au), June 30, 2001.


I love farmer's daughters.

-- Lars (larsguy@yahoo.com), July 01, 2001.

California has huge issues of energy and water. Huge dairy production requires both. I don't think CA has the resources to get more large dairies.

-- John Littmann (littmannjt@mtn.org), July 02, 2001.

I love farmer's daughters.

My brother married one, Lars. She's the daughter of one of those Wisconsin dairy farmers. We visited that farm almost every summer when we were kids. I sure didn't find the family dairy farm a romantic life. It was a lot of hard work, and my brother and I chipped in to help the chores go faster.

That farm got passed down to the youngest son [only kid in the family interested in farming.] I haven't been there in YEARS, but my brother and his family are returning for a family reunion this summer. I'd, personally, always thought the farm kept up with the latest trends. I'll have to ask if the farm was subsidized when it was a family farm and inquire as to whether or not it's grown significantly, etc.

-- Anita (Anita_S3@hotmail.com), July 02, 2001.



Anita, I agree. It's bitchin hard work and unlike crop farmers, animal farmers can never leave home unless they get good cow-sitters. I think some city-dwellers and Hollywood romanticize the world of the independent farmer. Don't get me wrong, I think they are important. Just so someone else does it.

In the 70s, a big warehouse burned down in Madison. Turned out it was full of government purchased cheese. Melted cheese all over the street!

-- Lars (larsguy@yahoo.com), July 02, 2001.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