Oakridge Dairy!
Last week, we highlighted The Legen-Dairy Modern Milkman that delivers the highest quality of products fresh from the farm right to your door! Today, we’re here to highlight the mastermind behind this operation - Oakridge Dairy!
The Modern Milkman operation wouldn’t be possible without the fresh Oakridge milk that gets delivered in this subscription-based box service. While other local farms are partnered with The Modern Milkman, the fresh milk provided from Oakridge Dairy is really the core of the operation. Located in Ellington, CT, Oakridge Dairy is the largest dairy farm in the northeast!
More Than a Farm
We had the pleasure of speaking with Seth Bahler from Oakridge Dairy who states, “Oakridge Dairy is more than just a farm; it’s a family legacy built on generations of hard work and dedication to providing quality dairy products.”
Oakridge Dairy began over 100 years ago with the Adolph Bahler family. Being one of the many small farms in New England, the farm not only raised dairy cows, but also grew tobacco and potatoes as cash crops. As decades progressed, dairy became the farm’s ultimate passion and with dedication and hard work, they were able to build their current facility that covers 318,000 sq. ft.
The farm isn’t just about milking cows though, in fact, the hardworking farmers at Oakridge Dairy are regularly tending to land, planting crops, birthing calves, spreading fertilizer, raising the young, and harvesting the crops. In order to keep their operation of milking thousands of cows each day, they need these crops to feed the herd. It is truly amazing!
The cows at Oakridge Dairy have a clean, healthy, and safe environment. The 2,800 cows relax daily in their comfortable open-stall barn that allows them to walk around, eat, drink, and sleep as they please! The barn is approximately 8 acres and provides protection of shade in the summer and warmth in the winter. These cows are surely living a luxurious life!
The Milking Process
With over 2,000 cows to milk, you might be wondering “how in the world is this done?!” At Oakridge Dairy, they give the cows what they want: routine. The cows are used to this innovative operation that consists of a state of the art milking carousel. This carousel holds 72 stalls that slowly rotate at a steady pace. Upon arrival, the cow’s teats and udders are cleaned and then hooked up to the automated milking unit that releases when the cows are finished. This whole process only takes about 10 minutes!
Once the cow’s job is done, the milk is then taken to a unit that cools the milk from 100 degrees to 37 degrees in just three seconds -wow! The milk is then stored in insulated, thermos-like, 6,000 gallon tanker trucks. Finally the milk is tested for quality, labeled, and sealed before heading to the bottling facility!
Fun Facts About the Oakridge Milking Process!
Cows are never treated with rBST
Cows are milked 3 times a day
Their cows make about 10 gallons of milk each day
About 420 cows are milked in an hour
They ship out about 25,000 gallons of milk a day
It takes 3 minutes from cow to milk truck
How You Can Help!
Seth states, “the support of our community is invaluable to us. By choosing Oakridge Dairy products, consumers are not only getting fresh, wholesome dairy products, but also supporting local agriculture and our commitment to environmental stewardship.” He encourages the community to buy local products and spread the word about the importance of supporting family-owned farms like his.
Not only does Oakridge Dairy produce these delicious, high-quality dairy products, but they also prioritize animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and community engagement. They continuously try to improve their operations by hearing feedback and suggestions from their customers!
Want More?
Oakridge Dairy offers tours that include seeing: the milking process, the cow’s humble abode, the methane digester, the dry cow barn, the cow kitchen, and the calves. These tours last approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes and cost only $12 (kids 3 and under are FREE and seniors 65 and older are only $10). They offer these tours at 9 am and 11 am where you will take a bus ride around the facilities!
Click here to schedule your tour today!
Don’t Miss Out!
Oakridge Dairy is hosting an event that you DON’T want to miss!
What: Oakridge Farm Day!
When: June 29, 2024 from 10am-2pm
Where: Oakridge Farm 76 Jobs Hill Road, Ellington, CT, 06029
Cost: FREE!!! (There will be a food drive, so non-perishable items or donations are encouraged!)
Attractions: Visit the cows! Touch-A-Tractor! Try a Moo Brew! Food Trucks! & More!
To learn more about Oakridge Dairy, check out there website and follow them on social media!
