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News Release RI Department of Environmental Management 235 Promenade Street, Providence, RI 02908 (401) 222-2771 TDD/(401) 222-4462
DEM ANNOUNCES THAT WRIGHT'S DAIRY FARM IN NORTH SMITHFIELD HAS BEEN NAMED STATE'S 2007 OUTSTANDING DAIRY FARM OF THE YEAR PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management announces that Wrights's Dairy Farm, Inc. of North Smithfield has been named Rhode Island's 2007 Outstanding Dairy Farm of the Year by the Rhode Island Green Pastures Committee. Winning dairy farmers from each New England state will be honored at an awards banquet in September at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, MA.The dairy farm has remained a family farm for over 100 years. In the early 1900s, George Wright had a dozen cows, whose milk he delivered daily to his neighbors. By the 1940s, his son Ernest grew the herd to about 30 cows, added a pasteurization plant, and expanded the home delivery route. Earnest's son, Edward, saw many regular customers turning to convenience store's low prices, and knew it was time for a change. He asked his customers to shop in their new "milk shed," a rustic building the size of a one-car garage, with the just the necessities: a cooler, counter, and wooden change box. Today, Edward's three children and their spouses, with his advice and help, run an efficient operation, employ 55 full and part time workers, see an average of 800 customers per day, and sell all of the milk that is produced by their 130 cows. Their "cow shed" has grown into a 2,400 square foot retail store, with an expanded product line including bakery items with real whipped cream. The family notes that when the original milk shed first opened, skim milk was becoming more and more popular, so they found themselves with extra heavy cream. Edward and his wife, Claire, chose to make giant cream puffs and cream pies in their home kitchen to sell in the store. They were a hit, and it launched the bakery. Wright's Dairy is an institution for many Rhode Islanders. Customers who visited the dairy farm as children now bring their own children to buy milk and bakery items, and watch through the viewing window as the cows are milked. The cows are housed in a free-stall barn with sand bedding. Their calves are custom raised in Vermont, and returned before their first calving, leaving the Wright family more time and energy to focus on the milking cows. They work closely with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) on their nutrient management plan, and testing done by the University of Connecticut helps them track soil levels for fertilizing and growing their own corn silage. The Outstanding Dairy Farm of the Year award is sponsored by the New England Green Pastures Committee, made up of agricultural interests such as state and federal agricultural offices and farm organizations. Rhode Island's Green Pastures Committee is coordinated by DEM's Division of Agriculture, with members including the Rhode Island Dairy Farmers Cooperative, the RI Farm Bureau, the RI Farm Service Agency and the Agri-Mark Cooperative. -30- |
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