The Jordan’s continue to show their commitment to sustaining the farm and our planet for future generations. They are the first New England farm to host two Farm Powered Anaerobic Digesters.
You won’t find sibling rivalry on Jordan Dairy Farm in Rutland, MA. Fact is, Randy and Brian Jordan don’t have time for such nonsense. And even if they did, the two brothers couldn’t be closer. “I’d be lost without him,” says Randy. Running this fifth-generation dairy farm means splitting the work down the middle, and the two men have had great role models: their father, Wayne Jordan, worked the farm with his brother Warren, after inheriting the operation from their dad.
This is a true family farm. Jordan Dairy Farm has been in existence since the late 1800s, and at its present location in Rutland since 1941, when Howard Jordan moved his grandfather’s vegetable operation from Holden, increased the cow herd and began bottling milk. Today, Randy and Brian share management of the farm, with Brian overseeing the herd and Randy occupied with the farm’s day-to-day operation. The Jordan Farm currently milks 375 Holstein cows. The family also raises turkeys for holiday orders and cultivates blueberries for sale at local farmers markets.
Jordan Dairy Farm continues its commitment to sustaining the farm for future generations. It was the first farm in New England to host an anaerobic digester back in 2011. More than 20,000 tons of food waste annually from food processors is combined with more than 9,000 tons of manure a year from the farm into it’s digestion tank. The digester at Jordan Farm currently produces enough power to run and heat the farming operation as well as power an additional 300 homes.
The Jordan’s recently added a second Vanguard Renewables Farm Powered Anaerobic Digester at their Heifer Facility in Spencer, Massachusetts. With the addition of the Spencer location, the Jordan’s now become the first New England farm family to host two Farm Powered Anaerobic Digesters.
It’s no wonder why running Jordan Dairy Farm is a two-man – er, two-brother job. As Randy explains, they have each other’s back, and when one leaves the farm on business or even for vacation, they know the place is in good hands. “We don’t have to train a replacement or worry about an employee not showing up for work,” says Randy. “For us, working together is a win-win.”