North Country Creamery: Making Dairy Cleaner, Greener & More Efficient

By Ashlee Kleinhammer and Steven Googin of North Country Creamery

At North Country Creamery in Keeseville, New York, we’re working to build a more resilient and efficient manure management system.

With support from the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC) Dairy Farm Improvement and Modernization Grant, we’re implementing measures aimed at improving nutrient retention, reducing environmental impact, and increasing operational sustainability. 

Our farm produces cheese and yogurt from a grass-fed herd of heritage-breed cows. Over the past decade, we’ve made incremental improvements, but several aspects of our infrastructure remained outdated and labor-intensive. This project represents a major step toward modernizing how we handle manure and wastewater on the farm. 

The system we’re putting in place includes: 

Together, these tools allow us to replace manual scraping with a water-powered system, saving labor and diesel costs.

The reused bedding is expected to significantly cut annual bedding expenses. Once completed, the manure storage and aerator will help retain nutrients that would otherwise volatilize and be lost. The Circul8 aerator, in particular, encourages the growth of phototrophic purple sulfur bacteria, which bind nitrogen and sulfur–nutrients that might otherwise be lost as ammonia or hydrogen sulfide gas. Because we will dilute the liquid fraction of the manure, it creates a favorable environment for these beneficial bacteria to thrive, reducing odor and preserving nutrient value. 

This change also addresses animal health and comfort.

Frequent flushing keeps both the floors and the cows cleaner, which supports hoof health and reduces incidents of slipping or injury. It also helps slow the breakdown of urea in urine by the enzyme urease, which would otherwise release ammonia and carbon dioxide—causing nitrogen loss and contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. The addition of grooved concrete in the new feed alley will also help prevent slipping. 

Environmentally, the system is designed to minimize nutrient runoff and improve air quality.

Once operational, the aerated manure storage will allow for safer storage and more timely application of nutrients to our pastures. In the long term, it will also provide a valuable water source for irrigation during dry periods, helping maintain pasture growth and milk production. 

While the flush and separation systems are scheduled to be completed this year, we’re continuing to develop plans for the manure storage portion of the project, potentially in collaboration with our local conservation partners. This NE-DBIC supported effort also dovetails with assistance we’ve received from the Climate Resilient Farming (CRF) grant program, which is helping with the design and planning of our irrigation system, an important part of our nutrient and water management strategy. This phased approach allows us to move forward with immediate improvements while laying the groundwork for long-term infrastructure. 

The grant helps us implement these upgrades more quickly than we could on our own.  

We’ve been working closely with engineers, dairy advisors, and nutrient management consultants throughout the planning process. 

This project supports several NE-DBIC goals: it enhances ecological outcomes, improves animal welfare, reduces energy inputs, and fosters peer learning. We hope it can serve as a useful reference point for other dairies exploring similar improvements. With these changes, we’re aiming for a cleaner, more efficient farm that’s better prepared for the future—both environmentally and economically.  

We’d be happy to answer any questions—feel free to email us at info@northcountrycreamery.com 

The Dairy Farm Improvement & Modernization Grant will open again in Fall 2025.