Dairy Farmers Honored With Lunch
Following Parade

 

 

by: Bobby McDonald

 

   

Little Kynlee Koon, the daughter of Kyle and Misti Koon, had the best seat in the house, as she sat in her mother's lap
and had all the ice cream she could eat!

 

Following Saturday's parade, dairy farmers and their families attended lunch at the Professional Ag Worker's Building, sponsored by DairyMAX, as they celebrated participation in the parade and the distribution of milk and dairy products along the parade route!

Both DairyMax and the Southwest Dairy Museum participated in Saturday's parade and are promotional arms of local dairy farmers, as they encourage the use of milk and dairy products.

Dairy farmers had reason to celebrate the rich, rich dairy heritage here in Hopkins County, as this area of the state was slowly converted to the dairy industry, when Carnation Milk Company located to Sulphur Springs in the 1930's, offering an alternative to small cotton farming. Strong-willed people converted to milking first Jersey cows, and later adding Holsteins to their herds.

 

 

 

"Worn-out" cotton farms were replaced by coastal bermudagrass pastures and hay meadows, and through breed improvement programs, bull chains, and top pedigreed animals, the industry prospered, when a community embraced the spirit of working together, to build an industry and a way of life. Hopkins County has seen the changes, the ups and downs, and the prosperity that the dairy industry can afford.

 

 

 

Today, although the number of herds of dairy cattle have become smaller, they have become larger, and still are a major portion of the Hopkins County agricultural economy, along with a mult-million dairy support industry, in the form of veterinarians, feed dealers, banks, and dairy equipment dealers, to name a few. Dairy farmers and Hopkins County have a reason to celebrate.

 

Dairy farmers and their families passed out dairy products along the parade route, on Saturday.

 

Saturday's lunch, catered by Big Smith BBQ, celebrated that heritage and paid tribute to the hardworking dairy farm families, and the reason that this community continues to celebrate the Hopkins County Dairy Festival, that is in its 53rd year.

Make plans to attend the Northeast Texas Dairy Show, next Saturday, and the Dairy Heifer Classic Sale, the following Thursday, as you help promote the future of the dairy industry in Hopkins County!

 

 

 

 

Thank You, Dairy Farm Families!!!

 

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