With mixed emotions, and more than a hint of exhaustion, Steve Strickler watched as a pair of 18-wheelers departed Thursday evening.
Their load — 65 milking cows, the last of the Strickler Holstein Dairy operation — was taken to a farm in Mississippi, to a buyer who sells and buys cattle globally.
It marks the first time there is no milk being produced under the Strickler Dairy umbrella in 85 years.
Strickler joked that the last cow was a bit stubborn as workers tried to get it into the cattle trailer. Maybe it was a sign.
“I was tempted to go up and take it back,” he said.
On hand for the process were brothers Tom and Doug Strickler, as well as several other family members and former employees.
Many pulled out cameras and phones to capture the moment. Others meandered in and out of buildings and farm areas of the now idled dairy.
Selling the rest of his dairy herd was a process that took longer than expected.
Strickler, who had announced he was closing the dairy in the spring, had a deal fall through at the last minute.
So he looked for another buyer.
The animals will likely be a part of an embryonic transplant effort, with their offspring going to Puerto Rico and Turkey.
There remains 20 or so “dry cows” — mature dairy cows that are in a non-milking period for extended amounts of time.
Those will be hauled off sometime next week to join their herdmates down south.
WHAT COMES next remains up in the air.
Strickler will likely sell off his calf hutches and bunk, “to help pay some bills.”
Acquaintances have suggested opening the farm as an agritourism operation. “But that sounds as hands-on as running a dairy,” Strickler said.
Others have encouraged him to continue raising and selling breeding bulls.
