The Forgeys use artificial insemination for six weeks on all cows before turning out a clean-up bull to breed any cows that remain open. The calving window is from March 1 to April 15. The target date for dry- off is Christmas Eve. In 1998, the Forgeys sold 12 cows as culls and 24 as dairy animals to maintain the six-week calving window. All replacement animals for the dairy are raised on the farm.
Pastures contain a diverse mix of plant species.
The loam soils are predominantly orchardgrass with alfalfa, red clover, white clover and birdsfoot trefoil. Wetter soils hold reed canarygrass with alsike clover and birdsfoot trefoil. In most years the milking herd gets 100 percent pasture forage from April 10 until October 15. Each paddock averages three acres and is permanently fenced with one strand of high-tensile wire. The milking herd gets a fresh paddock every 12 hours and is allowed to graze only the top three to four inches.