January 14, 2023 - 2nd section

Practice makes perfect

Producers share successes, failures with cover crops

By Stacey Smart stacey.s@dairystar.com

WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. – Farmers devoted to developing consistently healthier land discussed their cover crop, no till and interseeding systems while highlighting the equipment they use to get the job done.

In a session enztitled, “Buying new or making do?” at the 2022 Winter Wisconsin Cover Crop Conference Dec. 13 in Wisconsin Dells, panelists Peter Graff, Zack Voss, Brooke Stewart, Monte Bottens, Aaron Augustian and Chris Conley highlighted their successes while recognizing their failures in implementing cover crops.

Voss farms 1,500 acres of corn, wheat and soybeans near Mauston. He and his dad started with cover crops on their soybean ground using a dry box spreader and vertical tilling rye on 40 acres.

“The next year, we doubled our soybean yields on that eld,” Voss said. “We’ve seen many soil health benets as it’s taken a lot of compaction out of our elds. The nancials are there too; it pays for itself. Our farm-wide averages are the best they’ve been since we started using cover crops.”

Voss wanted to go bigger and now tries to put cover crops on everything.

“We like doing cover crops, but the two-pass system wasn’t working for us,” he said. “It was too slow. We wanted a one-pass system that could handle multiple species easily.”

Voss purchased a granular air applicator/seeder for $25,000 a couple years ago. The seeder features adjustable spacing up to 90 feet and can be put in front of a wide range of implements. The new piece of equipment gave Voss the higher efciency he was looking for.

“It’s super easy to calibrate and can do 25 acres per hour at 25 feet,” Voss said.

Tired of the amount of erosion on bare elds from mid-September to when corn canopied the following September, Graff, who milks 750 cows near Stetsonville, began interseeding in 2018.

“I have a roof over my head, my cows have a roof over their heads, my chopper sits in the shed, so why shouldn’t I cover the ground too?” Graff said. “It’s interesting to see how things have improved, and it’s nice to see my eld green from side to side. I chose to interseed in corn silage specically because we don’t have enough time in spring or fall to get anything established.”

Graff has gone through several phases in his interseeding endeavor. He started out using a Vortex spreader experimenting with clovers, which resulted in uneven emergence.

“I don’t know if we got clover to go 50 feet,” Graff said. “From 2018 to 2020, we were broadcasting stuff on. We had good catches and bad catches and we’re trying different mixes but not having success.”

Graff bought a grain drill with 10-inch spacings and took out every third row. He cut the rate back to 10 pounds per acre for clovers and rye grass, shooting for small seeds that gave him a lot of seeds per pound to keep his seeding rate and cost down.

“It worked really well, and I could cover all these elds going 6 to 7 mph at 20 feet,” Graff said. “It produced a beautiful stand, but I had to nd something that could go faster and replicate this. The corn was already knee high, and we were getting behind way too quick.”

Graff switched to a Valmar air seeder, which he uses today.

“It has ve discs with downforce just enough to tear up the soil,” Graff said. “I plant with a high-speed 12row planter, so I gure I can cover my corn acres in a week with that.”

Bottens, of Cambridge, Illinois, is utilizing cover crops for the benet of the ve soil health principles and to aid in his goal of bringing livestock back to the land. He has been doing no till for about 25 years and cover crops for 10 years.

Bottens farms 2,800 acres which includes 300 acres of pasture and 2,500 acres of corn and soybeans. The Bottens have cover crops on every acre and are taking it to the next level by integrating livestock as much as possible to improve soil health.

“We love to plant green, especially soybeans,” Bottens said. “It works really well. I’ve done beans into wheat, harvested the wheat, came back to harvest the beans and had some pretty good success. I see it as a good organic no till transition tool.”

Bottens does a winter cover and summer cover back

and forth for two years as part of regenerative grazing before going back to soybeans.

“In June, we were harvesting triticale and clover, and I’m really excited about this,” Bottens said. “We got 5.7 round bales at 1,740 pounds per acre at 52% moisture. It was absolutely incredible.”

Bottens’ seeder is set up to do skip-row seeding, and he plants his 30-inch corn and soybeans into the skip row.

Augustian milks 1,000 cows and farms 1,500 acres near Kewaunee. His close proximity to Lake Michigan served as motivation for doing cover crops.

“Some of our elds border the lake, and our No. 1 reason for planting cover crops was to protect water quality,” he said.

Interseeding is his planting method of choice because it enables him to spread out the farm’s workload. He has been interseeding for the last seven years.

“We get interseeding done on a third of the acres in June or July, and interseeding also helps with fall manure applications,” Augustian said.

Augustian used to spread seed on top with an air seeder but saw little success. In the years that followed, he mixed interseeding in with urea and spread it on top with a 12-row cultivator.

“That worked extremely well,” Augustian said. “The plants took off and grew great, but that cultivator put a lot of ridges in the elds.”

With going to no till, he wanted to limit the amount of soil disturbance. Therefore, Augustian rented a 6-row interseeder that covered 15 feet, which was not effective when trying to cover a couple hundred acres in a short window. Augustian decided to look for a 12-row interseeder but could not nd what he was looking for. Thus, the Augustians took it upon themselves to design and build their own machine. The unit is set up for 120inch rows and contains a multi-speed transmission.

“It works great,” Augustian said. “We can pound out 150 to 160 acres per day with no problem.”

Conley milks 52 cows on his 174-acre farm near Neosho. Approximately 120 acres are cropland, and 22 acres are permanent pastures for rotationally grazing milk cows and dry cows.

Conley began experimenting with no till in 2017. In 2018, he went full no till and started experimenting with cover crops. By 2019, he was full into cover cropping, and the year after that, he was planting green.

“Our farm is really hilly which is one reason we decided to start no tilling and planting green,” Conley said. “I made the transition really fast. I wouldn’t suggest doing it that fast.”

Conley planted with an old conventional grain drill at rst.

“It worked but not that great,” he said.

The next year, he borrowed a Yetter no till coulter bar from a neighbor to pull behind the drill.

“I spaced the no till coulters out to make it t into the row on the disc,” Conley said. “It worked good on

level ground but wouldn’t track right on the hills. Seed depth was too deep on level ground, and there were a lot of inconsistencies.”

Conley’s next move was to rent a drill from a neighbor, which was a signicant improvement. Eventually, Conley wanted his own drill and purchased a 10-foot no-till drill. He also converted his John Deere 7000 corn planter to no till.

“Early adopters of no till started with this planter, so I gured I could too,” he said. “I found some used row cleaners, Keeton seed rmers, May-Wes poly spiked closing wheels, and added two 50-pound bags of sand in each row in the insecticide box for weight.”

Conley’s upgrades cost him around $1,300.

Stewart, an agronomist with Agridrone, uses drones for cover crop aerial seeding, herbicide application, spot spraying and seeding, and test plots. Her drone has a payload capacity of 30 liters, or 8 gallons, which equates to 50 pounds of seed or fertilizer.

She ies 10 feet above the crop canopy which gives her a 30-foot spray and spread pattern at a rate of 25 acres per hour. When doing cover crop aerial seeding, Stewart recommends using 8 to 15 pounds of seed per acre or more.

“Get seed out as soon as you can, and plan around a timely rainfall,” Stewart said. “Corn should be done at the V3 to V5 timeline. Soybeans can be seeded at leaf drop or sooner.”

For those new to cover cropping, the panelists offered the following tips.

“Get out and try it, but don’t go all in right away,” Stewart said. “Try a eld and see how it turns out. If it doesn’t work, get back on your feet and do it again.”

Voss agreed.

