Green Field Farms, a farmer-owned cooperative, will offer a free tour of a production dairy farm and new creamery bottling facility, as part of the 2019 Sustainable Farm Tour and Workshop Series, the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association announced.
The tour is from 9 a.m. to noon Friday in Fredericksburg, Ohio, at two locations: Gentle Slope Farm, 9821 Hogback Road; and at the plant, 594 N. Mill St.
The tour begins at Gentle Slope Farm, where participants can see a certified organic dairy and the beginning of the pasture-to-product process.
Guests will see cows on grass while learning about rotational grazing, calf and heifer management; and about forage, silage and grain production. Guests will also follow the value chain into the milking parlor to observe the double-five New Zealand system, the bulk tank, and how milk arrives safely at the milk truck.
The tour will then move to the creamery to learn more about Green Field Farms’ “Wholesome Values. Wholesome Food.” philosophy.
At the bottling plant, participants will see the handling equipment including bulk tanks, chillers, the low-temperature pasteurization process and the bottling line. The tour will finish with questions, answers and samples of fresh chocolate milk.
For more information, visit the OEFFA 2019 farm tours webpage.
Editor's note: The Wooster address listed in the 2019 Sustainable Farm Tour and Workshop Series brochure for the Green Field Farms Creamery Processing Plant was incorrect. OEFFA asks people interested in the tour to use the Fredericksburg plant address provided here.