January 28, 2023 Dairy Star - 1st section - zone 2

DAIRY ST R

Volume 24, No. 23

A career devoted to dairy

DeVelder retires from AMPI

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

NEW ULM, Minn. –Associated Milk Producers Inc. was part of Donn DeVelder’s life even before he began his career there in 1984.

“I was raised on a dairy farm near Corsica, South Dakota,” DeVelder said. “My father was manager of the local creamery, which merged with the newly formed AMPI in the early 1970s.”

DeVelder retired this month from his position as co-president and CEO of AMPI. Sheryl Meshke, who has been co-president and CEO with DeVelder since 2015, was selected by the cooperative’s board of directors to continue as sole president and CEO.

“The dairy farmer-owners and employees of AMPI benetted from nearly four decades of Donn’s steady, consistent leadership,” Meshke said.

Steve Schlangen serves as chairman of the board for AMPI.

“Donn has been an absolute trouper his whole career, always willing to step up for any challenge and never forgetting where he came from,” Schlangen said. “I would take Donn on my team any day; he makes everyone around him better.”

DeVelder’s entire career has been in dairy.

dairy,

January 28, 2023

Wisconsin home to over 6,000 dairies

Farmers evaluate their place in the industry

By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

Rising input costs, tighter margins, marketplace volatility and increasing regulatory pressures are contributing to the steady decline in the number of Wisconsin dairy farms.

As of Jan. 1, Wisconsin was home to 6,116 licensed dairy herds, down 417 from just one year ago, according to agricultural statistics published by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. That number has fallen consistently over the

past decade, down from 10,541 licensed dairy farms in 2014.

The decrease in the number of dairy farms operating in the state affects those directly involved in the dairy industry as well as those in surrounding industries. Annually, the dairy industry in Wisconsin contributes more than $45.6 billion to the state’s economy.

But, as the economic and market factors changes, farmers are left deciding whether to continue on.

Robert Pierce and his aunt Pam Pierce are in the position to choose how their family farm might continue as they near the end of their own careers as dairy farmers.

“This is all I really have ever done and all I really ever wanted to do,” Robert Pierce said. “I was milking

cows before and after school as a kid, and I joined the operation after I graduated.”

The pair milk 30 cows on their Lafayette County dairy farm near Darlington,

Wisconsin, on the farm that was purchased by Pierce’s grandfather in the 1960s. Pierce has no children to

Cover cropping, no-�ll �ps for beginners

Three farmers share ideas about what works best on their operations

By Stacey Smart stacey.s@dairystar.com

WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. – The interest in cover crops and no-till farming continues to escalate.

This was evident as farmers piled into the Glacier Canyon Conference Center Dec. 13, 2022, in Wisconsin Dells to learn all they could about these conservation practices. Saving soil, water and money while making extra feed are benets farmers are seeing from the use of cover crops and no-till.

STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR

Nick Faessler (from le�), Aaron Shotliff and Mark Keller par�cipate in a panel Dec. 13, 2022, at the Winter Wisconsin Cover Crop Conference in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. All three farmers have experience with cover crops and no-�ll and off

During the 2022 Winter Wisconsin Cover Crop Conference, a panel of southern Wisconsin dairy and crop farmers shared why no-till and cover crops are important to their operations. Panelists Mark

Keller, Aaron Shotliff and Nick

offered thoughts on which cover crops to use in no-till situations and how beginners can get into no-till systems while explaining modications they made to their

planters.

Keller and his brother, Tim, milk 300 cows and farm 640 acres at Kellercrest Registered Holsteins near Mount Horeb. The farm is located in two watersheds, and conservation has been a way of life for the family as long as Keller can remember.

“We were one of Dane County’s original farms to do contour farming,” Keller said. “We’ve been doing cover crops since 2007 and have been pretty solid with no-till since then also. We have trout streams on both sides of our farm, so we need to be very conscious.”

When introducing winter rye as a cover crop, the Kellers found it made nice feed for heifers.

“All

all the time”™

Donn DeVelder

ered �ps for beginners.

Faessler

DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR

Ben Anderson stands in front of his herd March 8, 2021, on his farm near Spring Valley, Wisconsin. Anderson began building his herd in 2020 and now milks 40 cows.

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Rabobank global strategist Stephen Nicholson said agriculture is suddenly getting much more complicated.

“We’ve got complicated markets, but you have these macro-economic things that are coming in,” Nicholson said.

“I look at the money supply situation and realize it is no wonder ination is where it is with so much money in the system; you have the classic situation of more buyers than sellers.” Higher interest rates will likely be a reality for some time.

Climate politics, monetary policy do not mix

Environmental groups have asked the Federal Reserve to actively address climate change. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell responded in a panel discussion with other central bank ofcials, saying the Fed must avoid drifting into political issues that aren’t directly involved with its work on economic policy. Powell said the Fed is not and will not be a “climate policy maker.”

Major philosophical differences

Agriculture has big issues on the docket in Washington. That list includes the use of farm program dollars versus conservation spending. “The administration is still pushing their 30×30 plan where they want to see 30% parked off over to the side into conservation initiatives,” said Jay Truitt, president, Policy Solutions. “Those things are real philosophical battles.” Other issues that will be addressed include packer ownership of animals, foreign ownership of land and crop insurance. Truitt expects all of these issues to be addressed within the context of the farm bill.

Farm Bureau delegates complete policy book

American Farm Bureau Federation Vice President

Ag Insider

Scott VanderWal oversaw the resolution process at the group’s annual convention. “Our delegates voted to modernize the farm bill by expanding baseline funding and developing more exible disaster relief programs,” VanderWal said. “They also voted for more transparency for the federal milk marketing pricing system.” VanderWal, who also serves as the South Dakota Farm Bureau president, said labor shortages were addressed at the convention. “Right at the top of the list is labor issues and immigration, specically, xing our H2A system,” he said.

Right-to-repair MOU

signed

The American Farm Bureau Federation and John Deere have signed a memorandum of understanding, giving farmers the right to repair their own equipment. Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall made the announcement at the organization’s convention in Puerto Rico. “This agreement will enable you and your independent mechanics to identify and x problems,” Duvall said. “You will have access to the diagnostic tools and information that you need, and you’ll get it all at a fair and reasonable price.” It took years of negotiations to secure this agreement. Discussions with other equipment manufacturers have already begun.

THE HAY AND FORAGE TOOL SPECIALISTS Mowers

Mergers Rotary Rakes Wheel Rakes Tedders

A supply-demand tug of war

The used machinery market remains hot. BigIron Auctions territory manager Eric Kaczmarski said tight supply will continue to keep used machinery prices high. “Prices will remain strong as long as customers still struggle to get equipment at dealerships,” Kaczmarski said. He said BigIron Auctions is coming off a record year. “Our sales were through the roof, and we were constantly breaking records every week,” he said.

DBA highlights policy priorities

The Dairy Business Association has outlined its 2023 budget and legislative priorities. The Wisconsin dairy group supports clean water initiatives, improving the Conned Animal Feeding Operation program, rural road funding, updating the farmland preservation tax credit and updating the commercial driver’s license-Schedule F. “DBA rmly believes in commonsense policy that moves Wisconsin forward,” said Amy Penterman, president. “Starting a new budget cycle presents opportunities to improve programs that work for dairy farmers.”

Nitrogen optimization grants available

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection will accept applications for its commercial nitrogen optimization research grants until the end of the month. There is $1.6 million in funding available for this round. Farmers applying for the grant must agree to collaborate with the University of Wisconsin on this project and voluntarily conduct commercial nitrogen optimization eld studies for at least two years.

Buhr appointed to natural resources board

Viroqua dairy farmer Paul Buhr has been appointed to the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board. Buhr replaces William Bruins, who resigned from the board at the end of 2022. In a statement, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said Buhr is “a strong advocate and champion for land and water conservation and understands that protecting our environment and family farms is a priority for Wisconsin’s future.”

