First Milk Pickup at Organic Dairy

Darby Holmes, staff research assistant, helped with the first milking.

On March 21, Cindy Daley, director of the organic dairy program, supervised students in the first milking, a big event at the organic dairy. Two days later, a milk truck from Organic Valley picked up the milk. Sixteen new calves have been born since the program was launched in July 2006. Everything is on schedule for the College of Agriculture’s Organic Open House on April 26, 2007.

Beginning at 8:30 am on the day of the open house, there will be on-going activities until 1 pm, including dairy tours and organic cheese and milk samples. A shuttle service is available from campus to the farm for anyone desiring transportation. At 9:30 am, the dedication of the dairy will begin. Several distinguished guests will be on hand, including A. G. Kawamura, Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture; Jerry Brunetti, Agri-Dynamics Dairy Nutritionist; and Adam Azevedo from Double T Acres Organic Dairy, representing the “Cows Go To College” program.

“This program not only complements our emphasis on sustainable agriculture,” said Daley, “but it also clearly demonstrates integrated agriculture in that all the components of agriculture are represented—soils, agro-ecology, animal science, forages, plant production, ag business, and marketing. We hope many people will come to the open house on April 26 and celebrate the new dairy with us!”

For more information and a complete schedule of the day, go to www.csuchicoag.org/.