My first thought as I stepped onto the land at Hansen’s Farm Fresh Dairy in Hudson, IA, was, “I get to milk a cow today!”
This Little Vegan Went To A Dairy Farm
Yes, I know, I’m a Vegan – and although it may seem counterintuitive for me to want to milk a cow, I am first a wanderer who loves to experience new things!
Harvest Hosts
You might wonder how did I find such a fantastic experience? I subscribe to an app, Harvest Hosts, whose primary purpose is to provide enjoyable overnight opportunities for people who travel by van, RV or tow a camper. This post is about my first experience overnighting at one of those hosts.
The app essentially offers subscribers a list of fun places across the United States and parts of Canada to stay on that business’s property for one night (some restrictions apply). There are wineries, breweries, golf courses, farms and other attraction-based locations.
The Farm Tour
The Hansen’s Farm Fresh Dairy was my first overnight using the Harvest Host App and is absolutely an experience to have – even if you aren’t traveling. They offer milk-based products for sale every day to the public from their family store, and for a nominal fee, you can tour their farm!
All Aboard
The guided tour starts with a tractor-driven trolley ride to where the cows live and play. As we traveled the short mile to the actual working farm, we heard the history of the Hansen family and how they’ve been farming this same land since 1864.
The cows get milked twice a day on the Hansen Farm at 3:30 am and during the 3:30 pm tour, in which I participated. This delightful 2-hour excursion offered each person a chance to feed a calf, walk through the barn, understand how their milk is processed, then milk a cow by hand. We even got to pet kangaroos! (you’ll have to visit to learn out more about that story).
Fun Fact: Have you ever noticed the milk you were drinking looked a little bluish? Have you ever been told to shake it before you drink it? It's because the milk was homogenized - a process by which the fat droplets from milk are emulsified, and the cream does not separate.
Day Is Done
After arriving back at the store at the end of the tour, samples of the Hansen Family Farm bi-products, like cheese curds and ice cream, were available for tasting. Although they looked delicious, I still can’t bring myself to consume milk.
The Hansen’s Family Dairy Farm is a Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Site preserving and telling the story of American agriculture and its global significance.
Goodnight
After a day of wandering, I parked next to a pond for my overnight stay. I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of my evening “on the farm” and serenaded to sleep by the sweet chirping birds and croaking frogs.
Hosting Opportunities
I am looking for businesses that would be interested in learning more about the Harvest Host program. Reach out to me and see if this unique opportunity is for you.
Sometimes the only way to ever find yourself is to get completely lost.
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Kirsti Out Wandering aspires to illustrate well-being in mind, body & spirit, giving unconditional love to self and others, and pursuing all of the wild possibilities life serves up while living full-time from a sprinter van.
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