“Start small, like on a 10-acre eld,” he said. “If you go to big acres right away, you could have big problems.”

Bottens takes a different approach than Voss and Stewart.

“You need to go big enough to where you have skin in the game so that you’re paying attention to it,” he said. “Don’t do 5 acres on the back corner. Instead, do 40 acres on the highway.”

Conley could relate to Bottens.

“I did all my acres in one year; that makes you pay attention,” he said.

Graff said when working with corn, get in early when the ground is loose enough to get the seed in.

“Get seed out as early as you can, like June,” he said.

Persistent in their cover crop journeys, these producers are experimenting with equipment and techniques that make the most sense for their operation and encourage fellow producers to do the same.

“We’re trying to help people start wherever they’re at,” Bottens said. “It’s amazing what’s possible with cover crops.”

Iowa dairy producers have the opportunity to learn about emerging dairy industry issues during the 2023 Dairy Days events hosted by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. The program will be held at four eastern Iowa locations and one northwest Iowa location.

– Jan. 17 in Elma at Innovative Ag Service.

– Jan. 19 in Elkader at Johnson’s Restaurant.

– Jan. 24 in Kalona at the Kalona Chamber of Commerce.

– Jan. 26 in New Vienna at the New Vienna Community Center.

– Jan. 31 in Sioux Center at the Dordt College-Stewardship Center.

The day-long event has been developed to help dairy producers learn about current practices and hear the latest research – all topics to help producers make sound herd management decisions. Pre-registration is requested by the Friday before each event to reserve a meal. Register online at https://go.iastate.edu/2023dairydays.

The Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Dairy Team monthly webinar series continues Jan. 18 from noon to 1 p.m. This program will focus on the climate and weather predictions for the 2023 growing season.

Dennis Todey, director of the USDA Climate Hub in Ames, will lead the presentation. Pre-register at https://go.iastate.edu/NYRCQK.

For more information, contact the ISU Extension and Outreach dairy eld specialist in your area: in northwest Iowa, Fred M. Hall, 712-737-4230 or fredhall@iastate.edu; in northeast Iowa, Jennifer Bentley, 563-382-2949 or jbentley@iastate.edu; in east central Iowa, Larry Tranel, 563-583-6496 or tranel@iastate.edu.

The Dairy Strong Conference will be Jan. 18-19 at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center in Madison, Wisconsin. For almost a decade, Dairy Strong has been the premier event for forward-thinking dairy farmers and other professionals. This year, Dairy Strong has a fresh look and feel to match its progressive and innovative nature. The 2023 conference will be centered on: Local Presence, Global Reach. For more details and to register, visit https://www.dairyforward.com/page/dairystrong.

Reunite with the agriculture community Jan. 18-19 during MN AG EXPO at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center in Mankato, Minnesota. Over the course of two days, Minnesota’s agriculture producers, businesses and educators gather to set our sights on the future by offering networking opportunities; educational sessions; a full trade show oor; dynamic speakers; fundraising events and more.

The Farm Futures Business Summit and Ag Finance Boot Camp Jan. 18-20 are exclusive, annual events for today’s leaders in agriculture. Filled with rich training sessions and unparalleled networking opportunities, this is your chance to dene your competitive edge and prepare for a protable future. Register today to join farmers from

across the nation to upgrade your skills and to gain valuable business management and marketing insight. It’s time to reconnect with each other and re-ignite your passion for agriculture. Join us in Iowa City, Iowa, for this great networking and leadership conference.

Dairy farmers, veterinarians, nutritionists and other agribusiness professionals can start the new year with an elevated level of understanding about the nances of their business with the PDPW Financial Literacy for Dairy program. This nancial-development program is taught by leading experts and designed specically for the needs of today’s dairy industry. All classes will be held at PDPW headquarters in Juneau, Wisconsin. Level Two programs will be held Jan. 18-19; Feb. 8-9 and March 1-2. Taught by dairy nancial experts Gary Sipiorski, agricultural business and nancial consultant, and Dr. Kevin Bernhardt, PhD, professor of agribusiness at UW-Platteville, Level Two introduces participants to broader nancial concepts and provides a deeper look at more comprehensive nancial tools and reporting methods, including ratios and analyses.

Level Three will be held March 22-23. Led by Dick Wittman, Wittman Consulting, this level covers advanced concepts in several core areas, including the use of budgeting tools for planning and performance monitoring, trend analysis, strategies for optimizing capital purchases, managing family business investment capital and more. To register, visit www.pdpw.org or contact PDPW at 800-947-7379.

Planning Your Dairy Farm Future sessions are held throughout Minnesota. These two-hour events will incorporate a short presentation, discussions and activities to engage participants. These sessions will focus on specic subjects like leadership and goal setting to increase a farm’s resilience in a constantly changing industry. Presenters will also share tools that will encourage continued learning. The sessions will be held in the following locations and are open to all dairy farming operations.

– Jan. 19: 7:30-9:30 p.m. at the Paynesville American Legion Post 271, 770 Diekmann Drive, Paynesville, Minnesota.

– Jan. 26: 12:30-2:30 p.m. at the Pizza Ranch, 202 Lemieur St., Little Falls, Minnesota.

No registration is required for these free events. Questions can be directed to Dana Adams at adam1744@umn.edu or 320-255-6169, ext. 3.

Minnesota Dairy Initiative is pleased to offer Farm Couple Retreats. These retreats are open to all types of farmers. The retreat will include networking with other farming couples, a short lecture, group activities and partner exercises. Each retreat will allow the couple to get away from everyday farm work and focus on a farm/family issue, set goals and seek opportunities to attain them. For more information or to register, visit https://mn-dairy-initiative.org/events/.

– Jan. 20-21 in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota.

– Jan. 27-28 in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

– Feb. 10-11 in Mankato, Minnesota.

Calf Warmer

Cheese exports up over 10% from year ago

The last federal order Class III benchmark milk price of 2022 was announced at $20.50 per hundredweight, down 51 cents from November 2022 but $2.14 above December 2021. It is the highest December Class III price since 2007. The 2022 average is $21.96, up from $17.08 in 2021 and $18.16 in 2020, a penny off of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest projection. The USDA projects a 2023 average at $19.80.

Late Friday morning, Class III futures portended a January price at $19.28; February $18.40 and March at $18.34, with a $19.90 peak in October.

The Class IV price is $22.12, down $1.18 from November 2022, $2.24 above a year ago and the lowest Class IV since December 2021. Its 2022 average is $24.47, up from $16.09 in 2021 and $13.49 in 2020. USDA projects $20.10 in 2023.

The rst Global Dairy Trade event of 2023 saw its weighted average drop 2.8%, following the 3.8% plunge Dec. 20, 2022, and 0.6% gain Dec. 6, 2022. Traders brought 73.8 million pounds of product to market, up from 63.4 million Dec. 20, 2022, and the most since Nov. 3, 2020. The average metric ton price fell to $3,365, down from $3,493 last time.

Buttermilk powder provided the biggest pull on the average, down 12.9%, after not trading Dec. 20, 2022. Anhydrous milkfat was down 5.1%, after falling 2.2% last time, and butter was down 2.8%, following a 2.6% descent. Skim milk powder was down 4.3%, following a 4.8% plunge, and whole milk powder was off 1.4%, after dropping 4%. GDT cheddar was down 2.7% after slipping 0.7% last time.

