SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Less than 10 miles from downtown Syracuse, the iconic yellow barns of Silver Spring Farm stand amid the rolling farmland and pastures of Onondaga Hill. From here, the SSF prefix has followed generations of top-quality Jersey cattle into show rings, sale rings and productive milking herds from New York to California, and beyond.

Chuck and Sue Luchsinger and family will sell their well-known herd on Friday, Oct. 30 at the Fraley Auction Company Dairy Complex in Muncy, Pennsylvania — closing the daily dairying chapter of a purebred Jersey breeding tradition begun by Chuck’s grandfather in 1914.

“As a family we have had to make a lot of decisions over the years, but this one is big. Jerseys have been our passion and livelihood for over 100 years, and it’s going to be tough to see them go,” the family wrote in a Facebook post announcing the sale.

Citing their age and the daily work required to maintain the care the cows deserve, they are ready for “a life with less stress.”

The predominantly homebred herd has been selected for type, components, longevity, reproduction, and profitability. The herd test is 5.19% butterfat, 3.82% protein, with low SCC. Among the offerings are young cows, bred heifers and mature cows in their prime from generations of VG and EX breeding. A2 results are anticipated by sale time.

In a 2022 Jersey Journal Legacy Series, Chuck shared that they “concentrate on udder traits, especially rear udder height and width and dairy form. Also, the dam and cow family of the bulls we use must be extraordinary in both their production and appealing modern type; popular sires from great dams and proven excellence in daughters.”

Among their awards, the Luchsinger family was recognized in 2014 by the American Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA) as Master Breeders at their New York Century Farm. Chuck’s decades of state and national breed leadership and judging nationally and internationally was also recognized with the 2025 AJCA Distinguished Service Award.

‘All the extras’

The antique metal sign on the yellow barn reads: “Silver Spring Farm: Jerseys have all the extras.” Their steady focus on those ‘extras’ mirrored the AJCA National All Jersey (NAJ) push in the mid-1970s, ’80s and ’90s for farmers to get paid on Jersey milk’s solids components, especially protein.

During a 2023 Farmshine visit, Chuck recalled former AJCA-NAJ executive secretary Calvin Covington coming to the farm several times in connection with his work demonstrating the value of greater cheese yield from higher-protein milk.

By 1990, SSF was part of NAJ’s Project Equity, advocating for protein premiums. Chuck managed Equity Co-op from 1994 to 2000, when multiple-component pricing ultimately became part of Federal Order reform.

Generations of progress

Silver Spring Farm’s Jersey story began in 1914 when Swiss immigrants John and Katherina Luchsinger bought the home farm after working and saving over a decade for that dream.

John had worked for several farms, including a prominent Brown Swiss herd, but chose Jerseys for their ease of management and ability to consistently transmit desirable traits. He gradually built a herd that combined production with show-ring appeal.

When they purchased their first four purebred Jersey cows, all were put on Register of Merit test, according to a letter written by Katherina to a journalist in 1939. One was Blue Stocking Peggy. She made eight records. Her first calf, Silver Spring Farm Boy, became the first proven sire in New York State in Association tests.

The letter recalled two sales during lean years in the 1920s and 30s that helped put Jerseys into other herds in the area. In return for working on the farm, they gave their seven children calves to raise and keep the proceeds to eventually leave home with savings and Jerseys of their own, a pattern that has continued.

By 1938 and ’39, SSF was Premier Breeder at the New York State Fair, going on to earn over 60 Premier Breeder and nearly 50 Premier Exhibitor banners during 105 years showing there, including more than a dozen grand champions and a supreme. SSF Jerseys have also earned banners elsewhere in the U.S. and Canada.

When John retired in 1950, son Fred purchased the farm, expanding and modernizing while keeping productive, high-quality Jerseys the focus. His 1969 purchase of Golden Faithful proved pivotal in advancing their Jerseys to the national stage. Known for his stylish daughters with exceptional udders, Faithful became a multi-year Premier Sire at the All American between 1979 and 1986, after daughter Faithful Flora of SSF won the 1978 National Jersey Jug Futurity.

