Not only does Leanne Casner help run her family’s Clavin Dairy Farm near Rosamond, but she also goes out of her way to share facts about why she milks cows and other information about life on a dairy farm.
Casner attended college and spent three years in the U.S. Army before returning to farm full time in 2009. She created a Facebook page, Daily Dose of Dairy, to address concerns about antibiotic and hormone use, animal care, nutrition and more. Casner talked with Partners about working on both the dairy production and dairy consumption sides of the business.
Who in your family is involved with your farm?
We are a small family-operated dairy, milking about 200 cows. My dad, Matthew, and I take care of the day-to-day operations while my mom, Diane, takes care of the books. I have a sister, Elizabeth, in charge of the cows’ records; a sister, Annette, who is our veterinarian; and a brother, Joseph, who operates our semitruck.
I love the family aspect of working on a small farm. My daughters, Mia and Mabry, ages 6 and 7, are learning how to care for animals while working hard and taking pride in what we do. My husband, Drew, works off the farm but helps on weekends and days off. Several nieces and nephews help milk, move hay bales and do other chores.
Why did you create the Daily Dose of Dairy?
It is so important for dairy farmers to bust myths. We need to show that we care for animals, and we are the original stewards of the land. We must show what a positive difference we have made through the years.
I started the Facebook page a couple of years ago to give some insight into these aspects. So often what we see from the media is skewed to promote an agenda that does not favor dairy. I try to show the daily operation of our farm, talk about how we nurture the cows and sustain the land, and I share the environmental and health benefits of dairy foods.
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How else do you connect with consumers?
We do several tours of the dairy farm each year. The most common reaction is, “I had no idea!” People do not know what takes place on dairy farms. They don’t understand the hard work or the passion needed to run a successful dairy operation. They don’t know about the technology, genetics or education required to be a dairy farmer.
What information do you find to be the most critical to share?
A common myth is that dairy milk is full of artificial hormones and antibiotics. There are absolutely no antibiotics in our milk. Every tank that leaves our farm is tested 17 times to ensure it is completely safe to drink. Dairy cows are not given hormones. We maximize production by optimizing animal comfort and by supplying high-quality feed.
Nutrition is also an important message. Dairy is consumed now more than ever. Milk is a superfood, high in calcium and a great source of protein and vitamins. Yogurt has natural probiotics, and butter is full of healthy fats. You can eat dairy and be assured you promote your health and do something good for the environment.
What are your plans for the future?
I’d like to maintain our current herd size at Clavin Dairy Farm. I like having a smaller herd and continuing the close-knit family atmosphere we have with our employees.
Dairy continues to change with the wants of consumers, so we must be flexible. For example, consumers currently drink less fluid milk but consume higher amounts of other dairy products, such as yogurt.
We are constantly reducing our environmental impact and will continue to connect with the public to share dairy-consumption advantages.
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Wow! My hometown is Pana, of which Rosamund might be considered a “suburb” and I have several friends in the area farming, graduated with some Clavin’s in 1969, and had a math teacher, Sharon? Casner, to whom the ladies in the pictures look very similar. A rush of memories, and further appreciation for what farmers do.