
The 2020 Franklin Fall Farm Fun Fest will be hosted by Two-Top Dairy Farm in Mercersburg, PA as a "Drive-thru". It will take place on September 26, 2020.
On March 1, 1980, Marcus and Chester Martin formed a partnership and took over the operation of their parents’ farm in Blair Valley five miles south of Mercersburg, PA at the base of Two-Top Mountain. The herd prefix, Two-Top Holsteins, was developed from the location at Two-Top Mountain for their herd of registered Holstein cows.
In April of 1989, the partnership of Marcus and Chester bought the home farm from their parents Glenn & Martha who originally bought the farm in 1956. Marcus and Chet farmed at that location for 18 years and grew the operation from 45 cows to 120 cows while farming 450 acres.
In April of 1998, they sold the Blair Valley farm and moved the operation to the current location at Mt. Pleasant Road, Mercersburg. They bought two farms there and built a completely new dairy facility. The new site included a six-row slatted floor 200-cow free-stall barn, a double-10 rapid exit parlor, a bedded pack barn for dry cows, bunker silos and a commodity shed. Marcus and Chester and their families continue to improve and add to their operation.
In 2008, they added a bigger barn for dry cows and now used the first bedded pack barn for a separate group of milk cows. In 2010, Two-Top LLC was formed which included Marcus, his son Matthew, Chester, and his daughter Shaina. Also in 2010, the LLC updated the milking parlor with a larger vacuum line and vacuum pumps for a more consistent vacuum pressure.
At present, the LLC consists of Marcus, Chester, and Shaina and also her husband, Clint Ferguson. They milk 300 cows with a herd average of 26,300 pounds of milk, 1060 pounds (4.0 percent) of butterfat, and 816 pounds (3.1 percent) of protein. Their somatic cell count averages around 80,000. Their herd also includes 300 replacement heifers, from calves to springing heifers ready to calve at two years old. The LLC now farms 900 acres which consist of corn, alfalfa, small grains, soy beans, grass hay and pastures. Today the work force includes Marcus, Chester, Clint, Shaina and one additional full-time employee as well as five part-time employees.
The main goal of the farm is to keep the animals clean, healthy, and comfortable while producing high quality milk. The Martins and Fergusons welcome you to their farm and are happy to answer any questions that you may have. They hope to see you there!
Please visit our Farm Fest Facebook page.
For inquiries, call Sarah Meyers, 717-658-3679 or
Denise Ocker, 717-465-4131 or email franklinfb@embarqmail.com.

Year Host Location Companion Location
1991
Hamilton Heights Dairy Farm
Hillside Poultry Farm
1992
Five Forks Fruit
Roy Biesecher Dairy
1993
Dice Statler Dairy Farm
Nibble with Gibbles
1994
Gro-Lan Dairy Farms
P & C Ostrich Ranch
1995
Pleasant Valley Jerseys
Lehman's Egg Service
1996
1997
Glenn Fisher Dairy Farm
Mount Parnell Fish Hatchery
Joseph Middour Farm
Renfrew Museum & Park and
Richard Eigenbrode Beef & Horse Farm
1998
Burk-Lea Farms
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1999
Mercer-Vu Farms
Bison Ridge Buffalo Ranch
2000
Stoner's Hijos Hill Dairy Farm
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2001
Forrester Farms
IESU Blue Ridge Landfill
2002
Ricecrest Farms
Keith Benedict's Fruit & Vegetable Farm
2003
C.V. Antique Engine & Machinery Association
Para-Dice Dairy Farm
2004
Arlo Farm
Ingersoll-Rand
2005
Two-Top Holsteins Dairy Farm
Whitetail Mountain Resort
2006
Mount Pleasant Dairy &
Duck Farm
Woodstock Market
2007
Myra-Breck Farm
St. Thomas Development Inc.
2008
Reich-Dale Farm
Appalachian Nurseries
2009
Falling Spring Farms, LLC
The Drying Shed
2010
Horst Robotic Dairy Farm
Cumberland Valley Cooperative Association
2011
C.V. Antique Engine & Machinery Association
Mark & Joyce Burkholder Farm
Year Host Location Companion Location
2012
Cedar Pine Farm
Rotz Turf Renovation LLC
2013
2014
2015
Keith E Martin Dairy Farm
Slate Ridge Dairy Farm Inc.
Cornerstone Dairy Farm
Valley Quarries Incorporated
"Premier Whitetail Genetics"
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2016
Valley View Farm
Fayetteville Contractors Inc.
2017
2018
2019
2020
Burk-Lea Farms
The Musser Farm
The Beidel Brothers
Two-Top Holsteins Dairy Farm
Rosenbaum's Landscaping & Nursery
Maplewood Farm Market
Esh's Storage Barns
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