Doubling down on their ability to not only work hard but to also keep a wide-eyed vision on the future, the Chittenden family certainly has made a reputation for themselves and their nationally known Registered Jersey herd in Schodack Landing, N.Y.
Nearly 100 years ago, in 1925, Paul’s father, Stanley, got his first Jersey cow. The Chittenden’s says the rest is history, as it has been only Jersey cows ever since.
“My grandfather had a dozen cows and when I finished high school in 1962, we were milking 300,” Paul shares.
Paul, who just turned 78, says his father was a progressive dairyman back in his era; always looking ahead and asking, ‘Where are we going and what are we doing?’
That forward-motion vision has certainly played a part in the success story at Dutch Hollow Farm. Today, the Chittenden family milks 850 Registered Jerseys and farm 2,000 acres. Operated under a Limited Liability Corporation, the partners are Paul and Melanie, their sons Brian, Alan and Nathan and the next generation involved is Emily, Quade, Maxwell and Cassie. Their milk is sold through Agri-Mark, where it is primarily used by Cabot to make butter. Milk also makes its way to Beecher’s, High Lawn and Hudson Valley Fresh.
The Chittenden’s Jersey cows have responded well due to good management and solid genetics. The herd has also ranked nationally by the breed association for milk production as well as high protein and butterfat levels. Dutch Hollow Jerseys May rolling herd average was 20,178 lbs. of milk with a 5.6% and 3.7% butterfat and protein levels, respectively.
The Chittenden family’s hard work has not gone unnoticed. They have earned numerous recognitions over the years including the New York State Dairy of Distinction, 2014 Master Breeder Award from National Dairy Shrine, 2012 American Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA) Master Breeder Award and the 2010 AJCA Distinguished Service Award.
Leadership Involvement from One Generation to the Next
Away from the farm, the Chittenden’s wholeheartedly support being involved in the industry they all love and treasure deeply. Each family member has rolled up their sleeves and stepped up, serving on local and national boards as directors within the industry. Brian is the current president of the New York State Jersey Cattle Breeders Association and Nathan is involved with the AgriMark young cooperators, dairy promotion and the National FARM Advisory Committee. Both Paul and Alan have followed the same path as their father and grandfather, Stanley, and are in the leadership history books with the AJCA.
Stanley served two stints as the AJCA President, first from 1964 to 1968, and then again a decade later from 1978 to 1980.
“My dad was a true leader in our state club, the New England Jersey Cattle Club and about any other organization he was involved in,” Paul says. “A Cornell professor once told me that he would have loved to have taught me at Cornell, but I would learn more working alongside my father for a year than he could teach me in four years in Ithaca.”
In 1997, Paul served as AJCA President until 2001, representing the first second-generation president to have served the Jersey organization.
In 2014 Alan was appointed AJCA Director, representing the first third-generation family member to have served in that role. Recently, Alan made the history books once again, as he was appointed AJCA President during the American Jersey Cattle Association Annual Meetings in Portland, Ore., at the end of June, making him the third generation of Chittenden’s to have served in this leadership role.
“I know my father and my mother are looking down on our farm with a lot of pride,” Paul says.
Paul notes that his father strongly encouraged him to get involved as a young producer. But help not only from his father, but from other great mentors that served as AJCA Board of Directors as well, helped push him to continue serving the Jersey organization.
Along the Jersey Road
The Chittendens say that fellow Jersey breeders have served as mentors and Paul notes that along the Jersey road, he would meet a handful of well-known Jersey breeders who pushed him to get involved.
“Doc Malnati, Bob Lord and Tuffy Wright all played a big role in helping me,” Paul says. “Doc Malnati was a very close family friend. He and my dad were in 4-H together and his vet practice was just over the state line and did most of our vet work growing up. He grew up with Holsteins and used to tell how my dad always beat him in the butter contest at the county fair and that is why he switched to Jerseys.”
Paul became friends with Bob Lord when he managed Tymore Farms Jerseys and says that when Bob left there, he started a cattle sales business where Paul helped fit cows and eventually worked his way up the ladder to become even more involved.
“Bob managed some pretty big sales in those days, including the New England Spring Sale, where I eventually moved from a young guy fitting to sale chair and the New York director of the New England Jersey Cattle Club,” he says.
Paul worked the first National Heifer sale managed by Jerseys in Valley Forge, Pa., as well as some of the best-known herd dispersals in the east, where he would connect with Tuffy Wright.
“Tuffy was one of the Jersey leaders in New England and always encouraged a young guy to get involved,” Paul says.
Lead by Example
The example was set by the previous generations, so Paul made sure his sons were available to help work in the New England and New York cattle sales.
“Brian and Alan worked with Tim Abbott and a few other guys working some of those sales,” Paul says. “Brian actually made three different trips to the Pride of the West sales with a truck and trailer. Their involvement led them down the same path as their father and grandfather.”
Alan recalls that the late Jim Cavanaugh, who served as executive secretary from 1956 to 1985, told him when he was 8-years-old that he would be a future AJCA president someday.
“I think Mr. Cavanaugh just saw that I was passionate about Jersey cows and farming and nudged me along the way,” Alan shares.
Like his father and grandfather, Alan grew up getting to know the AJCA staff and Jersey breeders.
“When I was a kid, my dad and grandpa talked Jersey politics, so we grew up with it,” Alan says. “You heard it in the house and in the barn.”
While three generations of Chittenden’s never asked to be in this leadership role, they stepped up to serve when asked by fellow Jersey breeders and industry leaders.
“Truthfully, it’s just what we do,” Alan says. “Step up and serve, which I’m happy to do. I’ve always been passionate about breeding Registered Jerseys.”
