Can winery and a cow farm go together? This is a common question that comes to the mind of many who are keen on having their own cow farms. The answer depends on the primary objective of the persons who are planning. If your primary objective is to focus only on rearing cows, getting milk out of them, and perhaps selling the cows after a period of time, it makes sense to have a big cow farm with a number of healthy cows. However, if you wish to diversify and make better use of the space available there is nothing wrong clubbing your cow farm with a winder. In fact, there are many wineries in California that have cow farms side by side and they have been running quite well for years and even decades at length. But this is easier said than done. Here are a few things to consider if you are planning an integrated cow farming-cum-winery sort of a thing.
ARE YOU ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE LAW?
Though in a rural environment it should not be a problem, it would still be better to check with the local authorities. They may have some restrictions and special requirements if you wish to club your winery and the cow farm together. At the end of the day, the main objective should be to ensure that you are on the right side of the law.
DO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT MARKET?
While you certainly have a continuous market for milk that your cow farm can produce on a daily basis, you must make sure that you also have a ready market for a winery. Both of them have different target segments and therefore you may have to approach them separately. Having said this, planning a winery along with cow farming is an intelligent move and it is a part of an integrated approach.
STORAGE & LOGISTICS
Milk is a perishable item and therefore you should be able to find ways to sell it off in the market place within a few hours. However, this is not the case with the drinks that you are able to get from your winery. In fact, your wine becomes better as it ages. Therefore, you must find out ways and means by which you can store the wine that is cultivated from your farm. This is not easy and you need to have a completely different infrastructure, people, and other such facilities failing which you may end up not doing justice to both your milk cultivation and your winery.
YOU MAY NEED TO HAVE MORE SPACE
Opening a winery in the same space where you rear cows and produce milk may not be simply possible. Therefore, you must have a separate space for growing wine. The available space may not be enough. You will have to invest in additional space. This could be a big drain on your savings and available resources. Further, you also must be sure that you will be able to get the right returns from it.
CONCLUSION
There is nothing wrong with having a cow farm and a winery side by side. It requires minute planning, additional investment, and gathering the right knowledge of both the skills. Milk producing and getting wine out of your winery are two different cups of tea.