For the Love of Cows and Music

Growing up on a family dairy farm, fifth generation dairy farmer Melissa Griffin recalls her parents never putting the expectations out for her to come back to the family farm. However, they did expect her to lend a helping hand with farm chores. This allowed Melissa to explore interests of her own, and from early on, Melissa developed a love and appreciation for music, which only grew deeper over time. Something her parents, Paul and Judy Willis, could also relate to, as they too have a deep appreciation and talent for music.

In the fourth grade, Melissa began playing the trumpet, an instrument her father also played.

“He always tells people that by the time I had my first lesson, I was better than him,” she says. “Which I'm not sure that is true.”

With an in-depth music department that included band competitions and a musical performance, Melissa’s high school was the perfect place for a student who wanted to explore music. In the seventh grade, Melissa was invited to play in the high school pit orchestra, which further kickstarted her desire to learn more about music.

Around middle school, Melissa became involved with her community band. Today, Melissa and both her parents participate in a band where they perform weekly outdoor summer concerts. Both Melissa and her father play trumpet, while her mother plays percussion.

Trying to figure out life after high school, Judy told her daughter to keep her options open and that there was no money in milking cows. Melissa took her love for music to college, where her initial goal was to be a professional trumpet player. She holds two degrees in trumpet performance, a bachelor's from U Mass and a Master's from Penn State.

“I always thought it would be cool to play on Broadway, but my life path ended up going a different direction,” Melissa says.

Surrounded by cows and rolling hills, today, Melissa has a hard time picturing herself anywhere else.

“Honestly, I can’t really picture myself living somewhere in a city,” she says. “There was always plenty of work to do on the farm and I liked working on the farm, so, I came back to the farm in 2005.”

Clessons River Farm

The family milks 60 cows via robot in Northwest Massachusetts in the small town of Buckland.

The family’s herd, Clessons River Farm, comprises mainly of registered Holsteins, alongside a few Red Holsteins and a few Brown Swiss cattle.

Like most dairy farmers, Melissa’s to-do list never runs short, as her responsibilities include a long list of pretty much everything except mixing feed and breeding. While dairy farming is hard work, Melissa perceives it differently.

“One of my favorite things about being in a dairy farm family is that even though it's hard work, it doesn’t always feel like it because you’re with family,” she says. “It’s exciting to be able to make decisions as a family and share in the joys and successes on the farm, as well as knowing your family is there on the not-so-good days.”

Before COVID-19, the family decided to invest in robotic milking, which has allowed for a more flexible lifestyle, one that the family has come to appreciate. During COVID, Melissa worked alongside her regional checkoff for a milk donation campaign and pulled out her trumpet, and played for her cows.

Moosic for the Cows

“I was in the middle of the pandemic and there was basically no music going on,” she says. “I hadn't played in several months.”

Naturally, the cows were intrigued. Although humble, Melissa says they were more interested in her music stand than the music coming out of her trumpet. The video shows Melissa playing her trumpet in a corral with curious cows raising their noses, which has also helped raise the video’s views.

“This was a fun project,” she says. “There is something really powerful about music.”

Although Melissa prefers to play in a group, like an orchestra, then a cow pasture. However, she is open to hosting a summer concert at her farm someday.

“You have all these individual players, and some players are better than other players, but when you all get together playing together, the final product can be so much better all together,” she says.

Working together in an orchestra is similar to working together as a family unit on her family farm.

“I work with my parents every single day, which is something that a lot of people don’t get to do,” she says. “We kind of end up being like a family unit, that works well together. I simply love it."

To watch the video of Melissa playing trumpet to her cows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEFBXmZxIUw