Community outreach, ice cream production and selling directly to consumers with Lolly Lesher

Community outreach, ice cream production and selling directly to consumers with Lolly Lesher

Author: Progressive Dairy editors November 19, 2025 Duration: 35:43

Pennsylvania dairywoman Lolly Lesher from Way-Har Farms joins host Kimmi Devaney on this episode of the Progressive Dairy Podcast to discuss on-farm processing, selling directly to consumers through their farm market and other retail avenues, farm tours and community outreach. 

Connect with Lesher on Facebook

Here is a breakdown of the episode:

  • [~1:00] About Way-Har Farms and Lesher’s family
  • [~1:50] Differences between their old freestall barn and the new one they built in 2016
  • [~3:30] Farm market
  • [~4:50] On-farm processing
  • [~5:40] How they develop new flavors
  • [~7:00] Marketing 
  • [~9:30] Product distribution
  • [~9:55] Ice cream trailer for events
  • [~10:45] Employee recruitment differences between the dairy and the farm market/on-farm processing 
  • [~11:40] The part of her farm Lesher is most proud of
  • [~14:05] Advice for other dairy producers interesting in trying on-farm processing 
  • [~20:00] Employee training
  • [~20:40] About their farm’s open house in 2020 
  • [~25:30] School tours
  • [27:00] Internships
  • [~28:30] Helpful resources
  • [~29:15] Their Airbnb
  • [~30:45] Agritourism advice for other producers
  • [~33:00] Rapid-fire questions

For those who live and work in the world of milk production, the day doesn’t stop for a deep dive into industry news. That’s where the Progressive Dairy Podcast comes in, extending the trusted editorial voice of the magazine into an audio format you can take anywhere. Hosted by the Progressive Dairy editors, this series is crafted specifically for U.S. dairy producers and the network of professionals who support them. Think of it as a conversation with well-informed colleagues, breaking down the latest trends, operational strategies, and business insights that matter at the farm gate and beyond. You’ll hear straightforward discussions that translate complex topics into actionable advice, whether the subject is herd health, market dynamics, sustainability practices, or technology adoption. Released every other Tuesday, each episode is designed to fit into a busy schedule, providing a dose of relevant information during a morning commute or an afternoon walk. It’s more than just a business podcast; it’s a practical resource built on the same foundation of reliability that readers have come to expect, now available for your ears instead of your eyes. Tune in to stay informed and connected to the pulse of the dairy industry.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Progressive Dairy Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Carbon Footprint Neutralizer (Sponsored Podcast) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:15
Posilac® has impact on carbon footprint reduction. This episode is sponsored by Union Agener. About Union Agener: The plant was acquired in October 2018 by Fernando de Castro Marques, a majority shareholder of União Quím…
Gail Carpenter: You can’t outfeed bad management [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:46
In this episode of the Progressive Dairy Podcast, Gail Carpenter, who is an assistant professor and state dairy specialist at Iowa State University, and host Kimmi Devaney discuss a variety of topics ranging from dairy n…
Instant Milk Cooling with PROChiller Systems (Sponsored Podcast) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:12
CEO Jim VanderGiessen, Jr. shares how cooling milk became a career and how dairy farmers are using PROChillers to instantly cool milk and heat water to 180°F. This episode is sponsored by Pro Refrigeration.