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November 8, 2013 ·

Swisslane Dairy Farms & Cuisinart Panini Press GIVEAWAY

family· Fellowship· giveaway· travel· Uncategorized

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A few weeks back on a gorgeous Autumn day I had the pleasure of taking a drive 45 minutes south-east of my home to Alto, Michigan!  I’d love to share with you what I discovered!

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I love nothing better than a drive through the countryside on a sunny Autumn day!

 

IMG_0193My destination this day was a 4th generation dairy farm owned and run by the Oesch family.   Several other local bloggers and I had been invited by the United Dairy Industry of Michigan (UDIM) for a tour of  Swisslane Dairy Farm.

 

IMG_0157As farms continue to disappear from the landscape, it’s important that we take the time to understand where our  food comes from. SwissLane Farms is committed to educating the non-farming public of West Michigan about life on a large, modern, family farm by engaging them in interactive and enjoyable experiences through their Dairy Discovery tours.

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Let me share with you what I learned!!

 

Ribbet collageOur tour guide was Annie the great great granddaughter of the original farmer (Fredrik Oesch).  Did I say SwissLane is a 4th generation dairy farm run by Annie Link and 27 other family members of the Oesch family and that they all live within two miles of the farm?  Despite the fact that Swisslane is considered a large farm or CAFO it feels very small.  Swisslane  milks 1,300 cows with a herd total of 2,700 cattle. The farm continues to grow, as does the family.   The dreams of a young man (Annies great great Grandfather) from Switzerland remain alive and are being passed down through generations. This is not just a farm or a business Swisslane is the Oesch family heritage!

I love it!! This is real America people!!

Q:What is a CAFO?  I had heard the word used many times in a derogatory way, so after touring Swisslane and seeing the excessive attention and love they put in to taking care of their cattle I was shocked to hear Annie say that they were a CAFO.  A: CAFO = Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation is the legal description for a large farm.  Many CAFO started as smaller farms that grew over the years to support additional family members who wanted to stay on the farm, 98 percent of all the dairy farms in Michigan are family owned and operated.

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Annie, our tour guide, is the calf manager and event organizer for her family’s farm.  Annies has a contagious enthusiasm for educating others about how technology benefits their farm and agriculture.  She took us on a hayride around the farm and out to their newest barn where they have four robotic milkers.  You really have to see it to believe it!  It may sound strange, and detached but honestly the care these cows are given is unbelievable.  These are pampered moo moo cows for sure.  Rubber mats to walk on, temperature controlled building with misters, back scratcher massagers…sheesh I wanna be a cow at SwissLane.

IMG_0197Our hayride adventure!  Megan are you having fun yet?   We were very thankful that there was a break in the rainy weather.

 

IMG_0174If you are a Michigander you can rest easy knowing that the milk you drink is of the highest quality.  Our farmers are held to very tough standards!  Michigan is also a surplus state, which means that we produce more milk than we can use so our milk is shipped to other states that cannot produce what they need.  This also means, unless you are purchasing some fancy fru fru milk, the milk you drink is from a local family owned and operated farm!  Music to my ears 😉

What questions would you have for Annie if you were on the dairy farm tour with us?

 

Ribbet collage1At the end of this beautiful Autumn day our minds were full of all we had learned but our bellies were empty.  Lucky for us when we arrived back to the “teaching” barn there was a beautiful lunch set up for us.  We were given an array of cheeses, cold cuts, and other tasty toppings so that we could each create our very own panini that was then pressed and brought to our table!  If you are looking for more ways to get dairy in your diet, check out the UDIM website for recipes.

 

NOW THE GIVEAWAY DETAILS!

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I am very thankful to the UDIM for asking me to be a part of this trip and for graciously giving me an extra Gift Package to give to one of my readers!!  That’s YOU!

GIVEAWAY INCLUDES:

1 Cuisinart Griddler Panini Press

1 Got Milk cooler bag

1 very shiek and stylish Got Milk Apron

and 1 copy of the Grilled Cheese 50 recipes to make you melt! Cookbook

 

To win all you need to do is answer the question asked in the body of the post  in the comments.

Additional BONUS ENTRIES will be given for:

1. Liking or following UDIM Facebook page, and Pinterest Board then letting me know with an additional comment below.

-in addition if you share this post on your facebook page or tweet about it leave the URL to it in the comments for another entry.

– also is it possible that you don’t follow Eat2gather on facebook, twitter, or Pinterest yet?  Well get on it!  let me know you did in the comments below for even more chances to win!

Giveaway Ends Tuesday November 12th at Midnight EST, WINNER will be announced with a luscious panini recipe on Wednesday November 13, 2013!!

