Even though Lori Sollenberger had grown up on the family's dairy farm south of Everett and majored in dairy science at Penn State University, it wasn't until after she graduated in 1981 that she chose to pursue farming for her career. "I had intended to go into research, but after working in a lab, I realized that my first love was being with the animals, so I ended up back here." Her parents, Ray and Elaine, had built one of the most successful registered Jersey herds in the country, consistently ranked in the top 10 - often in the top 5 in the United States based on the breed's Production Type Index. She took over the operation completely in 1996 when her father semi-retired and her brother, Leon, moved to Hawaii. Today, Lori runs a herd of 85-90 head, milks about 40 and has 200 acres in hay and corn. Her cows are currently averaging production of 18,000 pounds of milk annually. She says she likes the independence and challenges she faces every day on the farm. "The fact that we're producing food - a necessary commodity - is also important," she says. Sometimes the challenges of small-scale farming are daunting. "Farmers buy at retail and sell at wholesale, so there's very little profit margin. Add in the uncertainty of the markets and the weather and farming can be a daunting, tough life." That makes finding ways to generate other sources of income a high priority, and with that goal in mind, the family built a small cheese processing facility last year. Hidden Hills spreadable cheese is available in the Everett Foodliner, Giant Eagle in Roaring Spring and Fishers Country Store near Pleasantville. The milk produced by Jersey's have an exceptionally high protein content making it especially suited for cheese. The endeavor hasn't been without problems, however, and Lori says she's uncertain of its future. "I really like making cheese and feel we've produced an excellent product, but marketing has been difficult." With the challenges and changes in the field, Lori says education can be critical for success. "It's not only the theories and skills learned in the classroom that makes a difference, it's the ability to be open to new ideas - of being willing to find new ways of working. A solid knowledge of the business side as well as the agricultural side of farming can make the difference between success and failure."

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