The Fillmore County chapter of the American Dairy Association invites everyone to their annual Dairy Night on the Farm event. This year’s event will be held June 20, from 4-7 p.m. at Mulhern Dairy.
Cory Mulhern, of Mulhern Dairy, located at 25901 County Road 7 (between Fountain and Wykoff), stated that because of the pandemic, “We’re going to do a drive-through Dairy Night on the Farm.” The idea of changing the event to a drive-through format, rather than canceling the event entirely, was the brainchild of Paul Schriever. Paul and his wife Nicole serve as co-chairs of the Fillmore County ADA. Cory said that instead of having the usual hands-on activities, this year, as attendees drive through, volunteers will hand out dairy treats, including milk, string cheese, ice cream, and cheese curds. Nicole pointed out that the event is free, but there will be buckets available for anyone wishing to make a freewill offering to help cover the cost of the event.
According to Nicole, Dairy Night on the Farm is a well-established event and has been going on for longer than the roughly 15 years that she’s been involved. She said it’s been a very popular outing during the years that she and her husband have been involved in the ADA. The event rotates around to different dairy farms throughout the county. Nicole noted that attendance varies greatly depending on location and weather, adding, “We’ve had almost 1200 people. Last year, it rained on us all day, so I think we had maybe 400 to 500 people. We’re hoping for a really good turnout this year, just due to the fact that people are ready to get out and do things.”
The Fillmore County ADA has a newly designed Facebook page which gives information on the chapter and their various events, including Dairy Night on the Farm. It also includes many pictures of previous Dairy Night happenings, such as farm tours, hands-on demonstrations, and fun activities for kids.
Nicole explained that the main purposes of the event are to promote the dairy industry, to educate the community about what the dairy industry is, and how the animals are cared for. She added, “So this event invited a lot of those people that wouldn’t normally be out on a dairy farm to come out and see the life that dairy farmers live.” She said she herself is an example of someone who formerly knew very little about dairy farming until she met her husband, who worked on a farm.
Nicole also said the event is generally held in the evening, so that more people can attend, including other farmers who may wish to see how another farm operates. She explained, “Going around to different farms, you get a different idea of who does it what way… Everybody is different. And now with technology these days, there’s some that have robots, different parlors, different barns.”
The event depends on the help of a large group of volunteers and donors, including ADA board members, local dairy royalty, little dairy ambassadors, and businesses that support the event with donations and/or helpers. Safety protocols will be in place to help protect attendees and volunteers. There is no registration needed for anyone wishing to attend this year’s event. Nicole also pointed out that due to the drive-through format of this year’s event, in case of a light rain, attendees would still stay dry inside their cars, although she noted that she and other helpers would likely get soaked! But that’s a risk they’re willing to take to keep this popular event going.
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