Educational nonprofit Dairy Discovery Founder Annie Link is a fourth-generation dairy farmer who grew up in Alto, MI with her family farm in her backyard. When her children entered elementary school, she noticed a growing disconnect between students and agriculture, even in their farming community. Many of her children’s classmates had little understanding of a dairy farm’s daily operations. Annie, now a human resources manager at her family’s Swiss Lane Farms, began bridging this gap by inviting teachers and students to visit the farm and learn firsthand where their milk comes from. As interest grew, she formalized the initiative in 2017, turning her community engagement effort into Dairy Discovery.
Today, Dairy Discovery is run by dairy farmer Renee Cauley. School tours are available from April - October and Cow Camp -- where children experience various farm roles, learn about dairy production, and interact with
animals -- is offered during the summer. Of course, one of the first things young students notice during their visit is the “farm-fresh” smell, but that’s quickly forgotten when they get to bottle-feed an adorable calf. This is exactly what Dairy Discovery is looking to do- create a personal connection to modern farming while showing exactly where food comes from.
Young people are often surprised by the size of the cows, and while some quickly adapt to the farm experience, others take time to warm up. Elijah, a student who signed up for cow camp following a visit with his class, was hesitant to be around such large animals, wearing gloves and refusing to touch or feed the calves out of fear. By the third day, however, he had overcome his fears and was hugging the calf he was assigned to care for. He enjoyed the experience so much that he returned for another camp.
Students often have many questions, with one of the most common being why calves are separated from their mothers. Renee explains to them that calving is the most stressful time in a cow's life. To ensure both the cow and calf receive the proper care, diet, and nutrients, they are separated. This allows the mother to heal and return to her routine, something cows naturally seek. Renee also shares that the birthing process is her favorite farm experience because she gets to care for both the mother and calf.
While Dairy Discovery values exposing young children to farm life, their goal is to increase middle and high school students’ interest in pursuing agricultural careers. To this end, Dairy Discovery piloted a program last summer, inviting former Cow Camp participants and 4-H students to serve as camp counselors. This program is part of their commitment to career development for students aged 11-18, offering them hands-on work experience with farm chores and camp activities. Their experience culminated in an on-site agriculture career exploration retreat. From meeting with the organization’s CFO, to shadowing professionals in different roles, students had the chance to explore a variety of agriculture career paths.
Dairy Discovery has grown from simple farm tours to offering hands-on experiences that connect students with modern agriculture. As they continue to inspire students, the focus is now on expanding opportunities specifically for middle and high schoolers, providing them with real-life work experience and exposure to careers in farming. Be it through work or play, Dairy Discovery is helping to shape the future of agriculture.
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