Cow-Side Conversations

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Cow-Side Conversations

Center for Dairy Excellence

64 episodes

4 days ago

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! In this episode of Cow-Side Conversations, Steve Harnish of Central Manor Dairy LLC in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania describes how they address bottlenecks on their 200-cow dairy operation, navigate land price constraints, and leverage certain pieces of technology to manage their cows more intensively. From upgrading their transition cow facility and installing cow ID technology to investing in rumination boluses and ...

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Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! In this episode of Cow-Side Conversations, Steve Harnish of Central Manor Dairy LLC in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania describes how they address bottlenecks on their 200-cow dairy operation, navigate land price constraints, and leverage certain pieces of technology to manage their cows more intensively. From upgrading their transition cow facility and installing cow ID technology to investing in rumination boluses and ...

Show more...

Episodes (20/64)

Cow-Side Conversations

Episode 12: Steve Harnish talks about the herd health data that matters and shares his leadership journey

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! In this episode of Cow-Side Conversations, Steve Harnish of Central Manor Dairy LLC in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania describes how they address bottlenecks on their 200-cow dairy operation, navigate land price constraints, and leverage certain pieces of technology to manage their cows more intensively. From upgrading their transition cow facility and installing cow ID technology to investing in rumination boluses and ...

5 days ago

52 minutes

Cow-Side Conversations

Episode 11: Dee Shafer shares how their farm moved from high risk to financially strong

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! In this episode of Cow-Side Conversations, we welcome our first-ever dairy producer from outside of Pennsylvania. Dee Shafer of Shafdon Farms in Jefferson, Maryland describes her family’s 10-year journey of trying to turn things around financially – moving from a place of being financially strapped with lenders telling them to look for someone else to becoming financially strong and profitable. Some of their most signi...

1 month ago

43 minutes

Cow-Side Conversations

Episode 10: Jennifer Metzler opens up about a recent parlor fire and the community support that carried them through the aftermath

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! In this episode of Cow-Side Conversations, Jennifer Metzler of Pleasant View Farms in Blair County, Pennsylvania opens up about an unexpected parlor fire and describes the aftermath – and recovery – for their 3,700-cow herd. Jennifer describes the on-the-spot decisions her family had to make and how humbled they were by the way their community showed up to support them. A total of 13 farms across Blair, Bedford and Hun...

2 months ago

34 minutes

Cow-Side Conversations

Episode 9: Zach Kreger describes how small dairies can continue to compete and shares how simple improvements have almost doubled production

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! In this episode of Cow-Side Conversations, Zach Kreger of Kreger Farms in Tioga County, Pennsylvania describes how he and his wife, Heidi, have made slow and steady progress over the last 11 years on his family’s 75-cow dairy farm. From simple improvements like implementing a TMR mixer and tunnel ventilation to steady progress with transition planning and herd health, the Kregers have almost doubled production in a sho...

3 months ago

37 minutes

Cow-Side Conversations

Episode 8: Greg Hemsarth shares how they’ve integrated robots into the herd, built trust with employees, and took a proactive approach to transition planning

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! In this episode of Cow-Side Conversations, Greg Hemsarth of Hemsarth Dairy in Columbia County, Pennsylvania talks through his family’s decision to invest in robotic milking technology in 2018. He shares how that investment shifted his approach to employee management, affected his timeline for transition planning, impacted both herd health and labor costs, and allowed him to diversify and start a distillery. Greg descri...

4 months ago

37 minutes

Cow-Side Conversations

Episode 7: Angie Breneman describes new facilities on the farm, what it's like to balance on and off-farm jobs, and how she keeps things in perspective

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! In this episode of Cow-Side Conversations, Angie Breneman of Franklin View Farms LLC in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania describes their constant focus on cow comfort – and how after many years of making modifications to their current facilities, they reached a point of wanting to build a barn from scratch. She shares their upcoming three-stage project to build a new dry cow facility, three calf barns, and a compost stac...

5 months ago

1 hour 3 minutes

Cow-Side Conversations

Episode 6: Joel Krall opens up about working with the hand he has been given and making the most of unexpected opportunities

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! In this episode of Cow-Side Conversations, Joel Krall of Furnace Hill Holsteins in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania opens up about how he has re-shaped his mindset to be content with the hand he has been given. From his passion for genetics that inadvertently led him to grow his herd to new partnerships that spurred him to form a satellite dairy operation, Joel talks about doors that have opened – and doors that have close...

6 months ago

57 minutes

Cow-Side Conversations

Episode 5: Kendra Nissley shares about balancing farm & family, harnessing help from heroes, and life lessons learned on the dairy

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! In this episode of Cow-Side Conversations, Kendra Nissley of Jubilee Dairy in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania wraps up Women’s History Month by sharing about her journey on the farm and trying to find a sense of balance in it all. While farming and family often go hand in hand, it can be challenging to prioritize your children, your marriage and your own needs when the day-to-day responsibilities on the farm are so demand...

7 months ago

55 minutes

Cow-Side Conversations

Episode 4: Nate Mowrer talks about being proactive with transition cow health, building trust between generations & balancing business with the farming lifestyle

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! In this episode of Cow-Side Conversations, Nate Mowrer of Mowrer Farms in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania describes how they try to create a well-balanced business for their family’s eighth-generation dairy farm. This includes all facets of the business, both the hard and soft issues. On the herd management and cropping side, Nate shares how they use technology to be proactive with transition cow health, cut protein co...

8 months ago

38 minutes

Cow-Side Conversations

Episode 3: Brad Hoover discusses his breeding strategy and having patience in building your herd

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! In this episode of Cow-Side Conversations, Brad Hoover of Brook-Corner Holsteins in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania gives a deep dive on the breeding and genetics decisions he makes for his family’s herd of 350 Registered Holsteins. From focusing on fat and protein levels to boost pounds of components to specific types and traits that lead to longevity, Brad discusses the ways they try to maximize herd performance and get...