 

Best of LUCK to you all!  Sheila

Disclaimer: I also received a gift package and a small amount to cover travel expense.  I was not paid to write this post. I have shared with you what I experienced, as always all opinions are my own.  

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lindsay says

    November 8, 2013 at 1:47 pm

    How much milk they make in a month.

  2. D Schmidt says

    November 8, 2013 at 1:48 pm

    My question would be ‘what is the optimal diet for a dairy cow?’

  3. D Schmidt says

    November 8, 2013 at 1:48 pm

    Follow on pinterest as http://www.pinterest.com/mummytotwoboys1/

  4. D Schmidt says

    November 8, 2013 at 1:49 pm

    Tweeted
    https://twitter.com/mummytotwoboys1/status/398884053983571968

  5. Morgan says

    November 8, 2013 at 3:09 pm

    What her favorite dairy product is!

  6. Melissa M says

    November 8, 2013 at 3:11 pm

    Is that little white cow in the picture for sale? I think she would enjoy living in my backyard! I would name her Vivienne Efegenia Amethyst Loulabelle. VEAL for short.
    How do 27 family members run one family business successfully?
    How old was she when she learned to drive?
    Does she use Bag Balm on her cuticles and calluses like I do? If not, could I send her some?
    thank you for the chance to win, Sheila!

  7. Gabby says

    November 8, 2013 at 3:23 pm

    I would ask, “Can I pet the cows?”

  8. Janey says

    November 8, 2013 at 3:24 pm

    Does the family have a rotation schedule for getting up early to tend to the milking of the herd? What do they do with sick cows or calves (how do they feed them – machine or with hand held bottles)? How are decisions made with 27 family members (I think it’s wonderful they are so successful and remain a family)? Thanks for the opportunity to win a Panini press and Got milk apron!

  9. MaryB says

    November 8, 2013 at 3:35 pm

    I would ask about how attached they become to the cows and what happens with a sick cow or calf. What a business to have family run with 27 members! I’m impressed. I would also ask about how decisions are made when not all agree.

  10. MaryB says

    November 8, 2013 at 3:36 pm

    I follow UDIM on Facebook and Pinterest.

  11. MaryB says

    November 8, 2013 at 3:37 pm

    I follow Eat2Gather on Facebook and Pinterest.

  12. Maureen says

    November 8, 2013 at 3:41 pm

    When the milk is shipped to other states it leaves Swisslane meeting the high standards of the dairy farm and the state of Michigan. Do those states retain the integrity
    and high quality set by the farm and Michigan?

  13. David says

    November 8, 2013 at 4:28 pm

    I have a ton of questions I would ask. How many gallons does the average dairy cow produce in a year? What kind of schedules are the cows on(one week on/one week off, etc.)? Are dairy cows on a specialized diet optimal for milk production?

    It seems like it would be an interesting life to grow up on a dairy farm. A lot of hard work, but with that comes a great work ethic.

  14. David says

    November 8, 2013 at 4:30 pm

    I like UDIM on Facebook and Pinterest.

  15. David says

    November 8, 2013 at 4:32 pm

    I shared on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/david.lintz.12/posts/668476939852544 and twitter at https://twitter.com/1froglegs/status/398925715975839744

  16. David says

    November 8, 2013 at 4:33 pm

    I like you on facebook as David Lintz and on twitter and pinterest as 1froglegs

  17. libby says

    November 8, 2013 at 4:40 pm

    do the cows produce milk 365 days a year, or do they have a down time?

  18. libby says

    November 8, 2013 at 4:43 pm

    I follow on Pinterest and Facebook

  19. Melissa M says

    November 8, 2013 at 4:55 pm

    I follow on Facebook thanks for the 2nd chance to win

  20. Yvette N. says

    November 8, 2013 at 5:12 pm

    I would ask Annie about all the new government restrictions applying to dairies, regarding the types of feed and methods they use for operating their dairy, and if they ever feel the government expectations are too much to handle? The fact that there are so many family members actively involved in running the farm shows they have a true farmer’s spirit.
    Our cousins had a small dairy farm in Washington state, but just couldn’t keep up with all the costs and improvements involved, and at the time, the price of milk was way down, too.

  21. Jessie C. says

    November 8, 2013 at 5:12 pm

    Does the farm tour open to public?

  22. Jessie C. says

    November 8, 2013 at 5:13 pm

    follow Eat2gather on facebook

  23. Jessie C. says

    November 8, 2013 at 5:14 pm

    -https://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/398936421005672448

  24. Jessie C. says

    November 8, 2013 at 5:14 pm

    -https://www.facebook.com/tcarolinep/posts/10201080781397817

  25. Yvette N. says

    November 8, 2013 at 5:14 pm

    I follow eat2gather on Facebook, too.

