June 02, 2025

Episode 7: Angie Breneman describes new facilities on the farm, what it's like to balance on and off-farm jobs, and how she keeps things in perspective

1 hour 3 minutes

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In this episode of Cow-Side Conversations, Angie Breneman of Franklin View Farms LLC in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania describes their constant focus on cow comfort – and how after many years of making modifications to their current facilities, they reached a point of wanting to build a barn from scratch. She shares their upcoming three-stage project to build a new dry cow facility, three calf barns, and a compost stack shed. She also discusses the unique process of applying for financing when her family's goals were rooted in cow comfort, not necessarily growth in cow numbers. As someone who works with a lot of dairy farmers through her role at Penn State Extension, Angie opens up about work-life balance, how she juggles so many responsibilities while raising a family, farm safety tips for young children, and how an unexpected diagnosis put everything in perspective for her and her family. Her insight on mental and physical health is a great way to cap off Mental Health Awareness Month, and they are important reminders to think about all year long.

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