By Chris Aldridge

Kentucky Ag News

CRESTWOOD, Ky. — As Bob Klingenfus scanned the rolling hills surrounding his 450-acre Harvest Moon Farm, he declared that it is “one of the few pieces of farmland left in Oldham County.”

The farm is home to Harvest Home Dairy, the only dairy farm left in the county that boasted 126 dairies when Klingenfus, 78, started milking cows in 1964.The farm is among several in Kentucky that make artisan cheeses. It is also one of three farms listed on the Kentucky Proud website that sells yogurt. But, Klingenfus claims his is the only one in the Commonwealth that makes its own yogurt on the farm.

“I wanted to do something a little different,” Klingenfus said of being a yogurt maker. “I don’t want to get lost in the crowd.”

Harvest Moon Farm Whole Milk Yogurt is sold at 60 Kroger stores in the region and distributed to 50-60 restaurants or other food service clients through What Chefs Want, formerly named Creation Gardens. The farm also sells its yogurt frozen on a stick in various fruit flavors. There are also caramel-flavored yogurt ice pops using another Harvest Moon product, caramelized milk.

Dr. Ronald Maldonado Gomez, a former professor at the University of Central Venezuela before coming to the U.S., is the creative force behind the various products that add value to Klingenfus’ milk.

“Dr. Ronald developed all these products,” Klingenfus said. “We’re lucky to have his skills.”

Gomez’s Harvest Moon cheeses have won numerous awards at the Kentucky State Fair. His small batch, hand-stretched Mozzarella and sweet, nutty-flavored Swiss cheese have both won gold medals. The cheese-making operation employs two other people: manager Joyce Abbott and assistant Barbara Chisholm.

Klingenfus milks 48 cows among his total herd of 240 cows, a mix of the Holstein and Jersey breeds.

“I’ve been farming since I was 10 years old, dairy farming since I was 14,” Klingenfus said. “Dairy has been good to me.

“We don’t do it for profit; we do it for our passion. It’s frightening what will happen 20-30 years from now because we (dairy farmers) are all in our 60s and 70s. Dr. Ron is the only person here not on Social Security, and he’s 58.”

The cows are mainly cared for by Klingenfus’ wife, Angie. He estimates that she has raised about 4,500 calves in more than 30 years, with only 17 deaths. She taught a workshop for the University of Kentucky Extension Service on dairy farming.

Klingenfus rents 1,000 acres of Oldham County farmland, which supplies a profitable hay business that keeps him busy mowing every summer.

“Right here, within a 10-mile radius, there are 5,000 horses,” he said. “They demand half a million bales every year.

“A horse eats 10 bales per month – that’s 100 bales per horse. We’re one of only three or four hay producers locally, so it’s a good market.”

Klingenfus praised the Kentucky Proud program, of which his farm is a member.

“Kentucky Proud really helps a lot,” he said. “When somebody buys Kentucky Proud, people think they’re just helping me. But I’m not the only one. It helps all the people I pay. For every $100 I’m paid, $90 (in expenses and salaries) goes to somebody else.”