  26. Kari says

    November 8, 2013 at 5:49 pm

    A CAFO is a concentrated animal feeding operation. It looked like a fun tour!

  27. kiki c. says

    November 8, 2013 at 6:34 pm

    Are any of your farm products available in South Carolina and if not, will they be?

    • Sheila says

      November 9, 2013 at 8:25 am

      Unfortunately not. Much of the milk from Swisslane goes to different producer for yoghurt, cheese and other dairy products. Thanks for asking!

  28. Shelly says

    November 8, 2013 at 7:21 pm

    I would ask how much milk is produced daily on their farm.

  29. Shelly says

    November 8, 2013 at 7:22 pm

    I like you on Facebook.

  30. Blessie Nelson says

    November 8, 2013 at 8:54 pm

    I would ask if they feed cows with antibiotics? I am concerned about the healthy effects it causes in humans.

    • Sheila says

      November 9, 2013 at 8:22 am

      They are not allowed to use antibiotics on the cows. If they do use them it’s because of illness, they have to remove the cow from the herd and put them in the “cow hospital” when they are batter and their milk has been tested and shows that its free of any of the medication then they can go back into the herd to be milked. Every drop of milk that leaves the farm is tested before, if it doesn’t meet strict standards it has to be dumped, and that is a huge loss, so they are very careful.

      • Blessie Nelson says

        November 11, 2013 at 12:06 am

        That’s very reassuring to know, Sheila! It gives us consumers more confidence to buy their milk!

  31. Blessie Nelson says

    November 8, 2013 at 8:54 pm

    I follow UDIM Facebook page as Blessie Nelson and their pinterest page as Blesseliz.

  32. Blessie Nelson says

    November 8, 2013 at 8:56 pm

    Tweeted and shared!
    https://twitter.com/Bless_Eliz/status/398992312178466816

  33. Blessie Nelson says

    November 8, 2013 at 8:56 pm

    I like you on fb – blessie nelson

  34. Blessie Nelson says

    November 8, 2013 at 8:56 pm

    I follow you on pinterest as blesseliz

  35. Blessie Nelson says

    November 8, 2013 at 8:57 pm

    I follow you on twitter as @Bless_Eliz

  36. Eq4bits says

    November 8, 2013 at 10:14 pm

    Do you use Udder Balm on the cows udders?

  37. Eq4bits says

    November 8, 2013 at 10:15 pm

    I just ‘liked’ the MDNB facebook page

  38. Eq4bits says

    November 8, 2013 at 10:16 pm

    Also started following UDIM on Pinterest.

  39. Maria B says

    November 8, 2013 at 10:23 pm

    How long do milk cows generally live? How many of those years do they produce milk?

  40. Deborah says

    November 9, 2013 at 12:00 am

    Do they sell milk directly to the public? Any other products sold besides milk? –like cheese.

    • Sheila says

      November 9, 2013 at 8:16 am

      They do not sell milk directly to the public. But swissfarm does have cheese for sale, it’s from another farmer friend of theirs though not them. Cheese making is something they hope to get into in the future. They do have a cute little store right on the farm with Michigan products. http://www.dairydiscovery.com/

  41. Kim B. says

    November 9, 2013 at 2:17 am

    How quickly is the milk on the shelf in the store after being milked from your cows?

    • Sheila says

      November 9, 2013 at 8:13 am

      That’s a good question and I think someone asked it but I don’t have the answer in my notes. It seems like it was quite quickly. This website might give you the answer. http://michigandairynewsbureau.org/

  42. Kim B. says

    November 9, 2013 at 2:19 am

    I follow you on Facebook 🙂

  43. Kim B. says

    November 9, 2013 at 2:29 am

    I follow you on twitter 🙂

  44. Kim B. says

    November 9, 2013 at 2:30 am

    I follow UDIM on pinterest 🙂

  45. Kim B. says

    November 9, 2013 at 2:32 am

    I’m following you on Pinterest 🙂

  46. Erika Betts says

    November 9, 2013 at 7:56 am

    I am curious about how much milk 1 caw can produce in a day. I am also wondering if all those caws have names?
    Thanks for the chance to win Sheila!
    Erika

    • Sheila says

      November 9, 2013 at 8:11 am

      Annie said that the kids name a few of the cows, but she said she ran our to ideas for names and they just went to numbers. If you would like more cow info this is a good website. http://michigandairynewsbureau.org/ Your boys would love this farm Erika!!

