A visit to Highlawn Farm in early winter

12:00AM / Friday, December 21, 2001Print Story | Email Story

Long before the first snow of the season, High Lawn Farm in Lee had already completed the work of getting the farm ready for winter. Their heifers were moved into the barn where they will spend the season housed in groups with optional access to the outdoors. The pregnant cows will keep each other company in their barn until they give birth. The calves have been moved into their own heated barn where they are fed fresh milk for the first three months of their lives. With regard to food, feed corn has been fermented, ready to be mixed with chopped grass and grain, and a winterâ€™s worth of hay is stored. A nutritionist will continue to balance the ratio of corn, grass, and grain monthly throughout the winter as was done year-round. â€œAnd we do not use, nor have we ever used, rBST growth hormone,â€ reported Dave Klausmeyer, the High Lawn Farm general manager. While the seasonal changes at High Lawn Farm are considerable, they have not interrupted the care given the cows or the production and running of their business. High Lawn Farm has been in operation for more than a century. Their Jersey cow herd dates back to 1918, with official milk production records continuous from 1923. In 1935, proprietorship of High Lawn Farm was assumed by Colonel H.G. and Marjorie Field Wilde, from Mrs. Wildeâ€™s family. Certain cow families in the present herd trace direct lineage across some 15 generations to the original animals of 1918. Currently, there are 170 heads of cows being milked on the farm, with a projected increase to 190 heads by the end of 2002. The processing and distribution of high quality Jersey cow milk has been the mainstay of High Lawn Farmâ€™s business operations for many years. At present, more than 1,100 residential customers, 100 restaurants, 40 stores, and other local establishments receive delivery twice each week. All milk is produced and processed on the premises in a facility which meets all applicable health and sanitation standards. High Lawn Farmâ€™s Jersey cows have always been bred for high milk production and strength. Emphasis is placed on developing individuals capable of sustained high milk production over many years, and with the ability to transmit these traits to succeeding generations. â€œWe keep a â€˜closedâ€™ herd, meaning that we use our own breeders,â€ said Klausmeyer. â€œBreeding is very much a science and we pay a lot of attention to that here.â€ Recognition of the contribution of High Lawn Farmâ€™s Jersey cows to the genetic progress of the breed has come from many sources, both nationally and internationally. The American Jersey Cattle Clubâ€™s Master Breeder award was presented to Colonel Wilde in 1960, and then to Mrs. Wilde in 1977. In 1978, Dairy Shrine, an organization representing all dairy breeds, recognized Colonel and Mrs. Wilde with their annual Distinguished Dairy Cattle Breeder award. â€œFamily members still continue to oversee the herd,â€ said Klausmeyer. High Lawn Farmâ€™s Jersey cows are highly sought after by dairy farmers with Jersey cattle herds desiring to improve their stock. According to Klausmeyer, â€œJersey cow milk provides extra health benefits above milk produced by other breeds. â€œJersey milk has 20 percent more calcium and seventeen percent more protein that normal milk.â€ The National All Jersey Milk organization supports this claim, reporting that average milk sold in the United States is considered to be milk that contains 3.69 percent milk fat and 3.21 percent protein. They state that it is well established that varying breeds of cows produce milks of different composition. Jersey cow milk composition, compared to the other major dairy breeds, contains the highest levels of both protein and milk fat. Jersey cow milk also contains greater amounts of milkâ€™s important minerals, particularly calcium â€” 20 percent more â€” than other milks. Jersey cow milk has been shown to contain more Vitamin A and B1 per liter than Holstein cow milk. In addition, Jersey milk has the highest concentration of B2 (riboflavin) than milk produced by other breeds. Klausmeyer stressed the fact that High Lawn Farm does not only strive to maintain the high quality of its products, but also to be a supportive part of the Berkshire County community. In the past, the farm has supported the work of Berkshire Grown and various land trusts throughout the county, as well as hosted community programs with many different area schools. â€œWeâ€™re not a â€˜milk factoryâ€™, weâ€™re a dairy farm. Thereâ€™s a very important distinction there,â€ said Klausmeyer. In addition to their farm fresh Jersey cow milk line, High Lawn Farm also delivers Otis poultry eggs, Gould Farm maple syrup, Berkshire blue cheese (made from their milk), orange juice, lemonade (seasonal), and Crowley cottage cheese. For further information on High Lawn Farm and their products, write to them at 535 Summer St., Lee, MA, 01238, or call 243-0672 Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to noon.

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McCann Recognizes Superintendent Award Recipient

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
05:32PM / Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Landon LeClair and Superintendent James Brosnan with Landon's parents Eric and Susan LeClair, who is a teacher at McCann.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Superintendent's Award has been presented to Landon LeClair, a senior in McCann Technical School's advanced manufacturing course.

The presentation was made last Thursday by Superintendent Jame Brosnan after Principal Justin Kratz read from teachers' letters extolling LeClair's school work, leadership and dedication.

"He's become somewhat legendary at the Fall State Leadership Conference for trying to be a leader at his dinner table, getting an entire plate of cookies for him and all his friends," read Kratz to chuckles from the School Committee. "Landon was always a dedicated student and a quiet leader who cared about mastering the content."

LeClair was also recognized for his participation on the school's golf team and for mentoring younger teammates.

"Landon jumped in tutoring the student so thoroughly that the freshman was able to demonstrate proficiency on an assessment despite the missed class time for golf matches," read Kratz.

The principal noted that the school also received feedback from LeClair's co-op employer, who rated him with all fours.

"This week, we sent Landon to our other machine shop to help load and run parts in the CNC mill," his employer wrote to the school. LeClair was so competent the supervisor advised the central shop might not get him back.

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