Loss of the State Fair Doesn't Mean Our Farmers Should Be Forgotten

 

 The inside of the Dairy Cattle Building usually is filled with dairy cows ready for showing.

 

By DEBRA J. GROOM

The New York State Fairgrounds is eerily quiet this week.

The crowds of happy fairgoers are missing. The jubilant cheers of people winning Midway prizes are absent. The laughter of children as they fly up and down on rides is gone. The wonderful smells of sausage, chicken and beef are nowhere to be found. And the glorious sounds of New York – mooing, oinking, neighing and cock-a-doodle-doing – are a memory.

The cancellation of the New York State Fair due to COVID-19 has left a hole in the hearts of many across the state. Farmers, vendors, 4-Hers, FFA members, exhibitors and fairgoers all are missing out on one of the – if not the – highlight of the summer.

During a recent stop at the fairgrounds, visitors saw just how lonely the place can be. It was Aug. 20, the day before the fair would have opened. The first-ever 18-day fair was set for Aug. 21-Labor Day. This is the second time the fair has been canceled – the first time was from 1942-47 during World War II. The fairgrounds actually was a military base during the war.

Normally the day before the fair opens is a rush of humanity and activity. Final touches being placed on booths. Animals being unloaded and given baths to ready them for shows. Building superintendents, vendors and others filing in and out of the administration building trying to fix problems and ask questions.

Aug. 20 – pretty much nothing. A few trucks driving around but that’s about it.

Oh, there was a press event at the pavilion behind Chevy Court. The American Dairy Association North East announced it was sponsoring a virtual butter sculpture. More about that later.

While the New York State Fair is 18 days of fun and trying to keep the waistline in check (this year was the first for an 18-day fair), it also is a special time for agriculture. The fair began back in 1841 as a way for farmers and producers across the state to show off their animals and crops so all of us would see the bounty of the Empire State.

The fair is an agricultural fair, run by the state Department of Agriculture and Markets. It is a time for farmers and producers to explain what they do to the non-agriculture people living in the state. It’s an educational venue and those in the agricultural field love nothing more to answer questions and show non-ag people what they do.

 No traffic or people can be seen outside the Exposition Center on the fairgrounds on Aug. 20.

 

That’s all being lost this year.

Some agriculture organizations are trying to keep their little bit of the fair alive virtually.

The Dairy Cow Birthing Center is always a highlight of the fair. People crowd the bleachers three times a day to see the miracle of life – a dairy calf being born.

Eileen Jensen, executive director of the New York Animal Agriculture Coalition which puts on the birthing center, said this year will feature a traveling birthing center, dubbed “Dairy on the Moo-ve,” and can be viewed every day on the Ag Coalition’s social media channels.

 

“’Dairy on the Moo-ve’ aims to showcase modern dairy farming, including the birth of calves, what it’s like to be a dairy cow, the many jobs on the farm and the technology that helps dairy farms produce nutrition and delicious milk every day,” Jensen said.

 

The traveling birthing center will include videos and content posted to the Ag Coalition’s social media, including live streams from birthing barns at each farm stop over the next eight weeks.

 

The first stop was at Venture Farms in Tully, Onondaga County. Views to the Ag Coalition social media already have seen the births of a few "uddermiracles," including one set of twins.

 

Here is where to catch “Dairy on the Moo-ve:”

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NYAnimalAg
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/nyanimalag 
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/NYAnimalAg    
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/NYAnimalAgricultureCoalition 

As mentioned earlier, the American Dairy Association North East is unveiling its virtual butter sculpture at 10 a.m. Sept. 1 on the dairy association Facebook page athttps://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=american%20dairy%20association%20north%20east.

Sculptors Marie Pelton and Jim Victor from Conshohocken, Pa., began work on the sculpture last week at the usual site -- the carousel-like refrigerated room in the middle of the Dairy Products Building. It takes about 10 days for it to be completed and the sculptors use 800 pounds of New York state butter to make their masterpiece.

“The fair and the butter sculpture mean so much to the people of New York,” said State Fair Director Troy Waffner. “The cancellation of the fair is such a loss for people. They will miss the animals, the rides and the food. For the fair workers, it’s a loss of morale. Onondaga County officials would say there’s the loss of tax revenue.”

“We know how much the fair means to New Yorkers and while we’re busy planning the greatest fair in our history for 2021, we are grateful to our longtime partners at American Dairy Association North East for creating an important part of the fair in a difficult year,” Waffner said.

