Two Carroll County dairy farms were honored as Dairies of Distinction for beautifying Maryland's rural countryside and providing a quality product to consumers according to a news release from the Maryland Dairy Industry Association (MDIA).

The local honorees are Burlin Farm in New Windsor and Pheasant Echos Farm in Westminster.

Pheasant Echos Farm is operated by Byron and Debbie Stambaugh, along with Byron Jr., Kenny, Crystal and Tanya. The Stambaughs farm 2,400 acres of their own and do custom work on 3,000 additional acres. They milk 150 black and white and red and white Holsteins with a rolling herd average of 21,000 pounds of milk according to the release.

They are 10-year Maryland and Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative quality award winners and were honored to win the Maryland Holstein Futurity last year. Also among their honors is breeding several All-Maryland cows. Two of their animals were nominated All-American.

Burlin Farm is operated by Eric and Faith Burall and family. The farm includes 157 owned acres and another 300 rented acres. The family milks 190 cows, including 140 Holsteins, 40 Brown Swiss and 10 Jerseys.  The rolling herd average is 22,984 pounds of milk according to the news release.

The farm has received Maryland and Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative milk quality awards for 20 years and was named the 2002 soil conservation Cooperator of the Year. They have received Brown Swiss All-American honors.

Other MDIA award winners were Clear Spring Creamery in Clear Spring, Green Acres Farmstead in Hagerstown and Peace Hollow Farm in Knoxville.

The farms received signs to display at their farm lanes from the MDIA during the Maryland Dairy Convention Saturday, Feb. 23, at the Frederick Fairgrounds.