About Us

We are creating something special with our Calfe’s and Creameries.  We have a trusted local brand of products that are recognized and respected in New England.  We have local family farmers supplying these high-quality, fresh products.

We have a leadership team with the experience to develop and grow this concept nationally.  And we have investment opportunities for you to join us on the ground floor. Dig in to find out more.

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OUR BRAND & HISTORY

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FAMILY FARMS

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JOIN US/APPLY NOW

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Our Leadership
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Investment Opportunity
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News

The Farmer’s Cow Brand and History

Illustration Of A Brown And White Cow In A Rural Landscape With Fields
People visiting our farms would ask, “Where can we buy your milk?” We realized people were looking for fresh, local products like humanely produced milk and eggs free of artificial growth hormones (rBST)... So, we formed The Farmer’s Cow.

Started in 2003, The Farmer's Cow® is a Connecticut-based farming cooperative of six family-owned farms dedicated to putting a face on local farming and to bring products directly to consumers. These small family farms were looking to compete against mega corporate farms, and to fill a consumer need.

Over the last two decades, The Farmer’s Cow has become a household brand for quality milk, eggs and ice cream which are sold in major grocery store chains across New England.

In 2012, The Farmer’s Cow opened The Farmer’s Cow Calfe & Creamery offering a menu of farm-fresh sandwiches and salads along with world class local ice cream.  For ten years, this concept has served the Mansfield community, and has a proven recipe for success.

In partnership with Total Mortgage Arena and Garelick & Herbs, the brand has also expanded to open  The Farmer’s Cow Creameries offering only ice cream products inside event and catering spaces. This allows for a more seasonal business, less waste, and taps into a segment that consumers embraced during the pandemic and haven’t stopped visiting.

Have a suggestion about new products or suggestions, we’d love to hear from you at info@fcdevcorp.com.

The Family Farms

Cushman Farm

Cushman Farm,  Franklin, CT

Cushman has been a family farm since 1936. This multi-generational farm partnership is currently operated by Nate Cushman and the Smiths: Donald; Dave; Jim; Brandon; and Ethan with help from other family members. It is a large farm with 3,120 acres of cropland and over 2,000 acres of preserved farmland to feed their herd of 1,750 milking cows. Three daily milkings produce 14,000 gallons of milk per day by their Holstein herd. A manure digester scheduled for completion in 2023 will convert farm waste into renewable natural gas (RNG). Cushman Farms has received the Green Pastures award.
Fairvue Farms

Fairvue Farms, Woodstock, CT

Fairvue Farms was founded by Paul and Diane Miller next to the historic Woodstock Fairgrounds in 1961. They grow about 1,600 acres of corn and 1,000 acres of grass for silage on owned and rented land to feed their Holstein herd of 1,500 milking cows.

Each day the cows give 14,000 gallons of milk from three milking times per day. They are working with other farmers to better herd quality by having embryos from other farms implanted in their nursery cows. The Millers are members of Connecticut Farm Bu

Fort Hill Farms

Fort Hill Farms,  Thompson, CT

Fort Hill Farms, managed by Jim Orr, Kristin Orr, and Kies and Jared LaVack, was founded April 1, 1943 by Kristin’s parents, Ernest and Norma O’Leary. The farm encompasses 600 acres, some of which is protected by the CT Farmland Preservation Program. They are also known for their annual corn maze, pumpkin picking, and lavender production.

A mixed herd of 210 Holstein, some Jersey and Guernsey cows are milked two times a day at 12am and 12pm. Fort Hill installed an anaerobic digester to manage manure storage and provide electricity for the farm. Kies and Jared have won the Outstanding Young Farmers Award for CT.

Gray Wall Farms

Gray Wall Farms,  Lebanon, CT

Graywall Farms is operated by the Chesmer family. They started business in 1989 with 185 acres of leased land and just 80 cows. It has grown to 900 acres of owned land, with 725 acres protected by Connecticut’s Farmland preservation program.

The herd of mostly Holstein cows with a few Brown Swiss and Jersey cross breeds, are milked in shifts four times day. Graywall has been named Connecticut Dairy Farm of the Year for the New England Green Pasture Program.

Gray Wall Farms

Hytone Farm,  Coventry, CT

Peracchio family founded Hytone farm in the rolling hills of Coventry in 1944. 1,000 acres of managed crop lands supports 600 Holstein cows that produce 3,300 pounds milk with two milking times per day.

Hytone Farm has received the Agrimark Quality Award for high quality milk for the last 10+ years, the New England Green Pastures award for innovation and excellence in conservation, and Connecticut’s Dairy Farm of Distinction Award. Hytone has installed a 1/2 megawatt anaerobic manure digester to provide electricity to the community.

