episode 3: Erin Nutcher
GUSTINE, CALIFORNIA
Erin Nutcher
Erin Nutcher and her family are one of the many California dairy families bringing milk, cheese and other dairy products to your grocery store shelves.
Growing up a fourth generation dairy farmer in Lodi, California, Erin’s parents joked with her that she needed to find a dairyman to marry because she loved it so much. Lucky for her, she met Trevor - a fellow fourth generation dairy farmer from Modesto, California - while attending California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. In 2013, they were married and ready to continue their family’s legacies together in the dairy business.
According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, dairy is California’s top agricultural commodity, having brought in more than $7.47 billion in 2020. An overwhelming 97% of those California dairies are owned by families like the Nutchers.
Hidden Valley Dairy is a multigenerational dairy operation in partnership with Erin’s in-laws. In November of 2013, they moved Trevor's family dairy operation from Modesto to its current location in Gustine, California where they were able to grow the herd to 2,100 cows.
The cows are accustomed to their routine, being milked twice a day every day in the morning and evening exactly 12 hours apart. The state-of-the-art milking parlor allows them to milk 70 cows at one time. The udders get sprayed with disinfectant before the milking machine is attached. The suction process of the machine mimics hand milking.
After Erin allowed the Backroad Cowgirls to try our hand at both hand milking and machine milking, it’s easy to see why technology makes things much more efficient!
Each cow at Hidden Valley Dairy produces about 10 gallons of milk per day on average. All of their milk is then sent to Hilmar Cheese Company to be turned into a variety of bulk natural cheeses. Erin was so kind to send us home with some cheese curds, and let us tell you, the product speaks for itself. Nutritious and delicious!
“Dairy has a lot of misconceptions around dairy. I always say that I am not going to sell a product in the grocery store that I wouldn’t feed me or my family or my kids. We really put a lot of hard work and effort into caring for our animals.”
- Erin Nutcher, Dairy Farmer
Erin’s father
When it comes to advocacy, animal welfare is always a topic of discussion surrounding the dairy industry. Erin says she wishes that people knew the extensive time and research that goes into creating comfortable facilities and living conditions for dairy cows. From cooling facilities on hot days to special animal nutritionists, the Nutchers are dedicated to ensuring their cows are happy and healthy.
Erin is an avid advocate for agriculture, debunking dairy myths and sharing their farm story to help consumers feel more confident about the food in their fridge. Her inspiration for advocacy came from her late father who unexpectedly passed away in a car accident in 2010. Ten years after his death, she started a blog alongside her social media pages to continue carrying on the farming legacy of her family, especially her dad.
While Erin loves being a part of the day-to-day operations at the dairy, her most important role in this season is being mom and raising the 5th generation on the farm. They have two beautiful children, Dale and Rylee, and recently announced they’ll be welcoming another little boy to the farm later this year.
She loves having her kids grow up around animals, knowing where their food comes from and understanding the hard work that goes into it. As a multigenerational farm family, she says it’s special getting to see her kids work alongside their parents and grandparents every day.
The BACKROAD COWGIRLS
were “udderly” grateful to be welcomed to the farm for the behind-the-scenes experience at Hidden Valley Dairy with the Nutcher Family.
We’re big fans of getting to see the next generation growing up in agriculture and big fans of all the yummy dairy products families like the Nutchers produce.
Let’s raise a glass of milk to the farm families like the Nutchers working 365 days a year to provide a wholesome product on our grocery shelves!
Photography by Shelby Caitlin Photography