Milk is an important part of Magdalene Gerst’s daily routine, whether it’s milking cows on her family’s farm or feeding milk, cheese, and yogurt to her three young children. Gerst is a 7th generation dairy farmer at Richmond Farms Dairy in North Collins, NY, where she farms with her husband, her dad and her uncle.
Milk is also important to Gerst’s involvement in her community, specifically with school outreach. Working with her cooperative, Upstate Niagara, Gerst provided whole and 2% chocolate milk to Grover L. Priess Primary School, in Eden, NY, where her kids attend school, for a re-fuel after their annual Fun Run. It’s one of several ways she reaches out to her community through milk.
“I thought it was the perfect opportunity to merge our industry with the role milk plays in a healthy diet, especially for students,” she said. “The school was incredibly supportive, and it was rewarding to see the kids enjoying milk after the run.”
Gerst said she takes any opportunity to connect agriculture to the classroom. She’s provided farm tours, brought a calf to school, and served as a pen pal for a second grader to learn more about life on a dairy farm.
To read the rest of Gerst’s story or other stories in our Farmer Focus series, check out NMPF’s Sharing Our Story page.
