By Lisa Halvorsen
In an era where many dairy farms are selling off their herds and shutting the barn doors, it’s unusual to find a family farm that is not only thriving but has been in continuous operation since before the Revolutionary War. But such is the case of the Nelson family, owners of Scotch Burn Farm in Ryegate, Vermont.
Ethan and Erin Nelson are eighth-generation farmers, operating a 500-head dairy in a rural community, population 1,100. Their postcard-pretty farm with its classic white farmhouse and immaculate red barns is the first indication that this is an exemplary farm. A peek into the spacious freestall barn reveals a herd of healthy, contented cows.
But there is much more to this farm than just its outward appearance. It has a high-producing herd, excellent crops and topnotch management, which are among the reasons why it recently was selected as the 2024 Vermont Dairy Farm of the Year.
The award is presented annually by University of Vermont (UVM) Extension and the Vermont Dairy Industry Association, in cooperation with the New England Green Pastures Program, to a farm that epitomizes overall dairying excellence. The winning farm is honored at an awards banquet at Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, Massachusetts, in September, along with the winners from the other New England states.
In Vermont, a team of previous Vermont Dairy Farm of the Year winners serve as judges, visiting the finalists' farms to observe their operations and choose a winner based on a number of criteria including excellence in pasture, crop and herd management; quality milk production; good stewardship of the land; and innovative practices, among others.
According to UVM Extension's Whitney Hull, the awards program coordinator, “the judges were impressed with the number of upgrades Ethan and Erin have tackled in the short amount of time since they purchased the farm four years ago, which include a new manure pit as well as installing an additional bulk tank and remodeling the milk storage capacity on the farm. They also made a few changes to the calf and heifer barn to improve efficiency and comfort.”
She adds that the judges remarked that when it came time to choose the overall winner this year, it was a difficult decision as all of the finalists are outstanding dairy operations. Those farms, listed alphabetically, are Steve and Vicky Carson, Harkdale Farm, Newbury; Seth and Kate Leach, Woodlawn Holsteins, Pawlet; and Earl Ransom, Amy Huyffer and Jackson Ransom, Rock Bottom Farm, Strafford.
The farm can trace its origins back to 1774, the same year that the town of Ryegate was first settled. William Nielson, one of the town’s founders—and Ethan’s ancestor--came to Vermont from Scotland. He had four grandsons who each had a dairy farm in town, properties that have remained in the family, which later changed its name to Nelson, for centuries.
Scotch Burn Farm LLC was formed by Fremont and Marsha Nelson, Ethan’s parents, in 1986. The name comes from Scotch Burn, the local brook (or burn in Scottish). Ethan and Erin became full partners in 2017, moving to their current location in 2020.
“We have purchased the herd and machinery and lease the buildings and land,” Ethan explains. “We are currently working towards our second phase of buying the farm, which is purchasing the land and buildings.”
This farm was previously owned by William and Jennifer Nelson, Ethan’s uncle and aunt. The move allowed them to add more cows as the milking parlor is a double-12 herringbone, an upgrade from the double-four herringbone parlor at their original farm.
“We can milk our expanded herd in the same amount of time as we did with the smaller herd we had at our first farm,” Ethan points out.
The Nelsons currently milk 270 cows on a twice-daily milking schedule. Their rolling herd average is between 24,000 and 25,000 pounds. Butterfat is 4.5 to 4.6 percent with protein averaging 3.25 to 3.27 percent, enviable numbers for a primarily Holstein herd. They ship their milk to Agri-Mark/Cabot Creamery, consistently earning quality awards for their milk.
To enhance cow comfort, the dairy farmers use sand bedding and have added a lunge space and new stalls in one section of the barn to make it more cow-friendly. “It’s worth it,” Ethan believes, “as the cows lay down, are happy chewing their cud and are very comfortable.”
“Heat abatement is more of an issue,” Erin says, noting that “we’ve installed a lot of fans.” They also improved facilities for the calves to help them get off to a good start, key to overall herd health and quality milk production.
“At the other farm, the younger calves were tied in individual stalls, which was labor-intensive and not as comfortable for them. When we moved here, we redesigned the calf area,” Ethan says. “From Day 1, the calves are put in groups of four to six and weaned in the same or larger groups, always in loose housing.”
“When they are born, we give them colostrum and then whole milk,” Erin says, “at least two gallons a day, one gallon per feeding, though they usually drink more than that. They then get free-choice calf starter and water.
“We back off on milk at seven weeks, then try to wean them at eight to nine weeks. All calves in the post-weaning group get high group TMR in addition to hay and grain.”
The farmers raise all their own replacements with heifers bred to have their first calf at 24 months.
“We use SCR ear tags to monitor rumination, feed intake and activity,” Ethan explains. “We can tell if a cow is in heat or not feeling well. We can’t be watching every cow every time. Use of the tags has doubled our pregnancy rate.”
They strive for a 1.5 conception rate with a 70-day voluntary waiting period between calving and next breeding although Ethan notes that if a high producer is in heat at 63 days that they would service her then.
