MHA Honors a Baker Family Tradition

Baker accepts the award from past winner Steve Reed

By Bev Berens

Tim Baker of Byron Center was named the Michigan Holstein Association’s Master Breeder for 2021. It’s not the first time a member of the family earned the award; he follows in the footsteps of his father, Henry Baker, who won the state’s first Holstein Association Master Breeder award in 1985.

“It is a pretty good honor to have my name on the list of master breeders with some of those older guys,” the younger Baker said. “It is pretty special. To be listed with people like Velmar and Duane Green and my dad, people who aren’t even in cows anymore, is pretty special.”

He appreciates the influence and support of his wife, Jennifer, and children, Gerrit, Jack and Elise. Brittney Zondlak has worked for the Bakers’ Star Summit Farm for 20 years and has also been an influencer on the herd’s success.

“I appreciate my family, my kids, people like Brittney and good health,” Baker said. “It’s important to surround yourself with good people. I’m blessed with good health in general, and that helps keeps attitudes positive.

“Dr. Bob Vlietstra (retired)has been a huge influence in the past as my former veterinarian. He was encouraging, gave good advice on many small things that helped the farm keep progressing.”

Baker has led the farm for the past 36 years and is a second-generation dairyman. His first registered calf came as a gift from his parents at age 11. She eventually scored VG-86 and produced 230,000 gallons lifetime milk.

His breeding philosophy combines high production, type, and longevity. Bulls must transmit correct udders, strong feet and legs, body capacity and be backed by strong cow families. Herd data reflect a commitment to this vision: During the most recent classification, 30 Excellent, 50 Very Good and 17 Good Plus cows called the farm home, and 90 percent of them carry the farm’s prefix. The farm has a 35-year history of classification results and is 100 percent registered.

“Star-Summit Lindy Sweet, EX 94 3E GMD DOM was by far one of the best ones we ever bred,” Baker said. Winning the Michi8 Michigan Dairy Cattle News gan futurity in 1998, she produced six daughters for the herd, four of which scored Excellent. Sweet’s bloodlines continue to influence the herd.

Star-Summit B S Bootsie, EX 94 3E GMD DOM is another outstanding herd cow, winning her futurity in 1994 and producing six Excellent daughters.

Star Summit Farm ran a hot streak recently, winning Michigan’s Great Lakes Futurity in 2011 and 2015, earning Reserve Grand Champion at the Michigan Holstein State Show in 2015 and taking Reserve Champion cow at the Michigan State Fair in 1994. In 2010, Baker was named Outstanding Young Breeder for the Michigan Holstein Association. He has served as the association’s president, been on the executive board and show committee and served as National Holstein Convention delegate numerous times. Three times the farm has received Herd of Excellence awards. He is also a longtime 4-H leader in Ottawa County.

Zondlak, longtime herdsperson, neighbor and friend, nominated Baker for the award. “I’ve worked alongside him for a lot of years and if there’s one thing I know, it’s that he’s passionate about farming. You can tell that he loves what he does, and I think his hard work is reflected in the quality of his herd,” she explained.