For more than a century, Riveredge Farm in Castorland, NY, has remained in the Lehman family. These days, the farm is run by 30-year-old Curtis Lehman, who took over operations in 2020 from his parents.

“Our family has owned the farm for 102 years,” Lehman said, reflecting on its deep-rooted legacy.

Lehman and his father, Delvin, cultivate 200 acres of corn and another 250 acres of lowland grass on land prone to seasonal flooding. They milk 75 Holsteins from their 120-head herd, all within the farm’s century-old barn.

“We are still milking in the original barn,” Lehman said. “Most people think it’s pretty incredible to still be using it.”

Despite financial pressures and the annual flooding of the nearby Black River, the Lehmans remain determined to sustain their operation. Lehman recalled how severe flooding in 2014 forced them to milk their cows in water after the river surged right up to the barn. Yet he acknowledges the land’s fertile nature, making crop growth relatively manageable in summer.

“Farming is never easy,” he admitted. “I think it keeps getting harder. In the last 50 years, the price of milk hasn’t caught up with the cost of running a farm. Smaller farms have to find new ways to be efficient, diversify and adapt.”

Over the past two decades, Delvin expanded the farm’s milking herd from 40 to 75 cows and now plants hay up to five times a year to keep operations running.

“It’s just the way farming has evolved,” Lehman said.

Producing an average of 80 lbs. of milk per cow, Riveredge Farm ships to the Lowville Dairy Producers Cooperative. Despite the challenges, Lehman remains passionate about farming, having grown up immersed in the business.

“As soon as you’re old enough, you’re riding in the tractor. You just grow up with it,” he said.

However, he recognizes the increasing complexity of modern farming.

“Farming is very business-oriented. You have to make it profitable,” Lehman said. “Today, it’s a lot more complicated – sometimes, the easiest route seems like spending more money.”

Looking ahead, Lehman hopes to construct a new barn within the next five to 10 years to ensure the farm’s longevity.

“Getting a new barn would help keep the farm going,” he said.

For Lehman, farming is more than just dairy. He also finds joy in maple sugaring.

“I call it my hobby, even though it’s a lot of work,” he said.

As he sums up the region’s agricultural identity, one fact stands out: “In Lewis County, there are more cows than people.”

Lehman is active on social media, documenting his life on the farm. Find him on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok all @riveredgedairy.