Understanding Ronnybrook’s Philosophy

Throughout their expansion and switch to direct sales, the Osofsky family has been guided by several beliefs: a commitment to family, a focus on quality ingredients, and respect for their animals and land.  Currently, five of Ronny’s family members work at the farm.

Ronnybrook offers support to other local dairies, including Milk Thistle and the Hudson Valley Fresh Co-op; both dairies have used Ronnybrook’s bottling facilities at different periods in their operations.  Ronnybrook recognizes that while there is a level of competition among the local New York dairies, it’s “friendly, not malicious”.
 
At Ronnybrook, nothing is black and white (except the cows, of course!).  There is a balance of grazing and barn time, especially in the dead of winter.   The farm remains upfront about their choice not to pursue an organic label for their dairy products.  As it states on their website, and as my tour of the facilities indicated, they consider themselves “beyond organic”.  

Ronnybrook doesn’t need the label to indicate that their cows are treated with love and respect; the evidence is present in their products and transparency.  Their decision not to pursue an organic label stems from the fact that if a cow becomes sick, the staff at Ronnybrook will choose to treat that cow with antibiotics (as they would one of their children).  An organic label prohibits any form of antibiotics, even when justified or necessary.

As New Yorkers, we have the chance to buy locally and talk to the people who grew or made the products we buy.  A label can make consumers feel safer, certainly, but the reality of Ronnybrook is that their animals and their practices are top of the line and in tune with nature.  They grow all of their own hay and forage crops for supplemental feed.  (The hay was wet and potent: “as close to grass as you can get”, testified Ronny).  

Ronnybrook’s cows are recognized for their individual characteristics:  each cow has a unique name (some of which are very creative), and the farmers supply varying amounts of feeds depending on the cow.  Real pride emanates from Ronny when he points out Corrinna, his prize milker — producing 150 pounds of milk a day for the last 5 months!

Ronny shared that a few years back, they led a focus group and people who would never even “look at anything but organic switched to Ronnybrook when we did the pros and cons”.
 
When I asked Ronny if he thought his parents ever envisioned the current success of Ronnybrook Farm Dairy, he stated that they were both alive when Ronnybrook switched to direct sales in 1991.
 
 
Coming up Next: 

What happens to your milk bottles when you return them?  What’s Ronnybrook’s most popular yogurt flavor?   …and other questions answered!

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