george farms dairy

In the shadow of Heart Mountain in northwest Wyoming sits the George Farms dairy where Adam George is the third generation to raise his family. 

 Adam’s grandparents homesteaded the original 140 acres after World War II as part of a program for returning veterans.  The homestead was located   near an abandoned Japanese internment camp between Cody and Powell. The family modified one of the two allotted barracks into a home where they raised eight children and today his grandmother still lives.  To supplement their income, Adam’s grandparents bought a few milk cows, which eventually led to the establishment of the George Dairy in 1954.   

 Today the George Dairy raises 600 dairy cows and 100 commercial beef cows and grows crops on 1,400 acres of irrigated farmland.   

 Adam and his wife Megan raise their four children, Grant, Rylee, Carson and Sadie on the farm, near the original homestead.  In fact, several generations of family members still live and work on the farm. The entire business employes 15 people, including family members.   

 In addition to the dairy and beef herds, the family runs the American Breeders Service dealership in Cody. The dealership conducts custom artificial insemination programs, breeding several thousand beef cattle each year. 

 As if that doesn’t keep them busy enough,  the Georges are also forage producers, raising all of the corn silage,  hay and the majority of  grain corn required to feed their beef and dairy herds. Pieces of land that they farm are peppered throughout the area in order to have enough ground to produce sufficient quality feed for their cattle.   

 Adam explained that in a diverse operation such as theirs, each person can refine their talents, pursue their passion and there is always room to grow.   

 “I love the lifestyle and the work,” Adam said.  “Having my children by my side while I work is one of the things I appreciate most about this lifestyle.  The hours are long, but I’m thankful to be able to combine family time with work that I love.”    

Adam attended Brigham Young University-Idaho receiving a BS degree in animal science animal science with a specialization in business and economics and then earned an MBA with an emphasis in agriculture from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Along with his time away from the farm for school, he also completed a two-year mission for the LDS Church on the southern coast of Florida and an internship in the Tampa area on a tomato farm.    

 “I always wanted to return home to the dairy,” Adam explained. “It was just a question of whether or not I would be able to.”   

 When the opportunity presented itself in 2007, Adam moved back Wyoming and found his calling.   

 Adam is drawn to the financial analytics and data kept on each of the cows in the herd.  The record keeping is a complex undertaking but Adam and his family have implemented a system and computer programs to accomplish the task.  “It’s important to know each animal, their history, their calves, their milk production, how much and what kind of feed was required to meet each cow’s needs.”   

 Whether the George family is milking dairy cows or working with their beef cattle, they are committed to caring for their animals and the land homesteaded by their grandparents so the next generation of Georges can carry on the family traditions.     

 Adam is drawn to the financial analytics and data kept on each of the cows in the herd.  The record keeping is a complex undertaking but Adam and his family have implemented a system and computer programs to accomplish the task.  “It’s important to know each animal, their history, their calves, their milk production, how much and what kind of feed was required to meet each cow’s needs.”   

 Whether the George family is milking dairy cows or working with their beef cattle, they are committed to caring for their animals and the land homesteaded by their grandparents so the next generation of Georges can carry on the family traditions.   

 FEATURE DATE: 2015