Field Trip - Shatto Dairy

On Sunday afternoon the fiancé and I along with Libby and Tom took a road trip to Osborn, MO to visit the Shatto Dairy. I am not entirely sure how Libby found out about the event but we managed to sign up for the tour arranged by Slow Food KC. SFKC is an idea, a way of living and a way of eating. It is a global, grassroots movement with thousands of members around the world that links the pleasure of food with a commitment to community and the environment. They focus on food, local growers and the food preparation practices within different cultures.

 
Our tour guide R. Leroy Shatto has been milking for 37 years. Due to the bureaucracy of being a dairy farmer - it was making it more and more difficult for the small dairy farmers to stay existent and make money. As the price of milk increases one would think the dairy farmer would see that in his/her wallet. But that is not the case. Many dairymen do not even see that money in their pocket – which led Mr. Shatto to think outside the box. He had an idea to start selling his milk in local grocery stores. So one hot day he came home from milking, got cleaned up – took out a glass bottle and filled it with white sugar to look like milk. He took sugar because it was way too hot out to carry a gallon of milk around. He pitched his idea and had the grocers sign a letter of intent to purchase his milk. He visited 6 stores that first day – the first one was the Hy-Vee in Liberty, MO. All 6 signed the letter. The next morning he figured he should try 6 more stores. So he made his way over to Price Chopper – which he ended up pitching his idea to Mr. Cosentino himself. He accepted and wanted him to be the sole milk provider for the store - this sort of worried Mr. Shatto because at the time he only had 80 cows.

Now, a couple years after pitching his idea of selling farm fresh milk in glass jars – he has over 300 cows that are milked a day. 2 groups are milked 2 times per day, 1 is milked 3 times per day. He has one cow that can produce 16 gallons in one milking session. They have 32 employees which consist of 2 full time crews that milk and then a part time crew for the cows that are milked 3 times per day. Mr. Shatto shared the process that they use to pasteurize and homogenize the milk. They are currently bottling milk every day but Wednesday and Sunday but occasionally due to demand will have to bottle on Wednesday.

I was in awe of this man. He took an idea that he believed in and rolled with it. It was a huge risk for his family. And he has made it a success. They have started to develop their prodcut line -using the main ingredient - milk. They are now selling cheese, cheese curds, butter and ice cream.  Also you'll probaby notice that they are bottling lemonade and teas. If you're in a Hy-Vee or Price Chopper in the KC area you'll probably see their product.  (check out their cheese!)

If you're interested in taking your kids on fieldtrips this summer -  I would check out their webpage for tour dates and times. Or - if you need an adult outing it is super fun.