Dairy Farming in Bennington County
Derek McDonald and Catherine LaPenta
| With the completion of the Advanced Placement curriculums examinations and for English Language and U.S. History, our classes took on this project as our final exam grade. Working with a local organization we set up interviews with older residents who have made their living working the land for several years. We're looking to archive this research so that the local history stories will not be lost in the generations to come, as working the land plays a very important role in the continually developing character of Bennington County. Areas of interest include farming of all sorts, forestry, mining, quarrying, pottery, bee keeping, and many more. This site focuses on dairy farming and the ongoing changes from the start of several local farms through the present and into these farmers' outlooks on the future of dairy farming in Bennington County. During the month of May we interviewed several farmers, learned their story and visited their farms. This gives appreciation to an often overlooked, but important part of local life. |
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Dairy farming in Pownal since 1962, Henry Strohmaier has a herd of 195 milking cows, several farms, and a wealth of knowledge on the topic.
A retired farmer still living on his farm gives insight as to how the farm community as a whole has evolved over the years.
With experience as a dairy farmer in Shaftsbury since 1953, Alvan Lawrence notes the changes his farm has seen since he's been here.
With a push for diversification, these local dairy farmers are transitioning from cows to goats.
Technological Advances in Dairy Farming
From milking techniques to computerized record-keeping, dairy farming has gone through many changes.
Special Thanks to:
Henry Strohmaier, Bob Fowler, The Lawrence Family, Rob Holden, Chip Watson, Tiffany Pugliese, and everyone else who helped with this project.