Earl Ransom grew up milking cows on this 600-acre farm in Strafford. He and his wife, Amy Huyffer, carry on his family's tradition of managing the land organically, without herbicides, pesticides or chemical fertilizers. The herd of 50 mostly-Guernsey cows graze on rotational pastures for the entire growing season. Everything that's done, from the crops they grow for the cows, to the gentle routines of milking, is focused on the comfort and well-being of the herd - so the girls create super-tasty milk and cream. Earl and Amy process their milk into reusable glass bottles, using HTST (High Temperature, Short Time) pasteurization which they feel best preserves the flavor and texture of the milk.
Strafford is a small family farm in the true Vermont tradition. The animals are few and known by name, and they eat mostly grass and crops from the farm with a bit of additional grain. Their farm is scaled beautifully to fit their land and community, and their attention to detail shows in their fabulous small-batch ice creams and pure, sweet milk.