Chuck and Sue took over Silver Spring Farm in 1986. The herd grew to 110 milk cows, breeding shifted largely to A.I., and they continued developing bulls from proven SSF cow families. In the 1980s and ’90s, SSF genetics traveled farther, with more than 40 head exported to South America, producing two Brazil national champions and two reserves. 

Son Charlie, a 2015 AJCA Young Jersey Breeder, has managed the farm, crops and breeding with Chuck and Sue for decades alongside other business endeavors. He has also served in leadership with the dairy cattle and youth shows at the New York State Fair for six years. In 2023, he became the third generation to receive the Purebred Dairy Cattle Association Distinguished Service Award.

Daughter Ali has balanced an off-farm career with a part-time role at the dairy. Her SSF Victorious Jill was reserve intermediate champion at the 2025 New York Spring Show, while cattle she bred, including SSF VIP Janie, have succeeded for others.

The fifth generation has hands on the halter, too. Daughter Jenny and husband Josh Gordon are raising their four children with a Jersey herd in Indiana, while Charlie and Amy’s three children have shown at New York and Louisville.

The cow families tell their own generational stories.

SSF Jade Bethany (EX-95) joined the Jersey Lifetime Achievement club in 2025, having made lifetime 255,209M 5.0% 12,788F 3.7% 9463P and spreading her influence through daughters and sons. Daughter SSF Bellevue Blossom (EX-94), by homebred Silver Spring Bellevue, produced well over 100,000 pounds lifetime with 5.5%F 3.5%P. She is second dam to SSF Casino Brie, high seller of the 2022 Generations of Excellence Sale and All-American junior 2-year-old for her new owners.

Bethany son SSF Glasgow Boeheim became a successful homebred sire with official proof in seven herds and many Excellent daughters. Among them were longtime barn favorite Deanine (EX-94), with a 22,187-pound record and her sister Pace (EX-95), supreme champion of the 2019 New York State Fair.

Other cow families made their mark after leaving. This includes Jenny’s SSF Andreas Camilla going on for Ernie Kueffner and Terri Packard to become grand champion and reserve supreme at the 2022 Royal Winter Fair and reserve All-American lifetime production cow in 2024.

“The truest compliment is in seeing the success other breeders have had and will have with cattle they purchased from the Luchsingers.”

So declared fellow Jersey breeder and former AJCA President Paul Chittenden of Dutch Hollow Farm at SSF’s Celebration of the Century Sale in 2014.

Sue’s dream

As the Luchsingers streamlined to milking 60 cows, along with a grass-fed beef enterprise, Sue’s longtime dream of a farm store became reality with the opening of Silver Spring Farm Market a few miles away. It offers flowers and planters, produce and seasonal goods, along with local foods, including cheese, beef, and both Sweet Acres A2 creamline and Trinity Valley creamline milk.

Sue believes strongly that milk should be offered closer to the way it comes from the cow — full fat and creamline rather than homogenized. Chuck and Sue are big supporters of getting whole milk into schools now that the Whole Milk bill has been signed into law. Sue points to the value of milkfat for health and nutrition — circling back to generations of breeding for the consistent fat and protein matrix milk has to offer.

Back to roots

This year brought other mile-markers. In July, Chuck and Sue celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. A month earlier, they traveled to the Isle of Jersey, where Chuck judged the 2026 Spring Show, describing “exceptional” cows and “deep quality classes.”

From Jersey, they traveled to Schwanden, Switzerland, the Alpine village Chuck’s grandfather left for America 126 years ago with $1.50 in his pocket and a desire to work, save, and build a future.

“Jersey and Switzerland are the two places we have waited a lifetime to visit,” Chuck said, calling the experience “absolutely magical.”

While the Jerseys of Silver Spring Farm will be sold Oct. 30, the future for the farm and family is yet to be written.

“We have an enormous amount of pride in our past and present generations of family for all we have contributed to the Jersey breed and all it has given us,” the Luchsingers wrote in announcing the dispersal. “The friends we have made all around the country and beyond have enriched our lives more than we can ever say.

“To all of those who have supported us through so many great years, thank you. It’s been quite a run!”