FFA Tours Heartland Dairy
by Clyde Bondy
February 06, 2010
On Thursday, Jan. 28, 2010, the Putnam County FFA toured the Heartland Dairy and Sharpe Farms located in Knox and Shelby counties. Thirty-one members of the Putnam County FFA chapter attended this event. FFA members had to qualify to attend this activity by participating in four chapter activities and selling a minimum number of fundraising items.
During the tour the chapter members drove through the Heartland Community and heard a tour guide talk about the various activities they are involved in. Then the chapter toured the 7,000 cow dairy farm, where they got the chance to watch a steady stream of cows being milked on the rotating carousel milking system.
The chapter also got a driving tour of the dairy operation and got to view the huge barns where the cows are kept and the calf huts where the young calves are raised after being born. Another part of the tour included a viewing of the goat milking barns. Heartland milks 900 goats and processes and sells the milk to markets in Kansas City and Saint Louis. The conclusion of the tour included samples of cheese made at their creamery and a sample of their Root Beer flavored milk.
After lunch at the Solid Rock Café, the chapter returned home after an enjoyable day.
