One Farm Family Among Many
There are fewer and fewer farms.
In Marin County alone the number of dairies is down from a high of 150 in the 1960's to just 29 remaining today. As consolidation and larger operations became the norm, most of the small family farms have dwindled. Some farmers, like us, are turning not only to growing the food, but marketing it too. We are committed to supporting communities of family farms across North America.
We call the creamery, where we process our products, Straus FAMILY Creamery. Four siblings grew up on the farm, where we get the milk to make Straus products. This farm is a very important part of our lives. When the farm made a new beginning in 1993, we all jumped in to take part in helping to make sure that Straus Family Creamery succeeded. Like other family operations, we all have different talents and interests. Here's a bit about the family and how each has contributed to this effort.
William Straus. Father. Dad (or Pops) was the one to discover this beautiful piece of land here on Tomales Bay. He started farming here in 1941 with 23 cows named after friends and relatives. Dad taught us that family, integrity and taking care of each other were the most important values. He was the first one in our area to put in a stock pond (to hold water), the first to have a parlor barn (where the cows stand above the milker), and the first to spread barn washings (liquid manure) on the fields as fertilizer. He was the first farmer to join the Marin Conservation League (of which he became a director). Locally, he began the conversations between environmentalists and farmers. Dad helped to find the funds from friends and relatives that helped to open Straus Family Creamery. Having a father around 24 hours a day as we grew up was wonderful.
Ellen Straus. Mother. Mom, a Dutch immigrant, grew up in a city but dreamed of living on a farm. She decided after reading Silent Spring by Rachel Carson in the early 1960's that we should stop using pesticides. In 1980, she co-founded the first agricultural land trust in the nation. Our mom, who has been nationally recognized for her work, has been extremely active in farmland protection in Marin County as well as many other environmental and county planning groups. She not only knows everything there is to know about cows, she was a constant advisor both at the dairy and in the development and growth of the creamery. She led tours on the dairy and spoke to people throughout the community about our operation. Working tirelessly and happily, for many, she was the face of our farm.
Albert Straus. Son. Straus Family Creamery was Albert's idea. Albert knew he would take over the reins of the farm. The farm has been his passion since early childhood. He did his senior thesis in college on running a creamery, then came back to the farm and through his innovations turned it into a viable business. Albert is the impetus behind the idea of transitioning the dairy to organic, which he did in 1993. It was his vision to bottle the milk in glass and to keep the milk in it's natural non-homogenized state. It was his idea to put a methane digester on the farm, to use no-till drilling (to seed without plowing) and to utilize wind power. Almost every innovative idea and decision goes back to Albert. He is the president and owner of Straus Family Creamery. Plus, Albert really loves ice cream.
Vivien Straus. Daughter. Vivien will tell you that above all else, she is a professional actress and writer. Before that she was the Marketing Director for the creamery. She oversaw all sales and packaging design. She dealt with store dairy buyers, distributors and unearthed new business opportunities. She did the trade shows, website, newsletters and press releases, and would always be ready to answer all the questions and emails from our customers. She was very, very busy. Today she finds herself living in Los Angeles chasing her dreams.Miriam Straus Berkowitz. Daughter. Miriam, with a teaching degree, is an agricultural science teacher in the countryside of New York. She currently lives with her husband and 3 children. She grows organic shiitake mushrooms, is very involved in the organic farming organization, NOFA, and has set up a hands-on gardening program at her local school. If Miriam had remained on the farm in California, she would have been a brilliant manager of the dairy, as she knows cows and farming well. She has a degree from U.C. Davis in Crop Processing and Production. Miriam still visits the farm twice a year with her family.
Michael Straus. Son. Michael was the public face and voice for Straus Family Creamery when we first began. Working long hours, he single-handedly and enthusiastically spread the word about Straus to retailers, consumers and the press. Michael has the incredible ability to analyze bits of varying information and see the bigger picture. Now living in San Francisco, he is using his talents to market progressive agricultural businesses through his new company, Straus Communications.