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Maple View Farm celebrates 50th anniversary this weekend

Mapleview Farm located in Hillsborough, NC will celebrate their upcoming 22nd birthday on September 20th this year. Co-Owner Bob Nutter known as "Farmer Bob" says they have more than 150 cows.
Mapleview Farm located in Hillsborough, NC will celebrate their upcoming 22nd birthday on September 20th this year. Co-Owner Bob Nutter known as "Farmer Bob" says they have more than 150 cows.

Maple View Farm has turned the big 5-0.

The farm, which is known for its homemade ice cream and fresh milk, was established in North Carolina 50 years ago after getting its start in Maine in the early 1800s.

After realizing that North Carolina provided a better milk market and a milder climate for producing crops, the owners of Maple View Farm moved it to its current location in 1963.

The Maple View Farm is now located on 400 acres of land near Hillsborough. Bob Nutter, a fifth-generation farmer, and Mike Strowd are co-owners of the farm.

“North Carolina has been very good to us,” said Chris Nutter, Bob Nutter’s wife who maintains the farm’s records on its registered cattle.

What started with a few calves has grown into a farm that produces more than two million pounds of milk every year. There are more than 300 animals at the farm today, including 130 cows in the milking herd.

All of the cows are Holstein cows, which are black and white and produce a large amount of milk. The farm breeds Holstein cows for other farms and gives each of the cows bred on the farm the name “Maview,” a contraction of the farm’s name.

The farm installed an on-farm bottling operation in 1996. To conserve space in the Orange County landfill, milk from Maple View Farm is available to Orange County residents in returnable glass bottles. Some products are available in recyclable plastic pints.

Maple View Farm’s milk and butter are sold in 50 local stores, like Foster’s Market, which has been selling Maple View Farm milk for nine months.

“The chocolate milk and regular milk sell out every week,” said Sera Cuni, one of the owners of Foster’s Market.

Molly DeMarco, a researcher on local food, said local food options can boost the local economy.

“It is good for people, who are able, to buy locally because it keeps money in our community,” said DeMarco.

The farm is celebrating its 50-year milestone with an event Sunday.

“We want it to be a community, family event,” said Allison Nichols-Clapper, executive director of Maple View Agricultural Center.

Nichols-Clapper said she hopes to make the next 50 years just as successful as the past.

“We want to continue to provide a quality product to the residents of Orange County,” Nichols-Clapper said.

The event at the farm will begin at 12:30 p.m. Sunday. The Mason Lovette Band will play from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. The celebration will include games, charities, educational booths by NC Cooperative Extension and ice cream. The farm also runs a hormone-free ice cream store, and the event will feature the store’s new fall flavors, including pumpkin pie and bourbon caramel.

“We want people to come out and celebrate with us and enjoy what we do with the community,” Nichols-Clapper said.

city@dailytarheel.com

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