LIVINGSTON COUNTY — This past Friday, members of the Livingston County Chamber of Commerce presented Doug Walker of Walker Farm, a local dairy farm in Wayland, with the 2013 Livingston County Farm of the Year award.
Walker is the 16th recipient of the award, and will be honored at this year’s Livingston County Annual Farmer/Neighbor Evening March 22nd at the Genesee River Restaurant and Reception Center. The chamber members had decided to surprise Walker at Walker Farm in presenting the award along with an invitation to be featured at the dinner event.
“With anyone that works in any family business, it can be a challenge. But the support is always there,” stated Walker.
Walker has been partner at the farm since 2000, alongside his father Don, and currently has financial ownership. He has been involved with the dairy since the age of nine when he first learned to milk the cows. Doug is also the fifth generation of Walkers to own and operate the dairy, where his ancestors first resided in 1865. Don’s father Burrell had primarily raised potatoes once he started at the farm, and there is currently 1100 acres of crop including corn and alfalfa in addition to the dairy aspect of the farm.
“Twenty years ago there were 80 cows on the farm with basically three and a half people,” Walker explained.
Walker Farm is now home to 800 adult cows, with 700 currently producing milk, and the majority of their product being sent to the Polly-O Cheese Plant in Campbell, NY.
“Our milk will end up as far away as North Carolina depending on the time of year,” claimed Walker.
According to Walker, the average dairy farm in New York is close to 150 cows, thus leaving Walker Farm to be recognized as a larger dairy.
Walker will look forward to celebrating the award at the upcoming Livingston County Annual Farm/Neighbor Evening this March 22nd. Also featured at the dinner event will be guest speaker Patrick Hooker, Director of Agribusiness Development for Empire State Development. More information regarding the event can be found at www.livingstoncountychamber.com