ABOUT US
OUR STORY
Dakin Dairy Farms has been a vital part of the Manatee County community for over two decades. The Dakin family has been milking cows in Manatee County, Florida since 1973. Cameron, Farren and Jerry Dakin own the three remaining dairy farms in the county and are amongst the fewer than 150 dairies remaining in Florida.
The Dakin family dairy farm started with Romanus (Pete) Dakin, born in Livermore, ME in 1926. In 1948, Pete started a dairy farm in Livermore, ME after serving three years in the Navy. His farm started with 16 cows. By 1960, his dairy farm grew to 60 milking cows. He bought a second dairy farm down the road where he milked another 30 cows. In October of 1963, Pete went to Florida with a friend to take his mother to her winter home. When he returned to Maine, he told his wife Jeanette and the boys that they were moving to Florida.
OUR COWS
Healthy, well fed cows produce high quality, nutritious milk. Because of this, our cows are fed and maintained as organically as is possible. The health of our cows’ is our number one concern. Our grass fed cows produce more nutritious milk than cows that have a different diet. Grass-fed cows’ natural milk is packed with extra nutrients. And, our cows’ milk is sweeter and creamier than milk produced by cows with a different diet. From flavor to overall nutritional benefits, it all comes back to the cows’ diet. That’s why we prioritize the our cows’ health and environment.
Since our cows are grass fed, our milk is special. It includes omega-3s and CLAs, in addition to other important nutrients. Our fresh grass is cut twice daily, mixed with grains, minerals and hay. It provides a well balanced nutritious salad for our cows. This is the first step to better milk. Every cows’ diet is formulated and monitored by our Nutritionist, Dr. Rick Lundquist to ensure they receive a balanced and healthy diet. This ensures that it gives them the vitamins and minerals their bodies crave to keep them healthy. And, it ensures that our cows are producing high quality milk.
Our family dairy farm prioritizes the health and happiness of our cows. We have a vet that visits regularly to ensure the health of our cows. In addition, our nutritionist has routine visits to ensure that our cows are getting all the nutrients their bodies need. Because of this, every Dakin Dairy product is heathy and packed with vital nutrients. All of our natural products are produced by healthy, grass fed cows that are growth-hormone free. Milk produced by well fed cows will produce the most nutritious milk. This is milk the way nature intended.
FARM PRACTICES
We pride ourselves on our sustainable faming practices. Each year we become even more sustainable by recycling the natural resources on our farm. We go above and beyond to provide the best environment possible for our grass fed cows. This makes all the difference in the diet of our cows. Since we create our natural milk products as organically as possible, we only use sustainable farming practices.
As a sustainable family dairy farm, we apply our composted manure to over 250 acres of grasses. Soil amended with compost reduces water usage and fertilizer needs. Our grasses are watered not only by rain, but with nutrient rich water recycled from our barn. In addition, we chop our grass twice daily on a rotational basis. This allows us to stay ahead of any real pest damage. We are proud to offer a product we stand behind.
We believe these sustainable practices make all the difference in our product. For example, we water our grass with nutrient rich water recycled from our barn in addition to rain. The water captured in the final basin is continuously recycled either back to the housing barns to clean the floors or to the high protein grasses. This reduces the need for fertilizer through seepage irrigation. At our family dairy farm, our cows’ milk is more nutritious. Try any of our natural products and taste the Dakin difference.
Dakin Natural Soils
Also available at Dakin Dairy Farm is a wide range of top quality soils. No construction project is too large. From fill dirt, top soils to compost. We’ve got you covered! We take in wood/yard waste as well as provide trucking for product at a responsible prices.