  47. Erika Betts says

    November 9, 2013 at 8:04 am

    I just tweeted. 🙂
    Erika

  48. Tanya P. says

    November 9, 2013 at 9:57 am

    How many pounds of milk are needed to make 1 pound of cheese?

  49. Tanya P. says

    November 9, 2013 at 9:58 am

    Liked on Facebook and followed on pinterest!

  50. Beverly Metcalf says

    November 9, 2013 at 10:38 am

    It’s such a beautiful and well run farm. I would ask if they would adopt me, so I could live there. lol. Thanks for having this contest.

  51. Tammy H says

    November 9, 2013 at 11:02 am

    My question would be: Do you drink your milk raw? I wish that I was able to get raw milk locally and legally!

  52. Leslie Metta says

    November 9, 2013 at 11:25 am

    I would like to know their views on raw milk vs pasteurized. And this may sound weird..but how can they tell if a cow is happy? Do they have expressions to tell you they aren’t well that day?

  53. Leslie Metta says

    November 9, 2013 at 11:28 am

    I follow UDIM on FB and Pinterest. Do you need our FB name?

  54. Leslie Metta says

    November 9, 2013 at 11:30 am

    Here’s my tweet, and thanks! :

    https://twitter.com/savingstacksone/status/399212174616170496

  55. Sarah says

    November 9, 2013 at 11:56 am

    On average, how much milk does a cow produce on a good day?

  56. Jessica W says

    November 9, 2013 at 1:15 pm

    I Would love to know how long a cow is normally with them

  57. Jessica W says

    November 9, 2013 at 1:16 pm

    I tweeted too! https://twitter.com/jessrwarfield/status/399238707183489025

  58. Karen J of PA says

    November 9, 2013 at 1:40 pm

    I would like to know if it’s true that milk has a off taste if the cows have been eating the wild onions that sometimes grow in the fields.

  59. Sarah D says

    November 9, 2013 at 3:01 pm

    I would like to know all their old family recipes using that wonderful fresh milk.

  60. Jason Stursma says

    November 9, 2013 at 4:35 pm

    I would ask how many acres are on their dairy farm?
    I liked the UDIM Facebook page
    Following you on Facebook, Twitter, and Pintrest
    Tweeted it:
    https://www.eat2gather.net/2013/11/uncategorized/swisslane-dairy-farms-cuisinart-panini-press-giveaway/

  61. Janet says

    November 9, 2013 at 5:53 pm

    At what age do they start/end milking the cows? Love the white calf! So cute!!

  62. Judith M. says

    November 9, 2013 at 6:24 pm

    How long from the time the cows are milked does milk really stay freshy?

  63. Mari Schmaltz says

    November 9, 2013 at 7:13 pm

    What kind of music do the cows like? I know they play music to them because I could hear it when we camped out that way.

  64. Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says

    November 9, 2013 at 9:53 pm

    Great questions. I visited a local family owned dairy farm a few months ago and the tour was similar but not as “up market” as this one. The love and care these farmers have for their animals is awe inspiring, especially when they have to get up at 4:30am for them every single day of the year.

  65. tiffany says

    November 9, 2013 at 10:51 pm

    What do you think about raw milk?

    • Sheila says

      November 10, 2013 at 10:28 pm

      I really don’t have any opinions either way. I know growing up, my cousins lived on a farm and we drank the milk straight from the cow. I think it all depends on what your used to and what immunities your body has built up. You cannot purchase raw milk in Michigan anymore…at least that’s what I heard. Annie said that they drink their milk, but they cannot sell it or she wouldn’t recommend it to anyone that is not used to it.

  66. Robin says

    November 10, 2013 at 7:13 am

    I would ask her young do they take their kids out to the barns, and what do they let them do. I remember playing on a dairy farm with a friend whose parent’s owned it when I was younger. Steve, my friend, squirted me with milk from the cow and I remember how warm it was, lol!

    • Sheila says

      November 10, 2013 at 10:29 pm

      From the sounds of it their kids are very much involved in the work on the farm…there is no rest for a farmers kid!

  67. Robin says

    November 10, 2013 at 7:13 am

    I follow you on FB.

  68. Karen says

    November 10, 2013 at 9:14 am

    “The farm continues to grow,” Is this farm growing by purchasing more land in the area to support a larger herd or are they looking for ways to diversify, such as in the possibility of cheese-making?

  69. Krista F. says

    November 10, 2013 at 5:29 pm

    I would ask how they get such good chocolate milk, so much better then Hershey’s syrup and milk.

  70. Jennifer L. says

    November 10, 2013 at 8:33 pm

    How much milk do their cows produce annually.

  71. Morgan says

    November 10, 2013 at 9:52 pm

    I liked the fb page!