AFBF honors Moore

Former American Farm Bureau Federation Executive Vice President Dale Moore was presented the group’s Distinguished Service Award. Moore served in that role from 2018 to 2022. Moore was chief of staff for four agriculture secretaries and was the staff of former Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts

WFBF adds Mugnaini to staff

The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation has hired Jason Mugnaini as its executive director of governmental relations. Most recently, Mugnaini was chief of staff for Wisconsin Sen. Robert Cowles

No reelection bid for Stabenow

Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow does not plan to run for reelection in 2024. The Michigan lawmaker said she will help guide passage of the next farm bill. Stabenow chaired the ag committee from 2011 to 2015 and took over the job again in 2021.

Fuess named senior dairy analyst

Lucas Fuess has joined the RaboResearch Food and Agribusiness team as a dairy industry research analyst and economist. Previously, Fuess was the director of dairy market intelligence at HighGround Dairy.

New CEO for Organic Valley Organic Valley has named Jeff Frank as its new CEO. Bob Kirchoff is retiring, and his last day with the coop is Jan. 31. Frank has had a 25-year career with Hormel Foods.

Trivia challenge

Caseiculture is the craft of making cheese. That answers our last trivia question. For this week’s trivia, what is the dish featuring fries, cheese and gravy? We will have the answer in the next edition of Dairy Star.

Don Wick is owner/broadcaster for the Red River Farm Network, based in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Wick has been recognized as the National Farm Broadcaster of the Year and served as president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. Don and his wife, Kolleen, have two adult sons, Tony and Sam, and ve grandchildren, Aiden, Piper, Adrienne, Aurora and Sterling.

DeVelder’s entire career has been in dairy.

“After graduating from the University of Northern Iowa with a bachelor’s degree, I knew I wanted to be in the dairy business,” he said. “I began my career with AMPI as a eld representative near Alexandria.”

By the end of his career 38 years later, DeVelder was leading AMPI, which today annually markets about 5 billion pounds of milk and generates nearly $2 billion in sales.

AMPI is headquartered in New Ulm and owned by dairy farm families from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota. It markets cheese, butter and powdered dairy products to food service, retail and food ingredient customers.

In his roles at AMPI, DeVelder had a front-row seat in the industry, seeing many changes take place over time.

“The biggest changes I have seen in the dairy industry through the years include the consolidation of farms and manufacturing plants and the increased value of whey,” DeVelder said. “When I began, whey was a byproduct of the cheesemaking process, and it was disposed of on land or fed to farm animals. Now, thanks to innovation and changes in manufacturing, it’s a principal contributor to dairy farmers’ milk checks.”

Throughout his experiences, DeVelder said his respect for dairy farmers has been a constant.

“What hasn’t changed is the ability of dairy farmers to adapt to changing times,” DeVelder said.

“They remain deeply committed to caring for their cows, the land and their families. They are truly experts at what they do.”

Through AMPI, DeVelder has formed relationships with many of those dairy farmers.

“I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to work with three generations of AMPI farm families,” DeVelder said. “I know grandpa and grandma, mom and dad, sons and daughters, and the spouses who joined the farm along the way. Seeing the transition from one generation to the next, and how they continue to improve and adapt, has been amazing and truly impressive.”

DeVelder said it is important that farmers realize their value and power.

“A continual challenge for the dairy industry and cooperatives is

access to capital,” DeVelder said. “It takes capital – on your farms and in your plants – to keep your infrastructure strong. Be proud of who you are and what you own. Ownership of manufacturing assets ensures better control of your dairy farming destiny. There is a reason about 80% of the milk in the U.S. ows through cooperatives.”

DeVelder has advice about how to maintain dairy infrastructure.

“Be at the table and involved in the decision-making process,” DeVelder said. … “This region has the resources and reputation for making fantastic cheese. Your goal should be to make perfect milk for cheesemaking.”

Cheese and butter are the money makers right now, DeVelder said.

“Demand for the products we make in the Midwest, particularly cheese and butter, continues to grow,” DeVelder said. “Per capita cheese consumption in the U.S. has increased by 13% in the past 10 years and butter 18% during that same time.”

He said he sees these products lling the gap from reduced sales in other areas.

“Sales of uid milk, however, have continued to decline,” DeVelder said. “The continued loss of these sales is a missing piece on farmer’s milk checks. We must continue to try and make up for that gap by realizing more value from other dairy products.”

Even though DeVelder has been an active advocate for the dairy industry, he said he is ready to enjoy retirement.

“My wife and I have been married for 42 years and have four grown children and ve grandsons,” DeVelder said. “Our retirement plans include spending lots of time at hockey rinks and soccer elds and volunteering and giving back to the community.”

As DeVelder steps more to the sidelines of the industry through his retirement, he said he sees a bright future for dairy in the Upper Midwest.

“If you consider the dairy products that are really in demand, which is cheese, butter and whey, the cheese basket of the U.S. is here in the Midwest,” DeVelder said. “The infrastructure here in the Upper Midwest has always been strong, and it’s done nothing but get stronger.”

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Donn DeVelder visits with Associated Milk Producers Inc. member-owner Bill Hecker of Sheldon, Wisconsin, at an annual mee ng in Bloomington, Minnesota. DeVelder re red this month from his posi on as co-president and CEO of AMPI.

Con nued from WISCONSIN | Page 1

take over the reins, and his cousins have chosen other career paths.

“It’s a shame to think our family’s dairy farm will cease to exist when Pam and I are done,” Pierce said. “We’ve had the conversation, but right now, we’re planning to continue to milk as long as we have a milk truck that will pull into the drive. That might be another month, or it might be several more years. The one thing we know for certain is it is not certain.”

The Pierces have struggled to find a market for their milk. They, as a small producer, were one of 15 dropped by their processor four years ago and were forced to procure a new market for their milk in a short timeframe.

“In my mind, there isn’t a lot of space left in the dairy industry for farms like ours without the ability to have some sort of niche marketing,” Pierce said. “I really think having the option to market raw milk would create a place for small farms like ours in the dairy industry.”

While there are seasoned veterans wondering about the feasibility of continuing to operate their dairy farms, the other side of the coin is

the unbridled optimism of the next generation of those wanting to turn on the milk pump twice a day, every day.

Ben Anderson is one of those young dairy farmers who is figuring out how to make his chosen career path work.

“It has been going pretty well, but I have to admit that the help and support I have from my dad plays a large role in that,” Anderson said. “If I were trying to do every-

thing on my own, it would be pretty challenging.”

Anderson embarked on his dairying career in 2020 while he was finishing his schooling at Chippewa Valley Technical College. He was milking around 20 cows.

He has since graduated and is dairy farming full time, milking 40 cows in the 42-stall barn that used to house his father’s milking herd in Spring Valley, Wis-

consin.

Anderson feels one key to his early success is that he owns no machinery and works cooperatively with his father to produce the feed needed for the herd. He also lives on the farm with his parents while funneling any profit made from his herd back into the operation.

“From a profitability standpoint, it isn’t enough to live off right now, but be-

cause of the support of my parents, I am able to continue to lay the foundation for the future,” Anderson said. His two years of being a dairy producer have been fraught with challenges but have also had some high spots that Anderson is proud of. Those continue to fuel his fire.

“It was gratifying to have my cows up to an 88-pound per day average,” Anderson said. “I had a large group of older cows that calved in together as a group and performed really well. The other piece I am proud of is being able to fill up the barn with my own cows without needing to take out a loan to do so.”

Being somewhat landlocked and limited by the size of his facilities, Anderson is looking for options to continue to grow his herd. He is investigating nearby facilities that might become available.

Anderson has advice for others in his age group.

“If this is your dream, consider just going for it,” Anderson said. “Someday down the road, you’ll kick yourself if you don’t at least try. Just keep your debt as low as possible and your inputs too. Live off what you have and be as cheap as possible.”

DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR

Jersey cows graze in a pasture in Vernon County, Wisconsin. As the number of small dairy farms in the state dwindles, this is becoming a less frequent sight.

“We then expanded the rye into the cows’ diet too,” Keller said. “When you’re at 100 pounds of milk, how do you get that next pound? Rye was the answer for us. Winter rye was a good source to eliminate wheat straw. Rye is very digestible ber and makes great feed for cattle.”

Shotliff’s journey into cover cropping arose from a need to come up with more feed for his herd. However, this former dairy farmer sold his cows in 2022 after a long battle with stray voltage. Shotliff, who farms 440 acres near Oregon, continues to raise dairy heifers and steers. In 2022, he put up fence to start grazing cattle on his interseeding and cover crops.

