Shatto Dairy Farm

Last year Dylan's kindergarten class went here and I went with them. I learned so much and was really amazed at how they processed the milk and how easy it was to follow and learn about. Today the boys didn't have school so I planned all week to head out there. Friday morning it was supposed to be clear until lunch timeish. No such luck for us. We left here about 9:30 and try as we did to get there before the clouds we didn't make it. We drove through the storm and then waited in the car for a few min while the hard rain pounded on the car. When it let up we hurried in. I was amazed at the number of people who made the trek out to the Dairy farm on such a rainy day. There was already a tour ahead of us and we made the 2nd tour of the day. Our tour was actually so big that half way through the split us up and as they were starting us on our tour they already had enough people for a third tour behind us. They must be making as much money on tours as they do on their milk with so many people there.

First we got to taste 2 kinds of milk, chocolate and root beer. While tasting milk we also sampled 5 different kinds of cheeses that they have just started making there in the last 6 months I think he said. They also sell cream and make butter. I guess it makes sense if those products also come from cow's milk.




We also watched them bottle some milk while he explained the process and where the milk came from and where it goes. Cow - Tank- pasteurizer - homogenizer - bottle. It is so amazing to see all these machines in the same room and be able to follow where the milk goes.



Next we went in and saw them milk a cow. Kendall and Isabella even got some fresh milk sprayed on them :)

Kendall is showing you the thumb that got milked. They let them stick their fingers in the milkers and see what it feels like.

We also got to pet the big cow at the head of the milking station.



Then on to the baby cows. As only mama cows make milk it makes sense that there would be babies there too. We pet the babies and got to try our hand at milking a cow.




We attempted to browse the store afterward but there were just so many people in there that we couldn't much move around so we walked back out to the car.

waiting for Carter...

On the way home we stopped at Sonic for a little lunch
they were all still smiling even waiting for our food to arrive.

and on home for naps and quiet time. Cleaning time for mom.