A Little History ...

In 1778, Noah Parsons III moved with his family to farm on what is now Easthampton Road in Westhampton. 225 years later, the Parsons family still owns and farms that same land. Today, the farm is run by brothers Henry III and Edward Parsons. Henry manages the herd while Ed oversees the crops and equipment. The farm grows the feed for their cattle on land owned and rented by the farm. Currently the milking herd consists of roughly 100 registered Holstein (the majority), Swiss and Jersey cows.

As the farm has passed from generation to generation, it has seen many changes. A sawmill was built in the 1840's and remained in operation until the early 1970's. Henry and Ed's father and mother, Mahlon II and Bertha, instigated the switch to registered cattle in the 1950's. With a B.S. in Animal Science from the University of Massachusetts, Henry began concentrating on genetics for type and production in the early 1970's. A new freestall barn and milking parlor were constructed in the early 1980's. Ed and Henry built a commodities shed in the late 1990's and are currently updating and renovating the parlor.
Bertha and her four sons: Dale, Henry, Mahlon, and Ed (left to right).
The Present Company ...
Besides Ed and Henry, several others are involved in making the farm run smoothly. In addition to sugaring and sawing logs, Mahlon still regularly helps out with chores. Henry's wife, Margie (also a UMass AnSci grad), often milks and feeds calves. Westhampton treasurer and accountant, Margie also handles the farm’s finances and bookkeeping. Trina, Edward’s wife, works off the farm but also lends a hand whenever she can. The younger generation includes, on Henry and Margie's side, Ethan and his younger sister Kate, and on Ed and Trina's side, Clint and his younger brother Lee. Ethan is a researcher at MIT, while Kate works as a soil conservationist for the Massachusetts Natural Resources Conservation Service. A Cornell Ag. school graduate, Kate is based in Pittsfield and regularly pitches in. Clint, a recent UMass NRE graduate, is currently an officer in the Department of Homeland Security. When not fishing for Catfish Hunter, he keeps an eye on Minnesota's border with Canada. Lee lives in the area and helps out on weekends.
From left to right: Clint, Trina, Lee, Kate, Margie, Ethan (standing); Ed, Henry (kneeling) and Bear.
And a Little Glory ...
In 1998, Henry and Edward Parsons were named the Massachusetts Outstanding Dairy Farmers. In competing for this coveted award, farmers are judged on the basis of farm management, crop management, milk quality, and service in the dairy industry. The award was widely recognized to be the result of the brothers' attention to detail, meticulousness in monitoring their cows’ environment, and paying the utmost attention to feeding and breeding. The Parsons family was honored along with the winners from each of the other New England States at an awards ceremony held at the Big E.
Outstanding Dairy Farmers Ed and Henry Parsons
Mayval Farm
149 Easthampton Rd.
Westhampton Massachusetts
413.527.6274