The last of the herd in Randolph Center

Joe Williams, 74, right, leads a group of heifers back to his main barn in Randolph Center, Vt., with help from his son Allen Williams, 37, back, on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. Later that day, Williams sent his herd of 37 Holsteins to auction with plans to retire from milking after 49 years and 16 days operating the farm. (Valley News - James M. Patterson) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.

Joe Williams, 74, right, leads a group of heifers back to his main barn in Randolph Center, Vt., with help from his son Allen Williams, 37, back, on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. Later that day, Williams sent his herd of 37 Holsteins to auction with plans to retire from milking after 49 years and 16 days operating the farm. (Valley News - James M. Patterson) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.

Joe Williams, left, records the ear tag numbers of heifers as his son Allen Williams, right, reads them out in Randolph Center, Vt., while preparing to send his herd to auction on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. Though no longer milking, he will keep 15 beef cows and continue doing field work at the farm. Joe Williams grew up on a small family farm nearby and after attending Vermont Technical College to study agriculture and working for the state highway department for five years following the opening of Interstate 89, he took over the dairy farm from the Carpenter family on Sept. 15, 1975. (Valley News - James M. Patterson) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.

Joe Williams, left, records the ear tag numbers of heifers as his son Allen Williams, right, reads them out in Randolph Center, Vt., while preparing to send his herd to auction on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. Though no longer milking, he will keep 15 beef cows and continue doing field work at the farm. Joe Williams grew up on a small family farm nearby and after attending Vermont Technical College to study agriculture and working for the state highway department for five years following the opening of Interstate 89, he took over the dairy farm from the Carpenter family on Sept. 15, 1975. (Valley News - James M. Patterson) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.

“I see myself getting behind,” said Joe Williams, of Randolph Center, Vt., about the daily chores and upkeep of the dairy farm that he shared with his wife Dale until her death last March. He said he has lost sleep as the departure of his cows nears, but he is hoping that they will sell well at auction. “I try to look at it on the bright side,

“I see myself getting behind,” said Joe Williams, of Randolph Center, Vt., about the daily chores and upkeep of the dairy farm that he shared with his wife Dale until her death last March. He said he has lost sleep as the departure of his cows nears, but he is hoping that they will sell well at auction. “I try to look at it on the bright side," he said of retiring from milking. "I’ll putter around with a few beef, sell some feed, cut my wood and maybe even take the afternoon off.” he said. Williams listed more than fifteen family farms that shipped milk when he was growing up in the rural neighborhood that stretches over less than five-miles between Randolph Center and East Bethel. Now there will be two remaining. (Valley News - James M. Patterson) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.

By JAMES M. PATTERSON

Valley News Staff Photographer

Published: 10-02-2024 5:31 PM

Randolph Center farmer Joe Williams, 74, sent the last of his milking herd to auction on Tuesday. Though no longer milking, he will keep 15 beef cows and continue doing field work at the farm.

Williams grew up on a small family farm nearby. After attending Vermont Technical College to study agriculture and working for the state highway department for five years following the opening of Interstate 89, he took over the dairy farm from the Carpenter family on Sept. 15, 1975.  

“I try to look at it on the bright side," he said of retiring from milking. "I’ll putter around with a few beef, sell some feed, cut my wood and maybe even take the afternoon off.”

Yesterday's Most Read Articles