BRING ME EDELWEISS! Forgotten dairies around town.

by Kevin Walsh

Before modern efficiencies, milk and milk products were done on a local scale. Eventually due to New York City’s swelling population, larger facilities were needed. There were many private companies filling that demand, but by 1930 three dairy companies dominated the dairy scene. They were the United States Dairy Products Corp., Borden’s and Sheffield Farms. Most of those facilities are gone now, but a few buildings have survived…

R.H. Renken Dairy at SW corner of Classon & Myrtle Avenues, Clinton Hill Brooklyn. Building is unused presently. It was constructed in the 1930s by Koch & Wagner.

RIGHT: Art Deco design of office entrance on Myrtle Avenue side of building that’s still in good condition except for the missing “e” in office.

The M.H. Renken Dairy of Brooklyn, NY was established in 1927 in the eastern part of the borough, continuing operation until 1962.

Sheffield Farms, a major milk distributor in the Northeast in the late 1800s and early 1900s, was acquired by National Dairy Products (now Kraft, Inc.) in 1925. It has left a number of impressive buildings around town, not least what is now the CBS Broadcast Center at 524 West 57th Street at the northern end of Hell’s Kitchen. Here are some others…–your webmaster

Sheffield Farms on west side Webster Avenue between East 165th and 166th Streets in the Morrisania section of the Bronx. There was more of the dairy building on right side. That part was demolished to make way for the apartment building about ten years ago. (I know this personally because I used to drive the BX41 that went right past the building.)

Built between 1914-1921 by Frank Rooke.–your webmaster

A Sheffield Farms building on West 125th Street between Broadway and 12th Avenue is now Prentis Hall, Department of Chemical Engineering; it was constructed in 1906 with the architect being Edgar Moeller.

Sheffield Farms in Brooklyn. This facility was on south side of Fulton Street between Brooklyn & New York Avenues. The building was transformed to The Restoration Center in the early 1970s. The Restoration center contains retail stores that includes a Duane-Reade drugstore, Baskin-Robbins, a branch of Citibank, a supermarket that was formerly Pathmark, a skating rink and the Billie Holiday Theater where off-off Broadway shows are presented.

Mayflower Ice Cream Company on east side of Vernon Avenue near 43rd Avenue in Long Island City,Queens.

RIGHT: The former W.M. Evans Dairy Co. on Fulton Street and Eldert Lane in Cypress Hills, Brooklyn. This is the highest numbered address on Brooklyn’s Fulton Street–your webmaster

The history of Borden’s is a lengthy and illustrious one in the annals of American entrepreneurship.

From famoustexans.com:

As an American philanthropist, businessman, and inventor, Gail Borden, Jr. envisioned food concentrates as a means of safeguarding the human food supply. He was the first to develop a commercial method of condensing milk, and the dairy company founded by him (renamed Borden, Inc., in 1968) expanded and diversified to become a sizable corporation operating in many areas of business.

Gail Borden, Jr., (1801-1874) inventor, publisher, surveyor, and founder of the Borden Company, son of Gail and Philadelphia Borden, was born in Norwich, New York, on November 9, 1801. In the middle 1840s he began inventing. He is supposed to have experimented with large-scale refrigeration as a means of preventing yellow fever and with a terraqueous machine, a sort of prairie schooner that would go on land or water. In 1849 he perfected a meat biscuit, made of dehydrated meat compounded with flour, which he tried to market on a worldwide scale in partnership with Ashbel Smith. Although this project left him deeply in debt, for seven years Borden struggled to sell meat biscuits. For this purpose he moved to New York in 1851 to be nearer trade centers.

In 1853 he sought a patent on a process for condensing milk in vacuum, but it was 1856 before he received American and British patents. He then dropped the meat biscuit to devote himself to condensing milk. He opened a factory in Connecticut in 1856 but failed, then tried and failed again in 1857. Through Jeremiah Milbank, a New York financier, he received new backing and opened another factory in Connecticut in 1858. When the Civil War brought intensified demand for condensed milk, sales grew so much that Borden’s success was assured. He opened another factory in Connecticut, two in New York, and one in Illinois and licensed other concerns in Pennsylvania and Maine. He also invented processes for condensing various fruit juices, for extract of beef, and for coffee. After the Civil War he established a meat-packing plant at Borden, Texas, twelve miles west of Columbus, and a sawmill and copperware factory at Bastrop.

He died in Borden, Texas, a community named for him. Today it boasts a population of about 50.

