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Howling Cow

Support the Future of Dairy Education

A dedicated learning center for dairy eduction.

Ways to Give

We provide focused agricultural education through seeing, tasting and doing.

For decades, NC State’s dairy processing plant, the Feldmeier Dairy Processing Lab, has been primarily known for its delicious ice cream, an N.C. State Fair favorite. The most recent renovations in 2005 supported our ability to provide cutting-edge food science innovations and research on popular locavore foods such as farmstead cheeses.

All of the dairy processing plant’s operating costs are generated by revenues from the sale of dairy products, research grants, and fees from educational seminars. The addition of a full-service Creamery Café and Dairy Education Center at our farm will help increase our ability to educate and enhance teaching and outreach capabilities.

Visitors to the Creamery Café and the Dairy Education Center can enjoy an ice cream sundae while watching video feeds of the plant in operation or discovering the many facets of North Carolina’s dairy industry through our interactive exhibits. Our state-of-the-art distance learning technology will bring expanded dairy support to participants nationwide.

Five key areas of investment will have a profound impact on the farm’s future:

  1. A state-of-the-art milking parlor so students have the best in hands-on training.
  2. Renovations of the freestall barn to demonstrate exemplary cow comfort provisions.
  3. Construction of a breeder heifer facility to improve research and herd management.
  4. Addition of a classroom and museum honoring Randleigh Farm’s heritage.
  5. Creation of a Visitors Center for public outreach in agricultural education.
  6. Creation of an endowment to support ongoing maintenance and enhancements.

Ways to Support Dairy Education

  • Make a cash gift payable over a 1–3 year period
  • Donate specific equipment or materials to help up-fit facilities
  • Donate land or other real property*
  • Establish your own named legacy

* This type of donation may result in significant tax benefits or income for your retirement or for your heirs. Please consult your tax advisor.

For questions on how to make a gift in support of the Dairy Education Center or Farm, contact the NC Agricultural Foundation: at 919-515-2000 or cals_foundation@ncsu.edu

Howling Cow Camp

We host a two-week immersive camp experience for high school students every summer. For 10 days, students will build their confidence in dairy handling, showmanship and husbandry. Activities include field trips to local farms and a tour of the Dairy Processing Plant, and ends with students

Cow!