New Day Dairy GuestBarn

11/05/2026

❤️ We love our REDHEADS! ❤️

Most of our cows are Holsteins — the traditional black-and-white dairy cows.

But DYK that Holsteins can also be RED?

That's right! Red hair in Holsteins is a genetically recessive trait, meaning a calf needs to inherit the red gene from BOTH mom and dad to sport those beautiful red locks!

And when all else is about equal, will choose a bull that carries the red gene — just to add a little spice (and color!) to the barn!

In the last few years, we've also bred some of our cows that aren't registered Holsteins to Guernsey bulls. Guernseys are naturally a reddish-brown and white breed, so we've got a few more redheads running around!

Dan can tell the difference between a Red Holstein and a Guernsey cross. Lynn? Not so much. 😂

Happy Love Your Redhead Day! ❤️

Do you have a favorite redhead in your life? Give them a shout-out in the comments! 👇

11/03/2026

❤️ Sometimes the greatest gift is REST.

Do you know a mom who is a full-time caregiver for a child with disabilities or chronic illness? Someone who pours so much of herself into caring for others that she rarely gets a break?

We're honored to partner with A Mother's Rest Foundation to host special retreats here at New Day Dairy GuestBarn!

❤️ January 8–11, 2027: ONE spot still available!

❤️ Mother's Day Weekend 2027: Thanks to a generous donation, this 3-day retreat is just $125 per person but you have to register SOON to see if you're choose to grab a spot at the GuestBarn!

These retreats are an opportunity to step away, recharge, and simply REST.

Know a mom who could use this gift? Please tag her, share this post, or send her the information personally. Sometimes a little encouragement is all it takes to help someone say YES to a much-needed break!

Links in Comments for more info!

10/31/2026

What is a ghost's favorite dessert?
I-scream 🍦

Happy Halloween!

Our cows have been getting into the Halloween spirit... with a little help from AI! 👻🐄

10/29/2026

🐈 Can't let National Cat Day pass without a shout-out to the TRUE stars of the farm!

You may *think* you're coming to ...

But your kids know the REAL reason for the trip is to snuggle the cats who hang out on the GuestBarn porch. 🤷‍♀️

I mean, they do have a real job around here, too... 🐀

10/28/2026

🐄 Did you know October is National Co-op Month?

One of the questions we get asked most often is, "Where does your milk go after it leaves the farm?"

Usually, the milk from our cows heads to a cheese plant in Luana, Iowa, where it gets turned into delicious dairy products like Swiss cheese and cream cheese.

🚧 But earlier this month, things took a little detour!

The cheese plant where our milk normally goes needed some repairs. And since cows don't take a day off from making milk, it had to go somewhere!

That's where the beauty of being part of a cooperative comes in!

As farmer-owners of Prairie Farms Dairy, we work together with 550+ dairy farmers from across the Midwest to get our milk from the farm to your table. Our cooperative handles the transportation, processing, marketing, and selling of the milk we work hard to produce every day.

So when the cheese plant needed repairs, our co-op's team simply made other arrangements. Instead of becoming cheese, our milk was redirected to be bottled and served to schoolchildren in Dubuque, Iowa!

And the best part? It all happened seamlessly. We kept caring for our cows, the milk truck kept showing up, and our milk continued on its journey to nourish people as milk instead of cheese this time.

That's cooperation in action!

Being part of a cooperative means we can do so much more together than we could on our own. We get to focus on what we do best—caring for our cows and producing quality milk—while working alongside people whose specialties are everything that happens after the milk leaves our farm.

It's also a reminder that behind every gallon of milk, block of cheese, or carton of school milk are a whole lot of people working together!

We're proud to be farmer-owners of Prairie Farms and grateful for all the people who help get our milk from our farm to your family. ❤️

10/22/2026

Did you go hunting for fossils when you came to ?

Vote for the Rockford Fossil & Prairie Center for Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area People's Choice Award!

