Suhrs show off robotic milkers to 1,000 plus at open barn

     Doug and Tina Suhr, Kasson, Minn., dairy producers using two robotic milkers in their operation, at their May 2 open barn, saw what happens when you open up your innovative dairy to the public.
     More than 1,000 people show up, eat 225 pizzas, consume 11 gallons of ice cream and drink a whole lot of milk.
     And that's not to mention the key point - hundreds of questions a farmer, a robotic milker dealer and a representative from the Lely Astronaut robotic milker manufacturer field in an afternoon in a Minnesota milk barn.
     "We had quite a few city people, about one-third of the visitors, about one-third were retired farmers and about on-third were younger farmers interested [in the system]," Doug Suhr said.
     Three people stayed inside the milking facility, addressing questions. "There were times when there was a line 60 to 70 people long waiting," he added. The visitors asked many good questions. The most common being, 'When is the busiest time for the robots?' Doug's answer: All the time is the busiest time because they're always running.
     And the visitors saw the milkers in action. "For that many people around, the cows kept going through," he added.
     And since the open house, many people continue to want to visit Zumbro Ridge Farms and hear about the Suhrs' experiences with the robotic milkers firsthand. Doug Suhr serves National Farmers as Minnesota's First District president and state board member.