By MELISSA HART
Truth from the Trenches 

It feels like three weeks have gone by since I was milling around farms and looking at outstanding cattle in Ohio and Illinois with hundreds of other dairy enthusiasts. Needless to say, I had a great week at the Guernsey, Holstein and Jersey national conventions.

Meeting new people, enjoying the company of old friends and seeing some of the most beautiful farms and cattle were just part of a great experience. The convention sales, of every breed, exceeded expectations of each sale manager.

The attitudes at each convention were upbeat and certainly not reflective of lower milk prices.

I attended the National Guernsey Convention in Walnut Creek, Ohio. Set in the middle of Amish country, this area is one of the most beautiful in the entire state.

But more than that, the Guernsey breed is moving forward with progressive breeders and enthusiastic buyers.

The sale offering was spectacular and the demand was evident of the quality. Like always, the people are what make these events so much fun and I had a great time visiting with folks from Oklahoma to Vermont.

Then it was off to Chicagoland, as St. Charles was the headquarters of the National Holstein Convention. While we had to slow down for buggies at the Guernsey convention, stoplights at every corner were the obstacles in St. Charles. But once we exited the suburbs, the farm tours were exquisite.

I know these farms get all gussied up for the tours, but when it comes right down to the cows, each of the three farms we visited – Golden Oaks, Lindale Holsteins and Luck-E Holsteins – had a barn full of beautifully-uddered cows that were eye candy to any dairyman.

One after another, the quality was deep and noteworthy.

We needed to catch some of the National Jersey Convention so we headed south to East Peoria to settle in on the swollen riverside for this convention. The highlight for every Jersey enthusiast at this meeting was touring River Valley Farms, owned by the Sauder family.

Leaving no detail behind, the cattle were beautiful, the hospitality was sweet and on this rainy afternoon they even provided plastic ponchos for each of us. We enjoyed a personal tour of the boxstall barn full of their show cows and bull mothers, then we were led through the beautiful facilities including the calf barn, the heifer barn and the demonstration of their robotic milking system where they milk 300 Jerseys.

This convention concluded with a family night of food, fun and fireworks.

I’m amazed at the tenacity and ingenuity of the families at each of the farms we toured.

Their success and longevity in an industry with as much volatility as we endure is nothing short of amazing. The hospitality at these conventions was gracious and the people always make these kinds of adventures worth all the late nights and long miles.

What was my favorite part of my week of conventions? Besides the people – well, the endless supply of free ice cream and chocolate milk!

Thank you Guernsey, Jersey and Holstein organizations, for a great time in Ohio and Illinois.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments for Melissa Hart may write to her in care of this publication.