A dairy in India, covered as a feature story in the New York Times?  This catches our attention because our conservation initiative, Amboli Reserve (more about this 2,000 acre project soon), is in the same state and likely within driving distance for our guests to visit:

…On a 26-acre farm a couple hours’ drive inland from Mumbai, hundreds of black-and-white Holstein-Friesian cows laze around, dining on seasonal greens and listening to a custom playlist of rap, pop, classical and even devotional music. They are treated to a routine medical checkup before heading to a ‘rotary milking parlor,’ where their udders are gently squeezed, until the cows step away, at will…

…Within a day, the milk — never touched by human hands — is bottled and whisked away to hotels, restaurants and homes in nearby cities. The dairy, Pride of Cows, is one of the largest players in the growing business of farm-to-table milk, part of India’s new crop of organic, fair-trade and artisanal food products. While cows have long been revered in India, the country’s dairy industry has only recently started buying into the belief that happier heifers breed healthier milk — and potentially bigger profit…

What more do you need to know? Not much, probably; what the dairy says about themselves is likely enough:

Parag Milk Foods is an ISO 9000 and AGMARK certified company, committed to international standards of product quality. Our product portfolio includes milk, skimmed milk powder, whole milk powder, ghee, processed cheese, butter, dahi, proprietary foods like dairy whitener and gulab jamun mix powder under the brand names of Go and Gowardhan, all made from 100 percent fresh cow’s milk.

Pride of Cows, a brand of Parag Milk Foods, is a first-of-its-kind, superior farm-to-home milk, from India’s most modern dairy farm, with a production capacity of 25,000 liters a day.

Located in the lush greenery of Manchar, close to Pune, the Pride of Cows dairy farm is spread over 26 acres, perched between the Bheema River and the Bheemeshwari hills. The farm is the most advanced in India, equipped with the finest international technology for feeding, milking and processing, conforming to international dairy practices.

The Pride of Cows brand is a reflection of our passion for milk. Milk captures the imagination, sparks interest and ideas, adds colour and flavour, and makes us feel fulfilled and happy. We believe in the significant part played by milk, strengthening and protecting the body and mind to live a fuller, more complete life each day. We know that cow’s milk at its best represents the pinnacle of nutrition and health!