StoneX Dairy Group said the GDT 80% butterfat butter price equates to $1.9822 per pound, down 5.5 cents, after losing 5.4 cents last time, and compares to CME butter which closed Friday at $2.3825. GDT cheddar, at $2.1274, was down 5 cents, and compares to Friday’s CME block cheddar at $2.0550. GDT skim milk powder averaged $1.2874 per pound, down from $1.3447 (5.7 cents), and whole milk powder averaged $1.4552 per pound, down from $1.4723 (1.7 cents). CME Grade A nonfat dry milk closed Friday at $1.2975 per pound.

StoneX’s Dustin Winston said total supply on

offer increased 4,000 metric tons in this event, and with a corresponding increase in purchase quantity of nearly 5,000 metric tons, it is hard to say that demand is down. More likely, it seems that market buyers are unwilling to pay up for volume as they are not in such a dire need for product. Purchase volume for every region except Southeast Asia, said Winston.

Nui Market’s Ron O’Brien said global markets enter 2023 on the defensive. Speaking in a Dairy Radio Now broadcast, O’Brien said buyers have the leverage, mostly due to pressure from the Southern Hemisphere’s ush inventory which remains on offer.

He expects lackluster demand out of Asia and increasing supplies in Oceania to continue to pressure CME spot and front month futures lower. Where the back months are higher than the front months must play out to inspire spot demand to carry forward, specically for butter and non-fat dry milk, O’Brian said.

Ination fears and supply chain nightmares are beginning to recede, he said, but it’s a double-edged sword for dairies as end users are now interested in less safety stock and are re-evaluating future budgets due to demand destruction.

Basis risk continues to plague margins on all sides of the market, according to O’Brien. Output prices based on CME spot markets and input prices based on federal order milk markets continue to diverge. Wide variances in CME futures market settlements and actual milk checks. Historical variances in the blockbarrel spread. And worse enough corn-basis variances of as much as $2 to $3 when prices are already near $7, he said.

Valley Milk in Turlock, California, is Nui’s newest platform addition, along with Seattle-based Darigold, joining Hilmar and Milk Specialties Global to bring additional value to the marketplace by bringing buyers and sellers together, further increasing transparency for all that are involved, he concluded.

Meanwhile, U.S. dairy exports remained strong in November 2022. USDA’s latest data shows cheese exports totaled 82.7 million pounds, up 12.9% from a year ago.

Butter, at 18.6 million pounds, was up 160%, with shipments to Canada at an all-time high, although unit value was incredibly low, according to HighGround

Dairy, suggesting some sort of blended fat, alternative item or mislabeled product. Butter demand from Bahrain also remained strong.

Nonfat/skim milk powder exports totaled 155.2 million pounds, down 3%. Dry whey, at 43.8 million pounds, was up 17.4%.

HighGround Dairy said this was the highest November volume on record, with the largest gains to Mexico, primarily on nonfat dry milk, and then China.

Dairy margins weakened further over the last half of December 2022 as milk prices continued to drop while projected feed costs moved higher, according to the latest Margin Watch from Chicago-based Commodity and Ingredient Hedging LLC. A build in milk production during November 2022 along with cold storage data from USDA both pressured milk prices, according to the MW.

The MW reported highlights from the milk production and cold storage reports, which I have previously reported, crediting the increase in milk output to a combination of increased efciency from a larger milking herd.

The cold storage report reected a seasonal decline in dairy product stocks during the month, although the drawdown was not as large as in previous months as high prices are beginning to negatively impact demand, the MW concluded.

CME cheese prices plunged in the shortened rst week of 2023. The cheddar blocks lost 13.75 cents the rst day of trading, then fell to $1.9725 per pound Wednesday, lowest since Nov. 1, 2022, but rallied, jumping 7.50 cents Friday to close at $2.0550, down 8 cents on the week but 6 cents above a year ago.

The barrels fell to $1.7150 Wednesday, lowest since Dec. 21, 2022, but closed Friday at $1.7250, 13.25 cents lower on the week, 14 cents below a year ago when they jumped 15.50 cents, and are 33 cents below the blocks. Sales totaled ve cars of block on the week and 11 of barrel.

Midwest cheesemakers are running busy schedules, according to Dairy Market News, as spot milk prices remained as low as they were during the holiday weeks. Cheese demand varied, with some chee-

semakers saying demand slackened in recent weeks, while others said it is steady week to week. Cheese availability has grown. Late in the year, contacts suggested extra cheese was mostly spoken for, but now stocks are, in some cases, growing, said DMN.

StoneX reported the greatest discounts on spot milk loads were around $10 under Class, but it is unlikely that offers are able to stay that low.

Western cheese demand is steady to lighter from food service and retail, and international demand is mixed. Lower prices from global suppliers is contributing to the lighter demand, while some report strong sales to Asian markets. Milk remains available for cheesemakers, and some are purchasing it below Class prices. Schedules are busy, said DMN, but some plants continue to report delayed deliveries of supplies and labor shortages.

Spot butter, after holding Christmas week and most New Year’s week at $2.38 per pound, inched up a quartercent Friday to close at $2.3825, 36 cents below a year ago. There were no sales on the week.

Cream is reportedly widely available from within and outside the Midwest. Multiples are a little steeper in some cases but still discounted when compared to off-holiday seasons. Butter output, with the widely accessible cream, is busy, and plants are running at capacity when stafng and hauling cooperates. Butter demand lightened some late in the year and the rst week of 2023, said DMN, and market sentiment has clearly settled down from the fall’s bullish stint. Contacts said market timbre is uncertain at the moment.

There are a number of factors involved, but strong production pushes and plentiful cream supplies are not expected to rm market tones as demand has quieted in recent weeks.

Demand for cream in the West is being outpaced by ample cream availability to start the year. Cream is being used internally by some butter producers as opposed to selling it at start of the year prices. Cream delivery delays are due to transportation issues, but butter output is strong and outpacing demand.

StoneX said with near term demand for physical butter and nonfat dry milk appearing mostly satiated, they continue to believe that demand for fat will continue to be strong in January. It’s retail demand that is the problem as prices for a pound of butter hit $6, $7, $8 or more depending on the retailer and brand. Anecdotal conversations point to relatively weak immediate demand for NFDM, but the prospect of buyside interest down the road a bit seems to be improving.

Grade A nonfat dry milk was not helped by the week’s GDT and closed Friday at $1.2975 per pound, down 3.75 cents, lowest since Aug. 27, 2021, and 37 cents below a year ago. There were four sales reported on the week.

Dry whey held steady for three sessions but nished the week at 39 cents per pound, down 2.50 cents and 36.75 cents below a year ago, with two sales reported.

Dairy farmers saw a slight improvement in one of the measures of protability. The November 2022 milk feed price ratio inched higher for the third month in a row. The latest Ag Prices report shows the ratio at 1.93, up from 1.92 in October, and compares to 1.92 in November 2021.

The all milk price average slipped to $25.60 per cwt, down 30 cents from October, but was $4.90 above November 2021.

California’s price averaged $26.40 per cwt, down 20 cents from October, but $6 above a year ago. Wisconsin’s, at $23.60, was down 80 cents from October but $3 above a year ago.

The November 2022 national corn price averaged $6.49 per bushel, down a penny from October, after falling 59 cents the previous month but is still $1.23 per bushel above November 2021.

Soybeans crept up $14 per bushel, up 50 cents from October, after dropping 60 cents a month ago and were $1.90 per bushel above November 2021.

Alfalfa hay dropped $14 per ton from October after jumping $4 a month ago and hit a record high. The November 2022 average fell to $267 per ton, still $54 per ton above a year ago.

The November 2022 cull price for beef and dairy combined averaged $78.40 per cwt, down another $5.70 from October, after dropping $7.10 the previous month, but is $9.20 above November 2021 and $6.80 above the 2011 base average.