9 months ago

34 minutes

Cow-Side Conversations

Episode 2: Joe Zug defines what growth means to him and reflects on new endeavors like hauling their own milk, installing a lameness camera & hiring an executive coach

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! In this episode of Cow-Side Conversations, Joe Zug of Zugstead Farms in Juniata County, Pennsylvania defines what growth means to him on his family’s 950-cow dairy. He reflects on major, growth-related projects like building a new dry cow facility and expanding their herd. Joe also shares smaller, more recent endeavors that are helping to drive profitability and growth: deciding to haul their own milk for cost savings,...

10 months ago

22 minutes

Cow-Side Conversations

Episode 1: Paul Mason shares daily decisions that add up on the farm, new cropping technology that optimizes their acreage, and how he builds buy-in with employees

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! To kick off the first episode in Season 5 of Cow-Side Conversations, Paul Mason of Mason’s Chrome View in Chester County, Pennsylvania shares how the details add up on his 500-cow family dairy operation. From unique ways they keep employees engaged with production goals and understanding the “why” behind what they do to calf-raising protocols that have paid dividends, Paul reflects on all the little details and managem...

11 months ago

1 hour 5 minutes

Cow-Side Conversations

Episode 12: Josh Waddell talks about finding innovation in daily tasks, using data to milk the right cows, and managing manure with less mechanization

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! “When you look at innovation, what can you do to your daily tasks to automate them, simplify them, and make them labor-friendly and super easy? That’s where it’s at – your daily tasks.” In this episode of Cow-Side Conversations, Josh Waddell of Apple Shamrock Farms LLC in Northwestern Pennsylvania talks about what innovation truly looks like – and how finding labor savings within daily tasks often gets forgotten on dai...

1 year ago

19 minutes

Cow-Side Conversations

Episode 11: Matt Carr opens up about farm accident, recovery, and keeping your mind in the right spot when running a dairy business

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! We all know that on a dairy farm, it’s very easy to go from zero to 50 in the blink of an eye – but nothing is more important than saving a life or preventing an injury. In this episode of Cow-Side Conversations, Matt Carr, a third-generation dairy farmer from Westmoreland County, opens up about a farm safety accident where he lost the fingers on his left hand. He describes how quickly the accident happened, what the p...

1 year ago

41 minutes

Cow-Side Conversations

Episode 10: Trenton Canon and Josie Offerdahl share sibling perspective on diversification, growth, and what brought them back to the farm

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! In this episode of Cow-Side Conversations, Trenton Canon and Josie Offerdahl (the fifth generation on Canon Dairy in Mercer County, PA) share how they are focusing on diversity as a way to grow. In this interview with the siblings, Trent talks about some of their cropping strategies and farm management practices – from robotic milking technology to cover cropping and direct marketing with beef. Josie describes the crea...

1 year ago

42 minutes

Cow-Side Conversations

Episode 9: Andy Bollinger talks about honing in on heifer management, cow management and forage management

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! In this episode of Cow-Side Conversations, Andy Bollinger of Meadow Spring Farm in Northern Lancaster County, Pennsylvania reflects on how someone once told him that the best dairy farmers are not great at any one aspect of farming, but are good at three key areas of dairy farming: heifer management, cow management and raising your forages. He talks about the unique feeding system he has implemented over the years to m...

1 year ago

52 minutes

Cow-Side Conversations

Episode 8: Amy Brickner shares how she started bottling milk, balances herd work with her value-added business, and continues to dream big even when she is told ‘no’

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! “I got told ‘no’ a lot,” Amy shares as she reflects on the years she spent getting her value-added dairy business off the ground. In this episode of Cow-Side Conversations, Amy Brickner of Stover Farms and Destiny Dairy Bar in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania opens up about her journey to bottling her own milk and how the times she heard ‘no’ only fueled her to fulfill her destiny: create a space for her community to se...

1 year ago

1 hour 1 minute

Cow-Side Conversations

Episode 7: Katie Sattazahn and Jessica Slaymaker talk about farm, family, friendship, and mental wellness

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! For Mental Health Awareness Month, this episode of Cow-Side Conversations showcases how a unique friendship started years ago helps a small group of farm women located across the state balance the highs and lows of farming and family life. Katie Sattazahn and her family farm in Womelsdorf, Berks County, while Jessica Slaymaker and her husband farm in Columbia Crossroads, Tioga County. They share their perspective on wh...

1 year ago

55 minutes

Cow-Side Conversations

Episode 6: Duane Stoltzfus talks about forage and feeding strategies, digester, and succession planning

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! Duane Stoltzfus of Pennwood Farms LLC in Somerset County, PA shares a glimpse inside their nutrition program, the feeding decisions they make for their 600-cow herd as they crop 2,000 acres, and the return on investment they’ve seen after implementing a feed watch technology system. He also describes the ups and downs of having a digester on their farm and explains the lengthy, but fulfilling, journey their family took...

1 year ago

40 minutes

Cow-Side Conversations

Episode 5: Yvette Longenecker describes how they balance growth and profitability when managing satellite operations, modernizing facilities, and working with family

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts! Too often, we hear about dairies that are exiting the industry or those without a next generation. We don’t always hear how dairy farm families are positioning their operations for the future. In this episode of Cow-Side Conversations, Yvette Longenecker of Penn England LLC in Blair County, Pennsylvania shares how they work to find the sweet spot between growth and profitability. With six partners, about 2,100 mature c...

1 year ago

41 minutes