JUNCTION CITY, Kan. — Nestled in the beautiful Flint Hills just a few miles west of Junction City, sits the last licensed dairy farm in Geary County. Hildebrand Farms Dairy, 5210 Rucker Rd., is the last dairy in their area which once boasted dozens of dairies of similar size and scale. This October they celebrate 15 years in the milk bottling business with their Harvest Festival celebration that will be held Sat., Oct. 14 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“If it were not for the bottling business, it is very unlikely that our family would still be dairy farming. It’s a difficult business to be in when you cannot control your price and you never know what the market is going to do,” Melissa Hildebrand-Reed, operations manager, said. “The last 15-years have been a challenge, but the plant has provided cost consistency that otherwise we wouldn’t have. We’ve also grown so much through the years and have connected with amazing people over our milk.”
The Hildebrand Harvest Festival gives visitors a chance to experience a day on the farm and meet the family and the dairy herd that work so hard to make each drop of delicious Hildebrand milk.
Highlights of the event include: a picnic lunch, live music, tours of the farm, hay rack rides, corn pit, cow bouncy house, craft corner, and a hay bale play area. The event is free and open to the public and all are encouraged to attend.
“The Harvest Festival is our opportunity to pull out all the stops and share our farm with the community,” Hildebrand-Reed said. “Farming is very much a lifestyle and we are blessed to have the support of so many that purchase our glass bottled milk. The Harvest Festival is our way to give customers a taste of the beautiful lifestyle that we’re able to live each day.”
The picnic lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. or while supplies last. Cash or check, assist in supporting the children’s ministry of a local church. During the picnic, local musician Keegan Knox will perform from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and the Jake Gill Band will take the stage from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Tours will be available at 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. A member of the Hildebrand team will guide visitors through the free-stall barn, processing plant, milk barn and calf barn.
In celebration of their 15-years bottling milk, a new glass bottle design will be unveiled and available for purchase in their on-site farm store. They will also produce the first batch of their specialty eggnog.
“We’ve had customers calling us since August asking us when eggnog will return,” Hildebrand-Reed said. “It will be fun to offer samples of all our products giving our visitors a taste of everything we have to offer.”
Farm fresh milk, soft-serve ice cream, meat and other local farm products are available for purchase. Credit cards are accepted in the farm store.
In the event of inclement weather, check the farm’s Facebook page at Hildebrand Farms Dairy for updates on possible cancellation or postponement.
Hildebrand Farms Dairy is a third-generation family farm located at 5210 Rucker Rd. Junction City, Kan. The family has been in the dairy industry since 1930, and built an on-site processing facility in September 2008. Hildebrand Farms Dairy products are available in more than 140 locations throughout Kansas. For more information visit www.hildebrandfarmsdairy.com.
— Hildebrand Farms Dairy
