Another exciting day of births!

It was another exciting day yesterday at the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center. We once again had Princess Kay of the Milky Way join us. Along with that, we welcomed eight new piglets and a beautiful bull calf to the Center.

The day was filled with excitement as we listened to Princess Kay of the Milky Way during story time. After that people were able to participate in a scavenger hunt to learn more about agriculture and the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center!  

The rain decided to hit us. Luckily, we had a sow that was ready to farrow so those stuck inside were able to experience the miracle of birth. The sow had eight healthy piglets and they are all doing great! Stop out to to building 43 at the Olmsted County fairgrounds and visit them along with the other three litters of piglets!  

The fun didn't stop there. Shortly after the piglets were born around 5:30 p.m., one of the cows went into labor. Unfortunately, the calf was coming backwards. So we had to assist the cow in giving birth for her safety and the safety of the calf. The bull calf was born around 7 p.m. We am happy to report that mother and baby are doing fantastic!

Today the birth center was crawling with people as well! Everyone loves visiting the new piglets and seeing the chicks, ducks, calves and lambs. At 3:45 p.m. today, the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center welcomed a healthy heifer (girl) calf! The mother did great delivering her and the calf is about ready to start standing!

We still have some chicks left to hatch, a cow to calve and a pig to farrow! So come check out all the baby animals at the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center and learn how to milk a cow!  

Gar-Lin Dairy: The people behind the cows!

It is less than a week away from the opening of the miracle of birth center and everything is coming together nicely. At the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center we will be having four cows giving birth. The cows are going to be coming from Gar-Lin Dairy and we are going to take this time to get to know them better.

Gar-Lin Dairy Farms started with Gary and Linda Allen in 1975 when they purchased the dairy and 40 cows from Gary’s parents. Over time, the farm expanded both in cow numbers and people to include son, Dean, and daughter, Dana. In 2006, the Allens partnered with another dairy family and over the last few years have expanded the herd to include 1,850 cows and farm 3,100 acres of alfalfa, corn, canning peas and rye grass. Currently, Gar-Lin Dairy’s management team includes Gary and Linda Allen, Dean Allen, Dr. Dana Allen and Carey Tweten.

The management team at Gar-Lin Dairy (from left to right) Carey Tweten, Dr. Dana, Gary, Linda and Dean.

At Gal-Lin Dairy they milk 1,650 cows three times a day. On average each of their cows produce 31,460 pounds of milk a year. That is approximately 3,700 gallons of milk! Every day on the farm they have an average of six cows giving birth. You will be able to see some of Gar-Lin Dairy's cows at the miracle of birth center starting July 26!

We are very thankful to Gar-Lin Dairy for their support of the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center!


The answer to the last blog was: Americans eat about 100 acres of pizza each day! That is a lot of cheese!

Question for the next blog: What is the schedule of events for the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center?

Check back tomorrow to find out what is happening everyday at the Miracle of Birth Center!

The miracle starts here

It is less than 17 days away from the grand opening of the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center. There has been a lot of work put into making this amazing event possible. One of the biggest things needed to make sure this is a success is a nice building. Due to the mass amount of rain we have had this month, getting the building ready has been tricky.

Have no fear though, the building is now painted on both the inside and outside! Also, a new sign has been placed above the opening of the door. Along with the new renovations to the building the gestation stalls have arrived for the pigs. Gestation stalls are used to ensure that both the sow and her piglets get the best care possible and are always safe. We will keep you updated as things progress and give you a complete schedule of events!

Get excited the Olmsted County FREE Fair will be here in no time!

Answer: A chicken's heart beats 275 times a minute!

Question for next time: How many acres of pizza do Americans consume in one day?

Chickens, ducks, turkeys ... it's all poultry!

June is a very exciting month for many families because it is filled with graduation parties. One my favorite things to have at a grad party is cheesy turkey. Did you know that Minnesota ranks first in the nation for turkey production?

Turkeys are part of what we call poultry, which includes chickens, ducks, turkeys, or geese raised for meat or eggs. Obviously the favorite time of the year to eat turkey is during Thanksgiving. On that day nearly 690 million pounds of turkey is eaten! 

Chickens are also considered poultry because they are raised for both meat and eggs. A broiler is a young chicken raised for meat, and in the United States it is a $45 billion dollar industry. When it comes to chickens laying eggs, the average hen lays about 260 eggs a year. She can start laying eggs when she is just 19 weeks old and as she grows older she will produce larger eggs.

The families who raise poultry are dedicated to caring for their animals to ensure that we are getting the best food possible. It is important to remember that when cooking chicken, if the meat still has the bone in it it should be heated to at least 180 degrees Fahrenheit. If the meat is boneless, it should be heated to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

Unfortunately we will not be able to have turkeys at the miracle of birth center but we will have chicks hatching. If you want to see a preview of what you will be able to view live at the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center view the video below!

Minnesota ranks 3rd in the nation for hog production! Check out the next blog to find the answer of this question:

How fast can a wild turkey run?