hinchley's dairy farm tours

The owner, Tina, conducted an incredible tour of her family dairy farm, showing us "city folk" the hard work and dedication needed to maintain cows and crops in order to produce milk. I was as eager as the small children in our group to milk a cow, feed the goats, learn about calves, play with the chicks etc. I was delighted to hear about the "organic" debate, the price of land and crop sales, the computer tracking of ovulation and genetic matching, and the process of raising the best milking cows possible. We were even fortunate enough to see two calves being born!I highly recommend this tour - not only was it enlightening, but it was fun as well.

I had the most AWESOME experience touring a real working dairy farm. Upon searching for a dairy farm to tour while visiting my dad in Wosconsin, I discovered the Hinchley Dairy Farm outside Cambridge, Wisconsin. After numerous emails between Tina and me, and a wonderful whirlwind tour of the upper Great Plains, and visiting with my dad for several days, I wanderted out into the Wisconsin countryside (on my way to Madison and UW) and took a wonderful tour of this family-owned piece of heaven. Tina, her daughters and Duane, who was doing what farmers do---feed the cows, tend to the daily chores and run the farm which provides milk for Wisconsin's famous CHEESE and finest dairy products---were most welcoming and gracious hosts to me and a couple of fellow tourists. A beautiful Wisconsin summer morning greeted me upon my 10AM arrival. Tina allowed me to wander on my own (although I accidentally got in Duane's way while he was attempting to feed the cows) to see some of the farm life. After a brief introducition, we got under way with a guided tour of the fields where corn is grown for feed. Tina took us on a hayride and explained what each portion of the famr is used, and for what specific crops. I learned that Wisconsin is second only to Iowa in cattle corn feed production (and I always thought it was dairy that made up a vast portion of Wisconsin's agricultural output). The Hinchley Farm supplies milk for Dean Foods, which uses their milk, among others, to make cottage cheese and yogurt (YUM!) as well as, of course, cheese. Tina was most kind in allowing us to tour every part of the farm, as well as see the new building being erected after the old buildings outgrew their usefulness. I also learned that the Hinmchleys are third (fourth?) generation owners of their farm, as many family-owned farms in Wisconsin have been passed down through the families. On a more personal note...since I am a native of Wisconsin, I was especially proud to learn that Wisconsin supplies milk for many other states and dairies that produce cheese...including California and Vermont! So Wisconsin's moniker of "America's Dairyldand" is truly significant! And Wisconsin leads the country in cheese production. Only California produces more milk. There is a small donation to help offset teh costs of the farm. But well worth it! Your family, not just the kiddos, will certainly enjoy this visit. And you even get to milk a cow! Amy was most gracious (and certainly content) to allow us to milk her!The Hinchley Farm is a true ambassador of the great state of Wisaconsin. I will be especially proud to purchase Dean dairy products, now that I know where the milk comes from!Five hearty MOOOS for the Hinchley Farm!

My family of 4 went on the dairy farm tour. Tina, the owner, was so informative and so kind. It is a real working family farm. Everything there was done by her or her husband. She explained all the aspects of farming, dairy, cows, breeding, milking, and even crops. The tour lasted a bit longer than 2 hours and we left with a true appreciation of farmers and how much work goes into being a farmer. Tina loves her farms and her livestock. It truly shows with the passion as she explains everything. My 5 year and 3 year old sons really enjoyed their trip and is still talking about it! They are ready to help her work the farm! My husband and I are planning this to be an annual summer trip!This was really an outstanding experience. A must if you are nearby (or not)!

My son's girlfriend is here from Germany and wanted to see a dairy farm. I called Tina and she actually answered while she was at the State Fair. She accommodated us on short notice as well. She is extremely knowledgeable and so friendly you feel like you've known her forever. We took the tour with 4 adults and 4 kids ages 3-9. Everyone had a great time and learned a lot. All the aspects of dairy farming are explained from growing and making the feed, breeding, milking and milk quality. There are many hands on opportunities, touching the cows and calves, milking a cow, feeding goats and holding chicks and chickens. We all had a great time. I'd go again in a heartbeat. I totally recommend for anyone, adults or family's. Thanks Tina for a fabulous experience.

Absolutely loved this tour of a real working dairy farm. The tour is hosted by the farm owner , and she was so pleasant, patient and informative! Absolutely recommend a visit, and not just for kids!

We cannot say enough good things about this farm tour! Tina was an excellent source of information. She sets up the tour to make sure everyone learns as much as possible about all the farm animals and dairy business. This tour is very interactive- you get to milk a cow, hold chickens, bottle feed baby animals and hand feed goats. They even take you on a hayride to see the farm. Thanks so much for allowing visitors to the area to learn more about dairy farming and to interact with the animals. This is a must-do if you are anywhere close to Cambridge!

Our day at the farm was filled with fun, new experiences. The two-hour tour included a tractor-pulled hay ride, visits to the barns, the milking parlor, the goat pens and the chicken coop. We milked a cow, held a chick, held a chicken, pet and fed the goats both food and bottles of milk. We visited the claves--one born just that day--and let them suck on our fingers. Sounds gross, but it was really cool. We learned about milk production, calf development and birth, different varieties of chickens and the stages of growth, and egg production and coloring. We learned about safety procedures on the farm, how crops grow, what happens in a drought, and where the milk goes after it leaves the farm. We learned about the lives of real farmers and the ins and outs of daily farm life. People come here from all over the world. I'm just sorry it took me so long to visit a place that's only a short drive from home. We will go back.

We visit the farm at least once a year. It never gets old, the kids love the animals and the grown ups love Tina's entertaining and educational style. There's always something different- last time we drooled over a vintage car! This is also a tour for foodies, who want to know more about where their food comes from. Dont miss the fresh rasberries in the summertime- you pick them yourself!

We took the farm tour on Easter weekend, so we got to do the Easter egg hunt in addition to the tour (the eggs, by the way, were large, decorated goose eggs; very original). The tour was great. The guide (who is the actual dairy farmer, and so can answer any question about anything bovine), made it interesting for the adults and interesting for the kids; a tough balancing act, but she did it effortlessly. The whole thing is really low key, making it easy for us trying to corral our two very young kids during the tour.My one warning would be that if you really have zero interest in learning about the process of running a dairy farm and just want to see the animals, then you will be bored. You do get to see and touch and feed the animals, but the tour is meant to be educational as well. Wear boots.

We took a family tour-5 adults and 6 children. With an obvious passion for farming and education, Tina was very experienced in leading children. She was very interactive with the kids in an interesting and fun way and made us feel very welcome. The kids loved getting to feed and pet the animals. Great!

I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone who is interested in how a dairy farm operates and interested in animals. A friend and I took our two children (age 6) and had a great time. The booking of the tour was simple, and I was surprised at the length…. 2 hours. I was curious on how they could tour a dairy farm for 2 hours, but we did…. And it was worth every penny! We did everything from tractor rides, milking a cow and feeding chickens. My son keeps begging us to go back!