McNall Family Farm Article From Last Week's Franklin County Edition

Hi All,

Well, not sure that the Burlington Free Press will like this, but they only put the weekly Franklin County Edition up for one week and then it disappears, otherwise I would link to it. Below is the article and photo that appeared in last Sunday's Edition:

Distinctly Different
By Helen J. Simon Free Press Staff Writer

FAIRFAX — Glenn McNall loves farming despite all the hard work and challenges. His dedication was rewarded recently when the farmhe owns with his father and brother won one of this year’s Dairy of Distinction awards, awarded by the state Agency of Agriculture. The McNalls were among six Franklin County farming families to receive the award, which recognizes well-kept and attractive farmsteads. A total of 17 farms around the state received the honor in August. The largest percentage came from Franklin County. McNall, 44, and his brother David, 35, are the fifth generation to work the Two River Farm, so named because it is at the confluence of the Browns and Lamoille rivers.

Their father, Ralph, 69, is semi-retired and is president of the board of the St. Albans Cooperative Creamery. The McNalls have about 200 animals, including 90 milkers, on 300 acres on the eastern slope of Georgia Mountain with a view of Mount Mansfield. The brothers continue to use the old barn commissioned by their great-great-grandfather, George McNall, in 1896, though they’ve expanded it. “It’s still plumb,” Glenn McNall said last week as he stood outside the white building near a flagpole ringed with marigolds and pumpkins set on a freshly mowed lawn.

“The lines are still level. They built it right.” McNall said he grew up farming and never seriously considered doing anything else. “I like the variety of the work,” he said. “I like the animals and I like being outside.” But he’s not optimistic about the future of farming in Vermont given the challenges posed by rising fuel and feed costs and uncertain milk prices. He said he doesn’t expect either of his sons to take over after him. “I wouldn’t encourage anyone, to be honest with you,” he said. “It’s just too difficult nowadays.” Asked if he feels sad knowing his children won’t be farmers, he says: “Not really. I’ve seen too many other farms be discontinued. It’s just a fact of life now.” Agency of Agriculture spokeswoman Kelly Loftus said most nominations for Dairy of Distinction come from the farmers themselves. A committee then visits the farms and decides if they’re up to snuff. Dairies of Distinction must maintain the standards year after year to keep their award.

There are 170 dairies of distinction in the state, she said. McNall said no one in his family nominated Two River Farm for the award. Nor did the McNalls nominate themselves for the Vermont dairy farm of the year award they won last year, he said. “We aren’t into that.” He said they keep the farm, which is on a dead-end road, nicely maintained primarily for themselves.

“We like to keep it looking decent because it’s our front yard,” he said, pointing to the house across the road from the barn where he lives with his wife, Karen, and their two boys, Maxx, 16, and Mark, 14. “And it helps to market yourself if you keep your operation looking respectable.” Still, he said it’s good for farmers to be recognized for running a quality operation. “It’s nice to know someone thinks you’re doing an OK job,” he said. Asked what they would do with the Dairy of Distinction award when they get it — as of last week it had not arrived — he said, “I’ll just nail it on the barn with the others.”