LAKE NORDEN, S.D. – South Dakota Farm Families and the Elliott family are hosting an open house at the Elliott’s family farm, Drumgoon Dairy East near Lake Norden. The event will be on Saturday, September 18th from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Guests attending the free, family-friendly event will see firsthand where the dairy products they enjoy get their start.
The Elliott family is especially excited to share their new robotic dairy with everyone. Visitors to the farm will have the opportunity to tour the dairy, pet baby calves, and eat pancakes and ice cream. Guests will learn more about how farmers care for the environment, their cows, and how milk travels from the cow to the grocery store. The Elliott family moved to South Dakota in February of 2006 from Ireland. The herd at Drumgoon Dairy started with 1,400 cows in 2006 and grew over the years as new facilities were built. The newest addition, Drumgoon East, was completed in 2021, allowing for 5,500 cows to be held between the three facilities. The Elliott family believes that healthy, happy cows will produce wholesome milk. The family also works to ensure that they are providing the best possible care for their employees, and the land, as well their cows.
The Elliott family is no stranger to opening their farm for tours. This will be the third time the family has hosted an open house. “We appreciate the Elliott family’s willingness to open up their farm to their neighbors and folks from the surrounding communities,” said Heidi Zwinger, Outreach Director for Ag United. “We see advances in technology all around us, this event is great way for community members to see how technology can be applied on a dairy farm” added Zwinger.
Drumgoon Dairy is located North of Lake Poinsett on Highway 81. From Interstate 29 go 21 miles west on Hwy 28. Turn North onto US-81 for 1 mile. The farm is located at 19048 US-81, Lake Norden, SD.
The event is sponsored in part by Ag United/South Dakota Farm Families, Undeniably Dairy, Midwest Dairy, and South Dakota Soybean Council.
Follow South Dakota Farm Families on Facebook for details on other summer open houses.
— Ag United for South Dakota
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