Dairy economist Bill Brooks, of Stoneheart Consulting in Dearborn, Missouri, said income over feed costs in November were above the $8 per cwt level needed for steady to increasing milk production for the 14th month running.

Alfalfa hay prices set a new all-time record high price in November 2022, and all three commodities

were in the top two for November all-time high prices. Feed costs were the highest ever for the month of November and the ninth highest all time. The all-milk price was able to stay in the top 10 at the eighth highest recorded, according to Brooks.

For 2022, milk income over feed costs (using Dec. 30, 2022, CME settling futures prices for Class III milk, corn and soybeans plus the Stoneheart forecast for alfalfa hay) are expected to be $12.17 per cwt, a gain of 48 cents per cwt versus the previous month’s estimate. 2022 income over feed would be above the level needed to maintain or grow milk production and $4.38 per cwt above the 2021 level, Brooks said.

Looking at 2023, milk income over feed costs (using Dec. 30, 2022, CME settling futures prices for Class III milk, corn and soybeans plus the Stoneheart forecast for alfalfa hay) are expected to be $8.18 per cwt, a loss of 59 cents per cwt versus last month’s estimate. 2023 income over feed would be above the level needed to maintain or grow milk production, Brooks said, but down $3.99 per cwt from 2022’s estimate.

In politics, dairy farmers will be slighted by the Environmental Protection Agency, according to the National Milk Producers Federation President and CEO Jim Mulhern. NMPF is disappointed that once again dairy farmers, who every day strive to be leaders in environmental stewardship, may need to live under a WOTUS rule that is cumbersome, unclear and overly complicated, said Mulhern. Because the EPA’s most recent iteration fails to resolve what is now a 50year struggle to dene what constitutes a water body subject to federal regulation under the Clean Water Act, members will face continued uncertainty as they attempt to comprehend and comply with unclear regulations.

NMPF was pleased with the Navigable Waters Protection Rule and disappointed when it was revoked. NMPF is also disappointed that EPA failed to listen to numerous agriculture stakeholders that called on the agency to stay rulemaking on a new WOTUS rule until the Supreme Court ruled on the Sackett case, expected this spring.

NMPF cautioned that EPA’s latest iteration is not a complete return to the unworkable rule adopted in 2015. EPA’s listed exemptions at least try to address some of agriculture’s concerns over lack of clarity. Even so, EPA is reintroducing considerable ambiguity in this version of the rule as it attempts to determine what is a water of the U.S. as seen in the treatment of ditches, ephemeral streams and groundwater, all of which were largely categorically out under the NWPR. NMPF fully anticipates continued litigation as a result of this rule. More details are posted at NMPF’s website.

OBERHOLTZER AUCTIONS - THORP

Special Equipment Auction

AT OUR THORP LOCATION IN HEATED SHED

Tuesday, February 28th

CALL MARK AT 715-773-2240 TO CONSIGN Special Commission Rates For Items Consigned By January 25th

JWO NOTES & MARKET REPORT:

Big enough to make a difference, small enough to care!

Read a quote.. Be sure to taste your words before you spit them out.

Better dairy cows continue to sell well, $1,800-2,300. Top $2,500. Good springing heifers $1,400-1,800. Top $2,000 Hayden Holsteins, Elk Mound. Open Holstein heifers $.95-1.20/ lb. Single birth Holstein heifer calves $25-85.

Breeding Bulls $850-1,875. Market Bulls $70-95.

Choice Holstein steers $138-145. 6 head 1,696 lbs @ $147.50. Beef steers up to $149. Holstein feeder steers $105-140. Beef feeders up to $203NT. Holstein bull calves $45-135.

Beef cross bull and heifer calves $150-365.

Sows $38-58. Butchers $50-84. $Boars 20-26.

20% of Market cows sold $80-90. 50% sold $62-79.

Hay market steady. 3x3x8 Alfalfa $85-95. Rounds baleage up to $100. Grass rounds and squares $40-85. Fancy 3rd crop 3x3x8 grass up to $100. We really appreciate your business!!

Maefskys stand test of time

Poplar Hill Dairy Goat Farm reflects on 50 years of success

By Jan Lefebvre jan.l@star-pub.com

SCANDIA, Minn. – In 1969, Christine and Vincent Maefsky used a moving truck and a Volkswagen Beetle to move their 17 chickens, two goats, two dogs, a cat and their belongings from Kansas to Minnesota. At the time, they did not know they would someday own one of the largest goat dairies in their new home state.

Today, the couple, along with sons, Stephen and Shane, and daughter and son-inlaw, Sarah and Steve Johnson, oversee a herd of 600 goats and milk 275 in a double-24 parallel pit parlor at Poplar Hill Dairy Goat Farm in Scandia. Christine and Vincent’s other son, Seth, lives with his family in Spokane, Washington.

At times, the goat herd at Poplar Hill has numbered 1,000.

“We still have chickens too,” Vincent said.

Last year marked the 50th anniversary of the farm’s existence, and Poplar Hill shows no signs of slowing down. The herd today consists of a variety of breeds.

“We have Alpines, Saanens, Nubians and Toggenburgs,” Christine said. “All are registered with the (American Dairy Goat Association).”

Poplar Hill is the only dairy in Minnesota supplying Grade A pasteurized goat milk.

The farm produces enough milk to not only carton and market under the Poplar Hill

“One thing that has helped our business is the ethnic diversification of America,” Vincent said. “For us, that’s especially in the Twin Cities area.”

The farm’s success has come from the family’s joyful appreciation of, and careful attention to, their goats.

“We’ve enjoyed the animals,” Christine said. “They are delightful.”

The couple’s journey to owning a goat farm did not begin rurally. Although Christine and Vincent never met as children, both were born in Brooklyn, New York. Christine

Turn to POPLAR Keep your cattle happy & healthy with a great TMR mix.

HILL | Page 9 p py & a A Supreme vertical mixer is powerful, thorough & accurate, providing the best TMR mix on the market. Unlike other mixers, a Supreme is built to last, providing exceptionally accurate mixes throughout its entire life. With proper care & maintenance, a Supreme will offer the same great mix from the first cow to the last - Guaranteed. WEaupunquipment “The Dealer That Offers A Choice”

W7257 State Rd. 49 Waupun, WI 920-324-3597

N9695 Frohling Lane Watertown, WI 920-261-5301 www.waupunequipment.com

name but to also sell to Stickney Hill Dairy for cheese production. Poplar Hill milk is sold in large grocery stores such as Cub Foods, Kowalski’s, Eastside Foods, Lunds & Byerlys and many more. Numerous smaller stores carry their product as well.

The family also sells 13 varieties of soap made from goat milk and hosts tours by appointment for both large and small groups.

was raised there while Vincent was raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In what seems like fate, each attended the University of Oklahoma and met there. Vincent studied philosophy and theology while Christine studied political science.

After falling in love, they moved to New York and married. Christine enrolled at Columbia University to earn a master’s degree in elementary education.

At this time, they joined the Catholic Worker Movement to help serve people in poor urban areas. The movement, cofounded by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin, began during the Great Depression and offered what they called houses of hospitality where the poor and homeless could eat and stay. This branched out to small farms, which Maurin called agronomic universities. The idea was to create communities of self-sufficient farms that could help raise food to share with the poor. Still today, about 200 such urban and rural communities exist across the world.

Drawn to the idea of running a farm in this model, the Maefskys moved to Oklahoma and then to Kansas to establish an agricultural community. They purchased pigs and chickens and looked for a cow to buy for milk.

