Family farm history

In 1778, Noah Parsons III moved with his family to farm on what is now Easthampton Road in Westhampton, Massachusetts. Almost 250 years later, the Parsons family still owns and farms that same land. Margie and Kate run the creamery and farm store. Henry manages the dairy herd and beef cattle. Ed oversees the crops, maple sugaring, compost, and equipment. Currently, the dairy herd consists of about 100 registered Holstein, Brown Swiss, and Jersey cows.

As the farm has passed from generation to generation, the location has remained the same, but the farm has seen many changes. A sawmill was built in the 1840s and remained in operation until the early 1970s. Henry and Ed's father and mother, Mahlon II and Bertha, started raising purebred cows and hauled their four kids and their cows to the local fairs in a big red Chevy. After obtaining a B.S. in Animal Science from the University of Massachusetts, Henry returned to the farm to focus on improving the genetics of the herd. Soon thereafter, a new freestall barn and milking parlor were constructed. In February 2015, we opened our brand new creamery and farm store right next door to the dairy barn. At the creamery, we are bottling pasteurized creamline milk (non-homogenized), including regular and chocolate milk, and making fresh cheeses such as Skyr, Fromage Blanc, and cheese curds in a variety of flavors—including maple of course! Please check the farm Facebook page for hours and more information about the creamery and farm store.

The present company...

A number of family members ensure that the farm runs smoothly. Margie (also a UMass AnSci grad.), runs the farm store, makes the cheeses and maple cream, and bottles the milk—with the very generous help of many old friends from town! Retired from her jobs as Westhampton treasurer and accountant, Margie also handles the farm's finances and bookkeeping. Trina is a longtime entrepreneur and manager in the ice cream and chocolate businesses, experience that has proven invaluable as we have expanded our sales of value-added dairy and maple products. The younger generation includes, on Henry and Margie's side, Ethan and his younger sister Kate, and on Ed and Trina's side, Clint and granddaughter Lana. Ethan is a researcher at MIT, while Kate is the Berkshire County district conservationist for the U.S.D.A. Natural Resources Conservation Service. A Cornell Ag. school graduate, Kate manages the creamery, develops the cheese recipes, and also regulary pitches in around the farm. Clint, a UMass NRE graduate, is currently an Agricultural Specialist with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Most of the time, he keeps an eye on New York's border with Canada, but he never hesitates to hop on a tractor when home visiting family.

And a little glory...

A few years back, Henry and Ed were named the Massachusetts Outstanding Dairy Farmers. In competing for this coveted award, farmers are judged on the basis of farm management, crop management, milk quality, and service in the dairy industry. The award was widely recognized to be the result of the brothers' attention to detail, meticulousness in monitoring their cows' environment, and paying the utmost attention to feeding and breeding. The Parsons family was honored along with the winners from each of the other New England States at an awards ceremony held at the Big E.