Replacing decades of experience and knowledge is difficult under any circumstances, but when that individual is integrally connected to the community, tragedy can also mean an opportunity for that community to give back.
Randy Lewis is a fifth-generation dairy farmer and owns one of the last dairy farms in his North Carolina community of Alamance County. Beyond the seven workers the farm employs, Lewis is a cornerstone in his community, impacting countless individuals with his kindness, generosity, knowledge, and old-fashioned cream-on-top dairy products at Ran-Lew Dairy.
While most of Lewis’ cattle are bred through artificial insemination, he had recently picked up a live cover bull that was turned out with the milk cows.
Nothing too out of the ordinary. Until a recent Sunday, when he was outside working alone on the dairy, he placed a 9-1-1 call on his phone at about 7:50 a.m. That moment was marked with a tragedy that has threatened not only Lewis’ life but also impacted that of his employees, friends, and the community where he lives.
Lewis had been attacked by the bull out with the cows, suffering broken ribs, punctured lungs, and broken bones in his face, back, and collarbone.
“He went to the pasture to move some milk cows, but from there, it’s not clear what happened,” milk operator Taylor Hayes told AGDAILY.
Not an hour earlier, Lewis had discussed with one of the dairy’s milkers about getting rid of the bull.
Lewis wasn’t done yet, though. He was life-flighted to UNC Hospital and is recovering from the first of many potential surgeries.
“They had to put in plates to repair five ribs, with seven plates in the surgery on Thursday. I talked to him on the phone after the surgery, and he’s making jokes. He wants his phone — that’s the current dilemma,” said Hayes, who told Lewis that he would have to get a burner phone if he wants to run his business from the hospital bed while he heals.
Thanks to the help of the local community, and Lewis’ GoFundMe account, Hayes says they’re doing everything they can to ensure the dairy keeps running.
“I think that sometimes when things like this happen, closure feels like the only option. But I don’t see this farm closing because of this. It may be an opportunity for new things or big change, but it’s not going to close because of our community,” says Hayes.
Lewis is known for hosting Appalachian square dances on the farm with bluegrass music, and he’s always eager to give back to his community. He’s also always been a proponent of including FFA students and 4-H youth in opportunities on the farm.
“He’s always done a lot of giving, and lately, the community is really giving back in a big way,” Hayes says.
But while the first thing on Lewis’ mind is getting back to work and taking care of his dairy, the road to recovery is going to be a long one.
Like many farmers, Lewis has spent a lifetime waking up at 4 a.m. on his dairy, so stepping back and healing will take a whole different level work ethic and discipline on his part.
“He’s going to have to deal with the learning curve of finding the discipline to stay in bed and work on other areas of the dairy for now,” Taylor mused.
Keeping things rolling without him isn’t proving an easy task, though. Taylor and the farm crew are faced with picking up all of the pieces and rotating rolls to fill Lewis’ pivotal parts. Most things don’t come with any of Lewis’ written instructions or experience, from cattle to equipment and beyond, so the Ran-Lew team has been learning something new all day long, every day since his injury.
“Randy is an expert in so many things. His absence is very deeply missed right now,” said Hayes. “When a cow is calving, or something is going on, he’s always there to help.”
It’s not just Lewis’ skill and knowledge that are missed, though.
“We’re also just missing his companionship as a person. In the milk plant, we all eat breakfast together, take supplements, and go to work. I have not taken my supplements for a few days,” Hayes says.
To help keep things rolling, volunteers have been working to set up the house for Lewis when he returns home. And, in the meantime, the dairy has hired another farm hand to help keep the dairy running.
“Almost cosmically, the week before this happened, someone who’d grown up in milk plants and knows so much about what we do here had reached out about work,” said Hayes. “I called him the day it happened and said, ‘I need your help. We’ll hire you now’, and he showed up the next day.'”
Part of the funds raised to benefit Lewis and Ran-Lew Dairy will help the farm replace Lewis’s expertise and physical ability while he’s gone and heals, while the rest of the funds raised will be used to improve the dairy and allow Lewis time to heal.
»Related: Community rallies around N.C. dairy farmer injured by bull
