Ted and Tina Graff have built Graff Brothers Dairy in Delta, Colorado. The Dairy has been in business at this location since 1984, and the Graffs have owned it the whole time. It has been a family business since its inception. Ted’s father owned a dairy, and this is what led Ted to start his own dairy here in Delta.
Over the years, they have had their kids, grandchildren, and nephews working for them. When asked what has changed over the years, both the Graffs said, “The business hasn’t changed much since starting, other than it is bigger now.”
Graff Brothers Dairy is one of the ninety-five dairies in Colorado. Their milk is sent to one of the seven processing plants in Colorado; specifically Meadow Gold in Denver.
There is no way of knowing whether the milk you are drinking came from the Graff Brothers Dairy, as it is mixed with other dairy milk at the processing plant. But rest assured, you are getting high-quality milk from dairies that care.
Milking three times a day produces 33,000 pounds of milk daily. Graff Brothers Dairy uses a conventional milking system, rather than the new rotary system.
The Graffs currently have 800 head of cattle. With so many cows, feeding can cost some money. “We spend approximately $83,000 per month,” said Tina.
The Graffs get many inspections over the course of the year. Some are monthly, and some are every other month. There are many rules and regulations that must be followed to keep the milk safe for consumption.
Ted said, “The biggest changes and challenges in the dairy have been economics; income vs expenses.” Prior to the pandemic shutdown, they had people coming to them asking for jobs. Now, it is a struggle to find good employees who want to work. If money weren’t an issue, they would keep doing what they do. However, they would invest in newer equipment and technology.
The Graffs have had many funny stories from the years, including one where Tina pulled out her phone and showed me a video of one of the cows tripping a milker, who then landed face down.
The Graff’s favorite part of business is that it is decent, consistent, and good work. They are proud that they help feed the country, even with very little personal time. However, they find the work to be rewarding in and of itself.