  72. Morgan says

    November 10, 2013 at 9:53 pm

    I follow on pinterest

  73. Morgan says

    November 10, 2013 at 9:58 pm

    I like eat2gather on fb!

  74. Morgan says

    November 10, 2013 at 10:05 pm

    I follow eat2gather on twitter!

  75. Morgan says

    November 10, 2013 at 10:06 pm

    I follow eat2gather on pinterest!

  76. Morgan says

    November 10, 2013 at 10:18 pm

    i tweeted https://twitter.com/MRobertson13/status/399737816847900672

  77. Kim Porter says

    November 11, 2013 at 1:40 am

    I’d ask her what she felt was most gratifying about her days on the farm. I am so tired of mass produced, GMO foods and the abuse of the animals that produce so much of our food supply. I’d love to spend a day on that farm. Thanks so much for sharing! It warmed my heart.

    • Sheila says

      November 11, 2013 at 10:44 am

      I’m with you. I have learned a lot over the past couple years of food blogging and one thing that sticks with me is bad news makes good news, people make tons of money off making other people look bad, don’t believe every documentary, or book you read. I’m sure there is some truth out there, but the majority of what I’ve seen is hard working people trying to put out quality product. The Oesch Family truly cares about their animals, the environment, and the future of agriculture.

  78. Kim Porter says

    November 11, 2013 at 1:42 am

    I like and follow the UDIM Facebook page and Pinterest Board.

  79. Kim Porter says

    November 11, 2013 at 1:43 am

    https://mobile.twitter.com/dkkporter/status/399789416278802432

  80. Kim Porter says

    November 11, 2013 at 1:46 am

    I follow Eat 2 Gather on Twitter, FB and Pinterest!

  81. Sylvia says

    November 11, 2013 at 2:48 pm

    Sounds like a fun and interesting day! Does any of their milk get shipped to California?

    • Sheila says

      November 11, 2013 at 3:18 pm

      It might make it there in the form of cheese or yoghurt, but I am not sure what brands. Thanks for stopping by!

  82. Lacey Burd says

    November 11, 2013 at 3:19 pm

    I would ask if they ever did tours for children?

    • Sheila says

      November 11, 2013 at 3:23 pm

      They do! If you are in the area here’s all the info! http://dairydiscovery.com/tours.php

      • Lacey Burd says

        November 11, 2013 at 8:16 pm

        Thanks! It turns out I live less than 2 hours away. I would love to take my daughter there for a day trip 🙂

        • Sheila says

          November 11, 2013 at 10:30 pm

          You should! Check the Dairy Discovery website for tour times etc. http://dairydiscovery.com/tours.php

  83. Lacey Burd says

    November 11, 2013 at 3:21 pm

    I’ve liked UDIM on FB (Lacey Jenkins Burd) and followed on Pinterest (Lacey522)

  84. Lacey Burd says

    November 11, 2013 at 3:23 pm

    I like Eat 2Gather on FB (Lacey Jenkins Burd)

  85. Denise says

    November 12, 2013 at 1:26 pm

    How much milk does the average dairy cow produce in a lifetime? Are the cows given breaks from milk production, or is it everyday for life?

  86. Cathie says

    November 12, 2013 at 1:37 pm

    I would ask her what they feed the cows, and whether or not they are given hormones and/or antibiotics. These things are very important to me.

  87. Cathie says

    November 12, 2013 at 1:37 pm

    I would ask her what they feed the cows, and whether or not they are given hormones and/or antibiotics. These things are very important to me.

    • Cathie says

      November 12, 2013 at 1:40 pm

      OOPS. I accidentally hit it 2x. I promise I’m not cheating!

  88. Cathie says

    November 12, 2013 at 1:39 pm

    I “liked” and “followed” Cathie Bullock-Reynolds.

  89. Meryl says

    November 12, 2013 at 3:42 pm

    I’d ask how the cows are fed, and if they’re hormone-free.

    • Sheila says

      November 12, 2013 at 8:38 pm

      They are each fed according to their size and how much milk they produce. And yes they are hormone free, farmers cannot use any form of hormone on dairy cows in Michigan 🙂

  90. Lou says

    November 12, 2013 at 3:43 pm

    I’d ask if their milk is free of rBGH.

  91. Kristina Stranz says

    November 12, 2013 at 9:17 pm

    Does everyone in her family drink the milk and has anyone in the family experienced allergies to any dairy product?

  92. Shelley says

    November 12, 2013 at 9:22 pm

    I am interested in what they feed the cows? Grain? Is it GMO free? Do they graze on grass? If so, is the the grass pesticide free?

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