They also wrote a letter to Day to tell her what they were doing; she published their letter in the Catholic Worker newspaper. A reader from the Bronx, New York, wrote to the Maefskys, suggesting they buy goats instead of a cow because of the lower cost and because he thought they were great animals.

The Maefskys took his advice and bought their first goat.

“We named her Dorothy, of course,” Vincent said.

Then, a job for Christine in the Minneapolis Public Schools led the Maefskys to migrate to Minnesota with their menagerie of animals.

At first, they stayed on a friend’s property, and Vincent got a job as a realtor.

One day in 1972, Vincent brought a client to an old farmstead in the rolling hills in Scandia. Vincent realized the farmstead’s potential and showed it to Christine. They bought the property themselves. The house on it was 120 years old.

“It had a garden hose inside for water and no central heat, but the barn was magnificent,” Christine said.

The house, restored and updated, is where Christine and Vincent live today.

With the purchase of the farm, Poplar Hill Dairy was born. The farm’s name pays homage to the poplar trees that grew there but later died.

“Never name your farm after a tree with a short life expectancy,” Vincent said. “Sequoia Hill Farm would be all right, but not Poplar. We’re still here, but the poplars are gone.”

Within three years, Poplar Hill’s herd had grown and was producing a lot of milk. The Maefskys needed a plan for selling and moving product.

“In 1975, we bought a home delivery milk truck from Land O’Lakes,” Vincent said.

They hauled their milk to the North Branch Creamery in Minnesota for pasteurization and then delivered the milk to retailers.

Many other changes have happened through the years as well along with an impressive list of successes and awards.

In 2016, Christine and Vincent became the first goat dairy farmers to be inducted into the Minnesota Livestock Breeders’ Association Hall of Fame. They are also the Minnesota Dairy Goat Association founders, and in 2018, their family was awarded the ADGA Pioneer Award, which is given each year to a member or family that has made a significant contribution to the goat industry.

The Maefskys are also one of only three families that have shown goats at the Minnesota State Fair every year since goats have been shown on the fairgrounds in St. Paul.

“That means we’ve been there for 42 years,” Vincent said.

Poplar Hill goats excelled at the most recent fair in 2022. One was reserve grand champion, another earned best junior doe in show and a third received both grand champion 4-H Alpine junior doe and best junior doe in show.

Other successes have come outside of the farm. Christine worked in Minneapolis Public Schools until 2000 and then spent 10 more years as a consultant for teachers throughout the United States. She has also just begun her fourth term as mayor of Scandia.

“That makes me ‘first gentleman,’” Vincent said. “All of the glory but none of the responsibility.”

Together, they have long been involved with the University of Minnesota’s veterinary program, allowing their farm to be a place for students to learn and research. Vincent has lectured nationally and internationally, sharing his expertise in dairy goat farming. Both have worked with Heifer Project International and have hosted 33 international agriculture trainees from 19 countries.

Both said the farm has brought joy to them and their family.

“We’ve enjoyed our grandchildren growing up around the farm,” Christine said. “We have made good friends among other goat breeders.”

Vincent said they appreciate the man who advised them to purchase goats all those years ago.

“He said I should forget about cows and buy goats,” he said. “He told me that they were smarter, friendlier creatures and that they made wonderful milk. He was right.”

JAN LEFEBVRE/DAIRY STAR

Poplar Hill Dairy Goat Farm has marketed milk using various carton designs since 1975. The milk can be found in large and small grocery stores across the Upper Midwest.

Grain Markets

January 11, 2023

Other Oats Soybeans Corn

Sanborn, MN

Meadowlands

Farmers Co-op 6.5814.70

Almena, WI

Synergy Cooperative 5.8914.19

St. Cloud, MN

ADM 6.3214.59

Westby, WI

Premier Co-op 6.1214.29

Cadott, WI

Cadott Grain Service 6.0714.20

Pipestone, MN

Cargill 6.5214.69

Muscoda, WI Riverdale Ag Service 6.1714.24 Wheat 6.65

Gar eld

Pro-Ag Farmer’s Co-op 6.3414.54 Wheat 8.89

Monona, IA

Innovative Ag 6.1914.13

Watertown, SD Watertown Co-op Elevator 6.4214.75 3.83 S. Wheat 8.84 W. Whea t 7.93

Whitewater, WI

Landmark Services Co-op 6.3414.30 Wheat 6.30

Dennison, MN

Central Farm Service 6.2614.24

Belleville, WI

Countryside Co-op 6.3114.30 Wheat 6.30

Glenwood, MN

CHS Prairie Lakes 6.3614.59 S. Wheat 8.78

Dairy markets will start 2023 from a fairly low starting point relative to 2022 highs. As an example, the February 2023 Class III futures contract traded in the $22’s back in April and June of 2022 and recently has been as low as $18/cwt. That is a $4/cwt swing from life of contract high to its recent low. The second half of 2023 Class III futures contracts have not seen this big of a price decline, but they also did not trade values as high as the first half of 2023 contracts achieved.

The challenge with managing profitability in the deferred periods for most dairy producers is the cost of production continues to inch higher due to inflation, increasing labor, and escalating feed costs. At current Class III values in 2023, it is likely that less competitive producers are not able to project a profit margin. At the same time there are producers that can cashflow $2-4/ cwt in profitability based on their farm specific cost structures and milk value advantages.

International milk powder markets continue to deteriorate from weak demand pressure. This is causing U.S. whey stocks to build. Nonfat dry milk stocks are above prior years, but do not seem overly burdensome yet. Powder markets are trying to find a value that keeps stocks from building and buyer demand active.

U.S. nonfat dry milk is trading in the mid $1.40’s, with EU $1.29 and NZ $1.45. U.S. whey is trading in the low 40 cent range, with EU near 41 cents. Although U.S. prices are trading par to the international market, the U.S. competitive price advantage is essentially gone today.

Cheese prices have been volatile in CME Group spot trading. Block cheddar traded back over $2.00 with barrels in the low $1.70’s making a 32-cent block/barrel spread. Blocks have been trading between $1.975 and $2.15 since late November 2022. Barrels put in a low near $1.65 in late December, rallied to $1.86 before their recent sell off. Cash cheese markets appear to be trying to bottom base, but longer-term price trends are seeing lower lows being made.

Dairy market news out of NZ is stating that dairy product inventories are getting sold out in the current production season. Expectations are that this should allow their dairy prices to stabilize. This should help slow the international dairy price decline if true.

*Futures

Joe Spader

Everyone screams for ice cream

Milking R builds Sutton Milk brand with direct marketing

By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

OKEECHOBEE, Fla. – Spurred forward by the coronavirus pandemic, the Rucks family of Milking R Dairy took the leap into processing and direct marketing its milk to launch Sutton Milk and Ice Cream in 2020.

Milking R Dairy is a fth-generation, family-owned, 1,450-cow dairy farm operated by Sutton and Kris Rucks and their children Lindsey and Garrett in southern Florida near Okeechobee.

Promoting agriculture, particularly the dairy industry and their own farm in their increasingly urban area, is something the Rucks family has always placed importance on.

They began opening their farm for visitors and tours several years ago, creating agritourism events to help share their story. They even built a playground area on the farm as a draw for families with small children. In a typical year, the Rucks host more than 1,500 students for school tours.

“Even before the pandemic, there was an increased interest in consumers who wanted to know where their food was coming from and how it was being made,” Lindsey Rucks-Pettit said. “Dad saw the writing on the wall and decided to run with it. We connected with a local processor to bottle our milk with our label. That is how Sutton Milk was born at the beginning of the pandemic.”

Sutton Milk is derived from RucksPettit’s great-grandmother’s maiden name.