Peggy and Lynn Murray, who run Murcrest Farm in the town of Champion on the border of Jefferson and Lewis counties in the North Country, said New Yorkers are going to miss all the fun aspects of the fair such as rides, food and games. But they also will miss the joy of seeing farm animals up close and personal and learning about how the animals are raised by the farmers.

“People love to see the cattle, goats, sheep,” said Lynn Murray, who with his wife and son Mark milk 1,200 Holsteins on their farm. “So many people make a point of visiting year after year.”

Peggy Murray, who is retired from Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County, said the butter sculpture always is a big draw at the fair. She said whenever she would enter the Dairy Products Building during the fair, she would see people lined up to take their photos in front of the sculpture.

“The dairy association is doing a good a job putting this on virtually so people can still see it,” Peggy Murray said. “But it’s sad. They are doing a good job, but it’s not the same.” 

Other events planned virtually by the dairy association include the milkshake contest at 10 a.m. Aug. 28, the Virtual New York State Dairy Princess Day at 10 a.m., Aug. 31 and the butter sculpture unveiling at 10 a.m. Sept. 1.

So, the fairgrounds is quiet. There are no youths winning ribbons for showing their prized animals or craft works. There is no apple booth where folks can buy a delicious New York apple. The New York State Maple Producers are missing, so there's no maple syrup, candy, cotton candy or ice cream to enjoy. There's no chance to see the wonderful bees and buy and taste some of the delicious honey they have made.

Perhaps, this loss of the fair this year will make New Yorkers realize what great agriculture they have here. Perhaps they will get out and support the farmers by going to a farmers market and buying fresh produce or ordering meat or eggs from a local producer. 

And then, they can talk up the products they have enjoyed, telling others how great we have it here in New York to be blessed with fresh and bountiful food grown by our neighbors. And in 2021, show up at the Great New York State Fair and have fun, ride some loop-de-loops, eat 'till your stomach is aching and say hi to all the farmers working hard for us each and every day.

 

Check out the New York State Fair Dairy Cow Birthing Center on YouTube Live

I encourage everyone to go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv0JmUHsS7E now through Sept. 2 to see calves being born right in front of your eyes.

This is the youtube live broadcast from the Dairy Cow Birthing Center at the New York State Fair. Watch a calf come into the world and learn about the process of putting those wonderful glasses of milk on your table each morning.

The Dairy Cow Birthing Center is run by the New York Animal Agriculture Coalition, a farmer founded and funded organization whose mission is to enhance the public’s understanding of and appreciation for animal agriculture by fostering a dialogue with consumers, engagement with farmers and cooperation among members of the industry.

Learn About Ag With Tours, Text Messages at New York State Fair

Don't forget.

As you head to the New York State Fair, there are some more ways this year to learn about the state's biggest industry -- agriculture.

The New York State Fair is offering fairgoers a new and exciting way to learn more through free, guided. The tours will be led by MooU, a private tour company, and will take visitors through the fair’s various animal barns, offering insight about the animals and their place in agriculture.  

Tours will begin at the MooU tent, which will be located behind the Agriculture Museum. They will depart every hour starting at 10 a.m. daily with the last tour departing at 5 p.m. 

Tour #1, beginning at 10 a.m. and running every two hours, will include stops at the Dairy Cattle Barn, Beef Barn, Poultry Barn and the Dairy Cow Birthing Center. Tour #2 will begin at 11 a.m, and run every two hours, stopping at the Goat, Sheep and Swine Barns as well as the World of Horses tent.

Fairgoers also have the chance to text an ag question to an expert on the fairgrounds. Agricultural experts will monitor a text channel during the fair, answering questions texted to them.

Signs in each of the barns will provide the phone number where text messages can be sent.

 

The New York State Fair, operated by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, runs now through Sept. 4.

New Agriculture Exhibits Planned for State Fair

From Empire Farm & Dairy magazine:

By DEBRA J. GROOM
dgroom@wdt.net
 

While the New York State Fair is jam-packed with fun and food, its primary emphasis always has been on agriculture, the biggest industry in New York state.
 
In fact, the New York State Fair is run by the state Department of Agriculture and Markets.
 
So, while running around the fairgrounds this summer checking out musical acts and the sand sculpture, exploring the midway, and scarfing down fried dough and sausage sandwiches, remember to check out the agricultural exhibits.
 

