Meet the Farmers
Cottonwood Farms is a multi-generational family dairy farm that has been operating in the southeast corner of Genesee County, New York since 1880 when Frank Tillotson purchased the farm’s initial acres in a sandy valley that had been traditionally planted in apple orchards.
Throughout the generations, the Tillotson family has approached their inherited task of stewardship with an openness to change and a willingness to innovate. In 1955, they were the first family in the valley to build a milking parlor. In 1999, the family moved away from the conventional dairy model that had taken over the industry and started experimenting with Management-Intensive Grazing (MIG) practices that ensured and improved the health of the dairy’s land and animals. In 2006, the Tillotsons earned organic certification and broke free from the conventional milk markets. And, in 2021, Cottonwood Farms installed two (of only three in the country) Solar Hybrid Diffuser Augmented Wind Turbines (DAWT) to help power their farm operations and reduce their carbon footprint.
Today, Frank’s great-grandson and great-great-grandson, Paul and Jason Tillotson, continue to manage the dairy while keeping an eye on the future. They emphasize the importance of caring for the land and animals properly so that the next generations of stewards on the land inherit resources that are healthier, stronger, and more abundant than in previous generations.
Paul and Jason are able to achieve this resilience and regeneration of resources only by embracing technologies and techniques that benefit land, animals, and people. For example, by utilizing several “robot milkers”—or automated milking systems—on the farm, the Tillotsons can allow the cows to milk themselves freely and as needed while freeing the dairy team from the rigorous milking schedules traditionally associated with dairy production. Also, by embracing Management-Intensive Grazing techniques, Paul and Jason can ensure their cows can exhibit their natural grazing behaviors to the benefit of the cows, the land, and the wildlife.
Cottonwood Farms serves as an exemplary model of holistic generational stewardship.
Regenerative & Sustainable Practices:
Cottonwood Farms is committed to regenerating the resources of the ecosystem and generational stewardship. Currently, they achieve these goals through:
Maintaining USDA organic certification
No till & low-till soil management
Management-intensive Grazing (MIG) (Cows are moved to fresh paddocks every 12 hours.)
Creating and maintaining wildlife riparian areas
Cover cropping & crop rotation
Granting their cows free-access to pasture during grazing season
Granting their cows 24-7 access to milking machines to enable the animals to choose their own milking schedule
Participating in animal welfare programs through Horizon and DFA (Dairy Farmers of America)
Utilizing two (of only three in the country) Solar Hybrid Diffuser Augmented Wind Turbines (DAWT) to help power their farm operations and reduce their carbon footprint.
