Lyndale Farms Antwerp, NY

Proud Dad

Few things make farmer Brian Lynch happier than being outperformed in the barn by his own sons. He and his wife, Jennifer, get significant help from the two youngest of their six children, Gannon and Brady, caring for the farm’s herd of primarily registered Jerseys. “They are both huge assets,” Brian says. The young men also take pride in their work, their father says. “What they’re doing means something, not just to our family but to other families. We’re feeding the world.” Plus, he adds, “Working alongside your children, you feel confident you’ve played an integral role in their values and their upbringing.

Born into Farming

Brian knows the exact day his grandparents started farming where he farms now: “May 1, 1948,” he says proudly. “I guess I was born into a family full of dairy farmers. Farming’s been a given to me since I was born.” Along with producing milk, the farm also sells some of its high-quality cows for show animals and raises some beef and pork. “There is no dollar value to what Jennifer and I have been able to do here on the farm that my grandparents started 70 years ago,” Brian says. “If I could do it all over, I’d most definitely be a farmer.” Brian is also active off the farm and has served on the Agri-Mark Board of Directors since he was elected to the board in 2017 by fellow farmers.

Morning to Night

In addition to the youngest Lynch boys still living at home, the couple has help from one hired hand and, during cropping season, their grown kids, family friends and a cousin. It’s a busy life, but Brian relishes it. “The two best times of the day are walking out in the morning and coming back in the door in the evening,” he says. At the start of each day, he explains, “You’re excited to go out and see what challenges are in store and, at the end of the day, you feel a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.”