The Bohemian Moon will host a presentation on Dairy Farming and Immigration in New York State, presented by fifth generation farmer Mike McMahon. The free event starts at 7 p.m., this evening, September 21, in The Bohemian Moon, located at 103 East Main Street in Norwich. (Photo by Kelli Miller)

NORWICH - The Bohemian Moon will host a presentation on Dairy Farming and Immigration in New York State, presented by fifth generation farmer Mike McMahon, who hopes to shed some light on the importance of hiring migrant workers to local dairy farms. The event was organized by a local community group, Chenango Links.

The event starts at 7 p.m., this evening, September 21, in The Bohemian Moon, located at 103 East Main Street in Norwich.

Previous Owner of EZ Acres Dairy Farm, McMahon will present the mutually beneficial relationship between local dairy farmers and migrant workers.

Greene resident and Chenango Links member Meryt Allmendinger recently attended one of McMahon's presentations in Homer and found his information to be magnificent.

Allmendinger invited McMahon to speak in Norwich and share the importance of this economic issue.

She said the presentation is an eye opener as McMahon will share his visit to Mexico when he first talked with the people in the village and asked them if they would like to come to the United States and work for him.

He will share photos of the village and how the money made by the farm workers helped support their families in Mexico, taking them from living in shacks to stick built homes.

"You can't find many people that want to work on a dairy farm," said Allmendinger. "We're a little spoiled."

Allmendinger said McMahon has taken the time to figure out how to help others while also helping his farm and New York.

"Farmers need help, that is what this country is about, how it has evolved and goes way back," she added.

McMahon has been sharing his experiences with immigration obstacles in the dairy industry for 25 years, since he first hired workers from Mexico and Guatemala. He noted it’s difficult and dirty work that most Americans have little interest in.