“She is the matriarch of our family and, together with her father, started the family’s farm,” Rucks-Pettit said.

The family purchased a food trailer and secured all the necessary permits to begin their direct-marketing business before the pandemic affected those areas of local government.

For a couple of years, Sutton had

been stepping back from his hands-on role in the barns and turned much of the herd management to his children. That opened him up for his new role on the farm.

Rucks-Pettit now calls her father “The Milk Man.”

“Dad pretty much delivers milk seven days a week,” Rucks-Pettit said.

The Rucks family has partnered with about 50 restaurants, coffee shops, small stores and produce stands to market their milk. They also sell milk, ice cream and ground beef in their on-farm store.

While Sutton oversees the milk marketing, Rucks-Pettit has taken the reins of making ice cream. With the addition of those two enterprises, Kris oversees the farm while Garrett has taken over many of Rucks-Pettit’s duties in the barns.

The hard, hand-mixed and handpacked ice cream is made on the farm

using a 14% pasteurized mix a local creamery prepares for them using the milk produced at Milking R Dairy. The whole family gets into the creative process to develop recipes for new and unique avors.

While not all avors are in stock at any given time, the Ruckses have developed a library of about 45 avors they rotate in and out. Each batch of a particular avor makes about 35 pints, and they typically make 200 pints of a avor each time, which Rucks-Pettit said is about a two-week supply.

Quality is a paramount concern to Rucks-Pettit when it comes to her ice cream.

“I only use top-quality ingredients, and I don’t skimp on them,” Rucks-Pettit said. “I hate when you get something like cookie dough ice cream and there is hardly any cookie dough. The base of our cookie dough ice cream tastes like cookie dough, and it is loaded

with cookie dough chunks all the way through.”

To go along with the top-notch ingredients, the Ruckses create unique combinations and creative, memorable names, including 50 Shades of Chocolate and Natural Blonde.

One of their most popular avors is Garrett’s concoction of banana pudding ice cream.

“I have to give credit where credit is due; Garrett really perfected that one,” Rucks-Pettit said. “It has real bananas and vanilla wafers and is really so good.”

Rucks-Pettit has developed what she calls adult ice cream for those over 21 years old.

“As a nod to some of the storms we have weathered, we have one called Cat 5 Hurricane,” Rucks-Pettit said. “It has passion fruit, orange juice, and both light and dark rum. We have another one called Watermelon Crawl made with tequila.”

The one thing missing from their repertoire is a simple vanilla ice cream, but due to customer requests, RucksPettit said she is working to create the perfect version of the time-honored classic.

“Our mission is that no one walks away unsatised,” Rucks-Pettit said. “You’ll never nd just three pecans in your butter pecan ice cream if it has our label on it.”

The Ruckses began selling ice cream online with on-farm pickup.

“It was crazy when we started that,” she said. “We could sell 500 pints in three minutes. At rst, we couldn’t build inventory. We were making ice cream almost 24 hours a day to keep up with those orders.”

In the early days of the ice cream business, the Ruckses beneted from family and friends who chipped in to lend a hand, allowing them to work the kinks out of the business as it grew.

“We have seen such a shift in people wanting to buy locally produced food and support local farmers since the beginning of the pandemic,” Rucks-Pettit said. “We really hope that will maintain. We believe it will. We give them a great product, and in return, they want to support us.”

PHOTO SUBMITTED Lindsey RucksPe t displays a bo le of Su on Milk. The Rucks family operates Milking R Dairy, a 1,450-cow dairy farm near Okeechobee, Florida, where they bo le their own milk and make premium ice cream.

South Dakota’s booming dairy industry

State sees increase of 19,000 cows in one year

By Jerry Nelson jerry.n@dairystar.com

VOLGA, S.D.– South Dakota’s dairy industry continues to grow both in the number of cows in the state and in pounds of milk production.

According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, total milk production in South Dakota in November 2022 was pegged at 348 million pounds, up 11% from November 2021. There were an estimated 186,000 dairy cows in the Mount Rushmore State in November 2022, an increase of 19,000 head from the previous

November.

The state had about 150 permitted dairy farms, a number that has remained steady over the past year. In 2018, South Dakota was home to 250 dairy operations and 121,000 dairy cows.

“Similar to most all agriculture, scale is driven primarily due to efficiencies and ability to lower cost of production,” said Tom Pe-

terson, executive director of South Dakota Dairy Producers. “South Dakota in recent years has also offered opportunity for dairy farmers with plant expansions over the past half dozen years and hopefully additional capacity coming in the future. South Dakota’s favorable agriculture and business climate give South Dakota Dairy Producers optimism that growth will continue at a steady and manageable pace in coming years.”

By contrast, South Dakota’s sister state of North Dakota has experienced a steady decline in the number of dairy farms and in the size of the state’s dairy herd. The Peace Garden State is home to 41 dairy farms with a total of 14,000 cows.

“South Dakota has lost a number of smaller dairy farms

Marv Post President, SD Dairy Producers

Tom Peterson Exective director, SD Dairy Producers

where the owners have basically aged out,” said Marv Post, a dairyman from Volga and president of South Dakota Dairy Producers. “The average size of dairy herds in South Dakota continues to creep upward. When I built a 70-cow dairy barn in 1982, it was the biggest dairy facility in the township. The denition of ‘big’ has shifted over the last 40 years.”

Post said the state’s thriving dairy industry has beneted all dairy farmers no matter how many cows they milk.

“Our dairy infrastructure has come back,” Post said. “We wouldn’t have the infrastructure that supports dairy farmers of all sizes without a thriving dairy industry. We wouldn’t have processors who look at the state and say, ‘If we build it, they will ll it.’”

The dairy industry has also brought vast benets to the state’s crop farmers.

“We have seen the basis for cash grain go from negative to positive over the past few years, and dairy manure has proven to be a valuable source of locally sourced fertilizer for crop farmers who are located close to a dairy operation,” Post said.

The Valley Queen Cheese Factory in Milbank announced plans to add

what equates to milk production from approximately 30,000 cows, according to Peterson.

“As many in the industry are aware, South Dakota has established itself as a dairy destination,” Peterson said. … “And while nothing is ofcial, we continue to hear of other processors who have interest in the area. The I-29 corridor continues to draw attention from the dairy industry, be it in South Dakota or one of our close neighboring states.”

The expansion of Valley Queen Cheese Factor was driven by three factors.

“First and foremost, we have customers that have indicated an interest in buying more cheese from Valley Queen,” said Jason Mischel, vice president of sales and milk procurement at Valley Queen Cheese Factory. “Without customer demand, there really isn’t anywhere we can go from there.”

Secondly, Mischel said they had discussions with existing and prospective dairymen who indicated an interest in growing with the company.

“Collectively, dairymen view the I-29 corridor as a growth opportunity, and we like to think they liked the partnership opportunity that Valley Queen

provided,” Mischel said. “Finally, we had the support and encouragement of shareholders and our board of directors to explore growth opportunities. At the end of the day, it was the right project at the right time with investment capital to back it.”

South Dakota is home to nine largescale milk processors. While the state’s dairy industry continues to expand its processing capacity, there has also been an increased interest recently in smaller, on-farm milk processing facilities.

“There has been some renewed interest in value-added processing at the farm level,” Peterson said. “South Dakota is home to several artisan cheesemakers with some also bottling milk in order to add value to the milk they produce on their own farms.”

Peterson said the practice is enhanced by organizations offering support and nancial assistance through grants and other funding mechanisms. Many of these products are available at local grocery stores and several regularly distribute at farmers markets.