Vegetables that competed at last year's State Fair

Visit the animals in the barns. See the beautiful flowers, hearty vegetables, sweet honey and maple syrup and crunchy apples in the Horticulture Buildings. Look at the ever-popular butter sculpture and try some New York yogurt and ice cream in the Dairy Products Buildings.
 
And, as always, see how the entire dairy industry begins in the Dairy Cow Birthing Center.
 
Here are some new ag exhibits to check out at the 2017 New York State Fair:
 
** STEAM Exhibit. This is one of the most anticipated new items at this year’s fair and is located in the Science and Engineering Building.
 
The exhibit will highlight a number of technical careers and trades that are extremely popular today. Many qualified workers are going to be needed to fill these STEAM jobs in the future. Federal government statistics indicate employment in the science, technology, engineering and math fields will grow by 9 million by 2022.
 

Butter sculpture from a previous State Fair

STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. The exhibit will feature hands-on activities, workshops and demonstrations aimed at stimulating creativity in young fairgoers and encouraging them to consider careers in related fields. 
 
“The technical fields and the arts provide wonderful opportunities for our young people and for our economy while encouraging innovation and creativity,” said Troy Waffner, acting director of the New York State Fair. 

“This is an exciting new exhibit and I encourage everyone to stop by and see the amazing work being done in these industries now and the opportunities for the future.”
 
Examples of projects and fields to be displayed include drones, medical projects, advanced manufacturing, virtual reality, robotics, citizen science, wearable technology, soldering, 3D-printed prosthetics, architecture, stop-motion animation and more. 

There also will be a special Ag Career Day on Students Day Sept. 1. 
The exhibit will feature an area in which people with enthusiasm for particular topics will create projects as fairgoers watch.
 
** A number of the animal barns will have special signs this year providing a phone number. Fairgoers will be able to send a text to that number from their cell phones asking questions about anything they are curious about in the animal barns. 

They will immediately get a text back from the barn superintendent or perhaps even the state Commissioner of Agriculture and Markets with an answer to their questions.
 
“We want the fairgoer to have the right information,” said Mary Ellen Chesbro, New York State Fair coordinator and agricultural manager. “Sometimes they will ask a question out loud and someone standing near them will answer. But that might not always be the right information. With this, they won’t have to hunt down someone to ask — they will be able to get an answer and get it fast.”
 
So far, the text questions project will be up and running in the goats, sheep, swine and beef barns. Chesbro said she also is trying to get it set up in the dairy barn.
 
** If you want to know what’s going on during the horse shows in the Coliseum, check out the free headphones. Chesbro said there are 75 headsets available (simply look for the signs inside the Coliseum entrances). There will be an explanation of what is going on during the particular show going on at that time and fairgoers can text questions to the narrator of the horse show.
 
“We want them to leave not only wondering why, but knowing why,” Chesbro said.
 

A Holstein at a previous State Fair.

** Mark your calendars. Dairy Day is moving this year.
 
Usually the first Monday of the fair, the annual salute to everything dairy this year will be Thursday, Aug. 31. 

Chesbro said Dairy Day had to be mooooved because of the extra day at the beginning of the fair (the fair opens Wednesday, Aug. 23, not on a Thursday). This extra day means the dairy cattle would be changing places beginning Monday, Aug. 28, with some moving out and others moving in. This means there would be no dairy cattle in the barn on Aug. 28.
 
“You can’t have Dairy Day without dairy cattle,” Chesbro said.
 
All of the popular Dairy Day events will take place, including the parade, celebrity milkshake-making contest, cheese auction and visits throughout the fairgrounds by county dairy princesses and the New York State Dairy Princess. 

One new feature on Dairy Day is guests can enter a drawing to win Taste NY dairy gift baskets by answering trivia questions when they visit three popular dairy attractions on Dairy Day.
 
To participate, guests can pick up a copy of the questions at any of the fair’s six Guest Relations locations. 

A treat at the Yo2GO Yogurt Bar

They can find the answers by visiting the Milk Bar, Cheese Booth and Yo2GO Yogurt Bar. When a guest has completed the questions, they can drop off their answers at the Dairy Cow Birthing Center where they will be entered to win. Three winners will be selected at the conclusion of Dairy Day.
 
** There will be a Hot Beef Sundae competition on the dairy building stage at noon Aug. 24. Contestants are being lined up via social media.
 
