Falling in Love With a Dairy Farmer
February is the month of love, and the love of dairy is strong! In celebration of Valentine’s Day, we asked our married dairy farmers across the Southeast to share their dairy love stories. These couples didn’t only fall in love with one another. They fell in love by moo-ving in the same direction: falling in love with dairy farming! From cheesy pick-up lines to proposals on the farm, these stories reminded us that loving a dairy farmer can be challenging but oh-so rewarding. Enjoy these heartwarming stories and share the love this Valentine’s Day season.
Gaskins Dairy
Russell Springs, KY
From high school sweethearts to starting a first-generation dairy farm, Jessica Gaskins shares her story:
“Jonathan and I met in high school in 2003. We started out as best friends but quickly fell in love with each other.
“Jonathan always had a farming background, but I had no clue about farming life. When we started dating, he was milking for a neighbor and if I wanted to see him, I had to go help milk cows. I think we both fell in love with the idea that one day we could be doing it for ourselves.
“Once he realized that I wasn’t going anywhere because of the tied-down nature of dairy farming, we decided to start our own operation in 2007 as the first generation. The dairy industry was doing well at the time, but shortly after it took a turn with prices plummeting. We had a lot of hard years trying to overcome what had been thrown at us. Despite all the bad, there was good too. We learned a lot of hard lessons—costly lessons—but mostly we learned how to love each other through the good and bad times. Over the years we’ve both had big ideas and dreams, and we have always stood by one another, even when it seemed crazy. We’ve built several businesses from the ground up and that’s something we are both proud of. We are very blessed to be able to farm and do it alongside our family.”
Dusty Road Jerseys
Statesville, NC
Not many couples can say they met because of manure, but that’s exactly how dairy farmers Amanda and Matt Baldwin got together. Matt shares their story:
“We met in the summer of 2002 when Amanda’s dad, Ray, hired me to help him haul manure on their dairy farm. Ray invited me in for lunch while Amanda was recovering from a broken leg. After lunch, Amanda and I went outside to sit on the porch swing and the rest is history.”
Schaapman Holsteins
Abbeville, GA
Emily Schaapman of Dairy Girl Fitness shares her love story and how the love of her life turned her into a “southern gal”:
“Ruben and I met in 2009 in California at the National Jr. Holstein Convention, and the rest is history.
“I’m a Pennsylvania dairy girl and he’s a Georgia dairy boy, and once we met at that convention, we always kept in touch in some capacity. We would see each other at cow shows or other youth events and eventually started dating long-distance in 2014. I was in college at Penn State, and Ruben was in college at ABAC. After I graduated from Penn State in 2017, I moved down to Georgia to become a southern gal! Ruben and I have been in Florida for the past 7 years, and we’re excited to finally be moving back to the dairy in Georgia and welcoming our first baby in June!”
Leatherbrook Holsteins, LLC
Americus, Georgia
Adam and Jane Graft describe their love story simply and beautifully:
“One grew up on a dairy farm.
“One dreamed of starting a dairy farm.
“She was in South Carolina; he was in California.
“A blind date brought them together.
“What began as a long-distance relationship soon turned into a shared dream. We started a dairy farm and moved across the country. Along the way, we had four beautiful children who are our greatest blessings.
“We have seen the highs and lows of life and dairy farming, but through it all we have been united by what started with love and a shared dream. God has guided us through this journey, and we owe all the Glory to Him for this love story!”
Their love is cheese-y, but in the best way possible! These couples fell in love with dairy and have the sweetest love stories. Happy February to all!
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