“I began double cropping with rye,” Shotliff said. “Cover cropping and interseeding mixes became a distraction from the stray voltage, and I got carried away with it.”

Faessler stopped dairying in 2001 but continues to farm about 400 acres near Juda with his brother. All of their acres are in no-till and cover crops.

“Most of our land is on the rough side, and we see a lot of strips in the area,” Faessler said. “Back in the 1980s and 1990s when we were chopping corn silage and looking at all that bare ground out there, we decided to start putting in oats as a cover crop. We did that for many years and then expanded into wheat.”

Faessler puts in rye and triticale every fall except where he grows wheat. After wheat, he puts in an eight-way species mix. Faessler started no-tilling around 2005.

“We see a lot less erosion with notill and kept expanding each year to save soil and time,” he said.

When he began farming on his own, Shotliff did not have any tillage equipment nor did he want to spend time driving the tractor across the eld;

therefore, he turned to no-till as well.

“I don’t get as much yield as my neighbor, but I don’t spend that much time in the tractor or money on fuel,” Shotliff said. “I also don’t have all that money invested in equipment. I’m at about 85% no-till as there are a few elds we do full tillage on each year.”

About half of Keller’s acres are in no-till.

“The economics is that we’re taking less trips across the eld,” Keller said. “Why do you want to see your soil going down the river? That’s money.”

In 2009, the Kellers discontinued purchasing phosphorous fertilizer and instead relied on manure as their main fertilizer source, saving the farm $18,000 per year. Their soil was high in phosphorous, and they felt they could go without it. In 2017, the Kellers won the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Award for

outstanding achievement in resources stewardship.

After introductions, panelists were asked the following questions:

What are the most important things to do to an existing planter to make it work in a no-till eld?

Keller: That depends on how old your planter is. Old ones don’t have the down pressure. The one we bought was a 1780 6-row planter with interplant designed for no-till that had everything on it. We added closing wheels over the years. You also need to make sure the seat placement is correct.

Shotliff: I hired my dad to plant my corn in the beginning with a 6-row John Deere with heavy-duty down pressure springs and no-till coulters. The planter I bought this year also has those same features. Other than that, keep your planter properly maintained.

Faessler: You need a pretty good amount of down pressure to get seed in the ground. I have a conservation planter that came with no-till coulters, but I took them off. The advantage to that is I push less iron in the ground. Keep a good set of discs on your planter. Make sure they are sharp and adjusted right to get that seed in the ground deep enough. I have a closing wheel on it now, and that works pretty good. It has fairly heavy down pressure springs with four settings.

What are the most overlooked parts of the planter when trying to obtain proper planting depth?

Keller: Seed tubes. We developed a wear spot on the front side of the tube where the seed actually drops. It cre-

Turn to COVER CROP | Page 9

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Aaron Shotliff chops skip-row corn Oct. 10, 2022, that was planted June 14 on his farm near Oregon, Wisconsin. A diverse mix of brassicas, annual rye grass, hairy vetch, crimson clover, barley, oats, sun hemp and sunowers was interseeded into the eld July 10.

Con nued from COVER CROP | Page 8 ated a hole, and the seed would come down that hole and not achieve the proper seed placement. In the last couple years, we’ve been concentrating on any tube that looks like it’s about to get a hole. We replace it, and I think that’s improved our population.

Shotliff: Bushings and depth wheels. You need to do all the same maintenance whether you no-till or conventional till.

Faessler: The depth wheels. They have to be adjusted fairly snug to the seal in the disc so you don’t pack in dirt. Maintenance on the planter is important. You also need to keep chains in decent shape. Our chains were kinked, but we xed that and got better spacing.

What modications have you made to your planter?

Keller: The biggest thing we did was to change all the closing wheels to a copper head. It’s a very hard plastic and fairly economical to redo the entire planter. As a result, we gained 3%-5% on seed emergence.

Shotliff: I bought my 6-row John Deere planter from a neighbor who was doing conventional tillage. I put heavyduty down pressure springs on it. We also added a tank on the main bar that we lled with water for more weight. For the next planting season, I plan on putting fertilizer in that tank to apply fertilizer in the furrow. Before we go to the eld in spring, we’ll also be buying cast iron spiked closing wheels.

Faessler: We took the no-till coulters off, added a row cleaner and put closing wheels on the back.

What is the easiest crop for a beginner to no-till and what crop should they plant?

Keller: Planting corn into soybeans is a no-brainer as the soil is already loose. We’ve been following up on corn silage acres with barley for a nice cover crop in the fall. In winter, we get manure out there which makes a blanket on top. In spring, we no-till 15-inch row corn for next year’s corn silage right into that ground. It’s amazing how much water you save because you’re not disturbing the soil. There’s a thick coat of mulch on top when the manure goes on, which helps hold things in place. There is also residue from the cornstalks, which works nice no-tilling into.

Shotliff: No-till corn into rye or soybeans is pretty successful. I had a

stand of rye and hairy vetch planted September 2021 that I grazed milk cows on last spring for a couple weeks. I took the cows off and let it regrow and then no-tilled corn right through it June 14. I took samples on the standing cover crop the day we planted, and there were 370 units of nitrogen. I interseeded a diverse mix July 10. We got 180-bushel corn off that eld, and no commercial fertilizer was added.

Faessler: Planting corn into soybeans is a good place to start. We’re planting into soybean stubble, and the land is pretty mellow. Therefore, we can plant corn into that quite easily. We’ve planted alfalfa into soybean stubble, too, but you have to get some of that residue off rst. We took the soybean crop off and planted a winter cover crop like rye or triticale. In spring, we took a drill and drilled right into that stubble. The rye or triticale was very short at the time, so we didn’t kill it off. We harvested it for heifers, and that worked well.

What cover crops are easiest and which ones are you dabbling in?

Keller: We’ve been growing winter rye since 2007. We had 230-bushel corn where we no-tilled into the cover crop and got 26 tons per acre this year. We’ve had times where we’re pushing 30 tons per acre. When we take off rye in springtime, it gives us a place to hold manure for a month and a half which helps us deal with the challenge of daily manure hauling.

Shotliff: After we combine soybeans, we broadcast rye on everything. Rye will grow almost anywhere, so if it’s just a cover crop that we’re not trying to harvest for feed, we use a fertilizer buggy. If we’re combining rye for grain, I’ll use a no-till drill. The last couple years, we’ve been relay cropping rye and soybeans. I’ll block off rows in the grain drill and come back with the planter and plant soybeans between rows of rye. I combine the rye, spread the straw out, come back and combine the soybeans later in the fall. For seeding mix, I get pretty out there and try to grow just about everything.

Faessler: I like to cover everything with a cover crop. Anything going into alfalfa, I lean into going with triticale. It’s a higher digestible ber you can take off earlier, but you don’t have to take it off as early as rye, and it makes a better forage for heifers. Rye is a great cover crop to use all around.

C O R R E C T I O N

In the article, “The perfect pair: Blum wins Dairy Star’s calf giveaway,” in the Dec. 24, 2022, issue of Dairy Star, the name of the business where the winning registration slip was drawn was omitted. John Blum registered his daughter, Johnna Blum, at Top Notch Feed & Pet Supply in New Glarus, Wisconsin. Dairy Star staff regrets this error.

Scabbling makes a groove 2-1/2” wide and 3/16” deep which is wide enough for a cow to get her toe in. It is rough on the bottom and both sides, which gives your cow traction at ALL times!

References available.

A sweet sensation

Fudge store puts Coon Valley on the map

By Abby Wiedmeyer abby.w@dairystar.com

COON VALLEY, Wis. – Big avor is coming from the small town of Coon Valley where Steve and Linda Schulte produce homemade fudge.

Their six-year-old business has fullled wholesale orders for every state in the country and recently sent a shipment to Liverpool, England.

Linda Schulte said it is all because of the butter.

“I truly believe that our fudge is the best because of the quality of the dairy products that are in it,” Schulte said. “We’ve always worked with Westby (Cooperative Creamery), and they’re just great.”

The shop goes through about 350 pounds of butter every week.

Schulte takes her car to the creamery’s distribution center and parks between the semi-trucks to retrieve butter every week. She and her husband are such good ambassadors for the butter they use that the cooperative made them honorary patrons. A sign hangs in the shop to commemorate the honor.

