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About Us
Eric & Kimberly Brayman
Eric and Kim are 4th generation farmers in Spafford NY. Operating Kim's family farm alongside their children is a passion for them. Kim grew up with an educator as a mother. Chris Fesko started the "On the Farm" video series when Kim was just a teenager. Chris loved having school tours visit our farm and educating them on agriculture in a fun, hands on experience. Although Kim shares Chris' passion for educating the public on agriculture, she tailored her style of education around families instead of schools. In 2016, Kim and her family met some friends from Virgina in Lancaster Pennsylvania for a camping trip at a campground. While walking the campground there was a moment where Kim could feel God say, stop and look. As she looked around a vision started to form in her head. With the support of so many people but especially her husband, Eric, that vision has turned into reality at Happy Pastures Campground. Starting with just a few cabins in the woods, with no water, electric or basic comforts the campground has flowered into cabins with simple comforts, hotel suites and camper sites. Described by some as a magical place the Braymans have hosted over 17 countries and 24 states.
As they continue on their journey they hope to expand the campground and continue to give people a better understanding of modern agriculture, as well as a home away from home.
Fesko Dairy, LLC
Fesko Farms History
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Wesel Fezco settled this farm in 1922, after he had been diagnosed with black lung from working in the steel mills in Indiana. After his passing from a car accident, the farm was taken over by his son George Fesko. George, his wife Marion and three kids Rick, Tim and Nancy grew the farm in the dairy direction. George built one of the first free stall milking parlors in CNY in 1969. It was a Delaval swing parlor with 12 stalls and 6 milkers. Over time the parlor went through many changes and the barn housed 200 cows. Rick Fesko, his wife Chris and Rick’s sister Nancy Putnam stayed on the farm. Rick and Chris were the active managers and with their children Ben, Kim Brayman and Todd, they grew the farm. During this time Chris Fesko pursued a diversification in the farm with Ag education. She created the “Summer on the Farm” video series that won national and international awards. Her business eventually grew to 11 award winning videos and The Discovery Center. The center was a renovated barn to an educational center for schools to visit and learn about agriculture. The tours ended with the bus driving through the new free stall barn built in 2003 that housed 300 cows.
In 2007 Kim and her new husband Eric, joined the farm with her father Rick in Fesko Dairy LLC, and at this time, they doubled the barn and were at 400 cows. In 2011 the farm and community were rocked by the sudden passing of Rick due to a farming accident. With proper estate planning in place the farm was able to continue. Kim and Eric along with their children Everett, Jacob and Marion have continued the growth of the farm to reach its current 900 cows and 2500 acres. In 2024 the farm took a big leap and built a 50 cow stall rotary parlor. Building this new parlor allowed the cows to be milked in a much more friendly environment with great ventilation, lighting, and comfort. A happy cow makes more milk and we saw their appreciation in our cows production!
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Trying to continue her mothers desire to teach people about agriculture Kim and Eric have started the Happy Pastures Campground. They host families from all over the world on the farm property. The onsite barn gives campers opportunities to interact with their family and animals at chore time and also offering a tour of the dairy farm when time allows.
Along with the farm and education the family has a long history of community service. Having current and past family members sit on various town and agricultural boards. George was a founding father of the Spafford Fire Department, Rick sat on the Spafford Town board and the Cortland Bulk Milk Co op board, Chris was a Farm Credit East Director and served on the Spafford Town Board, Eric is a sitting Fire Commissioner and a Skaneateles Lake Watershed board member, and Kim is a sitting Spafford Town Board member and was a Farm Credit East Customer Council Committee Member. The children are picking up the torch and as a teenager Everett has become a Junior Executive Committee Member for the NYS Holstein Association.