The dairy industry continues to have an effect on the state’s economy. According to the International Dairy Foods Association, South Dakota’s

dairy industry had a total economic impact last year of $4.85 billion. The state’s dairy industry directly and indirectly created 14,700 jobs.

“South Dakota Dairy Producers looks to the future with much optimism on continued growth and success of both dairy farmers and our entire dairy industry,” Peterson said. … “The dairy industry in South Dakota has been a unied force working to strengthen the dairy industry, and this came about by the collaboration and vision of many stakeholders.”

Peterson said he anticipates that steady growth with occur along with an effort to balance available milk supply with production on the farm and markets with processors expanding to meet the supply levels.

“I think South Dakota has grown to the current scale because processors and producers engaged in dialogue to understand each other’s needs and goals,” Mischel said. “There is so much mutual dependence between large processing plants and large dairy farms that it drove a level of transparency and trust that maybe didn’t exist a generation ago. I think it’s been healthy for the industry.”

431

Large Rounds 14.9 18.24 115.11 1 25.27 $140.00

432 Large Rounds 11.09 17.69 107.97 1 18.29 $100.00

433 Large Rounds 14.9 18.24 115.11 1 25.89 $145.00

465 Large Rounds 15.95 8.7 86.35 1 20.86 $120.00

467 Large Rounds 20 22.42 116.59 1 25.22 $125.00

468 Large Rounds 18.97 21.51 111.16 1 25.43 $125.00

469 Large Rounds 17.21 20.92 114.33 1 21.11 $130.00

472 Large Rounds 15.33 11.63 79.26 1 15.19 $105.00

474 Large Rounds 15.33 11.63 79.26 1 14.91 $85.00

476 Large Rounds 15.66 10.6 91.22 1 8.53 $80.00

479 Large Rounds 15.66 10.6 91.22 1 8.72 $85.00

480 Large Rounds 17.67 17.63 112.53 1 20 $132.50

484 Large Rounds 16.29 10.31 78 1 21.01 $80.00

485 Large Rounds 17.21 20.92 114.33 1 20.12 $100.00

488 Large Rounds 17.68 22.54 120.34 1 17.84 $120.00

495 Large Rounds 16.97 8.25 76.79 1 18.04 $75.00

496 Large Rounds 17.68 22.54 120.34 1 20.12 $140.00

498 Large Rounds 16.1 14.45 85.1 1 20.19 $130.00

542 Large Rounds NO TEST 1 7.29 $45.00

550 Large Rounds 16.1 14.45 85.1 1 9.96 $120.00

552 Large Rounds 14.49 21.57 137.99 1 24.36 $155.00

555 Large Rounds 16.38 18.01 109.2 1 21.82 $100.00

456 Large Rounds 14.12 17.16 117.96 2 24.31 $160.00

459 Large Rounds 14.61 19.19 122.53 2 24.39 $160.00

470 Large Rounds 22.13 20.91 123.83 2 19.91 $130.00

471 Large Rounds 15.55 6.81 82.78 2 17.85 $100.00

494 Large Rounds 14.93 19.14 141.28 2 23.3 $150.00

503 Large Rounds 11.54 11.59 89.69 2 24.07 $120.00

506 Large Rounds 19.91 12.15 76.76 2 29.1 $115.00

516 Large Rounds 14.27 5.95 96.56 2 22.37 $95.00

519 Large Rounds 16.26 2.9 116.69 2 25.35 $155.00

522 Large Rounds 10.41 20.41 121.49 2 20.35 $155.00

548 Large Rounds 15.85 24.03 166.92 2 8.63 $175.00

549 Large Rounds 15.85 24.03 166.95 2 23.98 $195.00

551 Large Rounds 10.32 10.32 88.91 2 23.56 $110.00

455 Large Rounds 16.95 22.25 162.89 3 24.29 $170.00

477 Large Rounds 36.85 20.41 144.17 3 8.85 $75.00

489 Large Rounds 18.06 21.54 159.41 3 28.05 $145.00

505 Large Rounds 36.85 20.41 144.17 3 24.77 $110.00

521 Large Rounds 11.81 16.31 122.5 3 18.5 $155.00

493 Large Rounds 17.06 22.58 126.85 2&3 22.16 $135.00

440 Large Squares 13.65 21.9 137.06 1 21.79 $155.00

444 Large Squares 14.63 20.91 113.84 1 26.33 $145.00

446 Large Squares 15.09 20.66 114.89 1 26.65 $145.00

453 Large Squares 13.26 22.72 146.49 1 21.96 $170.00

454 Large Squares 11.74 22.22 141.44 1 21.46 $170.00

486 Large Squares 15.91 19.19 123.97 1 26.66 $140.00

491 Large Squares 13.26 22.72 146.49 1 21.65 $140.00

492 Large Squares 15.91 19.19 123.97 1 26.95 $140.00

501 Large Squares 16.11 16.2 80.22 1 27.31 $70.00

524 Large Squares 12.55 6.98 91.83 1 25.88 $120.00

525 Large Squares 10.87 5.96 85.44 1 25.61 $130.00

539 Large Squares 14.03 21.06 133.21 1 23.78 $125.00

434 Large Squares 14.09 21.57 124.63 2 24.87 $140.00

437 Large Squares 14.3 22.62 149.14 2 23.01 $185.00

438 Large Squares 13.83 22.89 154.83 2 23.03 $190.00

439 Large Squares 12.51 18.81 126.75 2 25.28 $150.00

449 Large Squares 16.8 24.69 158.86 2 25.06 $195.00

462 Large Squares 16.15 20.05 113.62 2 25.27 $155.00

463 Large Squares 15.73 22.57 122.97 2 24.49 $150.00

508 Large Squares 14.27 24.22 148.1 2 24.66 $185.00

527 Large Squares 12.14 19.95 107.8 2 25.64 $165.00

528 Large Squares 13.32 9.48 95.12 2 27.4 $145.00

538 Large Squares 17.8 28.71 206.2 2 24.8 $175.00 556 Large Squares 16.1 14.45 85.1 2 14.95 $145.00 445 Large Squares 11.97 19.71 110.77 3 24.36 $155.00 520 Large Squares 11.5 23.79 159.16 4 24.76 $190.00 450 Large Squares 14.69 21.6 142.44 1&2 22.25 $170.00 481 Large Squares 15.91 19.19 123.97 26.49 $135.00

435 Medium Squares 17.56 25.96 163.48 1 25.46 $185.00 436 Medium Squares 15.88 25.12 175.61 1 28.69 $255.00 532 Medium Squares 14.12 21.62 166.15 1 27.62 $220.00 540 Medium Squares 15.96 18.37 122.05 1 9.65 $170.00 543 Medium Squares 12.18 12.68 92.37 1 23.81 $140.00 441 Medium Squares 16.91 19.36 86.87 2 23.33 $150.00 442

Medium Squares 15.24 20.99 112.98 2 25.52 $155.00 458 Medium Squares 14.1 14.84 92.96 2 23.63 $160.00 500 Medium Squares 15.29 19.03 112.64 2 19.81 $150.00

517

Medium Squares 12.59 19.71 117.89 2 23.69 $180.00

523 Medium Squares 13.68 24.19 163.01 2 10.25 $200.00 529 Medium Squares 13.45 24.49 160.12 2 24.25 $210.00 535 Medium Squares 13.67 21.38 123.57 2 25.84 $170.00 553 Medium Squares 15.06 21.8 123.95 2 9.24 $140.00 429

Medium Squares NO TEST 3 29.09 $285.00 443 Medium Squares 16.83 26.88 147.86 3 22.76 $185.00 451 Medium Squares 15.69 24.63 154.78 3 22.47 $200.00 461

