Unc Brock Farm Schaghticoke, NY

Kris Brock and her husband, Unc, both grew up around farming, but their families were not dairy farmers. Over the years, each were drawn to dairy. “Unc milked cows and I raised calves for another farm,” Kris explains. “It all kind of morphed into us becoming dairy farmers. We just thought it was a great place to raise a family.” Unc Brock Farm recently celebrated its 20th anniversary and, much to their delight, the Brocks’ daughter, Val Lavigne, and her husband, Greg, have joined them with their twin daughters, Nora and Sadie, and son Owen.

The farm thrives on diversity with a productive mix of Thanksgivings turkeys, meat chickens and laying hens, milking goats, horses and a 200-head dairy herd that is an unusual array of breeds. “We’re not particular. We like all kinds of cows,” says Kris with a laugh. “My favorites are Jersey-Holstein crosses, but we also have Holsteins, Linebacks, Guernseys, Shorthorns and Ayrshires. We even milked a Brahma. They all get along; they don’t know they’re different.”

The Brocks are passionate for the farming life. Kris volunteers for the dairy promotion board, she says, “because I love telling people that their food comes from a good place.” In turn, says her daughter, Val, “My husband and I are beyond thankful to be able to raise our growing family on the farm. I think being raised on the family farm is the best way to instill a great work ethic, pride and love for agriculture right from the beginning.”

"For our family, we get to raise our children on the farm, which is the best. And for what we do, we get to tell people that their food comes from a good place", says Val Lavigne.

The Brocks also have a food truck and catering business – truly farm to table! Check it out.