2004 Cooperators of the Year
This year we would like to honor Holly and Eric Foster. This young couple has made a tremendous statement about their faith in tomorrow as they have forged ahead to develop a grazing dairy farm. Developing a sustainable agriculture enterprise that would encompass family participation, make a profit, and develop a lifestyle that had more time at home for everyone were some of the goals that Eric and Holly wanted to encompass in their enterprise. There is no doubt that milking cows twice a day will help keep you home. Their ultimate goal is to manufacture their own cheese products and ice cream from their herd of grazing Jerseys and Holsteins.
Holly has already made a variety of cheese products on a small scale as they started milking just one Jersey in their garage several months ago to give some of their ideas a trial run. After discussing their ideas and dreams with our staff they signed up into the EQIP Program for cost share on Waste Storage, and Heavy Use Area Protection for their feed area, travel lanes. and holding pen. To enhance their rotational grazing system, Fencing, Watering Facility, and Pasture Planting practices are being added. The Roof Run Off practice is also being installed. This project got off to a fast start last June and hasn’t taken too long to completely change the landscape at this farm. They are now up and running, milking around 42 Jerseys, with about 40 more Holsteins and Jersey heifers to calve and enter the milking herd next spring.
This farm is the first farm in Talbot County to have a Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan developed for its operation. This is a requirement by NRCS to receive cost sharing on the waste storage system installed. CNMP’s are designed to address all resources on the farm and take into account any pollution or environmental issues that may be present or might possibly arise. The management scheme for this farm is to do rotational grazing on the entire farm. High quality forages are being planted and a fencing and watering system are being developed to allow this herd grazing for up to 8 months each year. Grazing systems lower feed cost up to 50% and offer a more environmentally friendly system for handling cows. The real key to Eric and Holly’s success will be the adoption of their “value added” concept of selling cheese and ice cream made at the farm. They are among a growing number of farmers now trying to capture a higher percent of the food dollars spent in our country. They hope to turn the growing, affluent, population into an asset instead of a problem for farming.
A lot of work still remains to be done but much has been accomplished already. We congratulate you and wish you the very best. We look forward to continuously working with you in what has become a rewarding project for our District Staff.