** On Beef Day, Tuesday, Aug. 29, people will be able to participate in the Pound Out Hunger event. By paying $2, they will be given three strikes at an old car with a sledgehammer. The money raised through this event goes to a food pantry to buy hamburger for the needy.
 
** There are some new additions at the Witter Agricultural Museum. There is a beautiful back porch and handicapped ramp for visitors. There also are arbors complete with displays of growing hops and grapes.

Eileen Jensen new Director of Promotion and Outreach for New York Animal Agriculture Coalition

From the NEW YORK ANIMAL AGRICULTURE COALITION
 

Eileen Jensen and friend

Eileen Jensen has been hired as the director of promotion and outreach for the New York Animal Agriculture Coalition.
 
Jensen brings a lifetime of experience and passion for agriculture to this position, which will aid the farmer-founded, nonprofit organization advocate for animal agriculture and the state’s 5,000 dairy farms.
 
“We are very pleased to welcome Eileen to NYAAC,” said Dale Mattoon, chairman of NYAAC and dairy farmer from Cayuga County. “As society becomes further removed from the farm and the amount of misinformation continues to plague the minds of consumers, the need for advocacy work in the dairy industry has never been greater. We are thrilled to obtain Eileen’s diverse skill set and enthusiasm to the team.”
 
Jensen was one of 80 applicants to apply for the full-time, first-of-its-kind position with NYAAC. Her tenure and experience in marketing and agricultural education, coupled with her confidence and public speaking skills made her the top candidate.
 
“I am very excited to be relocating back to New York to join the NYACC team,” Jensen said. “NYACC is doing great things for New York agriculture and I’m looking forward to collaborating and continuing the positive momentum into the future.”
 
Starting May 16, 2016, Jensen will put her skills to good use contributing to the organization’s blogsite, along with creating content for its social media pages. She will be involved extensively with the organization’s flagship event, the Dairy Cow Birthing Center at the New York State Fair, where three calves are born daily and nearly a quarter of a million people come to witness the miracle of life.
 
There, she will serve as a spokesperson for the exhibit, as well as an event and volunteer coordinator. Jensen will also be busy working with the state’s 5,000 dairy farmers, helping them be better advocates for their livelihood through presentations and trainings, creative materials, events and more. She will also aid in fundraising for the newly designated 501(c)3 organization.
 
Jensen grew up on a dairy farm in the Finger Lakes, studied agricultural business at SUNY Cobleskill and received her masters in education at Cornell. She has worked both in the classroom, educating students, as well as for large corporations during her time as an account executive for two major agricultural advertising agencies in the midwest.
 
The New York Animal Agriculture Coalition is a farmer founded and funded nonprofit profit organization with the mission of working to enhance the public’s understanding of and appreciation for animal agriculture by fostering a dialogue with consumers, engagement with farmers and cooperation among members of the state’s dairy industry. 

Its board is made of up representatives from American Dairy Association and Dairy Council, Cayuga Marketing, Farm Credit East, the New York Corn and Soybean Growers Association, New York Farm Bureau and the Northeast Dairy Producers Association.  Pro-Dairy serves as an adviser to the board, which meets every other month.
 
For more information about NYAAC and its programs, visit www.nyanimalag.org or follow @NYAnimalAg on social media.

Cow Birthing Center An Educational Experience

Nice story about the Dairy Cow Birthing Center at the New York State Fair.

Check it out at http://www.twcnews.com/nys/central-ny/new-york-state-fair/2015/09/5/cow-birthing-center-an-education-experience.html

North Country People At the New York State Fair

Here is my story about the first day of the fair and North Country people at the fair:

Katie and Michael Stoffel of Antwerp enjoy their chocolate milk

 at the fair.

It was exceptionally cool (sometimes downright cold) and rainy on the first day of the New York State Fair Thursday.

But that didn’t keep the folks from coming out for food, animals, music, product demonstrations and rides at the fairgrounds in Geddes, just west of Syracuse.Thousands had come through the turnstiles by Thursday afternoon. And while they were at the fair, they were greeted by many fair exhibitors and fair workers who are from Northern New York.

Here are some of their stories:

Iroquois Village -- The Iroquois Village is a proud part of the

Margaret Burnam, a Mohawk, at the Iroquois Village

fairgrounds in which people from the Six Nations of the Iroquois tell fair visitors of the history of their people and share their customs and lives.

