Deysenroths Honored as Outstanding Young Farm Family

By Liz Page

ANDES - Dairying is still huge in Delaware County and last Friday night was time to celebrate the dairy industry and promotions, heading into June is Dairy Month. It is also a time to recognize the young farm families who are investing in the industry.

Barb Hanselman, who chairs the county's Dairy Promotion Committee, provided the biography of a young farm family that is contributing to the industry. She said the county is fortunate to have a steady supply of dairy farmers who produce high quality milk for consumers, protect the environment and decorate our landscape with a beauty that can not be duplicated anywhere else. "This huge industry, the dairy industry, also infuses our local economy with more than $32 million dollars that is turned over two to six times in our local economy," said Hanselman. "This year marks the 61st time that an Outstanding Young Farm Family Award is being presented in Delaware County."

This year's recipients are Dennis and Sami Deysenroth and their children, James, Elaina, Elsie and Charlotte, who are the ninth generation on Byebrook Farm in Bloomville.

"Although they probably had no thought of it at the time, at age 10, Dennis was the beginning of direct marketing on the farm when he convinced his folks to have a flock of chickens. Then my kids wanted a flock, and he peddled his eggs to the neighbors.

"Meanwhile his wife, Sami, had a very similar farm kid life in East Springfield where she came home from the hospital to life in the barn. She enjoyed playing with calves and kittens and all the things that farm kids find to do around the farm. She was also known as pokey butter because she loved to eat butter- no toast, no bread, just plain.

"Dennis and Sami both showed cows and participated in dairy judging and so Dennis and Sami’s paths crossed a few times during their youth because of 4-H, even if they didn’t realize it. Sami became a dairy princess. She enjoyed the cows. Ironically as teenagers, they each helped neighbors – in their respective farm neighborhoods -– with chores and milking.

Then, according to Hanselman, Tammy Smith’s match making skills brought them together in 2007, when they were both seniors in high school. Upon graduation, they both attended SUNY Cobleskill – Dennis for dairy and Sami for Ag Business. They made good friends while they were there and have maintained their friendships. Dennis was on the Cobleskill Dairy Judging Team to Eastern States and World Dairy Expo.

They were married in 2014.

"Since his return to the farm, Dennis has continued to take over more of the responsibilities. He now manages feeding, breeding, nutrition, intensive grazing, and herd health. Sami helps with chores, throwing hay, keeping things on schedule- does whatever and where ever she is needed. Although the cheese making and value added portion of the farm is Gwen and Paul Deysenroth's part of the business, Dennis and Sami help with stocking the stand, visiting with customers, and picking up local products for the stand.

"Byebrook is a closed registered Holstein herd and the Deysenroths have been an intensive grazing operation for years. They feed an all grass forage diet with a purchased grain to balance the needs of the herd. Since Dennis started managing the feeding, he has changed the herd’s overall diet to a more forage dense one, and it has improved herd health, and milk components, and profitability.

"Their manure system changed with a Watershed covered manure storage building. The manure is delivered by spreader and stored there, and then it separates. This allows Dennis to use the more liquid portion as top dressing on hay fields during hay harvest season, and then the more solid portion to be spread in the fall on pastures and fields. This has been not only positive for fertilizing crops and pastures, but also for managing nutrient levels in soils and to protect water from runoff. "

Dennis Deysenroth said he is not one form making speeches, as the family stepped forward to accept the award. He said it was a surprise until he said he saw some of the people attending the dinner. "I would like to say thank you to everybody. It is quite an honor."

Paul Cerosaletti , of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Delaware County, presented the plaque. The recipients are chosen by an anonymous committee, based on the following criteria: is progressive; is business minded; has a positive attitude; serves their community and maintains a farmstead that is a positive image to consumers.