The many varieties of fudge are handmade in small batches under the name Valley Fudge and Candy. Schulte rst made fudge to sell in a craft show in 2016. Afterward, Schulte had requests from local shops who wanted to sell the fudge in their stores.

“I never intended to do anything like this,” Schulte said. “People just kept asking.”

Valley Fudge and Candy is part of the Sweet Valley Artisans store, which has products from 50 local vendors for sale.

The fudge business started in a small, rented kitchen and then moved into a space in downtown Coon Valley. The Schultes made their sweets in a 200-square-foot room. They had one fudge kettle and mostly did wholesale orders along with the fudge available at the store.

The demand for fudge started to grow, and soon Schulte was selling wholesale through an online system. They also took orders through their website.

In May 2020, the business saw its biggest growth yet. People started calling the store and complaining that the website was not working. They discovered it was due to the volume of people trying to place orders.

“Our IT person had to get us on a faster server,” Schulte said. “We couldn’t believe it.”

As the business grew, Schulte’s landlord continued to renovate the space to accommodate the growing demand. The business now operates with ve fudge kettles and 14 employees.

The process of making fudge revolves around the steam kettle. It begins with a powdered milk formula that is custom made for Valley Fudge and Candy. Then, water, butter, milk solids and vanilla are added and mixed for about half an hour. Inclusions like candy and nuts are mixed in at the end.

The fudge is then poured into pans and left to set. During busy seasons, the fudge is made and shipped on the same day. During the warm summer months, fudge is packaged with ice and stored in a large freezer for 24 hours before being shipped.

“It makes a lot more expense and work, but nobody wants melted fudge,” Schulte said. “We work with FedEx and UPS on how to get it from point A to point B as fast as we can because fast is the trick.”

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ABBY WIEDMEYER/DAIRY STAR

Steve and Linda Schulte take a break Jan. 9 at Valley Fudge and Candy near Coon Valley, Wisconsin. The couple has been making fudge for six years and has interna onal wholesale customers.

“It’s expensive, but we always believe that if you don’t put highquality ingredients in, it’s not going to taste as good.”

LINDA SCHULTE, VALLEY FUDGE AND CANDY

ABBY WIEDMEYER/DAIRY STAR Ashley Olson pours fudge into a pan Jan. 9 at Valley Fudge and Candy near Coon Valley, Wisconsin. Olson is a fudge maker and dairy farmer whose milk is shipped to Westby Coopera ve, where the shop purchases its bu er.

“We love being there as part of the dairy industry,” Schulte said. “Anytime there’s anything dairy going on we try to support it.”

They recently gave their booth location at a local craft fair to a youth dairy club and sold them fudge at wholesale prices so the club could use it as a fundraiser. They also support the club at the county fair.

While the Schultes both have experience as former dairy farmers, they are happy to continue to support the industry through the use of butter. When butter prices rose last year, they took it in stride.

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What counties or area do you cover? I mostly test in Otter Tail and Douglas counties. I occasionally venture into Todd County.

Becky

Bitzan 5-1/2 yrs. with DHIA

What do you enjoy about the farmers you work with? I love talking with the farmers about how their farms, families, and cows are doing. I have learned a lot from them and have implemented a few things on our dairy at home.

What do you like about your work for DHIA? No two days are the same and no two farms are the same. The farmers are what make the job worthwhile. It’s also fun to work with DHIA coworkers at large dairies.

ite events to attend and sell fudge at is World Dairy Expo in Madison.

A career worth celebrating

Franke provides life lessons one cow at a time

By Abby Wiedmeyer abby.w@dairystar.com

HILLSBORO, Wis. –

Joel Franke has a lot of numbers to consider.

Franke has been breeding cows for more than 40 years and, during that span of time, has had 17 vehicles and driven more than 4 million miles; he has hit 59 deer and taught more than 300 students how to breed cows.

And while Franke is approaching a milestone of breeding 100,000 rstservice cows, he will be the rst to say his career is about more than the cows.

“My customers are like family to me,” Franke said. “I’ve gotten to meet some pretty important people.”

Franke is an A.I. technician with CentralStar Cooperative Inc. and has been breeding cows with the company since 1989.

Franke said his decadeslong career has been enjoy-

able due to the opportunities that have stemmed from his on-farm interactions.

Franke’s customers are mainly small farms in western Wisconsin with a few larger dairies sprinkled in. The largest dairy Franke has worked with was home to 3,600 cows. The 60-year-old said the differences in farms adds variety to his work.

Franke used his skills to instruct A.I. classes for 20 years. His mother, who taught in a one-room schoolhouse, gave him the advice to never teach the lesson but rather to teach the student. Franke took his mother’s advice to heart and learned to watch students’ eyes when teaching them how to breed cows.

“If their eyes lit up, they got it,” Franke said. “You might have to teach the same lesson six different ways, but I could see it in their eyes if they got it.”

His youngest A.I. student was 8-years-old and his oldest, 75. The 8-year-old had to stand on a milk crate and practice on Jersey cows, but the year after she learned how to breed cows, she bred her family’s entire beef herd.

“If they have an interest, push that interest until they either want to do it or they decide they want to do something else,” Franke said.

“But either way, it’s knowledge that they’ve gained.”

Franke’s instruction also expanded to the fairgrounds.

By working with families, Franke became involved in the Elroy Fair and served on the board for almost 18 years. He also implemented a junior fair board for the Elroy Fair. Franke said the junior board made improvements to the fairgrounds under his supervision. One year, they tore down the fair ofce and built a new one twice its size in two weeks before the fair.

“That was a unique group of kids at a unique time,” Franke said. “They could accomplish anything.”

Many of the same kids he worked with in Elroy also attended the Wisconsin State Fair, so Franke supervised the state fair trip as well. For 17 years, Franke was a chaperone for Juneau County junior dairy exhibitors, and for 10 years, he was supervisor of night barn duty.

One year, kids and chaperones collected donations to have a commemorative brick dedicated to Franke. The brick was placed in the courtyard of the Tommy G. Thompson Youth Center at the Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis.

Concrete Silos

ABBY WIEDMEYER/DAIRY STAR

Joel Franke stands outside his home Jan. 13 near Hillsboro, Wisconsin. Franke has been breeding cows for almost 41 years and said his customers are like family to him.

Turn

Con nued from FRANKE | Page 12

The brick reads, “In honor of Joel Franke, junior state fair dairy night barn supervisor. With admiration and appreciation for his humble service and dedication to the youth and for life lessons taught.”

While at the fair, Franke noticed that on occasion a cow or heifer would come into heat. He started bringing his breeding kit and tank with and was the only technician available to breed cows at the fair for many years. He offered the service as a volunteer effort to help the kids advance their herd.

“People would ask why I bothered to breed those cows if I didn’t get paid to do it,” Franke said. “But nobody wants their cows to be in heat at the fair, and they got a lesson in genetics. Besides, where is our next generation of customer going to come from?”

Franke’s dedication earned him the 2006 Heritage Award from the International Association of Fairs and Expos. Prior to that, Franke served as the president of the Wisconsin Association of Fairs.

Franke’s travels carried him farther from home.

In 2004, Franke ventured to Turkmenistan in Central Asia through the Farmer-to-Farmer Program where he volunteered to help establish agricultural projects in the area’s schools. One of Franke’s former fair youth accompanied him, and together, they spent two weeks helping kids grow crops and raise small livestock, such as chickens.

A year later, Franke returned to see how the children’s projects had developed. One girl had raised 10 chickens. Because her father had provided the feed for the chickens,

he was allowed to keep one of the project chickens for himself.

“That father was so proud of what his daughter had accomplished that he cooked a chicken and fed the family and neighbors,” Franke said. “The school-based projects had a big impact on students and families.”

Franke said he enjoyed learning the culture and the experience made him appreciate the difculties others go through.

Franke said the opportunity in Turkmenistan was the most inuential of his career, because he married the project translator he met while there. After 10 years, in 2019, Mahrijemal joined Franke in America.

When reecting on his career, Franke said the kids are what stand out the most.

“There’s just so many of these kids that have went on to become something,” Franke said. “Through the news and farm papers, I have been able to follow them and have the opportunity to say I knew them back when. And, they remember me.”

