Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Chenango County is sponsoring the Evening Pasture Walk and Facilities Tour of the Alan Troyer Family Farm from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., June 25, located at 583 County Road 36 in Guilford. (Submitted photo)  

GUILFORD — Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Chenango County is sponsoring the Evening Pasture Walk and Facilities Tour of the Alan Troyer Family Farm from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., June 25, located at 583 County Road 36 in Guilford.

The Alan Troyer Farm is a 40 plus cow organic, A2/A2 grass fed dairy herd that is rotationally grazed for half the year. They recently completed a new free stall barn and milking facility.

“We will be touring the new facilities, as well as looking at the holistically managed pastures,” said CCE Grazing, Forestry, Ag Economic Development Specialist Rich Taber.

Admission is free but reservations are required and must be made by June 24. Call 607-334-5841, extension 1000.

Taber also said refreshments will be served.

“Rotationally grazed refers to cows grazed for six months of the year from about early May to the end of October, when green grass is photosynthesizing and growing,” Taber continued, “Then they're fed hay crops of one form or another, the other six months.”

A free stall barn is the type of barn where the cows are not tethered, but allowed to walk freely around the barn, eating whenever they would like to, Taber explained.

“They are then milked in a "milking parlor",” he said. “This type system is a direct opposite of cows that are tied up in barns and milked in their stalls.”

Taber said A2/A2 refers to the types of beta casein protein in the cow's milk. Many cows are A1/A2, instead of A2/A2, adding, "Supposedly, A2/A2 is better for human digestion."

He also noted holistic refers to managing animals in an ecologically oriented manner which takes the long-term health of the land into consideration. 

About ten years ago, Taber said he assisted a few Amish farmers moving to the area. One of the families was the Troyer family, who he got to know very well through visits to the farm, teaching them about agriculture.

The Troyer's eventually wanted to turn their hoop barn, otherwise known as a stanchion barn, into a free stall barn and called CCE for information.

Taber said he reached out to a few Cornell experts to assist the project.  Farm Strategic Planning Specialist PRO-DAIRY Tim Terry and Central New York Dairy Specialist Daniella Gonzalez Carransa aided in the restructure.

For more information, contact Rich Taber at rbt44@cornell.edu or phone 607-334-5841, extension 1025.