As the air turns crisp and cozy season kicks in, our kitchens become hubs of warmth and connection. From cheesy casseroles to steamy bowls of soup chased by a glass of cold milk, comfort food brings us home. But have you ever wondered where that comfort begins?
Justine Holland, a dairy herd manager and mom in central Michigan, says comfort starts long before the milk hits the fridge.
At Sanborn & Sons, a family-run dairy farm in Hubbardston, Justine is responsible for a herd of 700 cows. Her role centers on comfort, health, and consistency—essentials for producing high-quality milk.
Comfort comes from the details
The cows at Sanborn & Sons live in what’s known as a freestyle barn, a type of open housing that allows them to move freely between feeding, watering and resting areas at any time of day or night.
This flexibility, Justine says, plays a big role in animal well-being.
To support that comfort, the barns are outfitted with fans, sprinkler systems to help regulate body temperature and fresh sand bedding that’s replenished weekly.
“We bed every week with brand new sand,” she says, adding that she even snapped a picture of how crisp and clean the barns looked that morning. “They do well when it’s clean and cool.”
Justine also adds a few extras not found on every farm: automatic cow brushes, which operate when a cow walks under them, and hanging chains that serve as enrichment.
“Cows only sleep about an hour a day,” she says. “They’re up and moving around, so having little things like that helps.”
Comfort leads to quality
According to Justine, good care translates to steady, strong milk production. “You can tell when something’s off,” she says. Whether it’s a sore hoof or a displaced stomach, a drop in milk production is often the first sign something’s not quite right. Even a cow coming into heat — a natural part of her reproductive cycle — can cause output to dip.
When a cow is healthy and comfortable, though, the results speak for themselves. During just seven minutes of milking, a high-producing cow can yield over 100 pounds of milk. Equipment detaches automatically when the flow stops, which also contributes to the cow’s comfort during milking.
From the farm to your table
In Justine’s home, dairy is at the heart of many family favorites. “We’re all about mac and cheese, soups and homemade pudding,” she says. “And I always finish with a glass of cold milk. That’s the best.”
Whether it’s a cheesy lasagne, a dollop of sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese on a hearty bowl of chili, or homemade pudding topped with whipped cream, dairy shows up in comforting ways across the seasons. Justine’s daughter is all about macaroni and cheese, a dish that ranks high on the list of comfort foods in households everywhere.
Pantry staples with a purpose
Powdered milk, a product made from some of the milk Justine’s herd produces, offers a shelf-stable option that’s especially useful for baking. It can be used in any recipe that calls for milk and works particularly well in homemade bread — the ultimate comfort food, especially when it’s topped with fresh butter.
Justine also shared something new she learned about butter. At a recent dairy industry meeting in Chicago, she discovered that butter production is up, and prices are coming down. “We’re producing so much butter here,” she says. The result? You may see butter is more affordable this season, just in time for holiday baking.
Where comfort begins
Comfort food is all about warmth, flavor and connection. But long before it lands on our dinner tables, it begins with attentive care on Michigan dairy farms.
As Justine says, “Comfortable cows live long, healthy lives and they bring you comfort food.”
This content is sponsored by United Dairy Industry of Michigan / Milk Means More. Learn more at milkmeansmore.org.
Find more articles like this at Metro Parent’s How to Get Kids to Eat Healthy.
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