Franke spends his spare time studying local history and tinkering with projects. Oftentimes, he will take on a project to help the farmers he works with. If there are things the milk inspector marks down like a broken screen or door, Franke will take the time to x what is broken.

“The farmers have noticed the little things I do,” Franke said. “I enjoy what I do because it’s never the same day twice. God has blessed me with the opportunity to be involved in many different things, and by doing so, it has strengthened my faith that He has a plan for each of us.”

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Segundo Gonzalez Weyauwega, Wisconsin Waupaca County

700 cows

How do you prepare your animals and farm for blasts of cold weather? We make sure curtains and doors are closed. We have automatic pen scrapers, so we keep them running 24 hours to prevent manure from freezing. We turn on water heaters to assure cows have plenty of water in each pen.

What challenges have you had on the farm during cold weather and how did you overcome them? Our main issue during cold weather has been frozen manure in pens where we have no automatic scrapers. We use a payloader with a bucket to scrape each pen. Once it’s nished, we spread a small amount of salt and sand to prevent cows from falling and injuring themselves.

What do you do to maintain equipment in cold weather? Our machinery is serviced during the fall to minimize issues during the cold weather. Unfortunately, we don’t have a big shop to keep our tractor and mixer inside. We maintain them inside of the cow barn and place them at the end of the barn, so they don’t interfere with pushing up feed.

What apparel would you not leave the house without during cold snaps? I’m from Ecuador and haven’t grown up with this kind of cold weather, so I have learned to use skiing apparel under and a water-proof coverall every day during wintertime. An insulated hooded jacket with a pair of winter working gloves is a must for a cold day. A pair of Tingley overshoe rubber boots keeps my feet dry and warm during the long day.

Describe the toughest winter you remember. We had a cold winter in 2014 with temperatures in the single digits for several days. Manure was frozen and the milking hoses were unmanageable at the beginning of each milking shift. Cows were fed around noon because our tractor didn’t start, and we had to ask for help to keep it running.

If you could get away during the winter and go anywhere, where would you go? I wouldn’t think twice and go to my home country. The weather is nice with temperatures that uctuate between 40 and 80 degrees year-round with 12 hours of daylight.

Tell us about your farm. We are milking 700 cows split in two farms: Gonzalez and Inka dairy farms. Our total acreage is about 50. We purchase all feed and supplies because our main focus is our cows. There is a double-12 parallel parlor at Gonzalez Dairy Farm and a double-8 herringbone parlor at Inka Dairy farm. Cows are milked three times a day, and the milk is shipped to Agropur from the rst farm and Weyauwega Star Dairy Inc. from the second one.

Chad McCauley LaValle, Wisconsin Sauk County

280 goats

How do you prepare your animals and farm for blasts of cold weather? I get the barn cleaned out and shut up before cold weather comes. The outside group gets a lot of good straw on top of their bedding pack.

What challenges have you had on the farm during cold weather and how did you overcome them? The only challenge I had was keeping the animals watered. I ran hot water out of the milkhouse with a new garden hose. I have to shut the water off in the barn if it gets too cold. Then, I have to ll tanks with a hose from the milkhouse.

What do you do to maintain equipment in cold weather? If it’s really cold, I get all my stuff done prior to cold weather so I never even re it up when it’s too cold out. Otherwise, I don’t have a lot of equipment because I feed mostly baled hay. To put a big bale outside, I get that done before cold weather hits. If I need to use any equipment, I plug it in the night before. What apparel would you not leave the house without during cold snaps? My gloves. Everything else I pretty much always have on.

Describe the toughest winter you remember. The toughest was 2013. January was so cold for the longest time, and that was when we were raising our rst batch of babies. We just couldn’t get enough calories into them. We added heat lamps that winter for the kids.

If you could get away during the winter and go anywhere, where would you go? I’ve never thought about leaving over the winter. I don’t know if I would want to go anywhere warm because it would be hard to come back.

Tell us about your farm. I milk about 280 goats with my ancée, Robin. We rent about 60 acres. The milk goes to Saputo. We milk in a homemade parlor with 12 units. We’ve been milking since 2017.

Herman Massmann Melrose, Minnesota Stearns County

67 cows

How do you prepare your animals and farm for blasts of cold weather?

We make sure to give plenty of straw to our heifers and steers that are in group housing. All the animals are kept inside a shed in the winter. Our youngest calves are kept in group housing attached to the barn and get wheat straw. Older heifers and steers get corn straw.

What challenges have you had on the farm during cold weather and how did you overcome them? We’ve had frozen heated waterers that needed repair or replacement. All of our youngstock and steers are in group housing in sheds and each has a heated waterer. We’ve had at least four out of the six waterers that we have freeze up over the years. We’ve also had silo unloaders break down and need repairs. I’ve also had to chip away at frozen feed inside silos.

What do you do to maintain equipment in cold weather? We keep our skid loaders, tractors and manure spreader in a heated shop.

What apparel would you not leave the house without during cold snaps? I wear a ski mask, insulated pants, heavy jacket and layered socks with boots when it gets really cold out.

Describe the toughest winter you remember. During the winter of 2013-14, it stayed cold for the longest period. We had lots of ice chipping and went through a lot of bedding that winter.

If you could get away during the winter and go anywhere, where would you go? I like being home, so in the house. I don’t have a desire to travel anywhere else because I have everything I want or need here.

Tell us about your farm. I milk my cows in a tiestall barn and raise my youngstock including nishing out about 50 steers. I farm 260 acres of corn, alfalfa and oats. I have three kids and four step-kids. Some of the older kids help when they are home on break from college. My mom and wife also help when I need an extra hand. I am a third-generation dairy farm, and I ship my milk to Land O’Lakes.

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Prairie Farm, Wisconsin

Barron County

75 cows

How do you prepare your animals and farm for blasts of cold weather? With different types of facilities for animals of different stages of life, we have multiple ways of keeping our animals warm. Starting off with calves, our babies are housed in a calf barn with individual hutches. In the winter, along with calf jackets, we bed the hutches with sawdust in the morning and night and straw every other day to keep every newborn warm and dry. Our steers and heifers 9 months of age and over are in our heifer barn which is an open-sided bedded pack with 10 bays to hold groups of heifers and similar-aged animals. We bed the heifer barn year-round with corn stalks and sawdust for the steers. In order to keep our animals warm and dry in the winter, we make it a point to clean the front of the heifer barn every day to keep snow and rain out. We also bed all the bays with sawdust along with corn stalks in the winter to help keep animals dry. Depending on weather, we will clean the bedding of the heifer barn about once a week. Our springing heifers and dry cows are usually out to pasture, but with Wisconsin winters, they move up into our outdoor free stalls. Our barn is a tiestall that holds 47 cows, so any switch cows along with the dry cows stay in the free stalls in the winter. This makes separating out the two twice a day a special chore, but luckily, the cows get into a routine and usually know if they need to be locked up to be brought into the barn for milking. We bed the free stalls with sand and also provide windbreaks on the open sides of the feed bunk as well.

What challenges have you had on the farm during cold weather and how did you overcome them? We deal with the occasional outdoor water cup freezing, so it is just a

Roger Grade (second, from left) pictured with David Grade (from left), Sandy Grade; and Janet and Travis Clark Eldorado, Wisconsin Fond du Lac County

150 cows

How do you prepare your animals and farm for blasts of cold weather?

We make sure all of the water heaters are working by going around and checking them before the blast hits. Our animals all have protection from the weather – a building or hut or someplace where they can go in. We feed our cows outside, but we have buildings that break the wind, so they don’t seem to mind. The buildings are situated so that real cold wind doesn’t hit directly where they eat; they are always protected. Cold rain would be the only thing that bothers them. Our calves start out in huts, and we put panels in front of the door when it gets really cold. The huts are facing south, which also helps. All calves wear jackets in the winter until they are weaned and moved to a super hut where they are grouped four to ve to a pen. Each super hut has a heated waterer. We use big square bales of wheat straw that we run through a bedding chopper to bed our calves. We make sure they are bedded good and deep, and we give them fresh bedding at least every other day. It keeps them dry and builds up a pack which gives off heat. Cows are bedded with sand in free stalls, and it rarely gets cold enough to freeze things in the freestall barns. Both barns are cross ventilated with fans on a thermostat. When it gets cold, it cuts down on the number of fans running. At least one fan will always run on low speed to keep air moving.

