THREE OAKS — Paparazzi and Gatsby are ready to pose for their pictures under an iconic oak tree at the Tri-Koebel Dairy Farm.
The dairy cow duo will be part of a Saturday, May 27, “Painting With Cows At The Oak Tree” event that will feature selections from Berrien County’s Old Europe Cheese, wine by Dablon Vineyards of Baroda, local produce, honey products, farm tour and more.
Hosting the 3 to 7 p.m. wine & canvas-style event will be mother and daughter Jennie Koebel and Tera Koebel Baker (key members of the four-generation group currently running the farm) along with local artist Jacqueline Suzanne Rowlison.
Baker said Painting with Cows grew out of a desire to “tell our farm story.”
Not only is the Koebel family farm blessed with “awesome cows,” Baker said it is located in “one of the most diverse agriculture production counties in the world.”
“I thought it would be really neat to showcase the animals that are making the product, the cheese that’s done right here in the county (Tri-Kobel Farm milk is used by Old Europe), and then make it fun,” she said.
The bovine models will be placed in a pasture under a 100-plus-year-old oak tree (weather permitting) directly across the road from the farmstead at 16318 Avery Road, Three Oaks.
“Once painting is complete, we will take a hay ride tour through the farm to see the total life cycle of a cow, feed baby calves and watch mama cows be milked in the parlor,” Baker said.
She said those painting Paparazzi and Gatsby will “get to know the cow, get to know her story and paint a picture of her and get to take that home as a keepsake.”
Paparazzi, a Red and White Holstein, was born and raised at the family farm, with Tera showing her at the World Dairy Expo in 2011 where Jennie said she was nominated Junior All American.
Gatsby is a Jersey, and there are plenty of stories to tell about her as well.
Baker is a 2009 River Valley High School graduate and active member of the Young Dairy Leaders Institute, a national Holstein program.
“I’m the fourth generation working here at the farm and mom is in the third-generation,” she said.
Tera’s sister, Greta, also helps out at the farm.
In addition to dairy products, the Tri-Koebel Farm grows corn, soybeans and hay. Jennie Koebel said about 85 cows at the farm are milked with the total population at over 200 head.
“Over they years we’ve done a number of tours for school children, Boy Scouts, we hosted the Blossomtime queens a couple years ago, we’ve done legislator tours here,” Koebel said.
Painting With Cows At The Oak Tree tickets ($79 each) must be purchased in advance (participation is limited to 40 people) at https://theoaktree.ticketleap.com.
By: David Johnson
Source: Harbor Country News