Borden mascot Elsie the Cow, her husband Elmer the Bull and calf Lobelia appeared in the 1930s, making an appearance at the Flushing Meadows World’s Fair, an event recollected in sidewalk mosaics there [see Forgotten Tour 19]

Elsie’s got a new look…check it out at Borden Products Online.

Borden is the most storied of the dairies shown here, and the remnants of Borden’s plants in NYC are likewise some of the more impressive of NYC’s defunct dairies…

I’m not Elsie. This is Borden’s facility on south side of Atlantic Avenue near Barbey Street in East New York, Brooklyn.

The blue terra cotta Borden’s entablature is cracked and broken above what was the main entrance, but flanking the door are two of NYC’s more unsung terra cotta designs, seemingly depicting Switzerland.

While New York is full of gorgeous terra cotta,some of it gets no respect: the large tablet at theTunnel Garage has now disappeared as the gragae is demolished, and several wonderful scenes depicting activities at Seaview Hospital lie cracked, broken, and overgrown with weeds and fungus.

Happily, Parkchester in the Bronx has dozens of terrific pieces still. —your webmaster

This Borden’s facility is on the east side of Ralph Avenue between Monroe Street and Gates Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, and its identifying tablet is still there.

erpietri@earthlink.net

Photographed mid-to-late 2005 by Gary Fonville. Page completed April 8, 2006.

 

42 comments

Bill Piazza October 25, 2011 - 3:41 pm

When I was a boy living in the southern end of ENY. Brooklyn there were a number of daires………Wortman Farms. Crescent Farms…Savosh Farms. All located along Wortman Ave. Between Berriman St. and Schenck Ave.. Also Balsam Farms on Schenck Ave. between New Lots and Hegeman.

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Gary Savosh August 1, 2013 - 6:25 pm

Hi Bill
My Father Bill Savosh worked on this family dairy owned by his Father. My Dad (now pasted on) never spoke of it. A cousin of mine once told me that the City had taken the Farm by imminent domain and is now housing he referred to as “the projects”. We are in California where my parents settled in the 1940s and have grown to a family of a dozen (between my brother and I). I would love to hear anything, anyone remembers about Savosh Farms.
Gary Savosh

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jay wolman September 5, 2013 - 2:23 pm

Balsam farms was sold about 1963 and homes were built. Isaac Balsam (1880-1945) started the first Chalav Yisrael dairy farm on the east coast, and possibly in the United States. He emigrated to the US in 1898. lived initially with his uncle, Meyer Emmer for 5 years and worked on his dairy farm. In 1903 Balsam established his own dairy farm in Ozone park Queens. At its peak the Balsam farm had 300 cows.

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Gilbert Kiefer May 26, 2017 - 9:57 am

I grew up on De Sarc Road in Ozone Pqrk. Born 1944, grade school at PS 63. The Balsam farms was still operating into the early fifties along Pitkin Ave, past Sitka St.. Before Little League field was built, we kids used to run by the active farm buildings and even nibble (ugh!) the cow feed.

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Arne March 5, 2012 - 12:14 pm

doing research for my book, I don’t see Hegemann Dairy, Elmhusrt, N.Y> or Elmhurst Dairy, Queens, N.y.

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Stacey Kellar March 11, 2012 - 8:31 pm

My mom grew up on Wortman Farms – we would love more information if anyone has it.

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Peter August 7, 2014 - 4:09 am

I live in South Carolina now, but when i lived in Saratoga NY, I bought a milk can which i still have. The top is stamped – Amity Dairies, NYC. The side is stamped, Hersey Farms Inc. Long Island City, there is also a serial number on the top. Do u have any infro on these Dairys ?

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Doug Douglass January 18, 2013 - 7:04 am

In her new autobiography, Cyndi Lauper mentions the abandoned Borden’s on Atlantic Avenue near her childhood home in Ozone Park.

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rick February 16, 2013 - 8:51 pm

i cant find any listings for daitchwell milk company which was located down the block from the old sheffield plant which was on 165 st and park ave, i know it exisisted because my father opened up the school right across the street in 1965

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patti May 6, 2013 - 9:45 pm

i am trying to find information about hagemann farms, my grandfather worked there around 1930? does anyone know where it was located? or have any history

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carmine April 9, 2016 - 7:19 pm

It may be the Hegeman Dairy you are looking for. We grew up near the Hegeman Dairy in the East New York section of Brooklyn in what we called “New Lots”. New lots were developed and sold to many Italian immigrant families maybe in the 1915 + time frame. They were originally the garbage dump site that had been covered in dug up Bay bottom sand and I guess after some very long period of time the ground was allowed to be sold and had homes built on it. We played in the newer parts of the dump that in my time extended out to the Bay fom more or less Linden Blvd. Maybe Hegeman Avenue was named after that family.