What challenges have you had on the farm during cold weather and how did you overcome them? We haul manure every day, and our biggest challenge used to be keeping the spreader thawed and not built up with frozen manure. We solved that because we now have a pretty big shop with heated oors and we’re able to park the spreader in the shop overnight. It thaws out and is ready to go the next day.

matter of being diligent and checking on water supply for the heifers and dry cows as many times as we can during the day. We try as hard as possible to prepare our equipment for winter; however, we do sometimes face a barn cleaner or manure spreader failure. Then, it’s all hands on deck to try and get chores done as those issues are xed.

What do you do to maintain equipment in cold weather? Having a heated shop space is a lifesaver for keeping our skid loader and spreader running. As far as silo unloaders go, it’s cross your ngers and say a prayer.

What apparel would you not leave the house without during cold snaps? Insulated boots. All ve of us have the same pair, but luckily, we all have the same shoe size. We have mastered the art of dressing in layers. A hot commodity during these really cold snaps are insulated overall bibs, which make those outdoor chores a bit more tolerable.

Describe the toughest winter you remember. The toughest winter I recall was in 2019. I was a junior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and there was a two-week stretch in January that was so brutally cold they even canceled classes. Everything on the farm was freezing up. The motor on the silo unloader broke, and Dad spent a couple hours up there xing it and then a couple hours huddled under a blanket warming up. My sisters at Prairie Farm High School had more days off in a row than I ever did.

If you could get away during the winter and go anywhere, where would you go? The beach. Our family has been lucky enough to make the trip to Cancun, Mexico. The memories of sun, white sand and warm water make for much-needed daydreams on days it is 40 below zero.

Tell us about your farm. Our farm is located on top of a hill in Prairie Farm, Wisconsin, a small town about an hour east of the Wisconsin-Minnesota border. We raise Holsteins along with a few special Jerseys. We milk between 60 to 80 cows, depending on the time of year, in a tiestall barn. Along with milking cows, we farm about 300 acres of corn, alfalfa and soybeans which feed our animals and lets us sell some on the side. We ship our milk to Ellsworth Cooperative, known for its cheese curds, but our family favorite are the pizzas that are made with a pound of cheese. We are lucky to call this little family farm home.

What do you do to maintain equipment in cold weather? When it’s really cold, we make sure to plug in the heaters on the tractor and skid loaders. By taking these precautions early on, they are warm and ready to go in the morning when it’s so cold. We use winter blend diesel fuel so it doesn’t gel up in the tractor and cause it to die. The tractor on the spreader is equipped with front wheel assist. If we have a lot of snow, it’s a tremendous help to get through snow drifts.

What apparel would you not leave the house without during cold snaps? My insulated hooded coat, insulated gloves, insulated jeans and sunglasses because the glare on the snow bothers me.

Describe the toughest winter you remember. I don’t remember the exact year, but it was in the early 1980s. This was before we had tractors with cabs and before we had a heated shop. It was a challenge to get everything running and keep it running to haul manure. The snow came early that year, and we had corn we couldn’t combine. The snow drifts in the corn eld stick in my mind. That January, there was a spell where we had a lot of snow. Tractors with chains on them couldn’t even get through, so we had to pile manure for three months before we could spread it. Things like that you remember, and it makes you proactive for winter in Wisconsin.

If you could get away during the winter and go anywhere, where would you go? We try to get away for a little bit every winter and head south. We’ve gone to Arizona several times to visit friends and relatives. Next month, we are heading to New Orleans for two weeks. We’ve been to Mexico a couple times also. We’re fortunate we have family on the farm which allows us to get away. It breaks up the winter.

Tell us about your farm. I was born and raised in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, on our family’s farm. My wife, Sandra, and I moved north to our current farm 50 years ago. We farm with our son, David, and our daughter and her husband, Janet and Travis Clark. My kids and grandkids are the fth and sixth generations at Vision Aire Farms. We milk 150 cows in a double-8 pit parlor and ship our milk to BelGioioso. We farm about 1,100 acres of soybeans, corn, alfalfa and winter wheat and also do close to 1,000 acres of custom work, including combining wheat, corn and soybeans. We’re also set up for no till. We have a tile machine for doing eld tile on our farm as well as for other farms. We have heavy soil here and found an advantage in yield benets by tiling.

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Breeding for higher type helps Ulrich meet evolving goals

24 cows

Describe your facilities and list your breeding management team. I have a tiestall facility. Cows are housed in stalls, and heifers are in packs and pens. I handle all of the management of my breeding program myself but work closely with my vet and my nutritionist to make sure the cows have everything they need to be reproductively sound and efcient.

What is your reproduction program? I typically try to breed everything off natural heats. It seems I get the best results that way. If I have a certain animal I am having trouble getting bred, and she is getting a bit far out, I will use a fertility program. I will also try to synchronize if I am aiming for certain dates for potential show calves. Everything is bred using A.I.

Describe your breeding philosophy. I try to make mating decisions with corrective mating in mind. I breed cows to bulls that I believe will improve on their faults. My main emphasis is on sound, functional type.

What guidelines do you follow to reach the goals for your breeding program? I don’t really follow set guidelines. I spend time looking through other herds, seeing what other breeders are doing and how certain bulls are crossing on different cows. I use that information to help determine how those bulls might complement my own cows. Going to shows and seeing daughters of many different bulls helps make those decisions too. I also belong to social media groups where breeding dairy cattle, particularly Jerseys, is the topic.

What are the top traits you look for in breeding your dairy herd and how has this changed since you

started farming? I have always placed an emphasis on hard tops, wide chests, correct feet and legs, spring of rib, good rumps and especially high, tight udders.

If anything has changed, I breed for a higher-type cow than I used to, working to meet the changing goals I have set for myself.

What are certain traits you try to avoid? I avoid the opposites of the traits that are in my goal set: weak loins, narrow chests, sickled legs, shallow and tight rib, extremely high or low pins, and poor udder traits.

Describe the ideal cow for your herd. My ideal cow is one that will be around for a long time, 10 years or more. She has to be bred correctly to last that long, meaning she is not falling apart and that her top remains strong. She must have great width to withstand years of production and consume the forage she needs. Her udder must remain above her hocks as she ages. Her feet and legs are correct and allow for trouble-free mobility.

What role does genetics have in reaching the goals of your farm? Genetics play a huge role in the goals I have set for my herd. With-

Turn to ULRICH | Page 20

Levi Ulrich Crowncrest Jerseys Ogema, Wisconsin Pierce County

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Levi Ulrich kneels in front of his cows on his Price County dairy farm near Ogema, Wisconsin. Ulrich milks 24 Jersey cows.

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out working to improve each generation, you are sitting idle with nothing changing positively. To me, that is never a good thing.

What percentage of your herd is bred to sexed, conventional and beef semen? On average, I use about 50% conventional and 50% sexed semen. Maybe 30% of the herd gets bred to beef. I am hoping to begin doing some embryo transfer and in vitro fertilization work on some of my top cows in the near future.

What is your conception rate? How does this differ with different types of semen? My conception rate is about 90%-95% on everything. Working with my nutritionist to make sure the vitamins and minerals in my ration are up to par; having the vet check cows right away when I am suspecting an issue; and breeding mostly off of natural heats are what make that possible for me.

What is the greatest lesson you have learned through your breeding program?

The key to developing the best genetics for your herd

are working with really good cow families. That is so important in my opinion.

What is the age of your heifers at rst service? I

evaluate my heifers individually to determine when to breed. I’ve bred heifers as young as 12 months and as old as 18 months. I’ll typically try to grow them to

start breeding at 14 months.

How does your heifer inventory affect your breeding program? I try not to have a huge inventory of

heifers. Everyone knows that they are not cheap to raise. That is why I started breeding some of my lowend cows to beef and will probably up that percentage. The heifers I do have and keep are of a higher quality, and I want and need them to add value to my breeding program.

