It is the co-op’s vision to support and strengthen community connections with our local producers – so here are their stories! In this Meet Your Producer series, we will highlight our neighborhood farmers, ranchers, and producers so you can see and hear what they’re all about. Support local!
Hildebrand Dairy Farm
5210 Rucker Rd, Junction City, Kansas 66441
(785) 238-8029
About the Farm & the Farm Family
Melissa Reed, great granddaughter of the original Hildebrand, is the marketing and operations manager at Hildebrand Dairy. She has a great love of their farm and her work, and an in-depth knowledge of every aspect of the dairy. She provided insight into each step of the operation.
Hildebrand Dairy is one of three direct to consumer dairies that remains in Kansas. It’ is a difficult and competitive business.
The farm started with humble beginnings in the 1930s when Arnold Hildebrand moved to Kansas from Switzerland. He started with three cows and door-to-door milk delivery. Reed’s grandfather took a particular interest in his father’s work, and what began as an FFA project was the foundation for what the farm is today. They moved up the hill out of a flood plain, and for the next several decades, Hildebrand expanded and operated in the traditional way: working with bulk trucks for milk pick up. In 2008, they began bottling their own milk and that has allowed more family to get involved and for the farm to grow. For it to work well, everyone has a role - maintenance, record keeping, delivery and, of course, farming.
About the Cows
The Hildebrand dairy herd is about 120 cows including Sugar, Emma, Cashew, Red, Charger. Not all of the cows have names, but they all have personality. Reed pointed out different cows, familiar with their quirks and habits. Their calves continue to live at the farm as well, usually at least 2 years. Some go on to join the dairy herd.
They grow all the feed for their animals working with neighboring K-State for just the right blend. The cows have a sheltered space with beds for the night as well as pastures to range. They are divided into groups based on size and experience as mothers. There’s a special ‘vacation’ pasture and pen for expecting mothers as well. Cows are much better suited for cold than heat and Reed says the ideal temperature for cows is about 40 degrees. So, in the summer they like to stay under the shade with fans and misters to keep cool.
About Farm to Table
Cows line up for milking starting at 5:00 a.m. each day. There is a rigorous cleaning routine before and after each milking, and the barn is cleaned while the cows are milked. The hope for the future: robotic milkers,
“Not to reduce labor necessarily, but to allow the cows to choose to get milked more frequently, if they want to,” said Reed.
After milking is bottling. These parts of their operation - livestock management and dairy processing -while they share a site, are very distinct. “We embrace the regulations - our priority is quality,” said Reed, listing a wide range of daily tests and records they keep.
On the docket for the day of the tour: whole milk, heavy cream, and ice cream mix. Staff both sanitize their reusable glass bottles in two-part inspection system, and fill them again.
“It’s a full day, but they make it happen,” Reed says of her team. As one employee passed by with a dolly of 1/2 gallons, she adds “Each bottle weighs 8 pounds, it’s not easy work. But I’m very lucky I’ve got great people who work for me.”
The bottling process is mechanized and hands-free.
“The milk doesn’t see the light of day till it’s in the glass bottle,” says Reed. “Quality is everything. What we milked in the morning is on the truck for Lawrence in the afternoon. What you will have delivered at The Merc today was milked today.”
Reed says she can’t imagine working anywhere else.
“I joke about feeling our age - after 12 years, we feel smarter and now almost sassy as we approach our teen years, but we’re still learning as we go. We feel young - there’s a lot to gain, always. You’ve got to adapt and be flexible.”
You can find Hildebrand milk in 120 stores around the state, including the co-op. There’s also a store on site with all their products - including a few things you can’t find anywhere else: true buttermilk, ice cream, and a variety of neighbor farm goods like chicken, pork, cheese, sausage, and lamb. When it’s safe to gather, the farm hosts kid-friendly events - those are on hold for now, but you can still schedule a tour of the farm Wednesday - Saturday.