One of them is Margaret Burnam, 73, a Mohawk formerly from Hogansburg, St. Lawrence County. She has been coming to the State Fair since she was 6 years old and still remembers years when she would participate in the dances put on by the Native Americans at the village.

“I would dance when I felt like it,” she said. “Then I would run over to the Midway.”

Thursday, she was cleaning up the Mohawk booth where handmade jewelry and other items are sold. A downpour had just swept through and one side of the booth was wet.

“I love it here,” she said. “People come here and ask questions.”

She lamented the fact that visitors often don’t know very much about the Six Nations of the Iroquois. She tries to help when she can. She recommends books for people to read and has even had people come back to her the next year to thank her for the recommendation.

Ms. Burnam will be at the fair all 12 days.

Milking and birthing cows – Teri Martin, of the town of Fowler,

Teri Martin in the Dairy Cow Birthing Center

St. Lawrence County, is doing double duty at the state fair.

She is in charge of the milking parlor, where all the cows being shown and displayed in the dairy cattle building come at least twice a day to be milked. About 500 cows are milked there and Agri-Mark, a dairy cooperative, picks up the milk for processing.

She also volunteers (when cows aren’t being milked) at the Dairy Cow Birthing Center, answering questions from those watching calves being born.

“I was showing cows here about 20 years ago and they needed someone to run the milking parlor. I said ‘I can do that,’” Mrs. Martin said. “Then three years ago when the birthing center started, Jessica (Jessica Ziehm, who run the birthing center) came to us at the milking parlor to see if we wanted to work at the center. So here I am.”

Mrs. Martin is happy to answer questions at the birthing center because “the more we education we can do the better for all of us.”

“And I like answering questions,” she said. “Most people are four generations removed from the farm, so they need to know what we do.”

She’s been asked some doozy questions. Someone wanted to know if you really can tip a cow over. Does chocolate milk come only from brown cows? Do cows bite? Does it hurt cows when they’re milked?

“No question is too silly,” Mrs. Martin said.

Mrs. Martin and her husband, David, have Holsteins and Brown Swiss on their second-generation dairy farm.

Keeping the peace – Sgt. Gary Mattimore is the station

Sgt. Gary Mattimore

commander for the New York State Police in Gouverneur, St. Lawrence County.

But this week, he is the day shift supervisor for the state police exhibit at the New York State Fair. The 21-year state police veteran ensures the exhibit is running smoothly, that all the demonstrations are being done correctly and on time and that fair visitors are getting their questions answered.

“It’s a fun detail. I like to help people out and make sure everything is running smoothly,” Sgt. Mattimore said. He said some of the incidents troopers may have to deal with at the fair include fights, injuries and thefts.

The state police exhibit includes the canine unit and its handlers, the scuba detail, the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, recruiters and those operating the rollover demonstration. On Thursday, Sgt. Mattimore was helped with the rollover demonstration, picking up dummies that had been thrown out of the rolling vehicle and putting them back in the car.

This is his third year working the state fair. He is north country through and through, being a native of Lewis County and having worked in Plattsburgh, Canton, Carthage,  Lowville, Ray Brook and Gouverneur during his career. He was senior firearms instructor at Ray Brook.

Merry Christmas – Even though it’s only August, Cathy Jo and

Cathy Jo and Rob Brown of Three B Christmas Tree Farm

Robert Brown always have Christmas on their minds.

They run Three B Christmas Tree farm in Norfolk, located between Potsdam and Massena in St. Lawrence County. They also have a farm in Jordan in Onondaga County.

They were working Thursday at the state fair booth for the Christmas Tree Farmers Association of New York.

“The foremost thing we do here at our farm is education,” said Mrs. Brown. “When people come out, it’s almost Christmas and everybody’s happy and you can please most people.”

What most fairgoers don’t realize is Christmas tree producers don’t work just from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve.

I could work seven days a week right now. It started as a hobby, but, it’s not a hobby,” he laughed.

Mrs. Brown said the only time Christmas tree growers aren’t working in the fields is January to March. Then spring comes and they are out trimming trees constantly and then mowing the land around the trees. The Browns have 43 acres in St. Lawrence County and sell blue spruce, Fraser firs and balsams.

“We sell those because of the frost and cold we get up there,” Mrs. Brown said. “Some varieties don’t do well in those conditions.”

And even though running a Christmas tree farm and selling wreaths and other greenery decorations they make takes them away from enjoying their own Christmas season, they wouldn’t give it up for the world.