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Maryann Jones April 30, 2016 - 2:23 pm

There was a Hegeman’s Lane in Brookville, LI which I believe the dairy may have been located.

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Lester Ravitz December 27, 2018 - 10:12 am

Hegeman Farms was at 1624 Centre St in Ridgewood.

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Peter August 7, 2014 - 4:14 am

Anyone know of Amity Dairy in NYC, Hersey Farms Inc, Long Island City ?

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Sanford Lederman February 10, 2019 - 12:03 pm

Peter,
My grandfather started Hershey Farms along with his brother, Max. My father took over the company in the 60’s and I took over the company in the early 80’s until I sold it in 1989 as the industry was beginning its downturn.. Would love to see a picture of the can you have.
Amity Dairy was in Manhattan for many years until it moved to Queens and then I believe the Greenbergs sold it in the late 80’s early 90’s when the industry collapsed.

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Christine Wederman-Christie March 3, 2020 - 9:52 am

I also worked for Hershey Farms and then for Seelig Dairy. Sandy was an amazing boss!

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Randall Clarke August 26, 2020 - 3:01 am

I worked as a driver for Queens Farm (Ozone Park), Sunnydale (East N Y), Elmhurst (South Jamaica) and finally Seelig Dairy (Woodside). Started in 1986 and finished up in 1996, and what a wild ride it was in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Farmland came through the front door yelling and screaming, while Tuscan quietly entered through the back door and took over the New York market and shut down at least 2 of the 5 remaining milk plants at that time in NY (Queens Farm and Queensboro in Woodside). I worked at Seelig from 1989 to 1996 and always heard great things about working for Sandy. Seelig hired a couple of office girls and a driver or two when when Hershey sold, but your name, Christie, doesn’t ring a bell. Did you work there when Ed Kane and Rodney Seelig were running things ?

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TRACY LEIGH POWERS March 27, 2021 - 5:26 pm

What about Katrina Farms in Queens?

kevin patrick dowling August 29, 2020 - 7:30 am

My father worked for many years at Hershey Farms starting with horse and wagon and finishing up in the 60’s. My brother also worked for Hershey later on in the 60’s. Would love to know
Mr. Lederman where I can see where there are any photos of the horse & wagon era of Hershey

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kevin patrick dowling October 26, 2020 - 8:01 am

KEVIN PATRICK DOWLING

My father worked for many years at Hershey Farms starting with horse and wagon and finishing up in the 60’s. My brother also worked for Hershey later on in the 60’s. Would love to know
Mr. Lederman, where I can find where there are any photos of the horse & wagon era of Hershey

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E Love April 25, 2017 - 9:23 am

Looking for info on the Stehlin Dairy in Westbury Long Island back in the mid 1800s to early 1900s I think. He was my grandfather’s brother. Looking for any info, or possibly even a dairy bottle or can from there. Just found out about this two days ago!

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Charlie Stehlin January 31, 2020 - 3:24 pm

Hi E Love….. Peter Stehlin was my grandfather’s uncle. My dad remembered seeing the bottles. Charlie Stehlin is my name mtemmons13@gmail.com. Contact me!

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Grace December 2, 2017 - 5:08 pm

Can anyone give info on a dairy in New Lots sec. of B’klyn. Name of “Wasserman” or” Waddington”. My brother seems to remember it was Late 1940’s Early 1950’s
Near Pennsylvania Or Hageman Aves. Thank You.

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Marie Alesi Caruana December 25, 2017 - 5:23 am

My father, Sam, worked for Hegeman Farms on Centre Street near the Brooklyn/Queens border for as long as I can remember. He delivered wholesale to the schools and hospitals and carried wooden crates of pints of milk which were much heavier than the plastic ones we have today, one on each shoulder from his truck. I remember going to the facility many times where they “bottled” the milk into quarts and pints (no half gallons in those days) which I think were cardboard covered in wax film. A gas station opened on the next street and every Saturday night they gave away a TV–the streets were crowded with cars and people waiting for the winner to be called.

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Anonymous January 7, 2018 - 8:19 pm

Thank You For the Information.

Grace

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Lester Ravitz June 20, 2018 - 11:47 am

My father too drove a delivery truck for Hegeman Farms on Centre St. In Ridgewood. I remember that they had a processing and bottling plant there. I was fascinated by that place.

