Dairy was once one of the most important industries in Orange County. In the early 20th century, particularly following the Great Depression, farming started changing in North Carolina, with many people shifting their focus from crops to livestock. As small farms and tenant farmers began disappearing, larger operations appeared using those tracts of land. In Orange County, this involved a massive growth in commercial dairy operations. By the early 1950s dairy had become the second-largest source of farm income in Orange County, trailing only tobacco. In the 1960s there were about 100 dairy farms in the county. However, this peak could not be maintained. By 1992, only 33 dairies remained in the county, with much of the former farmland being turned into suburban developments, the land being worth more as real estate than as working dairies. The number of dairies in the county has continued to drop, but those who remain pride themselves on the quality of milk they provide.
Dairy Farms
