So, we set out to experience a dairy farm in North Dakota for ourselves!
VanBedaf Dairy is a family-owned dairy farm established in Carrington, ND in 2008 by Corne and Conny van Bedaf, along with their 3 children. The van Bedafs immigrated from the Netherlands, after realizing they could grow their dairy farming operation much greater in North Dakota due to the small acreage they had in their home country.
Now in their 14th year of farming, we had the opportunity to hear from Conny, a mom and dairy farmer, about how her farm operates. She shared the rigors of farm life, opened up about her pride in her family and her farm, and shared some insider facts with us.
5 Fun Facts About VanBedaf Dairy
1. The van Bedafs started with a small operation of about 50 cows in the Netherlands. They now manage about 1,500 cows in ND! All 3 van Bedaf children (Piet, Dries, and Maartje) work with the farm still. For Brewhalla fans, you may know Maartje for her famous Cows & Co. gelato and cheese found right here in Fargo!
2. They have a staff of 20 employees (including family members). Three different veterinarians rotate shifts 24/7 to make sure the cows are always taken care of.
3. Most of their cows are Holstein cows (think the black and white cows you see), but they have a few Brown Swiss as well. Conny shared that the taste of milk is different, and Brown Swiss cows are known for their gentle demeanor.
4. Cows milk in just 4 minutes, and can produce about 3.5 gallons per milking! They average about 93 pounds of milk per cow per day.
5. All of the milk from VanBedaf Dairy goes to Cass Clay Creamery right here in Fargo. Milk goes from cow to store shelves within just a few days of milking. Now that’s fast food!
“Dairy is very personal in North Dakota,” Conny says. “We have a small population, so people in town know our milk is in the local grocery store and they’re going for it. That’s the definition of community: supporting each other.”
Find a video about our tour of VanBedaf Dairy on Instagram!
Thanks for the fun field trip, VanBedaf Dairy! We’ll be sure to be back next June.
To read more about the van Bedaf’s story, visit midwestdairy.com. And read more about Cows & Co. Creamery on their website, Facebook page, and Instagram page.
