u/organicvalley

This week, the Organic Trade Association named George and Dora McClelland of McClelland Dairy Farm 2026 Organic Farmers of the Year.

They transitioned to organic production in 2002 and started shipping organic milk in 2003. They use pasture-based practices. California leads the nation in certified organic farms.

A decade ago, hundreds of farmers were fortunate to hear Wendell Berry speak at an annual meeting in Wisconsin. We are grateful for his advocacy for family farms and deep care of the land. Thank you, Wendell.

"Down in the Valley Where the Green Grass Grows"

https://youtu.be/9toML37HD5M

Content Jerome McGeorge was a respected figure at a time when the term "organic" didn't mean anything. In the '80s, he worked with founding members of what would be CROPP Cooperative (Organic Valley), serving as the co-op's first CFO and helping build what would become the nation's largest farmer-owned organic cooperative.

Throughout his life, he was committed to organic agriculture, cooperative business models and a food system that prioritized people and the planet. One of his reflections:

"The greatest change in our human consciousness is that each of us is responsible for our own health. Ancient Tibetan wisdom identifies three sources of health: what we eat, what we drink, and how we behave. Each of us is responsible for all three."

Did anyone here know Jerome, work with him in some capacity or see the impact of his contributions to the cooperative movement?

It was great to see veterans, first responders and farmers (including farmers who are also veterans) sit down for lunch before dozens of cyclists hit the road from Organic Valley's headquarters in La Farge. Riders stopped at the co-op during Project Hero's Great Lakes Challenge ride, which this year carried the theme "Thank a Farmer."

 Project Hero works to build hope and support recovery for veterans and first responders living with invisible injuries. The ride began in the Twin Cities and traveled through farmland and the hilly, winding roads of the Driftless Region. Riders headed to Reedsburg Thursday and are scheduled to complete the ride in Madison.

An organic dairy farmer (with help!) planted nearly 6,000 trees to improve stream health, reduce erosion and support wildlife habitat, including nearby endangered native plants, along the South Fork Chehalis River in Lewis County in Washington. The Chehalis River and its tributaries have faced bank erosion, reducing deep pools for fish. Otters make their home there now, and Coho and Chinook salmon also inhabit the south fork.

This owl landed on the tractor around 6 p.m. It returned the next morning. The owl didn't seem to mind the cows bellowing but left once some farm equipment started banging. The tractor is near a barn on an Organic Valley farm. There is a road on one side but plenty of woods and pastureland surrounding it. Maybe it has a nearby nest? Or do you think it just found a convenient perch overlooking a good hunting spot? 

This owl landed on the tractor at about 6 p.m. earlier this week and returned the next day. The video was taken on an organic farm in central New York near a wooded area. Do you think it has a nest nearby, or did it just find a convenient perch overlooking a good hunting spot?

These are all over an organic farm in Wisconsin. Not 100% sure it's a leopard frog.

It was pretty hazy in north-central Wisconsin yesterday. How are everyone else's cows handling the air quality in the Midwest and Northeast?

Making it through 11 generations of anything is rare. It's been reported that less than 3% of family farms make it to the fourth generation, which makes the Casler family's story remarkable.

The family not only had roots in fine furniture making, but also a commitment to stewarding the land. They've managed to keep the farm going through changing markets and changing technology.

The history is intriguing and others interested in Upstate New York might agree:

3 Centuries and 11 Generations of Family Farming

Do you know of any other Upstate New York farms that have remained in the same family for multiple generations?