How to Find and Support Local Dairy Farms
Ask around at a local farmer’s market., Search in a nationwide directory., Check with your state’s department of agriculture., Look for regional associations of dairy farmers.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Ask around at a local farmer’s market.
While it might not be a very sophisticated way of finding a dairy farmer, it’s probably the simplest.
Just show up at your local farmer’s markets.
If there are any dairy farmers there, you’ve accomplished your mission.
If there aren’t, ask around.
You’ll probably have the most luck with agriculturalists—those who raise livestock of some kind—but if that doesn’t work, ask the produce farmers as well.
There are a few good resources for finding local farmer’s markets, but the USDA’s stands out.
It gives locations, contacts, and forms of payment.
You can search at https://www.ams.usda.gov/local-food-directories/farmersmarkets.
Another good source, albeit more haphazardly organized, is Local Harvest, a nationwide eat local organization.
Their directory is available from the homepage, just enter in your location at the top of the page.
Access it at http://www.localharvest.org/. -
Step 2: Search in a nationwide directory.
While there is no comprehensive list of dairy farms, there are a couple partial lists available to the public.
Since a search of these directories requires the least effort on the part of the searcher, these are the places you should start.The most comprehensive listing of dairy farms online is at http://dairy-farms.regionaldirectory.us/.
While this directory is far from complete, it’s a good place to start.
From the landing page, simply click on your state and find the farm closest to you.
There are also links to cheese makers, stores, and miscellaneous dairy manufacturers.
Another directory you can search is the Eat Wild directory, located at http://www.eatwild.com/products/index.html.
There’s a US map in the middle of the page.
Just click on your state and it will take you to a listing of agriculturalists in your state. , With the recent growth of the farm-to-table and eat local movements, the departments of agriculture in many states have taken it upon themselves to collect the names of all types of farmers and agriculturalists who sell directly to the public.
Simply conduct an internet search for the department of agriculture in your state and check for any “buy local” initiatives.There’s no guarantee it will work, but you can always call the department of agriculture and ask them specifically if they have any lists of dairy farmers operating in the state. , There are many regional associations of dairy farmers, but most of them are geared toward farmers rather than the general public.
That’s not always the case, so it is worth looking into.One regional association that connects dairy farmers with the public is Must be the Milk, which covers the New England area.
You can find their website at http://www.mustbethemilk.com/. -
Step 3: Check with your state’s department of agriculture.
-
Step 4: Look for regional associations of dairy farmers.
Detailed Guide
While it might not be a very sophisticated way of finding a dairy farmer, it’s probably the simplest.
Just show up at your local farmer’s markets.
If there are any dairy farmers there, you’ve accomplished your mission.
If there aren’t, ask around.
You’ll probably have the most luck with agriculturalists—those who raise livestock of some kind—but if that doesn’t work, ask the produce farmers as well.
There are a few good resources for finding local farmer’s markets, but the USDA’s stands out.
It gives locations, contacts, and forms of payment.
You can search at https://www.ams.usda.gov/local-food-directories/farmersmarkets.
Another good source, albeit more haphazardly organized, is Local Harvest, a nationwide eat local organization.
Their directory is available from the homepage, just enter in your location at the top of the page.
Access it at http://www.localharvest.org/.
While there is no comprehensive list of dairy farms, there are a couple partial lists available to the public.
Since a search of these directories requires the least effort on the part of the searcher, these are the places you should start.The most comprehensive listing of dairy farms online is at http://dairy-farms.regionaldirectory.us/.
While this directory is far from complete, it’s a good place to start.
From the landing page, simply click on your state and find the farm closest to you.
There are also links to cheese makers, stores, and miscellaneous dairy manufacturers.
Another directory you can search is the Eat Wild directory, located at http://www.eatwild.com/products/index.html.
There’s a US map in the middle of the page.
Just click on your state and it will take you to a listing of agriculturalists in your state. , With the recent growth of the farm-to-table and eat local movements, the departments of agriculture in many states have taken it upon themselves to collect the names of all types of farmers and agriculturalists who sell directly to the public.
Simply conduct an internet search for the department of agriculture in your state and check for any “buy local” initiatives.There’s no guarantee it will work, but you can always call the department of agriculture and ask them specifically if they have any lists of dairy farmers operating in the state. , There are many regional associations of dairy farmers, but most of them are geared toward farmers rather than the general public.
That’s not always the case, so it is worth looking into.One regional association that connects dairy farmers with the public is Must be the Milk, which covers the New England area.
You can find their website at http://www.mustbethemilk.com/.
About the Author
Sandra Gibson
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in hobbies and beyond.
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