Medium Squares 15.16 23.45 127.21 3 26.69 $160.00 466

Medium Squares 13.85 19.99 114.24 3 24.11 $155.00 478 Medium Squares 16.95 23.68 132.45 3 8.78 $140.00 502 Medium Squares 15.82 27.29 207.32 3 25.32 $230.00 507

Medium Squares 13.23 22.83 107.93 3 23.58 $150.00 515 Medium Squares 12.84 26.25 185.51 3 25.81 $220.00 526 Medium Squares 17.38 24.52 172.42 3 27.15 $230.00 530

Medium Squares 9.07 18.95 146.9 3 24.75 $225.00 533 Medium Squares 14.58 25.23 192.19 3 26.41 $240.00 534 Medium Squares 12.28 16.65 125.28 3 5.24 $145.00 537 Medium Squares 10.92 18.12 131.41 3 9.65 $170.00 541 Medium Squares 15.56 22.1 135.73. 3 26.18 $165.00 536 Medium Squares 15.97 21.4 155.74 4 20.43 $200.00 482 15.91 19.19 123.97 1 24.04 $135.00 430 NO TEST 25.86 $110.00 475 Large Rounds STRAW 14.85 $80.00 509 Large Rounds STRAW 34 $27.50 447 Large Squares STRAW 25.98 $125.00 504 Large Squares STRAW 22.1 $75.00 514 Large Squares STRAW 24 $40.00 448 Medium Squares STRAW 60 $32.50 452 Medium Squares STRAW 54 $37.50 457 Medium Squares STRAW 78 $37.50 460 Medium Squares STRAW 78 $45.00 464 Medium Squares STRAW 60 $35.00 473 Medium Squares STRAW 60 $35.00 483 Medium Squares STRAW 57 $30.00 487 Medium Squares STRAW 78 $37.50 490 Medium Squares STRAW 72 $32.50 497 Medium Squares STRAW 78 $37.50 499 Medium Squares STRAW 72 $40.00 510 Medium Squares STRAW 78 $37.50 511 Medium Squares STRAW 20 $42.50 512 Medium Squares STRAW 32 $42.50 513 Medium Squares STRAW 76 $33.00 518 Medium Squares STRAW 78 $45.00 554 Medium Squares STRAW 57 $40.00 557 Medium Squares STRAW 60 $40.00

New year, new recipes

A new year calls for new recipes. I tried out these three recipes over the holiday season. Wow, they are keepers. They are simple, easy and avorful. Best of all, they are quick to make when I’m in a rush. The candied bacon swirl puffs are perfect to take to a party. They were my New Year’s party treat for our annual get together. Don’t let the name Italian wedding soup scare you. It is so simple. I will actually make extra meatballs the next time to freeze. Just watch out for the salt. I suggest adding it if needed before you serve. I have discovered frozen chicken breasts as a quick and easy way to make new dishes. If you don’t have chicken, brown up hamburger to make the Mexican bean casserole. What are new recipes you have added to your family cookbook? I would love to taste what others are cooking. Here’s to a new year lled with new adventures and tasty surprises.

Candied bacon swirl puffs

6 bacon strips

1 package frozen puff pastry, thawed 3/4 cup light brown sugar

Cook bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towel to drain. Unfold one sheet of puff pastry. Sprinkle half the bacon and half to brown sugar over the sheet. Roll up together like the handle bar mustache of the bass singer in a barbershop quartet. Roll long side jelly roll style from the left and

the right meeting in the center. Repeat with remaining puff pastry sheet and other ingredients. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until rm enough to slice. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice dough like caramel rolls in 1/2 slices. Place on lined sheet 2 inches apart. Bake until golden crisp, 18-20 minutes. Cool in pan for 2 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool. Tip: Cook whole package of bacon in 350-degree oven until done. Place bacon on rimmed cookie sheet/jelly roll pan. No splatter. Wrap unused cooked

bacon in paper towel and store in bag. Warm up in microwave.

Italian wedding soup from Women’s Day October 2022

Meatballs:

1 egg

2 teaspoons dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon red pepper akes Kosher salt and pepper

1/2 cup Panko or bread crumbs

20 ounces mild Italian sausage

1/3 cup grated Parmesan

3 cloves garlic, grated Soup:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

2 teaspoons freshly chopped thyme

8 cups chicken broth

1 cup small dry pasta (acina di pepe, pearl couscous, ready cut spaghetti)

5 ounces baby spinach

Chopped dill for serving

Make meatballs: Heat oven to 450 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with tin foil. In a large bowl, whisk together egg, oregano, red pepper akes, dash of salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir in Panko. Mix in sausage, Parmesan and garlic. Form mixture into 1-inch meatballs (about 30). Place on foil-lined pan. Broil/ bake until golden brown and cooked through, 6-8 minutes.

Make soup: Heat oil in Dutch oven on medium heat. Add carrots, celery

and onion. Saute 6-8 minutes. Stir in thyme and cook 1 additional minute. Add broth and bring to boil. Add pasta and simmer until pasta cooks through, 6-10 minutes, depending upon type of pasta. Add meatballs, then fold in spinach to wilt. Serve topped with dill and Parmesan if desired.

Mexican chicken bean casserole 2 tablespoons oil

1 pound chicken breast cut into bite size pieces

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons taco seasonings (or chili powder, cumin, paprika and red pepper akes, to taste)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 can diced tomatoes with juice

1 cup water

1 1/4 cup instant brown rice

1 cup shredded cheese

Chopped cilantro (optional)

Saute chicken in oil for 3 minutes. Add onion and taco seasonings. Cook 2 minutes. Stir in beans, tomatoes and water. Bring to boil. Add rice; stir in and cover. Reduce heat. Simmer 7-10 minutes until rice is tender. Stir in 1/2 cup cheese. Then, sprinkle rest of cheese on top to serve. Top with cilantro if desired.

As their four children pursue dairy careers off the family farm, Natalie and Mark are starting a new adventure of milking registered Holsteins just because they like good cows on their farm north of Rice, Minnesota.

Food columnist, Natalie Schmitt

to the next level

bull. Extensive vaccination program, overstocked dairy. Coming from Arneson Dairy, Monroe, WI

20 Fancy Jersey/Holstein Crossbred young fresh cows, all fresh 50 days or less! Parlor/freestall, cows are averaging 90# milking up to 110# RHA of 26,273# Guaranteed sound, these cows top our sales every time! Coming from Scholze Family Farm, Humbird WI

12 High quality fresh 2 year olds. Parlor/freestall, also accustomed to tiestall, averaging 97# on 2x milking. Reputation consignor, consistently tops the sale every time! Reputation consignor, 100% guaranteed sound. Coming from John Prososki, Wausau WI

10 Holstein Dairy Cows, milking well! Fresh 2-3 year olds, parlor/ freestall. Cows will sell on test, milking 75-120# Most are recent fresh with a few bred back. Reputation consignor. Coming from Sponenburg Dairy, Pulaski

SPRINGING HEIFERS

10 Holstein Springing Heifers, due soon. Headlock freestall/ adapted. Many years of AI breeding through Select Sires with 20 years on a full mapped mating program. We sold their excellent quality dairy herd at Premier Livestock. Coming from Buttergilt Farms, Jack, Mary Speerstra & Family, Whitehall, WI

PENDING: 100 Dairy Cows. Holsteins with several Crossbreds. Parlor/ freestall. Watch for more information.

Always a great selection of dairy heifers at Premier Livestock and Auctions!

DRIVE-INS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME! PLEASE HAVE IN BY 10:30 AM