Happy Moo Year 2023

Happy Moo Year! Barstow’s Dairy Store and Bakery reopens tomorrow, Monday, January 9, after our annual winter break. We can’t wait to see you! Tomorrow before 3pm is also the final window to sign up for the Barstow’s 2023 Soup CSA. You can sign up tomorrow in person or online here right now. We’ve been … Read more

Barstow’s Farm In Hadley Takes The Long View

Business West By George O’Brien  January 5, 2023 While she grew up on her family’s dairy farm in Hadley and enjoyed that lifestyle, Denise Barstow Manz had no intention of making the 200-year-old operation a career. “The farm was a place that was fun, and I had a really good time playing with my cousins, being around … Read more

Gratitude Journal: Harvest on our Minds

Harvest on our Minds Corn harvest is underway and the entire farm team is holding our collective breath; praying for no breakdowns, a high quality yield, and a safe silage season. Harvest time involves a lot of sitting. Steven is sitting in the forage harvester, David is sitting while packing the silo, an army of … Read more

Some Like it Hot

Corn General consensus on the farm: this heat wave has got to chill… But some like it hot! Corn originated as a tropical grass and can tolerate exposures to adverse temperatures as high as 112degreesF for brief periods. Corn’s ideal daytime temperatures typically range between 77degreesF and 91degrees! However, growth decreases when temperatures exceed 95degreesF, … Read more

Connecting Springfield Students with Barstow’s Longview Dairy Farm

Karly Dunn, Home Grown Springfield| View Author Bio Visiting Barstow’s Longview Dairy Farm and Bakery transformed my perspective on what “local” really means, not only as a former Springfield Public Schools student, but now as a student advocate and proponent of healthy, happy animals. Growing Up in the City Dairy is a timely topic on the minds of … Read more

Making a difference on the sustainability front

Dairy Foods June 21, 2022 Kathie Canning Turning waste into energy For many dairy companies, manufacturing waste is an unfortunate reality — it is simply discarded, adding to the collective wastewater or landfill burden. Waitsfield, Vt.-based Cabot Creamery, however, knew it could do better. So the cooperative partnered with Vanguard Renewables, Wellesley, MA, about a … Read more

Can Biodigesters Save America’s Small Dairy Farms?

MAY 16, 2022 Modern Farmer Anne N. Connor The sustainable technology presents an opportunity to turn cow manure and food waste into renewable energy and added income. But biodigesters are not always easy to operate, and they can be costly to replace. Small dairy farms in Vermont teeter chronically on the brink of insolvency. Nearly … Read more

Videos Highlight Massachusetts Farmers’ Commitment to Soil Health

Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation February 14, 2022 A series of videos showcases the various ways farmers in Massachusetts are supporting soil health and sustainability. The videos feature produce and other crop growers, a dairy farmer and a researcher from the University of Massachusetts who works with the state’s farmers. Along with a 27-minute video, the … Read more

Snowy Day

Finally, Snow! Snow makes it harder for us to do our jobs on the farm when it comes. Our herd’s routine is the priority, so on a snowy day like today, the cows don’t eat late, the farmers are working on the fetch list promptly at 6am, and our girls should be none-the-wiser that we’ve … Read more

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