Meet the Meyer Family (continued)

The whole family beams. "Yup," Taylor chimes in proudly, "That's the first time in the history of Vermont that an organic producer got that award. We feel very honored to be recognized."

No doubt. Frankly, I have never seen anything like this operation.

"When my brothers and I decided to take over the family business, we decided to do it right," Nick tells me. "We knew we couldn't expand the old barn to the standards and efficiencies we needed to be sustainable, so we hatched a plan to do some fundraising."

The brothers created a "fundraising kit" with a headline that read:

"WE'RE PUTTING OUR PARENTS OUT TO PASTURE."

Then they asked community members, extended family and friends for donations to help them make the transition to organic, and to build their dream barn and milking parlor.

In return, they promised that they would steward their 400 acres organically, nurturing the precious soil and water. They also promised that their neighbors would continue to see 110 cows grazing contently on rolling pastures, instead of a groundbreaking for one more housing development.

The fundraising effort worked. "The response was awesome. We even named milk stalls after the most generous folks." Nick points out the little blue nameplates on each stall.

To become an award-winning dairy, the brothers combined the wisdom gained from their parents with some slick new technology from Sweden.

Nick describes the workings of their Alpro milk and feed management system. The cows each wear a special collar outfitted with a computer chip, which electronically distributes grain and measures milk weight each day. The cows are also given free choice organic dietary supplements, including kelp, sea salt, vitamins and minerals. Says Nick, "The cows know what they need when they are under stress, whether from change of weather or other factors--we just provide them with the best organic nutrition available and they do the rest." The recipe for success also includes a consistent routine, excellent herd health, and a strict protocol of garlic, supplements, and aloe vera after calving.