Throughout the Hudson Valley, and much of the Northeast, farms are predominantly family run. Nowhere is family cooperation more evident than on a stretch of road in Saratoga County, where three brothers and their families operate the Hanehan Family Dairy in fertile, rolling land between Saratoga Lake and the Hudson River. With a milking herd of 625 cows, the farm is Saratoga County's largest dairy.
The three-way partnership matches tasks with talent. David, a skilled machinist, handles equipment operation; Charlie, meticulous about nutrient management, is in charge of crops; Clifford, experienced with labor issues, manages the barn crew and dairy herd. Charlie's wife Barbara handles finances, and the spouses and children of all the families help with chores.
"Having all of us involved adds to our quality of life and standard of living," explains Charlie Hanehan. "The three-way partnership lets you go on vacation knowing things will still get done," he says.
Hanehan talks about how fortunate his dairy is to have a core group of farming neighbors. Charlie's cousins Marty and Pat, in fact, operate the dairy farm next door. Still, the Hanehan Dairy contends with development in one of the state's fastest growing counties. Several years ago, a neighboring farm came up for sale. "It was prime agricultural ground and highly developable," says Hanehan. "Deep, well-drained soils are hard to come by."
With the help of the neighboring farmer, Saratoga County, the Town of Saratoga, American Farmland Trust and the Open Space Institute, the Hanehans received funding from New York State's Agricultural and Farmland Protection program to purchase the development rights on the property. Hanehan Family Dairy was able to purchase the land at agricultural value rather than market value. "At the price it was selling for, there was no way we could have afforded it," Charlie Hanehan says.
The deal will protect 250 acres across from the nearby Saratoga National Veteran's Cemetery, protecting the cemetery's scenic entrance. The project also helps maintain scenic views from the Saratoga National Battlefield and Park.
Charlie and Barbara Hanehan talk about future challenges. The three families who operate the dairy have 11 children, all of whom have been involved in operating the farm. They are lucky. Many farms in New York - where the average age of a farmer is 54 - have no heirs willing or able to take over.
"Much of our future depends on the next generation," says Charlie Hanehan. "It looks like there is interest among the kids, but how are we going to diversify enough to support the next generation?" |
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| The family operated Hanehan dairy farm keeps busy all year round. |
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