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Business Spotlight: Maack Dairy Farm

Donna Fox • Jun 24, 2021

Tucked into a beautiful little spot, about halfway between Pacific City and Cloverdale is the Maack Dairy and Mary’s Salon. Owners Ray and Mary Maack hosted me for a visit one afternoon and we discussed how they met, raising children, family histories and of course farming.

The sights and sounds and smells of farming . . . stanchions bumping against each other as cows position themselves and reach for the hay freshly delivered to them, calves letting Mary know they are ready to be fed, chickens (and eggs!) everywhere, barn cats . . . bales of hay waiting to be put to use . . . it all pulled me back to our family farm and my teenage years on Blanchard Road just north of Beaver. And reminded me of my dad, who has been gone for 10 years now.


Ray and Mary revived in me or reminded me through our time together of how proud I can be of growing up and living in this community that is largely founded on the backs of farmers and loggers, home keepers and fishermen . . . hardworking men and women who do their work with pride and humility and with no time for “nonsense”.

Ray and Mary have their own way of farming, a commitment to trying new things, changing what needs to be changed, and doing what they feel is best for their herd and for their family.   


They also share the opinion that every farmer makes those choices for themselves.  


There is not just one way to farm.


They have been Tillamook County farmers since 1994 and their herd is primarily made up of Jerseys, Holsteins and cross breeds.

Ray is a 5th generation farmer.  An aerial photo of his family’s farm is above. Settling in Cloverdale with a herd of 35, they milked in a flat barn. Over the years, as most farmers do, they’ve added on, made improvements, and tried new things.  They transitioned to parlor milking and then in 2007 they transitioned to organic farming

Their most recent upgrade has been the move in May of this year to robotic milking using the Galaxy system. There are a few others farms in Tillamook County who have transitioned to robotic milking systems as well, but this was my first time seeing them in use. 

Ray did the majority of the work to prepare their farm for the robotic milking. Daughter, Gina, a welder, has had her hand in the farm as well. When the upgrade was done to the milking parlor, she did the welding.

This is Mary’s first foray into farming.  When she’s not doing farm work, Mary is working in her hair salon that is located in their home. 


But it seems she starts and ends her long days with farm work.

Mary’s salon is a reflection of her . . . tidy and organized and filled with family history.


She has made it wheelchair accessible to accommodate anyone who needs that, and has been known to give her clients a farm tour after their hair appointment.


This is a resourceful, close-knit, hard-working family!

Farm hand, Jacob, is never far away . . . milking, retrieving new born twin calves, gathering eggs, feeding cows . . . those are just the jobs I saw during the few hours I was on the farm.

Despite having been discouraged from pursuing this work and life, Ray does it with commitment and humor, and pride. And long hours!

Our conversation often included the demands of farming, the non-stop work, the fact that cows and farming don’t care that it’s your anniversary or Christmas or your child’s school play.

Ray says, “A mountain is as steep as you want to make it”.

And he returned to work.

Thank you Ray and Mary, for sharing a part of your day with me. It was just what I needed to remind me why Tillamook County, and the people who live here, are special.

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