Farm Hop: When staying with dairy farmers, sometimes you get to sleep next to a milk jug fort. #farmhop #farmlife #travel #adventure #radiancedairy #fairfield #iowa #milkjugs #strangerthanfiction #sleepingbags #sleepover #bff #dairybarn #hayloft
Farm Hop: Radiance Dairy markets their pasteurized milk, cream, yogurt(which is amazing when it's still warm), and fresh cheese to 3 grocery stores and upwards of 20 restaurants all within Fairfield, Iowa, a town of 10,000 people. All the products are processed on
Farm Hop: In addition to grass, the cows at Radiance Dairy are given small amounts of grain at milking time. Francis grows his own organic wheat, corn & soy. Radiance Dairy also grows all of its own hay for winter feeding. Each cow receives approximately 2 lbs of g
Farm Hop: A unique component of Radiance Dairy is that the female calves run with the herd. They milk from their mothers for the first 3 months of their lives. Francis believes that this creates less stress for the animals & a better quality of life. They are then
Farm Hop: Some off the happiest cows you will ever see. These jersey cows are moved to fresh pasture twice a day. This stimulates the soil & offers them a diverse, natural diet. At any given time of year, Radiance Dairy has 90+ cows being milked twice a day. The co
Farm Hop: Francis Thicke in his element; surrounded by lush grass & contented cows. Francis is a soil scientist turned farmer in Fairfield, Iowa. His farm, Radiance Dairy, has become a model for grass based dairy & rotational grazing. The quality of the milk that h