“I’ve always enjoyed the tree farm business,” Mr. Brown said. They are celebrating their 25th anniversary in business this year.

Sweet maple --  Nadeen Lyndaker, one of the owners of Lyndaker Maple Orchard in Croghan,  Lewis County, was putting people to

Todd Hofheins, of Attica, Wyoming County, and Nadeen Lyndaker, of Croghan, Lewis County, man the education center for the New York State Maple Producers booth in the Horticulture Building at the State Fair

the test at the New York State Maple Producers Booth at the state fair.

“OK, tell me which is real maple syrup and which is the fake stuff,” she said as she handed a farigoer  two little plastic cups with syrups in it. One was a lighter color and one was a bit darker.

She said it was surprising that some people who said they only eat maple syrup would get it wrong and some who said they would definitely be able to tell the difference also had a difficult time tell real from fake.

Mrs. Lyndaker was working in the maple producers’ education booth, which began last year but wasn’t located near the maple products booth in the Horticulture Building. This year, the education center is directly across from the maple products booth and many more people are checking it out.

“We are teaching them about the new grades (of syrup, which changed this year) and how the collection of sap and making of syrup has changed over the years. We’re here to educate people.”

The education center has photos on the wall depicting sap collection in buckets and the newer modern way of collection via tubing and vacuums. The trees in the center are dripping water (to depict sap) and there is even a place to take a selfie with trees in the background that you then can put on Facebook.

And the workers there also answer questions. Mrs. Lyndaker said some people don’t realize maple syrup really comes from maple trees. One person wanted to know if it could be made sugar free.

“We want them to know it is a real, fresh, local agricultural product,” she said.The Lyndaker Maple Orchard has been around since 1926 and it in its fourth generation.

Enjoying NYS milk – While they weren’t working or exhibiting at the fair, two Antwerp residents were found Thursday enjoying some cold, fresh chocolate milk from the Rainbow Milk Bar.

Michael Stoffel said – tongue in cheek – that he collects his quarters all year to get ready for the fair and the Rainbow Milk Bar. The bar sells cups of white or chocolate milk for 25 cents.

He said he and Katie Stoffel come to the fair each year and always enjoy a cup of milk.

Dairy Cow Birthing Center Again Will Have Live Video of Births

A newborn calf. Photo courtesy Dairy Cow Birthing Center

Be sure to go to http://www.vet.cornell.edu/news/nysfair/ to check out live feeds from the Dairy Cow Birthing Center.

Sad Ending for C-Section Cow from 2014 State Fair

Vets operate on the cow during the 2014 State Fair to deliver her calf.

“Awwwwww.”

The veterinarians pulled out a stillborn calf. The audience members had been on the edge of their seats for more than an hour, wondering how this drama was going to end.

Their collective sound of pain told the story.

It was Dairy Day at the 2014 New York State Fair, that glorious 12 hours to celebrate all that is great about milk, cheese, ice cream and yogurt.

Thousands of people were on the fairgrounds watching milkshake making contests, trying out yogurt parfaits, tasting great New York cheeses and visiting the Empire State’s fabulous dairy cattle.

They also had filed in and out of the Dairy Cow Birthing Center to watch the beginning of the milk cycle -- the miracle of a calf’s birth. It was the second year for the birthing center and a huge hit at the fair.

But this day was a little different. Life played out in front of hundreds of people in the birthing center at about 3 or so that afternoon.

A dairy cow owned by Walnut Ridge Dairy in Lansing, Tompkins County, was ready to give birth. People packed the bleachers and seats to witness the birth.

Each day, three cows would give birth to calves in the center. Adults and children alike ooohed and aaahed as the cute little Holsteins slipped into the world. The mother cow would produce milk from giving birth and from there, she would be milked daily to provide all of us delicious milk to drink or dairy products to eat.

But on Dairy Day, of all days, things didn’t go as planned for this one cow.

“What’s going on?” I asked a lady on the bleachers as I sat down, a few minutes after the drama had begun.

“She’s having problems,” the lady said of the cow. “They’re not sure what’s wrong.”

After watching for a while, I heard Steve Palladino, a partner in Walnut Ridge Dairy, and others on the scene thought either she had a stillborn calf or possibly there were twins on the way.

A bunch of veterinarians came in. They reached inside the cow’s birth canal to see if they could grab the calf and pull it out. That effort failed.

Palladino, nervous for his cow, told the packed house what was going on. People asked questions and Palladino and others tried to answer as best they could.

