“That’s one of the main reasons we wanted to do (the tower). “We’re getting a lot more locals,” Lobb said.
The Funk, Flynn and Cashman families are the type of visitors Kreider officials hope to attract people from adjacent counties looking for a fun and easy day trip. “I really think it’s neat to see how flat the land is,” she said. “The quality of the care that they try to give to their animals is impressive,” she said.Īlexis Cashman, 10, also enjoyed the view from the top of the tower. “It’s scary (but) it’s a fun experience,” said friend, Maddy Flynn, 11,įlynn’s mother, Jennifer, joked about the steps, before turning serious. “I never thought farms had this much acreage. On this day, three families from Hanover, York County – moms and daughters enjoying a day trip – offered their perspective from the top of the tower.Īlexa Funk, 12, said that being 10 stories above the landscape totally changed her perspective.
Sitting atop the dome is a giant American flag. During the next few months, the staircase, observation deck and a fresh coat of white paint were added. In May 2015, the company hired Wolfe House & Building Movers of Upper Tulpehocken Township to move the silo about 1,000 feet to its new location next to the milking parlor. Ron Kreider, company president, came up with the idea to make the silo an observation tower. Originally a concrete silo and almost a century old, the structure had been sitting empty on a working part of the farm that is off-limits to visitors. The tower has had an interesting journey in the past year. People love the maternity barn, and people love seeing the new calves.” “I wouldn’t say it’s the highlight of the tour,” Lobb said, referring to the observation tower, “but it adds excitement to it. Lobb said that it’s worked out exactly as planned. It was an “aww” moment for guests watching from the trolley windows. Young calves are kept in shelters that resemble a large doghouse.ĭuring a recent tour, guide Ada Greiner tried to coax a newborn calf out of its shelter. Five to seven dairy calves are born daily at the farm. Frequently the trolley will stop, allowing guests to see the birth of a calf. The tour also includes the maternity barn, which houses hundreds of pregnant cows. A highlight is when the trolley or bus drives through the middle of the loafing barn, where hundreds of cows live and feed. Guests learn how the feed for dairy cows is stored and about the farm’s environmental stewardship at the outset of the tour. Guests sit in an air-conditioned trolley or bus and are accompanied by a guide during the tour. “We are very happy with it, and it’s a great addition to the tour,” said Debora Lobb, farm tour director. There, guests have a spectacular view of the farm and the Lancaster County countryside beyond. Local visitors and tourists are climbing the 172-step spiral staircase that wraps around the tower’s exterior to an observation deck 100 feet off the ground. The tower, a converted silo, has become a focal point of the 90-minute tour of Kreider’s sprawling 1,500-acre dairy operation south of Manheim in Lancaster County. MANHEIM – Part thrill ride and part educational tool, Kreider Farms Silo Observation Tower has been a hit since it opened on May 2.
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