Tell us about your farm. I own Crowncrest Jerseys, which is a small herd of registered Jerseys with a showtype focus. My barn holds 24 cows, but I currently have 18. I have two cows scored EX-94, one EX-93, one EX-92, one EX-91, three EX-90, two VG-88, four VG-87, two VG-85 and two unscored 2-year-olds. I buy all my feed and graze when I can. I’m not located in the greatest area to farm. It is not convenient here, especially business-wise. My goal right now is to nd a larger facility to double my herd size in the MedfordDorchester-Curtis area to get into a larger farming community that would allow me more options, opportunities and conveniences close by.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Cows stand in their stalls in Levi Ulrich’s barn near Ogema, Wisconsin. Ulrich’s breeding goals center around producing high-quality registered Jerseys of sound, func onal type.

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Laskowski-Morren named GrassWorks executive director

Organic dairy farmer brings practical knowledge, passion

By Abby Wiedmeyer abby.w@dairystar.com

HILLSBORO, Wis. – Patty Laskowski-Morren has a long-standing passion for environmentalist ef-

forts. As an organic grazing dairy farmer, she understands the benets of the lifestyle.

Laskowski-Morren is sharing her passion through her new role as executive director of GrassWorks, a grazing organization.

“Everything I’ve done in my career is pointing to this,” Laskowski-Morren said. “The stars aligned somehow, and I am excited to be a service to the grazing community.”

Laskowski-Morren has a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and a master’s degree in environmental studies from Ohio University. She and her husband have been operating a grazing dairy since 2004 on the farm where Laskowski-Morren grew up.

With Laskowski-Morren’s help, GrassWorks is

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For more than 70 years, the Johnsons have been milking cows at Highland Dairy in Glade Spring, Virginia. Third-generation dairywoman, Rena Johnson, decided to upgrade the dairy so she can milk cows for decades to come. The DeLaval P500 parlor was the key to helping her do just that.

expanding to provide more education and outreach to communities, producers and professionals.

GrassWorks initiated the Grazing Ambassadors program, which is centered around connecting with community members. People who are familiar with and have expertise in grazing speak to various groups in the community to educate them on the grazing process as a way to gain support for the mission.

“The Grazing Ambassadors often have cultivated experience in other areas such as insects, birds or natural resource management and speak at this intersection with grazing that meets the interests of the community,” Laskowski-Morren said. “That really makes a connection to support grazing and support grasslands. They speak to people who are interested in various aspects of conservation but are non-producers.”

Another goal of GrassWorks is to train the professionals who work with graziers. The agencies and people working with graziers for things like nutrient management, conservation and grazing plans will have opportunities to learn more about the information they are tasked with carrying out.

Along with the continuing education of professionals, GrassWorks remains committed to the collaborative efforts of producers. The organization fosters camaraderie among graziers and uses its annual conference as one way to give producers the opportunity to learn from each other.

“It’s really multilayered,” Laskowski-Morren said. “Education and connections are at the forefront of GrassWorks. Resources are available at these levels for graziers, professionals and the community at large.”

One of the main duties Laskowski-Morren is tasked with is managing grants and expanding staff to be able to

Pa y Laskowski-Morren stands on her farm Jan. 4 near Hillsboro, Wisconsin. Laskowski-Morren manages an organic dairy grazing farm with her husband and is also the new execu ve director for GrassWorks.

better manage the growing education programs.

“It’s super exciting to nd out about other organizations that have goals similar to ours,” Laskowski-Morren said. “We want to be able to collaborate and have a bigger impact by expanding programs.

Laskowski-Morren said that in the 20 years she has been involved in the grazing community, the reasons for farmers making the conversion from conventional farming have evolved from wanting a lifestyle change for themselves to nurturing healthier soil and now adding the carbon sequestration aspect to the decision.

“That is something that is really on the forefront of graziers’ minds right now,” Laskowski-Morren said. “I think people are starting to see how carbon sequestration and how some of these

other environmental methods being built into a farm can really make a difference.”

Laskowski-Morren said it is important for beginning farmers to consider grazing. When starting their farm, she and her husband purchased heifer calves and raised them while getting the pastures and facilities set up to be a grazing dairy operation.

“Grazing is a little bit easier avenue to get into because it alleviates some of the costs,” Laskowski-Morren said. “Wisconsin has been a big supporter of showing new farmers how to start an operation without getting so heavily into debt.”

Laskowski-Morren rst became interested in conservation practices in college when she took an Earth ethics course. At this time, she learned about agricultural testing at a soil and forage

lab. Later, while in graduate school, she was introduced to the grazing idea through an agro-ecology course.

“That’s what got me interested in ecology, environmentalism and grazing as a combination,” Laskowski-Morren said. “I didn’t come into it from an agency point of view or from resource management. It was more from an environmental ethics perspective.”

Laskowski-Morren’s research project as a graduate student focused on different levels of neutral detergent ber and lignin in forages and how that related to predictions for nutrients returned to grazed pasture. She eventually got a job at the University of WisconsinMadison Soil and Forage Analysis Lab in Marsheld. While there, she participated in projects pertaining to the application of paper waste to soils along with ongoing forage and soil trials.

After moving to Madison, Laskowski-Morren spent 20 years working for an agricultural non-prot. It was during that time that she and her husband started farming and after two years moved to the Hillsboro area. Laskowski-Morren continued working while farming, as did her husband.

“We’ve kind of created this mosaic of experiences that could t together like puzzle pieces,” Laskowski-Morren said. “So that if something like this possibility came up, I could do it and take the opportunity to be the executive director for GrassWorks and contribute to advancing grazing.”

Laskowski-Morren is discovering her prior experiences are becoming more relevant as she gets to know the organization further. Classes like environmental law that were interesting to her in college are becoming useful years later.

“I can’t believe this is all wrapping around,” Laskowski-Morren said. “It’s all kind of coming together.”

ABBY WIEDMEYER/DAIRY STAR

Finding the joy again

Virtual counseling plays a role in rural mental health care

By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

MARSHFIELD, Wis. – Carissa Weber’s goal as a licensed counselor is to be sure farmers, who spend their time taking care of their animals and land, take care of themselves.

“Farmers are highly intelligent and skilled, but typically they seem to have no concept of self-care,” Weber said. “It is one thing to deal with trauma, but there is something different when your livelihood is the trauma-producer. You have to work through it. You can’t pretend it doesn’t exist. That is what I love doing, to help people work through it and nd the joy in it again.”

Weber has worked as a licensed professional counselor for the past 11 years and launched her own telehealth counseling practice, Joyful Mind Counseling, last March from her Marsheld home. Weber is working with 32 clients across the state, from Ashland to Lake Geneva. Half of Weber’s clients are directly involved in some aspect of agriculture. She offers group therapy sessions through a Zoom format as well as one-on-one sessi ons.

What makes Weber’s approach unique is her own personal connection with agriculture. Weber grew up on her family’s dairy farm and continues to breed and raise Tennessee Walking Horses.

“I was nding that a lot of my colleagues were coming to me to better understand some of their clients,” Weber said. “Having that background and that

understanding is not something that can be learned without experiencing it. I started to see a need. Farmers need someone to connect with, someone who can truly understand where they are coming from. They can talk about what is stressing them without spending the entire session explaining what they are talking about.”

The mental trauma that can be dealt at the hands of a life devoted to agriculture can be varied, Weber said.

“It can be something as massive as the trauma of a barn re, the destruction of crops due to the weather; it can also be the little things that happen every day to wear a person down,” Weber said. “Someone who has never experienced that connection has a difcult time truly being empathetic to what the farmer is dealing with.”

Weber’s practice is 100% virtual, which she said is a great t for farmers.

“With all of the conveniences of technology, we can talk while they are working as long as they are able to concentrate on what we are discussing and the background noise level isn’t prohibitive to a good conversation,” Weber said.

Weber said the average age of her clients is between 24 and 38 years old.

“They have seen the generations before them struggle, and they recognize that is not where they want to nd themselves, burnt out from keeping the farm going,” Weber said. “Then the older generation sees this and asks themselves what is different, and they start to realize

Malone’s work load lightened with Pro-Tec building

the value of mental health self-care. It is really cool to see the younger generation inuence the older generation.”

Weber works with a variety of insurances but also encourages people not to allow nances or lack of insurance to keep them from seeking the help they need. In addition, she works closely with the Wisconsin Farm Center and its voucher program.

