Nestled in the Litchfield Hills, in a town committed to preserving cathedral pines and covered bridges, there’s a family keeping another piece of New England’s history alive. Sarah and Jeff Casel, artists turned first-generation dairy farmers, are committed to producing delicious raw milk from entirely grass-fed cows in Cornwall.
Calf + Clover Creamery’s 120-acres spans both sides of Rt. 7 and is mostly pasture: green, lush, and life-giving. On any given day, the rolling expanse of field is broken by the Casel’s mixed herd of doe-eyed Jerseys and brown-speckled Normandies. In the warm months, in between the morning and evening milking, the cows graze on the grass. When cool weather hits, the animals are fed hay harvested from these same fields and others nearby.
This age-old way of farming that the Casels practice today is good for both the cows and for the land. The waste hay and manure feed the soil, ensuring future fertility, and healthy cows are reared on a nutrient-dense, natural diet in fresh air and ample sunshine. At Calf + Clover, the milking mamas and their calves, with matching names like English Muffin and English Breakfast, are raised in the field together, while the Casels’ young son Hunter scampers between the stalls in the milk room. Here, at Calf + Clover, the next generations are building on tradition every day.
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