Cassandra Long, a military child who spent most of her youth in Jacksonville, Fla., is the owner of Kolb’s Farm Store at Doodle-A-Long Farms, a dairy farm in Spring City.

Long, whose first job was mucking horse stalls in return for free lessons, began her career in 2013, working at Kurtland Farms in Elverson.

“I fed calves before and after school and helped in the main barn when I was done with my calf chores,” she said. “That job evolved into me managing the herd full time, and I was there for almost eight years.”

Long earned a bachelor’s degree in Large Animal Science from Delaware Valley University. She credits her first 4-H leader, Gail Yieser, for having the biggest impact on her career.

“She was the first person I encountered who fully supported my dream of wanting to be involved in agriculture, even though I did not come from an agricultural background,” Long said of Yieser. “She always built me up, never tore me down, and encouraged me to shoot past the stars.”

Long’s proudest professional achievement is utilizing her skills and education to take over Kolb’s with her husband.

“In addition to the farm and processing plant, we have a country store where we sell our products directly on the farm,” she said. “We wholesale our products to other local businesses as well. The thing that I enjoy the most from my job is that I get to be the bridge between producers and consumers and help people understand where their food comes from.”

Her favorite Chester County restaurant is Liberty Union Bar & Grill in Chester Springs.

Long and the rest of the 2022 Class of VISTA Millennial Superstars will be honored at the Awards Reception & Celebration held outdoors on Tuesday, May 10 at Penn State Great Valley. The in-person event will feature food trucks, drinks, touchless registration, a VIP tent, and boundless opportunities to network. It will also be live-streamed.

Sponsors are still being sought. Click here to learn more about the various opportunities available to partner with VISTA Today as it celebrates Chester County’s next generation of leaders.