By DEBORAH BEHRENDS
Illinois Correspondent HAMPSHIRE, Ill. — It’s not every day one is invited for breakfast at the local dairy farm, dining among the cows being milked and the calves being fed.
Dale and Linda Drendel plan to open their Hampshire farmstead again to the general public for a Dairy Breakfast and Farm Tour from 6-11 a.m. on June 16. The Drendels offer this unique experience to visit a farm and provide others with a better understanding of the origins of their food, such as dairy products.
“This Saturday-morning family activity is meant to be enjoyed by all ages,” said Dale. “We welcome visitors and hope to expand their awareness of locally-grown farm products.”
One of the highlights of the farm visit is viewing some of the 150 Holstein dairy cows being milked. The modern milking parlor accommodates 11 cows at a time and offers viewers an up-close look at the farm’s automation and the transfer of milk from the cow to the holding tank. Milking demonstrations will occur during the regular morning milking time, 6-7:30 a.m.
The farm visit also offers a tour of the barns to see young dairy calves and cows. Visitors will have a unique opportunity to milk a cow by hand, like farmers did many years ago. And they’ll see all aspects of dairy production, from the feed used to the care taken by farmers to ensure their animals are comfortable and healthy.
Equipment used on the dairy and grain farm will be on display.
Visitors may have a chance to sit on a tractor and learn more about farm implements.
To top off the morning, a hearty farm-style breakfast will be served, complete with pancakes, sausage, apple sauce, cheese, milk, coffee and ice cream, from 6-11 a.m. A donation of $6 for adults and $3 for children (6-12 years) will be collected; the price includes breakfast and the farm visit. Children 5 and younger are admitted and eat may free.
The Dairy Breakfast and Farm Tour are sponsored by local dairymen from DeKalb and Kane counties who are members of the Kishwaukee Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA). This is their second annual dairy farm visit.
Bill Lenschow, Sycamore dairyman and chairman of the event, said, “It’s a good opportunity to see real cows and everything that is involved in dairy production.
“As dairy farmers, it’s important for us to share what we do and communicate with our neighbors so they have a good
understanding of production agriculture. We welcome families to experience life on a dairy farm.”
The Drendels are avid promoters of the dairy industry, whether it’s welcoming visitors to their farm, showing cattle at fairs, serving in leadership roles or educating others about agriculture. Dale serves on the boards of the Kishwaukee DHIA, Dairy Lab Services and Illinois State Holstein Association. Linda recently retired from teaching after 25 years.
Their son, Jeff, works with them on the farm. The Drendel daughters, Carrie Corson and Julie, were former dairy ambassadors. Corson now works in public relations for Country Insurance & Financial Services in Bloomington, while Julie is a recent graduate of the University of Illinois and is beginning as a writer for the Jersey Journal in Columbus, Ohio.
For 33 years, the Drendels have been dairying in rural Hampshire. They also farm 650 acres consisting of corn, alfalfa, oats and wheat in partnership with Dale’s parents, George and Marcella.
The Drendel Dairy Farm is two miles northwest of Hampshire. Watch for signs as you get close to the farmstead. There is handicapped-accessible parking available at the farm.
For additional information and directions, contact Lenschow at 815-895-9690 or the DeKalb County Farm Bureau 815-756-6361. This farm news was published in the June 2, 2007 issue of Farm World, serving Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee. |
