2018 Oct 2 Lancaster

Above the original homestead in the foreground.  In the background is the milk pasteurizing plant. This farm near Lancaster started with a dozen dairy cows and 200 chickens in 1935.  They now have 1900 dairy cows and millions of laying chickens.

This dairy farm was just amazing to me.  Below is a horizontal silo.  They spread the alfalfa and corn silage, press it down with these tractors, cover it with plastic and cover it with tires.  After it ferments for several weeks, its ready to feed the cattle.

Below is a building that squeezes the liquid out of the manure.  As you can imagine with 1900 cows, its a lot of manure.  The liquid is then stored in a pond and aerated then used to fertilize and water the crops they raise to feed the cattle.

Below is the maternity barn.  Cows have to have calves to produce milk, so they impregnate each cow so that they have calves every 13 months.  Every cow has a chip on it's hooves that records every time they have a calf and how much milk they are producing.  When their production slows down, then they are sold for their meat.

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This carousel holds 52 cows for milking.  1700 cows are milked 3 times a day.

Cows crowding into the chute to load onto the carousel.  The carousel turns slowly.  When it turns full circle one cow backs off after it's through being milked and another cow walks on.

Below the Kreider farm as far as you can see.

It's really Fall.  These gourds were at an Amish market in Lancaster County.