Mapleleaf Farms

Mapleleaf  Farms, Hebron, CT

Mapleaf Farm was founded by the Ellis family back in 1903. They are proud to be good stewards, with 450 acres of managed land, 400 acres of which is preserved through CT Farmland Preservation program. Solar panels have been installed to provide power for the farm.

The milking herd of 280 Holstein and Jersey cows produces 2,280 gallons of milk a day in two milking times. Mapleleaf is Dairy Farm of Distinction and has been awarded the Century Farm Award. Ned Ellis has received the Outstanding Farmer Award.

Join Us / Apply Now

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Join our amazing team at The Farmer's Cow Calfé & Creamery!

We're on the lookout for passionate individuals to join our dedicated team and be a part of our exciting, growing, restaurant company. Whether you're seeking a seasonal opportunity or a long-term career, we offer a dynamic work environment with plenty of room for growth and advancement.

No prior restaurant experience is necessary, but having a friendly and engaging personality, along with strong communication skills, is highly valued. Join us in creating delightful experiences and serving delicious food to our local communities. Apply now and become a valued member of The Farmer's Cow Calfé & Creamery team!

Join Us / Apply Now

Our Leadership

Edwin Molina,  CEO

Mr. Edwin Molina is a true entrepreneur, and loves putting people and ideas together. He is leading the expansion and diversification of the Farmer’s Cow Calfé and Creamery brands. He believes our farm-to-table, community-driven, fast casual restaurant has the right products, with the right message at the right time.

Prior, he led USA Video from 1998 - 2010 as President and CEO. He deployed the first patented Video on Demand with Rochester Telephone, DEC and Samsung.

He generated international news with the precedent-setting project, raised over $8 million and grew shareholders from 300 to over 5,000.

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Steve Lane,  President

Steve Lane is building the FC Development Corp. organizational structure and codifying operational processes, identifying areas of improvement and incorporating industry best practices to increase restaurant sales. These practices will be the foundation for future franchise owners and location managers.

Lane brings a record of success in team building and business development. Lane was a stand-out NCAA Lacrosse athlete at Eastern Connecticut State, where he was All-American and All-New England among other designations.

Following an international lacrosse career, he built a successful coaching business and became one of the most sought-after coaches in Southern California. His experience in sales, marketing and training serve the company’s growth and expansion initiatives.

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Steven Ayer,  Chairman

For over 350 years, the Ayer farm has been in the family. In 2017, Steven and his family focused operations on organically grown vegetables. They also purchased The Farmer’s Cow & Calfe to execute the mission of the brand in their backyard of Connecticut and beyond.

Ayer is the author of “Choosing Simplicity”, a book about making diligent choices aligned with one’s priorities. He is active on for-profit and non-profit boards, and volunteers for The Last Green Valley.

He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Connecticut State University in 1994 where he majored in Finance and minored in Economics. He is a Managing Director and Partner with Strata Wealth Partners at Hightower and has been in the financial services industry for over 24 years.

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Opportunities to Invest

The Farmer’s Cow  Calfé & Creamery offers a unique, farm-to-table opportunity with strong brand recognition in the fast-casual segment of the restaurant industry.

Invest in our Brand

Grounded in recognized brand, The Farmer’s Cow, the brand benefits from Farm-Fresh milk, eggs and ice cream, and seasonal fruits and vegetables. The Farmer’s Cow Calfe and Creamery has been operating since 2012 with a successful, highly profitable model that represents the essence of a massive “Buy local” trend. We have an executive team with experience to expand this concept nationwide.  With your investment, we can open additional company owned locations that sell food and ice cream

Become a Franchisee

Entrepreneurship at the heart of our team’s knowledge base, and we know what’s important to franchisees. Flexibility and options keep start-up costs low.  Additionally, we are ready to serve with a commitment to unparalleled support and tools to help you to succeed!

Franchise benefits include but are not limited to:

  • Full support of the Farmer’s Cow Development team with all branding and operational features, expertise, and guidance.
  • FCD franchise road map specific to each store.
  • Access to all developmental and operational tools from FCD
  • 1 on 1 sponsor from an existing store.
  • Ongoing consulting sessions and FCD Zoom Calls.

Flexible Franchise Options:

  • The Farmer’s Cow Calfe & Creamery
  • The Farmer’s Cow Creamery
  • The Farmer’s Cow Food Trucks
  • The Farmer’s Cow Creamery Mobile Carts
  • The Farmer’s Cow Creamery Partnership Store Location

Become a Partner

In partnership with Total Mortgage Arena and Garelick & Herbs®, the brand operates  The Farmer’s Cow Creameries offering only ice cream products inside these event and catering spaces.

Do you have a seasonal, or event space that would benefit from a quality Ice Cream offering?

Are you looking for a secondary offering to support an existing location?

Do you have a product that might fit our menu?

Send us your information and details on your proposal.  We look forward to meeting future partners.