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Jay Bazz January 9, 2018 - 10:16 am

I am wondering what went on at these dairies…. were cows actually stabled there in the middle of the city? were there fields for them to wander in or did they spend their lives in stalls? how did this work in a city with buildings and cars and city life? how did it smell? how was it cleaned? where did the manure go? how was the feed brought in? How many cows would a dairy have or serve? And these things were still in use into the 60s????

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David April 3, 2018 - 7:13 pm

Anyone have information on a “Municipal Farms, Inc.” in New York City? I just found a 1/2 pint milk bottle with their inscription. It’s also covered with stars of David, to include a very large one on the bottom, which I assume means it’s kosher.

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Charity September 1, 2018 - 7:02 pm

Anyone anything about Waddington milk Co Inc NYC I received and old milk can with this stamped on it

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Ian Bailes December 26, 2018 - 4:00 pm

Hi Charity,
My uncle was a milk bottler for Waddington Farms. He is 91 now. I was also looking for info. Could you send me a pic of the milk can? I would love to show it to him.

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Michael Blyth March 22, 2021 - 3:21 pm

Hi Ian,
I just found a five gallon milk can from Weddinton Milk CO. in Brooklyn.
There is almost nothing about Waddington Milk CO.
Could you tell me more?

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Kim Kuperschmid April 15, 2019 - 2:33 am

If hegemans farms was in Ridgewood
Is this also near Borden Dairy was because my grandfather worked for Borden as a foreman from 1920s through 1960s and lived in Ridgewood but would love to see where exactly he worked and if there are any pictures. I have heard so many stories! His name was Julius Schroer!

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Judy Nash November 25, 2019 - 9:48 am

My memory of a very small dairy farm ( c1943-44) was on Hendrix Street off New Lots Ave. not far from the New Lots Church, in East New York, Brooklyn. I remember it as being Hegeman Farms. Can anyone confirm this??

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salvatore D'Agostino January 16, 2020 - 10:49 pm

hello , my name is salvatore d’agostino , i would like to know if there are any photos of balsam farms on 88-07 pitkin ave,,when there were cows , i would very much like to see them.

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stuart sacks April 18, 2020 - 3:46 pm

My grandfather emigrated from Russia around 1910, finding work in a Chinese owned laundry on the Lower East Side. During the years he worked there he saved enough to bring his wife and children here and at some point bought one cow, walking it across the bridge into Brooklyn where he was able to find a lot for it to graze. The family soon moved to Brooklyn and eventually bought a small farm in Brownsville, where my father was born and raised in early childhood. By 1929 the family had 60 cows and were selling milk to other NY bottlers. Several years later they had 400 cows on the farm when the barn caught fire and all the livestock perished, however by that time they had started their own bottling plant on Mcguinness Blvd in Greenpoint, called Eastern Farms. This plant supported three generations of the founding family and the families of their beloved employees. It’s products were widely distributed throughout the five boroughs until the business was unfortunately sold off as the industry consolidated in the 1970’s.

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Chris Lee May 5, 2020 - 4:45 pm

Hi Stuart,

Thanks for that info. I had a big old milk jug that said Eastern Farms, Brooklyn NY. Gave it to a friend and will pass this story to her. It was left in a place I rented many years ago on Third Avenue in Gowanus.

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Elliot Kulick May 14, 2020 - 1:36 pm

Does anyone have any memories of Sunnyside Farms in Maspeth? My grandfather owned it but I can not find any trail.

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Jay Palmer January 6, 2022 - 9:28 am

I remember the Sunnyside trucks – my family owned Caldwell Farms.

Can’t find too much online about them either. Luckily I still have a bunch of items from the office including unused cartons.

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Rose Katz June 2, 2020 - 11:23 am

I am restoring a vintage milk can that was from my father’s home in Queens circa 1940’s-50’s. The can says Delaware Farms, 56-24 58th St, Maspeth NY.
Is there any information about this dairy?

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kevin patrick dowling August 20, 2020 - 11:02 am

My father worked for many years at Hershey Farms starting with horse and wagon and finishing up in the 60’s. My brother also worked for Hershey later on in the 60’s. Would love to know
Mr. Lederman where I can see where there are any photos of the horse & wagon era of Hershey

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jodi schwartz December 27, 2020 - 1:57 pm

my family owned SilverCrest farms in Elmhurst….80-22 caldwell

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Marcy Cipolletti January 16, 2022 - 4:06 pm

My Great, Great Grandfather owned a dairy in Jamaica Queens around the turn of the century. He then became a partner of George Jones in the livery stable business. His name was George Aubinger. Anyone have any info on this dairy?

Reply

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