“My main concern was for the cow,” Palladino said.

Eventually, it became obvious to the veterinarians that a Caesarian section would have to be performed on the cow. Jessica Ziehm, executive director of the New York Animal Agriculture Coalition which runs the birthing center, said this definitely was not planned, but it shows what real life is like on a farm.

The C-section was performed. Spectators were warned in advance that they might want to leave if they couldn’t stomach what was being done. I was sitting right in back of the cow and I have to say, the entire operation was shielded pretty well from view so those watching really couldn’t see anything objectionable.
 
"I was a nervous wreck," Palladino said. "It's bad enough your cow is going through this but in front of 600 to 700 people?"

There weren’t twins. Only one calf that was stillborn.

“Awwwwww,” the audience said in unison when it heard the outcome.

The cow’s incision was sewn up. The audience was told they would keep an eye on her to be sure she was healing well.

Palladino said at that time she would be able to have more calves and remain a productive member of the Walnut Ridge dairy herd.

But, it was not to be. When checking up on the cow in July, I was told she had been sold to slaughter.

A heart-wrenching decision, to be sure. Palladino said the cow never made much milk after the stillborn birth. 

A farmer has to weigh the costs when considering his herd -- does he want to use a lot of feed to keep a cow going if that cow doesn’t produce milk the farmer can sell?

Ziehm said dairy farms are businesses and “at the end of the day they must make decisions that allow them to keep feed in front of the cows, the lights on and bills paid.”

“She did not come into milk or produce enough milk after she calved to justify keeping her in the herd,” Ziehm said. “This is always a difficult decision for a dairy farmer as they have thousands of dollars invested in raising her, as well as the cost of the surgery. So this is not only a tough call emotionally as this is an animal that was raised and cared for from birth on the farm, it’s a significant financial loss as well.”

Palladino said the decision was rough, but one that had to be made.

"Ninety percent of cows that have had C-sections are bred back," Palladino said. "She healed fine, but she didn't come into milk well. This doesn't normally happen."

So in late February or early March -- Palladino couldn't remember exactly -- the cow was sold.

Yes, the Dairy Cow Birthing Center and all dairy farms are real life, folks.

Dairy Day Filled with Fun, Real-Life Heartache

By Debra J. Groom

It was all about dairy on Monday for Dairy Day at the Great New York State Fair.

Here’s the lo-down on what happened.

Cow is sutured after a C-section in the Dairy Cow Birthing Center

Dairy Drama

The only way any dairy product makes its way to our plates, bowls or cups is with the birth of a calf.

Once a dairy calf is born, the mother cow begins producing milk which the farmer collects, sells to processors and then it is made into yummy fluid milk, ice cream, all sorts of cheeses, sour cream, cream, butter and yogurt.

Fairgoers – for the second straight year – get the chance to witness this “udder miracle” of birth each day at the Dairy Cow Birthing Center. Put on by the New York Animal Agriculture Coalition and its director Jessica Ziehm, three calves are born each day at the fair.

But on Dairy Day, things were different. Fairgoers not only got to witness birth, but they got to see the real nitty-gritty of farm life. They got to see that sometimes, things don’t go well.

A 5-year-old Holstein from Walnut Ridge Dairy in Lansing, Tompkins County, went into labor about 8 a.m. Most expected her calf to be born about noon or a little after.

Another cow gave birth about 11 a.m. – a little bull. The Dairy Cow Birthing Center was packed with more than 600 people anxiously awaiting the second birth.

But something was wrong. Steve Palladino, a partner on the Lansing farm, said the labor wasn’t progressing normally. Veterinarians from Cornell University who are working the fair came in to check her out.

Donning their long plastic sleeves, they pushed their arms deep inside the cow’s vagina and uterus. Their diagnosis – there might be two calves (which is rare), the calf or calves are in the wrong position to be born or the calf or calves may be stillborn.

The vets tried to get the calf or calves out the normal way, but it didn’t work. They believed the calf or calves were deformed.

A C-section had to be performed right there, right in the Dairy Cow Birthing Center.

“This is Steve’s cow and he cares very much about all his animals,” Ziehm told the crowd. “This is the best move for the cow.”

Little bull calf born earlier on Monday

The fairgoers were told this would be a bit messy and traumatic and they should decide whether they want to stay for the operation. “Sometimes what happens on the farm doesn’t smell good and doesn’t look good,” Ziehm said. “But unfortunately, sometimes things go wrong when you’re dealing with life.”