The farm has an added advantage when it comes to monitoring herd health and pregnancies as Erin and her sister, Anna Morrison, are licensed large animal veterinarians, who both attended UVM and later Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine. Ethan is also a UVM graduate, which is where he met Erin.
“I have done large animal work since 2004,” Erin says. “When the practice I worked for closed, farms here had no veterinary service. Anna agreed to do this with me, so we started Blue Mountain Dairy Vet Services in 2023. We focus on dairy and a few beef operations in the Connecticut River Valley.”
The practice recently added a third veterinarian, Megan Foy, another UVM graduate.
“We are all moms who like to work on farms and with farmers and cows,” Erin says. “Farmers need vets occasionally for emergencies, but we are present on the farm on a regular basis for routine care, reproductive services and consultation.”
Good nutrition is paramount to herd health, so the farmers work with a nutritionist to balance rations to keep forage percentages up and concentrates down for healthier cows.
To help maximize milk production, the higher-producing group is fed highly digestible BMR (brown midrib) corn silage and grass, usually at a 2 to 1 ratio, and higher concentrates once they slow down. The low group, who produce less milk and generally are in late lactation, get conventional corn and grass.
The Nelsons purchase grain but grow all their forages, doing all their own crop work but hiring out for custom manure spreading. They hay and chop 300 acres of grass, aiming for several cuts a season, and 40 to 50 acres of alfalfa.
They grow 240 acres of corn with their best fields averaging 22 to 23 tons of silage per acre, 15 to 17 tons for the less productive fields. In the fall, they plant winter rye as a cover crop.
“Any fields with a slight slope, we put in rotation of two years in corn, then eight years in grass and alfalfa,” Ethan explains.
They take additional measures to protect local waterways including the nearby Ticklenaked Pond, a popular town beach and boating area that until recent years registered phosphorus levels above state regulations from farm, road and driveway runoff.
“Some of our ground should not be pastured,” Ethan admits. “So, we try to do everything we can to help protect the water quality of the pond by planting wetland-friendly vegetation and fencing off the area.”
Their efforts align with the goals of the Conservation Reserve Program, which is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency. This land conservation program contracts with farmers like the Nelsons to remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and take steps, such as planting species to prevent soil erosion and improve environmental health and quality.
In addition to making changes to ensure good herd health and high milk yields, the farmers have focused on making improvements to their manure management system.
“Since 2020, they have made upgrades to their manure handling,” Hull says, “switching from a slurry storage silo to a 4-million-gallon concrete manure pit to improve manure handling and for additional storage capacity in the event the farm does expand in the future.” They obtained funding for the project from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets and the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board.
The success of the farm can also be attributed to good employees. The Nelsons employ three full-time and 10 part-time workers, including several high school students.
“Something Ethan said really resonated with our judges,” Hull says. “It was his response to a question about hired labor. He said, ‘We try to hire a lot of high school students because milking cows was such an important part of my upbringing, and I want to give other young people the same opportunity I had.’”
“One employee, Justin Boyce, has been with me for 10+ years, ever since he was 15,” Ethan adds.
Several family members also work on the farm including brother-in-law Jason Morrison. Ethan’s dad manages the dry cow and heifer barn, located on the other farm, and assists with cropping. Cousins Andrew and Grant Nelson help out seasonally. Andrew handles some of the mechanical work and cropping, and Grant works with the herd in winter.
The couple’s three children—the farm’s ninth generation—also are involved with the operation.
Susanna, 17, milks three or four shifts a week, helping with the crops and shadowing her dad to assist with other tasks. Bryn, 14, and Ewan, 11, also help out on the farm and are both active in the 4-H dairy project, including showing cattle and competing in 4-H dairy quiz bowl. All three siblings are members of the Rambling Rivers 4-H Club in Newbury.
The younger Nelsons also grow more than 40 different varieties of pumpkins for sale on less than an acre of land.
“We grow the strangest varieties,” Erin says. “Susanna and Ethan till and Bryn and Ewan plant, but they all like to harvest. Bryn is especially good with sales. A local landscaper buys a lot for fall displays.”
In addition, the farmers sell sweet corn and Angus and Wagyu beef although Ethan admits that none of these are big moneymakers.
“It gives people a chance to stop by and ask us all about our farm,” he says. Pre-COVID, they also hosted their oldest daughter’s school class on a farm visit in keeping with their interest in fostering a connection between young people and agriculture.
When asked about their secret to success, Ethan remarks, “It sounds simple, but I liked growing up on a farm. I enjoyed my childhood and always knew that I wanted to farm.” He acknowledges that having the older generations still involved is a huge asset as they have so much knowledge.
“I know that it’s easy to get stuck on doing something one way, so it’s important to be open-minded,” he continues. “The more you can go to other farms to see what they do, whether for cow comfort or a new way to manage crops, the more you learn and continue to improve.”
Erin agrees, adding that “It’s a matter of finding your own style, what works best for you with your cows, barn and facilities.”
Source : uvm.edu