Learning where milk comes from ODAC | News

The Southland Dairy Association returns to Chatham and the Olde Dominion Agricultural Complex on a dairy show April 22 and 23.

Isaac Hammock is the vice president, and he said this is the fifth time the organization has come to ODAC.

How many people can draw these kinds of events.

“We have anywhere from 45 to 60 exhibitors every year,” he said. “It’s been up and down year to year. Every kid brings parents and grandparents to watch, so there’s usually 200-300 that watch. We’ve had a really good turnout this year, more people than ever. ”

Hammock would say close to 300 people, but he wasn’t sure the exact number was taken from a headcount.

Hammock also said the event had about 100 animals this year.

“That was really neat,” he said. “That was a little above average; We average about 75. What we are doing is starting to grow, and we have a good show every year. ”

One thing that Hammock hopes people will learn or watch.

“Hopefully what people learn is what it takes to make a glass of milk,” he said. “A lot of people and kids enter these shows and work with these cows, they don’t know where it comes from. What we try and teach kids is when they see the milk on the shelf of a grocery store, where it gets made in the back, and where it comes from. It’s a lot of hard work. ”

Five farms were located in Pittsylvania County including Hammock Dairy Inc., Mountain View Farms, Vanderhyde Dairy, Witching Hour and Motley Dairy. Two were about three hours away from Rhodes View Cattle and Richlands Dairy Farm.

Lots of classes were: half pint, senior showmanship, intermediate showmanship, junior showmanship, novice showmanship, master showman, among many cow classes.