Dedication Marks
CJ. HOUGHTALING
Tioga Co. Correspondent
WELLSBORO (Tioga Co.)
Years of planning and hard work
for Erick and Dixie Coolidge,
the effort proved satisfying when
they received the Dairy of Distinc
tion Award in June 1992.
“Dad wanted it years ago, and I
felt we needed to have a track re
cord showing that we didn’t do it
just for the reward, if we were to
ever apply,” said Erick, who with
his wife, operates a 160-plus milk
ing herd of registered and grade
Holsteins.
Unfortunately, Erick’s father
did not get to see Le-Ma-Re win
the award he passed away in
1988. To Erick and Dixie, the goal
was reached in his memory.
The road to success was cer
tainly one full of rocks and pot
holes, as the Coolidges experi
enced a number of setbacks
throughout their farming history.
The year 1983 was probably their
most difficult year. That June,
their milk market went bankrupt.
Then, Erick’s dad suffered three
heart attacks in three consecutive
months. The final blow of the year
came when their bam was de
stroyed by fire in November.
Their herd was out to pasture at
the time and the only livestock
loss was one calf.
Er| * Jt deter his employees in
finding ways to communicate with him. In the mllkhouse,
Erick finds a note left by Ron Jones.
proudly stands next to #56 Le-Ma-Re Joy, a Hol
stein grade cow featured in the Eastern Al Federated Gene
tics catalog.
A neighbor lent them the use of
a bam at no charge while they
were building a new one, which
they moved into a year later.
The farm has seen changes over
the years in other ways, too. “We
are a Pennsylvania Century
Farm,” said Erick. Although the
paperwork hasn’t been completed
to make them “official,” the Cool
idges have researched their farm
back as far as the mid- 1800 s.
“My grandfather retired in the
late 1960 s and I entered into part
nership with my father in the
19705. The acreage has increased
over the years from 350 since my
grandfather’s retirement to its pre
sent 850.”
There are actually two farms
the Coolidges maintain Le-Ma-
Re where they reside and the other
‘Roadside Dairy,’ what they call
the original homestead, next door.
Erick credits his wife as being
the driving force that keeps their
Le-Ma-Re Farm looking good. In
fact, Erick claims they would not
have received the Dairy of Dis
tinction Award “were it not for the
commitment and hard work pri
marily Dixie does for the outside
appearance of the farm and her
willingness to tolerate us when we
don’t always park the equipment
where we should.”
The award sign, displayed in
Coolidge Dairy Of Distinction
Surrounded by empty stalls, Erick Coolldge awaits the return of his herd from pas
ture for their noon feeding in the 100-head, nine-year-old barn.
their yard, has been an inspiration
to the Coolidges’ employees as
well. Erick said, “The guys have
taken a new sense of pride in not
only the work they do, but the ap
pearance of the farm. They feel a
part of what it’s all about”
While Le-Ma-Re has always
been an attractive farm along
Route 287 south of Wellsboro, the
Coolidges’ beautification efforts
increased in 1991 as they prepared
to host the first Farm-City Day in
Tioga County. Even gray skies in
terspersing drizzle throughout the
day did not deter the turnout of
2,000 people, marking the event a
sound success. The Coolidges’
employees were anxious to host
Farm-City Day then, and appar
ently their enthusiasm hasn’t
changed as Erick said with a
laugh, “Rodney (Cleveland) even
wanted to do it again!”
It is this kind of dedication that
endears his employees to Erick.
“They are the key reasons why
Dixie and I have what we have
since my father’s passing,” said
Erick of Ron Jones of Roseville
and Rodney Cleveland of Wells
boro. “They’re very much a part
of not only the working part of it,
but also the decision making.
They have to understand why we
do what we are doing.” Expanding
that involvement, Erick establish
ed an incentive program allowing
his employees to be awarded
whenever the farm gains through
their efforts.
The success the Coolidges have
experienced with their hired hands
is evident in their herd manage
ment program. Two of their grade
Holsteins are featured in identify
ing herd books. Le-Ma-Re Darrel
#4 is in the Tri-State Breeders
catalog and #56 Le-Ma-Re Joy is
in Eastern AI Federated Genetics.
The Coolidgcs also have two
part-timers: Reid Webster, a
senior citizen, and Mike Confair, a
high school student.
Additional help comes from the
Coolidges’ son Derick, 10, who is
responsible for the outside care
and some of the calves.
Dixie helps, too. Not only does
she take care of their three chil
dren, including daughters, Sha
lene, IS, and Chelsie, 8, she also
keeps their home in order, as well
as does farm chores. Erick is quick
to credit his wife. “She’s very
good with the calves,” he said,
“overseeing their feeding and
medical care, but she also partici
pates wherever she is needed,
from working the ground to raking
Dixie opted for a paint-roller and painting the bathroom
when asked to pose with the Dairy of Distinction sign. Erick
stood next to the sign prominently displayed in a flower
bed adorned with silk flowers arranged by Dixie.
Le-Ma-Re.
hay and milking.”
A firm believer in letting the ex
perts be their guide, the Coolidges
use an Agway feed program right
from day one with newborn
calves.
“It creates an overall balance in
the animal and we are definitely
seeing positive results,” said
Erick.
They grow their own crops of
com, alfalfa, mixed hay, and oats.
Forage samples are then tested to
determine the amount of pellets
added to provide a complete, bal
anced diet.
“Because of the diet they have
been receiving since birth, we now
have heifers entering the herd at
above herd average.”
Their most recent DHIA re
cords show a rolling herd average
17,900 pounds of milk, with 645
in fat and S6S in protein.
Involvement in co-ops has play
ed a large part in Erick’s and Dix-
ie’s farming practices. “In the
mid-80s,” said Erick, “we were
fortunate to be elected as Chair
Couple in the PAFC (Pennsylva
nia Association of Farm Co-ops,
now the Pennsylvania Council of
Co-ops). We were also involved
with Dairylea’s Young Couples
Program and the National Milk
Young Couples Program.” In
1987, they were nominated to rep
resent the Mansfield chapter of
Jaycees and were named Pennsyl
vania’s Young Farm Couple on
the national level at the conven
tion in Orlando, Fla. in 1987.
In praise of these programs,
Erick said, “Each was an enrich
ing opportunity and has given us a
chance to experience different
types of (farm) operations and dif
ferent viewpoints (on farming).
It’s an educational aspect. You
come away with a broader sense
of what’s going on around you.
(Turn to Pafl* A 33)