Member Spotlight - The Sifford Family
Steve grew up on a Holstein dairy in Rockwell, NC located in north central Cabarrus County in the Piedmont region; George Pless and Sons Dairy His grandfather, the family patriarch who is now 91 years old started the dairy which has evolved as new technologies have been adopted transforming the farm into what it is today. In 1992 the dairy expanded to a double-eight parlor and improved housing facilities for improved cow comfort. Today the dairy is home to 300 cows milked twice daily. Steve worked on the farm regularly. He started showing Holsteins from the farm when he was about 5 years old.
Steve was active in FFA and was a NC State FFA Officer in 1990-91. He attended NC State University, majoring in Agricultural Education and Extension. He met Rosemary at NC State in 1992. He was the Animal Science Club Chairperson for showing dairy cattle and she was interested in learning to show.
Steve and Rosemary were married in 1996. In 2000, they moved to New Hampshire where Steve worked as an Extension Agent and Rosemary worked for the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Madison was born in New Hampshire in August 2001.
The family moved to Virginia in early 2001 for Rosemary to begin working in a new job in USDA. They bought their first Hereford cattle when they moved back to Virginia. In 2003 they returned to North Carolina where Rosemary continued to work for USDA and Steve taught high school agriculture. They continued to raise and show Hereford cattle and Madison and Salem started to show Holsteins from their great-grandfather’s farm and Guernseys with a friend in NC.
In 2005, they purchased a small farm and established Roseview Cattle Farm. They focused on raising Hereford cattle but continued to maintain a few Holstein heifers from the family dairy. Madison and Salem showed their Holsteins at several shows in NC including the District 4-H shows and the NC State Fair.
In 2011, Sedona was born. She quickly joined her sisters in managing the cattle and showing them. Madison was a member of the NC Dairy Judging B team in 2016, the Dairy Judging A team in 2017 and the Dairy Quiz Bowl and Skillathon team in 2018. She was also a member of the NC Livestock Skillathon team in 2019.
In 2018 Madison and Salem bought their first Holsteins from somewhere other than the family farm. Late in 2018, the family moved to Fauquier County Virginia as a result of another job change for Rosemary. They brought both their Holsteins and their Herefords to Virginia with them and quickly began showing with new friends. They have enjoyed being involved in 4-H and FFA in Fauquier County. Salem was able to participate as a member of the Virginia Dairy Judging team in 2019. Madison is currently serving as a Virginia State Vice President in FFA.
They continue to return to the family farm in NC to help whenever they can. They work with their cattle in Virginia and continue to help raise heifers in the NC herd.