Act now because voting ends tomorrow!

🌾 LET'S PUT OUR LITTLE PARK ON THE BIG STAGE! 🏆

The Fossil & Prairie Park Preserve and Visitor Center is one of the TOP 5 FINALISTS for the 2026 Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area People's Choice Site of the Year Award! 🎉

We've got ancient fossils, beautiful prairies, fascinating history, and an amazing community of supporters. Now there's just one thing missing… YOUR VOTE!

🗳️ VOTING IS OPEN OCTOBER 19–23!

👉 VOTE HERE: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/9061091/SSNHA-2026-People-s-Choice-Site-of-the-Year

❤️ Whether you're near or far, help us show that a small-town treasure can make a BIG impression!

📢 Cast your vote, share this post, and rally your friends and family!

Our park may be small, but with your support, our possibilities are HUGE! 🌾🏆

10/19/2026

"... a review of the October 13, 2026 home school tour Lynn gave to our granddaughter, my wife, myself and several other families involved in homeschooling.

I will preface this by saying that, before setting out this morning, none of our group of three was eager with anticipation to drive for forty minutes to the dairy, but were unanimously impressed upon the end of the tour.

Lynn was very personable and knowledgeable with both the kids and the adults, answering every question fully. All of us learned a great deal, and I would recommend it to everyone. Thanks, Lynn, for a great experience."

David P., Google Reviews, October 2026

10/16/2026

I'm not sure if the kids loved the real cows or 's animal noises more 🤔

Which one is your favorite?

Thanks for coming out for a fun morning on the farm earlier this week Waverly Library!

10/12/2026

🐄 Happy National Farmers Day! 🚜

👋 We're the Bolin family, Dan, Lynn, and our three kids. Together we own & operate New Day Dairy, a fifth-generation dairy farm in Northeast Iowa, near Clarksville.

🥛 As dairy farmers our days (and sometimes our nights!) revolve around caring for about 120 milk cows, along with their calves and heifers. Our cows get milked by a robot (yes, really!), and their milk goes to our farmer-owned cooperative, Prairie Farms, where it turns into cream cheese & Swiss cheese for families like yours.

🌽 Farming is our livelihood AND our lifestyle. There are early mornings, late nights, new baby calves, tractors, fieldwork, plenty of manure, unpredictable weather, and an endless list of things to fix. Some days are beautiful. Some days are messy. Most days are a little of both! 😆

❤️ Our kids are the sixth generation & are growing up learning the value of hard work, responsibility, caring for animals, and being part of something bigger than themselves. It's not always easy, but we're grateful for the opportunity to carry on a family legacy while embracing new technology and finding new ways to farm for the future.

🏡 And here's something a little different about our farm: We invite people to come ! The GuestBarn is a vacation rental right next to the barn, complete with 2 big windows overlooking the cows. We love welcoming guests, giving farm tours, and helping people experience where their food comes from firsthand.

We're honored to be YOUR farmers and to give you a glimpse into a way of life that fewer and fewer people get to experience firsthand. ❤️

📣 And now we have a favor to ask!

In honor of National Farmers Day, would you SHARE this post and introduce us to someone who might not personally know a farmer?

Maybe it's a friend who lives in the city, a family member who has never visited a farm, or someone who would simply enjoy seeing what life with 120 dairy cows looks like.

We'd love to meet them, answer their questions, and help bridge the gap between the farm and the food on their table.

From our farm family to your family — thanks for being part of our story! 🐄

10/10/2026

Do you know what 4-H 🍀 stands for?

🧒Head
❤ Heart
👐Hands
🏃‍♀️Health

Dan & I both grew up participating in 4-H, one in rural Iowa & the other in suburban Minnesota.

Lessons learned, skills gained, & experiences had helped us be for our future!

4-H is much more than showing livestock, it's truly a choose your own adventure for any interest you have 🎉 Thankful our kids have a chance to participate now!

Happy 4-H Week!