The end of one year and the start of another is often a reflective period. With that in mind, the editors of Progressive Dairy reached out to our editorial advisers and asked them to reflect on the following question:

Where do you live?

How did you get started in photography?

Providing 4-H dairy youth the chance to purchase a purebred dairy calf and start their own herd is the cornerstone of the Heritage Calf Project, an effort initiated and kept alive by a committee of local dairy farmers, industry representatives and county fair supporters.

With longer days and warmer temperatures, summer on the dairy farm means squeezing in more activities into every hour of daylight. We asked the editorial advisory panel members of Progressive Dairy to submit photos of summer activities on their farms.

“I think cows in general are beautiful creatures. I easily get inspired by personalities, coloring, spots, wrinkles or folds, if they have fluffy ears or long eyelashes, droopy eyes or nose freckles – the list goes on. I love specific details that will grab your attention within seconds.” –Andrea Jorgensen 

If I have been on your farm in the past three decades, you most likely heard me quote my grandfather on my mother’s side. He was the cow guy in my life: my mentor, my sounding board, my guiding light and my kicker-of-butts when I needed it. He was the king of one-liners, storytelling and the keeper of every corny joke ever told in the history of mankind.

How did you get started in photography? RIGGOTT: My father was a professional photographer, so I learned from him at a very young age.

Michaline (Micki) Tomich’s experience design firm, Mixdesign, assisted Fair Oaks Farms with the recent redesign of their agritourism and educational experiences. The new exhibits opened this spring.

No two days in my life are the same. I work with a very diverse group of nutritionists and dairy producers so that no two days repeat themselves. Let me give you a grand overview.