Dairy farming gets a comedic twist as former SNL star Vanessa Bayer delves into the daily operations of a dairy farm in upstate New York. The five-part series, “Dairy Diaries,” produced by the Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP) and agency Gale, premiered exclusively on the Roku Channel in the U.S.
Behind the Scenes
The documentary takes viewers behind the scenes at Beck Farms, a fourth-generation dairy farm, offering an inside look at modern dairy farming practices.
Bayer’s journey explores the journey of milk from farm to fridge and how dairy farming is evolving to be more sustainable.
MilkPEP and Gale selected Bayer for her natural curiosity and comedic talent, aiming to entertain while educating viewers about dairy farming.
According to Miranda Abney, senior director of marketing at MilkPEP, Bayer’s earnestness and humour was what made them choose the SNL alum!
When we got to Vanessa, everyone just really loved her as an idea. And when we started talking to her team, they seemed really invested in the project… She’s naturally curious, which makes her perfect for this kind of fish-out-of-water scenario. She’s earnest, she’s inquisitive, she’s hilarious and also very endearing.
A Closer Look at Innovation
The series highlights innovations in dairy farming, showcasing new products, technologies, and on-farm practices contributing to a healthier planet.
After an extensive interview process, Beck Farms was chosen for the production. Considering that most dairy farmers don’t have a day-off, it was especially difficult to find a farm willing to support a multi-day production.
Beck Farms demonstrates sustainable practices, such as using cow manure to grow feed, reducing carbon emissions. It shows that modern dairy farms are significantly making strides to lessen the environmental impact they have, while also having high quality produce.
Again, most dairy farmers don’t have a day off so it was highly unlikely that they have time to be watching SNL or seeing how Vanessa Bayers works, so some of them were a little thrown off by her but it all adds to the comedy. Owner of Beck Farms certainly enjoyed the project saying that,
We loved sharing our farm with Vanessa and are excited to share it with the world… We hope ‘Dairy Diaries’ shows the great pride we take in our responsibility to nourish families with delicious dairy foods.
Collaboration with Roku
This collaboration marks the first time MilkPEP and the Roku Channel have worked together. Abney and the team will assess the series’ performance before considering other channels or platforms.
We just want people to understand that dairy farmers really care deeply for their animals and for the planet, because that’s really what their business depends on to be successful.
Though this is the first time Roku and MilkPep have worked together. MilkPep and Gale also had other celebrities like Queen Latifah and Aubrey Plaza on earlier campaigns.
As someone who loves cheese and ice cream, I’ve always wondered how it all comes together, good thing that Vanessa Bayer is here to make the learning process funnier! (Now streaming on Roku) For more funny moments and hilarious live comedy shows, then we’ve got a bunch of great comedians performing here at Big Belly Comedy Club, 7 nights a week!
