Working Together is What It’s All About

Name: Randy and Paula Meabon

Farm name: Green Meadow Farms

Family: Two adult children – daughter Nichole Brannan and son Bradley

Location: Erie County, Pa.

Working together to operate a family dairy farm is hard work, but husband-and-wife-team Randy and Paula Meabon can’t imagine doing anything else. The best part about running their farm, they say, is spending every day together. 

“We enjoy working together, living together, and playing together to produce nature’s most precious food,” says Randy about working side-by-side with his wife on their farm.

Randy’s grandfather, Art, started the family farm in 1944. Randy and his brother, Rick, and their father farmed in partnership for three years before Randy took over the farm in 1977. The Meabons currently milk 154 cows at Green Meadow Farms. The herd consists mostly of Holstein cows, with a few Jerseys and about 30 crossbred dairy animals.

Sticking Together

“The thing that makes farmers unique is the way farmers rally to each other’s needs,” Randy said about his neighboring farmers.

The Meabons found this out the hard way. A few years after Randy and Paula were married, Randy was involved in a serious farming accident in which he lost his leg. At the worst of times, the Meabon’s fellow farmers came to their aid and helped with milking, crop work and many other farm jobs that must be done every day.

Caring for the Environment and Animals

Randy and Paula work hard to make sure their animals are healthy and that they take good care of the land they call their home. They have participated in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), a voluntary conservation program for farmers, for the past three years. In 1988, their farm was recognized as the Erie County Conservation Farm of the Year.

The Meabons also participate in the Dairy Farmers of America Gold Standard Dairy Program. This program reviews various production practices, including herd health and animal care. The program assures consumers that farmers, like Randy and Paula, take great pride in their dairy and the land that they farm.

The Meabons work hard to be good neighbors. When their cows are outside, they keep them fenced in a pasture with plenty of open space, while keeping the cattle away from streams. They care deeply about their animals. A nutritionist monitors the cows’ diet to make sure they are getting the right balance of nutrients in their feed. A veterinarian visits frequently for herd “check-ups” to ensure the cattle are healthy.

 “Our cows are family to us, and we want to make sure they are always healthy,” Paula says.

Giving to the Community

The Meabons enjoy giving back to their community. They were involved for several years with the Erie County Dairy Princess Committee. In addition, Randy has served for many years as an Area Council Member for Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), the cooperative to which they sell their milk. He was a member of the DFA corporate board of directors from 1998 to 2005.

Randy also is a member of the Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program board of directors, the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau board of directors, the Mid-Atlantic Alliance of Cooperatives and the National Beef Board. He served on the Erie County Land Preservation Board 10 years ago and, as a young man, was a Pennsylvania State FFA officer.

Like her husband, Paula is also involved in farm organizations and currently serves as treasurer of the National Dairy Board, representing local dairy farmers in the dairy checkoff program.

The Meabons enjoy hosting farm tours for local school students and Girl Scout groups. “We love to be able to share the farm experience with kids and help them know more about where food comes from,” Paula says. A local Girl Scout troop will soon earn a special badge in conjunction with a recent farm visit.

Working Together

It may just be the two of them on the farm, but Randy and Paula wouldn’t have it any other way. Their children chose non-farm careers; however, Nichole and Bradley were involved with the farm when they were younger. Both helped with the farm chores. Nichole also served as Erie County Dairy Princess and then the Pennsylvania State Dairy Princess in 1997.

The Meabons have a great passion for the dairy industry – one that they share every day on their family farm.