The Herald-Courier

Vintage Cow co-owner creates a niche market



“I was enthralled with the dedication and hard work of farmers and realized the disconnect with consumers from farm to table.” 

Katie Carpenter, of Attica, is a dairy farmer at All Bright Farms with her husband, Josh, and her two sons, Kyle and Gavin, and their 50 Jersey cows. 

Carpenter also co-owns The Vintage Cow Farmers Market in Attica with her business partner Dana Chamberlain. 

While she did not grow up on a farm, Carpenter said her love for agriculture started with Wyoming County 4-H. Participating in this organization eventually led her to pursue agriculture studies at SUNY Morrisville and Cornell University, she said. 

When she was younger, Carpenter wanted to work as a veterinarian. She loved animals and in high school, she gained experience through the Attica Vet Clinic. During her experience, she found that being a vet was not her calling. 

Instead, she was able to witness how much the dairy industry contributed within the community. 

“In college I found my passion for dairy science,” she said. “Upon graduating college and marrying a dairy farmer’s son, it all came together.” 

After college she began working at GENEX before working for Plato Brook Farms in Arcade alongside her husband. 

“Our experience at Plato Brook strengthened our desire to raise our young family on a farm,” she said. 

When Carpenter and Chamberlain started thinking about, and then creating The Vintage Cow, the goal was to market niche dairy products. 

“In 2018 Dana and I collaborated on similar goals and purchased a property in Attica and began the farmers market,” she said. 

This would not only give her and the community something new to the market, but it would also give people in the community the opportunity to share their passion for agriculture. The Vintage Cow is a greenhouse, ice cream stand and a farmers market all rolled into one. 

“We collaborate with many local farmers and artisans to offer a variety of locally-produced items, from maple and honey to soaps and lotions,” Carpenter said. 

Last September, All Bright Farms, along with Niagara County’s Teacup Farm, started to market “vat-pasteurized, non-homogenized, cream-top Jersey milk,” from their dairy.

Throughout her career, she has found her favorite thing about working in agriculture is the unknown, Carpenter said. 

Every day is different and having “a career as an ag business owner allows me to wear many hats, and there is always something new to learn,” Carpenter said. 

Throughout her journey, being involved in the community around her has been her favorite opportunity. 

“I enjoy being able to be involved in not only our local community, but a larger community of agriculturists,” Carpenter said. “Locally, there is nothing I enjoy more than serving up smiles and knowing that a plant or an ice cream cone will lead to someone having a brighter day.” 

In the end, community is what keeps her together. Being surrounded by those who share her passion for agriculture is the best thing. 

“Sharing ideas, overcoming challenges and celebrating successes is a beautiful thing that happens often in the agriculture community and I am proud to be a part of it.” 

Katie Carpenter

Katie Carpenter

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