The 2020 Franklin Fall Farm Fun Fest will be hosted by Two-Top Dairy Farm in Mercersburg, PA. 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.