The vets gave the cow a local anesthetic, shaved the area where the incision could be made, cleaned the area numerous times, and then made the cut on her left side. This side faced away from all fairgoers but is the normal side for a C-section incision, Palladino said.

When the vet finally cut through to the uterus, he and everyone else still wasn’t sure what he would find. He pulled out one calf – it was deformed and stillborn. There wasn’t a second calf.

A collective “awwwwww” moved through the barn.

The cow was stitched up and will be fine. She will undergo a series of antibiotics to cut down on the chances of infection.

Ziehm, who grew up on a dairy farm and married a dairy farmer, said she had never seen a C-section on a cow. It is quite rare.

“This was not ideal,” Ziehm said. But she said it was important to go ahead with the C-section right there in front of the public to “enhance the transparency” of what farmers do to care for their animals. She said they didn’t want it to be secretive so the public would wonder what they are doing to the cow.

“This is real life and everything we’re doing is for the health of this cow,” Ziehm said during the C-section. “This is as transparent as it’s going to get.”

This was the cow's third calf. Palladino said she will be able to have another calf in the future.

Frank Adamski, right, of the Dairy Products Building Task Force, holds a block of cheese for auctioneer Bill Magee, left.

Do I hear $25?

Assemblyman William Magee, D-Nelson, Madison County, was back at the State Fair again in his role as auctioneer during the annual Cheese Auction. Bricks of sharp New York state cheddar – ranging in size from 2 pounds to 40 pounds – are sold to raise money for the Dairy Products Building.   

He auctioned off 22 bricks of cheese and four baskets filled with various cheeses from New York producers such as Kraft, Yancey’s Fancy, Heluva Good, Great Lakes Cheese, Macadam, Colosse, Herkimer Cheese and Sorrento.

Magee, who is chair of the state Assembly Agriculture committee, also works as an auctioneer.

Yogurt Bar a hit

A yogurt parfait with strawberries and blueberries

People were lined up throughout the day to get a parfait made of regular or Greek yogurt at the new YO2GO yogurt bar in the Dairy Products Building.

Gary Repko, who was running the bar, said business has picked up each day of the fair. As of about noon Monday, he estimated the bar had sold 4,500 pounds of regular and Greek yogurt.

“I’ve been surprised, we’re selling more Greek,” he said, noting it’s about 60-40 on Greek to regular yogurt sales.

Fairgoers can buy either type of yogurt which is served in a parfait cup and then have it covered with a variety of toppings. The yogurt is about as fresh as it can get – it’s made at Cornell University in its own processing plant with milk from its own herd of dairy cattle.

Melissa Midgley and Teddy Boileau of The Dinosaur 95.3 and 103.9 radio in Syracuse and Otsego County Dairy Princess Sandy Mravlja work on their milkshake during the celebrity milkshake contest. Their special ingredient was coffee.

If that news gig doesn’t work out …

The team from NewsChannel 9 WSYR TV won the annual Celebrity Milkshake Making Contest on Dairy Day at the State Fair.

Teams from various television and radio stations (with help from county dairy princesses) had to concoct milkshakes using special ingredients they were given, such as Marshmallow Fluff, fiber cereal, coffee and peanut butter. Channel 9’s special ingredient was coconut pudding.

Yancey is Fancy

The annual Dairy Products competition is complete and the winners are on display in the Dairy Products Building.

The grand champion was gouda cheese made by Yancey’s Fancy, located in Corfu in Genesee County.

Gold and silver awards are given in many categories, such as dip, ricotta, cold-pak process cheese, fluid milk, sour cream, cottage cheese, flavored natural cheese, lowfat yogurt and cheeses from milk other than a cow. Then the gold winners are all judged to come up with a grand champion.

Rachel Rouland, of Clifton Springs, with Spice Girl before their appearance on the Bridge Street TV show on Dairy Day.

A large industry

Dairy is king as far as New York agriculture is concerned.

New York’s dairy industry generates more than $2.8 billion in farm sales, constituting nearly half of the state’s total agricultural receipts. The state is the third leading producer of milk in the nation, with 610,000 dairy cows producing more than 13.5 billion pounds of milk annually.

The state ranks first in the nation in the production of yogurt and cottage cheese. Wyoming County is the state’s top dairy county, followed by Cayuga County and St. Lawrence County.