The Farm Tour is held every other year. Normally, we ride our bicycles from farm to farm. This year's tour was in the hilly southwest corner of the county, so we rode our bicycles and drove the truck. I can honestly say that half the miles we rode were uphill...
The first stop for us, but the last stop on the tour (so folks could watch milking in the modern dairy parlor), was a family dairy farm established in 1971. The family milks 70 Holstein cows twice a day; grows corn, soybeans, wheat and hay to feed the animals or as a cash crop. As you can see, the family had set up some 'fun' activities for the children.
The next stop was 'Alpaca Corner.' The family purchased their first alpacas in 2003. From the original two foundation females, the herd has grown to eleven with two babies, called crias, due in the fall. The alpacas are shown in halter classes and the fleece is entered in fiber competitions. Alpacas are sheared once a year. The fiber is made into natural colored yarn that is sold at the near-by Periwinkle House.
The next farm we rode our bikes to was a grain farm - up a long and at times, steep, hill and down into the valley. This farm has 1250 acres in its operation, 750 tillable acres: 340 acres of corn, 360 acres of soybeans and 50 acres of wheat. Check out the variety of equipment used in grain farming. Also, notice the combine with the corn head in the front. See the 'spikey' thing above the corn head? Bet'cha can't tell me what that is used for... We, then, rode back up the long hill and coasted down the other side back to the truck to drive to the next two farms.
This farm, established in 1945, started building a herd of show cattle and breeding stock in 1991. The herd is limited to 25 head of cattle. March through May/June all the cows are bred and embryo transplants are performed. July - August, calves are weaned, halter broken and groomed for sale preparation. September - December calves are sold. January - April, a new crop of show calves are born and the process starts all over again. The farm raises 125 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat and 65 acres of alfalfa hay. 
This farm also had animals and a play area for the children. The chickens laid blue/green eggs... how cool is that?!?
Crosswind Farm is a 75 acre farm where mares are bred and their foals are raised to yearlings to be sold at the Keeneland Sales. These two fillies lost their mothers either at birth or at the age of two weeks. They were raised by drinking Mare's Replacement Milk 4-6 times a day for several weeks. They decreased their milk intake until they were weaned at the age of four months. 
Check out the blacksmith's truck! 
Golden Thunder, a miniature horse, is eight years old and wins at the local county fair regularly in driving classes.
All in all, we enjoyed visiting the farms. The temperatures were in the 70's and the sun was shining.
The volunteer host families receive no compensation for their efforts. They welcome members of the community so that their business will be better understood.
# posted by Martha @ 6:19 PM
