What are “Registered Holsteins”?

As you may have followed on our Facebook page, the kids at Ronnybrook have been showing their “registered” Holstein cows this summer and fall.  We mention “registered Holsteins” in our press materials and on some of our packaging and as I went through the process of registering the kid’s animals and printing off the registration papers and then having to present them numerous times before the girls and their heifers could enter the show ring I thought maybe people would be interested in knowing what it means to be a registered Holstein.

Trevor in line for show at the Ag Fair in Pine Plains, NY

The Holstein Association USA maintains the records for all ancestry, identity, ownership and performance information on more than 22 million Registered Holstein cattle. In extensive data files, they have maintained records and ancestry that trace back to the original 8,800 Holstein animals that were imported to the U.S. from the Netherlands during the period of 1852-1905.

Claire showing Arrow at the Dutchess County Fair with 4-H

Emma in the show ring at the Dutchess County Fair

The 284 dairymen who signed the founding charter of the organization wanted to preserve and disseminate useful information and facts about the Holstein pedigree. They strove to identify desirable qualities and distinguishing characteristics of the best of the Holstein breed, and to promote and communicate these to other dairymen to help increase their business success.

Below is an example of what you can find on the Holstein Association website.  This is the genealogy for Claire’s calf Ronnybrook Toystory Arrow pictured above.

USA 141363332 100%-NA RONNYBROOK TOYSTORY ARROW 01/18/2010

USA 60372887 100%-NA JENNY-LOU MRSHL TOYSTORY-ET 1HO07235  05/07/2001 TR TV TL TY BT  GT USA 21ZML8722 100%-NA 21ZML8722 01/20/2006

USA 2290977 100%-NA MARA-THON BW MARSHALL-ET 7HO05375  03/24/1995 TV TL BT  GT USA 17313307 100%-NA JENNY-LOU PATRON TOYANE 03/29/1997 TR TL TD BT  GT USA 17381486 100%-NA LANG-NORRBOM LORD DANTE-ET 1HO05505  06/16/1997 TV TL BT  GT USA 21ZHV8501 100%-NA RONNYBROOK ZEBO PAMELA 10/14/2000

The whole registration process was especially interesting to me this summer and actually a little ironic after the Osofsky’s had a family reunion where we all added our profiles to geni.com and my family suddenly grew and grew and grew.   I say that because while geni.com does not track the pedigrees of my family members like the Holstein Association does, our cow’s registration papers look exactly like my genealogy on geni.com!

Osofsky Genealogy

Osofsky Family Renuion on Globe Hill Summer 2011

Welcome to the Ronnybrook Blog!

Welcome to the NEW Ronnybrook Farm Dairy Blog!

We are very excited to be starting this blog to share more insider info and happenings with all of our family, friends, customers, and supporters!  This is a brand new venture for us here at the farm, so it will be a bit of an experiment while we figure out what you all want to know from us, and what we really enjoy telling you about.  This will include topics such as: stories from the farm past and present, updates on improvements and product development, discussion about special events, and updates from various members of our “Farm Force” management team here on the farm.  So to begin, I would like to take some time to introduce you to some of our contributors!

Ronnie & Cathy Osofsky: Co-Owners and Founders

Cathy and Ronnie at the Friends of the Farmer Hootenanny Dinner July 2011

Ronnie (the farms namesake) and his wife Cathy have built their lives around Ronnybrook Farm Dairy and have 50+ years of experience combined.  They are very active in the community and are always willing to give tours and educate the public on the importance of dairy and local agriculture. They have many stories about the early years of the farm and dairy, about family and friends, and most of all about commitment to this business and to local agriculture.  They will contribute stories relating to all of those things and more!

Rick Osofsky – Co-Owner and CEO

Rick working around the farm during the summer of 2010

Rick, an attorney by trade, came home to the dairy several years after its transition to bottling milk, leaving his law practice to focus on the family farm.  He is very involved in the day-to-day activities here on the farm and is very committed to the goals of the farm.  He will write occasionally for the blog about topics of interest to him including topics such as: the dysfunctions of certain dairy regulations, the future of Ronnybrook, and how his law background has been useful to the family farm.

Kate Osofsky & Denice Osofsky – Controller & Purchasing Manager, Mothers to Girl Scouts & 4-Hers

Kate sitting on the tractor during one of our on-farm Girl Scout meetings

Denice with Zoe and Olivia in a field of sunflowers near our farm

Kate Osofsky is the daughter of Rick Osofsky and our Controller on the farm.  Not only is she in charge of our finances but also her two beautiful daughters – Claire 10, and Sadie 7.  Denice is our Purchasing Manager and mother of Emma – 10.  Both Kate and Denice are actively involved in the operations of the business, and they are both actively involved in their children’s lives.  Their daughters started showing cows last year at the Eastern NY Holstein Club Black and White show where they will be showing again this year.  They will also be showing at the Dutchess Co. Fair!  You can be sure together they will contribute stories about shows and daughters on the farm.  We might even get a blog entry from the young girls themselves!

Daniel Osofsky – Farm Manager

Dan talking to visitors at our Open House in Aug 2010

Daniel is the son of Ronnie and Cathy and has lived and worked the farm all his life.  You could say that Dan eats, sleeps, and breaths Ronnybrook.  He and his wife Jen, and their beautiful baby girl Tatum, live close the farm and are actively involved in the day-to-day care of our number one priority – our cows.  Dan truly cares about every cow here individually and he will contribute stories about his pretty ladies, their calves, their pedigrees, and how we strive to give them the best care possible.

So, we hope you will check back frequently to learn about all the new and exciting goings-on up here on the farm!  Not only the new, but also the history, legacy, and long-time commitment we all have to this farm, these cows, this land, and to all local farmers here in the great Hudson Valley!  Enjoy!