Big brown eyes stared as our small group walked
down the aisle. Jersey cows looked at us from the right
with Holstein and Brown Swiss cows on our left. My daughter,
three grandchildren, and I were at Hope Acres, a totally robotic
dairy -- the first of two factory tours we took on my recent
visit to Pennsylvania.
Factory tours can be a delightful and interesting
addition to your RV travels. You get off the beaten path.
They create opportunities to find out about an area's economy
and culture. Some are especially fun and outstanding learning
experiences for children or grandchildren.
HOPE ACRES ROBOTIC DAIRY
Located in Brogue, York County, Pennsylvania,
Hope Acres calls their dairy a "cow spa." The
cows definitely looked relaxed. What cow wouldn't be if it
could chew its cud on a waterbed? Yes, the cows were lying
on water-filled beds! Manure was automatically removed. Automatic
back scratchers activated when a cow stepped under it. The
barn was climate controlled and -- amazingly -- there were
no flies.
Robotic machines milk each cow three to five
times a day. Frequent milking increases production and
the cow's comfort. Each cow's collar contains a computer chip
with her schedule. Enticed by a "cow cookie" flavored
with Hershey's chocolate, we watched cows enter the milking
area often, hoping for their treat. If it's their time to
be milked, the gate closes and the machine moves under the
cow, cleaning and then milking her. Any problems and the farmer
is notified by computer or cell phone!
My grandchildren were totally fascinated.
Eight-year old Robby asked several questions of Krista, our
guide. Five-year old Timmy was a little nervous about the
milking area though clearly intrigued. Almost two, Shannon
enjoyed running back and forth. We watched the whole process,
petted cows, and then walked to the other barn housing pregnant
cows and calves. That barn did have flies.
After the tour we enjoyed a free scoop of
ice cream at the nearby Brown Cow Country Market, which
markets their line of beef and dairy products. Hope Acres
uses the richer Jersey milk for their products, with the other
herd's milk going to the Maryland/Virginia milk co-op.
CRAYOLA FACTORY
We also toured the Crayola Factory in Easton,
near the Pennsylvania/New Jersey border. Crayola's Discovery
Center is definitely kid-oriented. Kids (and grownups) can
color, draw and create with Crayola products. Very young children
like Shannon had their own play area. She also enjoyed drawing
with markers on glass walls while Robby and Timmy decorated
wastebaskets and created colorful masks. We watched a demonstration
showing how crayons, markers, and Model Magic are made. Each
admission includes product samples. .
OTHER TOURS
RV friends Lucille and Larry have done a half
dozen or so factory tours, mostly in Vermont. Their most
memorable one was Rock of Ages, a granite quarry in Graniteville,
Vermont. Most impressive -- they watched one of the huge blocks
of granite being hauled up out of the quarry.
Some other popular factory tours include:
Jelly Belly Factory,
Fairfield, California
Ethel M Chocolate Factory & Botanical Gardens,
Henderson, Nevada
National Vitamin Company, Las Vegas, Nevada
Pendleton Woolen Blanket Mill, Pendleton, Oregon
The Boeing Company, Everett, Washington
A good guide to nearly three hundred factory
tours across the country is Watch
it Made in the U.S.A. by Karen Axelrod & Bruce
Brumberg.
York County, Pennsylvania,calls itself
the Factory Tour Capital of the World. "Made
in America" tours are held each year in June.
Many factories are open for tour all year.
Some tours have admission fees; some are free.
If the tours we've taken are any indication, you are in for
special experiences. Plus you often get a free sample!
Jaimie
Hall
7/3/05
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