A Scipio family's business came to a standstill Wednesday morning after fire destroyed their milking barn and killed more than 60 calves and dairy cows.
Chet Susslin / The Citizen
The burned-out remains of the Valley Mound Farms milking parlor sit in the Wednesday afternoon sun. The fire broke out early Wednesday morning and destroyed the parlor, killing most , if not all, of the calves and dairy cattle inside.
The burned-out remains of the Valley Mound Farms milking parlor sit in the Wednesday afternoon sun. The fire broke out early Wednesday morning and destroyed the parlor, killing most , if not all, of the calves and dairy cattle inside.
Gloria Whitten, one of the owners of the family run Valley Mound Farms, at 2480 Sherwood Road, Scipio, said a farmhand who was milking the cows came into the house screaming at about 2 a.m., waking up her and her husband, Gary Whitten.
"At first I though some cows had just gotten out and she needed help, but when I stood up, I could see the fire from our bedroom," Gloria said.
Fire investigators confirmed that the fire was started by wiring in a ceiling fan and quickly spread to nearby hay before spreading to the rest of the building.
The loss of the farm's only milking facility forced the Whitten's to shut down production and ship their cows to neighboring farmers who volunteered to take care of the cattle while the family decided what to do next, Gary said. The farm, which had more than 550 head of cattle, had been producing nearly 20,000 pounds of milk a day.
"Maybe we can rebuild out back, bigger and better," Gary said. "We have to talk to the insurance and the banks first. Money just doesn't grow on a tree. We haven't gotten that far yet."
Read the full report in Thursday's edition of The Citizen.
"At first I though some cows had just gotten out and she needed help, but when I stood up, I could see the fire from our bedroom," Gloria said.
Fire investigators confirmed that the fire was started by wiring in a ceiling fan and quickly spread to nearby hay before spreading to the rest of the building.
The loss of the farm's only milking facility forced the Whitten's to shut down production and ship their cows to neighboring farmers who volunteered to take care of the cattle while the family decided what to do next, Gary said. The farm, which had more than 550 head of cattle, had been producing nearly 20,000 pounds of milk a day.
"Maybe we can rebuild out back, bigger and better," Gary said. "We have to talk to the insurance and the banks first. Money just doesn't grow on a tree. We haven't gotten that far yet."
Read the full report in Thursday's edition of The Citizen.
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