Kids are incredible. No doubt about it. Kids these days go out into the world with boundless energy, a backpack full of curiosity, and a natural desire to explore, learn, and grow. Clover Sonoma’s Clover the Rainbow celebrates kids for who they are, empowering them to let their inner brightness shine.

If you already know about Clover Sonoma, you have probably heard about our farmers and all they do to help produce high quality dairy products, but what about the kids? Dairy kids do extraordinary things every day. Let’s get to know the up and coming generations!

Have you ever wondered what it is like to grow up on a dairy? Dairy kids are taught from a young age what it means to have a good work ethic and what it means to put love and sweat into your work. Dairy kids see their parents and grandparents (and even great grandparents) put in long hours of work, dedication and love to ensure the dairy runs smoothly and the cows are taken care of.

It is in their blood! The days are usually pretty long but also rewarding. Growing up on a dairy means that the cows are part of the family, the humans do not eat until all of the cows are fed and taken care of. Being raised on a farm means being taught responsibility not only for yourself but also for the lives of other living beings that rely on farmers to feed and take care of them. Instilling this in children from a young age usually means that they grow up in their families’ footsteps and always take the utmost care of the animals.

Working on the farm gives kids a chance to learn from older generations. It is so much more than work, it is a way of life. It is something they all bond over, and this work shapes who they are and carries over into adulthood.

There is so much that goes into a day on the farm. On many dairies, the wake up call is so early it’s still dark out, but that doesn’t stop any of these kiddos from being up and ready to help. Tasks on dairies are cyclical in nature, some are daily, some are monthly and some are seasonal; what does not change is the need to complete these tasks and a dairy kids’ ability to do them! Every day, yep, even holidays, the chores at the dairy need to be done! The cows need to get milk twice a day – but, many kids do not graduate to this task until they are tall enough! Many kids get their start on the dairy feeding calves, which may sound easy, but those calves can be finicky… Kids are responsible for other things like cleaning the barn and stalls, checking on the health of the cows and calves, cleaning water troughs, spreading manure… On a dairy, the list is endless!