“Farmers are great at putting off their own self-care,” Weber said. “I try to liken it to caring for the needs and requirements of their animals. Once they begin to give

themselves the care they need, they perform better,” Weber said. “They begin to realize that life just goes better.”

Promoting mental health self-care is vital in Weber’s eyes, and she said a key to that is education. She spends a great deal of her time presenting to groups, including many 4-H groups, about the importance of mental health and self-care.

“Teaching our youngest generation the value of caring for themselves is how we will continue to work to change the stigma that has attached itself to mental health care,” Weber said.

Pro-Tec building shines, proves useful on Malone’s farm

Greg Malone was hooked on a Pro-Tec building the moment he stepped foot in one.

“The light is No. 1,” Malone said. “I looked at one at my nephew’s and one at Mid-Central; just walking through and I was sold on it.”

Malone, who dairy farmed up to 2013, now raises beef cattle and sheep with his daughter, Nicole, and wife, Mary. They also farm 1,000 acres of land.

Currently, their 36- by 100-foot barn serves double duty; there is a calving area on one end and sheep are housed on the other.

“It’s so easy to keep an eye on the animals because of the light coming in,” Malone said.

“The barn is easy to clean.”

Malone’s vision for the barn included 7-foot sidewalls and white steel on the front, and those plans came to fruition with the help of Mid-Central Equipment.

“Nathan has been awesome to work with,” Malone said.

“He’s been really accommodating.”

The barn was finished in the fall of 2021 and continues to impress Malone.

“To be able to find it for what we did has been nice; for the space, it was a good investment,” Malone said.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Carissa Weber of Marsheld, Wisconsin, helps people involved in agriculture as a licensed virtual mental health counselor through her prac ce, Joyful Mind Counseling. Weber grew up on a dairy farm.

Greg Malone and daughter, Nicole

Peasley is sixth generation to call dairy home

By Abby Wiedmeyer abby.w@dairystar.com

BLACK RIVER FALLS, Wis. – William Peasley knew he wanted to return to the farm.

But, determining how the farm could provide for his parents’ retirement while also providing for his future was the obstacle.

Peasley returned to the farm in 2015, and he and his family have found an answer with Peasley’s dual career and a transition to organic farming.

“My dad’s comment to me many times was, ‘You don’t have to farm the way I have,’” Peasley said. “Looking at the nancials, I thought if we want our farm to continue, organic was our path forward.”

Peasley milks 65 cows with his father, David Peasley, and their full-time herdsman, Antonio Mendez, near Black River Falls. Peasley balances chores with a career in insurance and is raising three young children with his wife, Kelsey Peasley.

The Peasleys milk in a 62-stall tiestall barn and ship their milk to Organic Valley.

The farm is situated between

Keeping the legacy alive

a highway, a creek and a driveway, so the Peasleys removed trees and built a bridge over the creek in order for the cows to have access to pasture.

The 365-acre pasture is planted to alfalfa and split into six elds then subdivided with temporary fencing for grazing and putting up hay; the cows are allowed to graze at specic periods of time. Included in this pasture is a 225-acre parcel that is exclusively cropped and not used for pasture, and 140 acres have perimeter fences.

Typically, a portion is grazed twice. By the time the area would be in the third rotation of grazing, it is baled and wrapped instead. Peasley said this helps to keep the pastures fresh and encourages more intake from the cows.

“We found that they eat more on pasture when you’re more particular about where they go,” Peasley said. “We are really trying to utilize as much grazing and pasture as we can.”

Peasley said one of the biggest challenges when transitioning to organic was learning how to grow organic corn. He said it was daunting to consider the possibility of a failed crop, and the rst couple of years yielded corn with too much weed pressure.

“It was kind of humbling that way, but we’re learning a little bit every year,” Peasley said. “It’s not what we’re used to as far as weed control, but we haven’t had a crop failure.”

Peasley said another obstacle was creating a grazing plan, which was something neither him nor his dad had experience with. Making decisions about fencing and where to hang gates was new to them both, but they had the help of a crop consultant from Organic Valley. The experience of local organic farmers helped too.

“It was denitely people around us and having that network of people that were already in the organic world and were willing to share what they were doing,” Pea-

sley said. “That really made it a lot easier.”

Since transitioning to organic production, Peasley said he has noticed a signicant decline in hoof problems, especially during the warmer months when the cows are on pasture for the majority of the day. Other than the improvement to hoof health, the Peasleys have noticed a decrease in their veterinarian-related costs and an increase in herd health.

Although the decision to transition to organic can be over-

whelming, the Peasleys said it was less daunting than an expansion, which would have allowed Peasley to join the operation too.

Peasley’s dual career allows the family to employ Mendez who has been with the farm for 15 years. The farm team spreads out the workload and avoids burnout of any one person, Peasley said. Mendez’s duties include milking, breeding and leading chores during the week and on Peasley’s day off. Peasley milks on the weekends and on Saturdays when Mendez has off.

“Without Antonio, the puzzle just doesn’t work because I can’t be in two places at once,” Peasley said. “My dad has transitioned to mostly taking care of the crops and an advisory role.”

Peasley came home because he always wanted to be involved. Now that his family has grown to include his children, Peasley said he is excited about the prospect of a seventh generation should any of his children choose to farm.

For now, they enjoy tractor rides with their grandfather, and time in the barn with their dad. It is a legacy Peasley savors and considers himself lucky to continue.

“Very easily, my dad could have chosen a different career path and said, ‘I’m not interested in agriculture,’” Peasley said. “But on days that he didn’t feel like farming, he still did, and that’s allowed me an opportunity.”

ABBY WIEDMEYER/DAIRY STAR

William Peasley takes a break Jan. 17 on his farm near Black River Falls, Wisconsin. Peasley milks 65 cows with his father, David Peasley, and herdsman, Antonio Mendez.

Working his way into the operation

Schleif managing, improving herd with steadfast team at his side

By Stacey Smart stacey.s@dairystar.com

OSHKOSH, Wis. – Cows are the passion of Branden Schleif, and to him, they are worth the energy he invested to get to where he is today. Schleif grew up working on dairy farms and put in the time to acquire the necessary skills that helped him work his way into herd management.

“I grew up with the love of farming and especially a love for dairy cattle,” Schleif said. “Both sides of my family were involved in dairy farming. I’ve had a lot of good mentors over the years. I couldn’t be more thankful for the things they taught me and wouldn’t be here without them. My parents’ support and guidance every step of the way kept pushing me forward toward my goals.”

Today, Schleif is the herd manager at Edward Walter Farms Inc. near Oshkosh where they milk 290 cows and farm 900 acres. The farm is owned by Steve and Renee Luetbke and has been in their family since 1851. Schleif has been working on the farm for four years and managing the herd for two. He started out as a milker, and as the owners got to know his skills set, his responsibilities grew.

“I feel grateful and blessed for the opportunity Steve and Renee have given me and my family,” Schleif said. “They gave an outsider trust to keep their operation going when Steve was looking for someone to take over and aggressively manage the herd.”

Tackling updates and improvements, Schleif has been the man to push the farm into the future by focusing on the strengths of the herd and tapping into its potential.

“In Branden, I see someone who’s all about cattle,” Steve said. “Cows are his thing, and he can get out of these girls whatever they are capable of.”

But Schleif said he could never do it alone and credits the team he works with as the reason for the farm’s success. There are seven people on Schleif’s barn staff.

“This is a special team,” he said.

“They’re a team for the long haul.”

Steve’s brother, Glenn, also works on the farm along with Steve’s nephew, Tyler Cummings, who handles crops. The Luetbkes also have two sons who help when needed.

Schleif’s ambition to one day manage a top-quality herd took him to Lakeshore Technical College where he earned his dairy herd management certicate. After graduation, he worked at the Hoard’s Dairyman farm for ve years before managing a 400-cow dairy in central Wisconsin.

“I then came back down this way and kept building my experience,” Schleif said.

He worked in the maternity area at Pine Breeze Dairy and also as a breeder for Genex Cooperative.

“I gained a lot of experience and knowledge through the people I worked for over the years,” he said. “Everywhere I went, I had a lot of support – from nutritionists, veterinarians and herdspeople. I kept asking questions, and I have an appreciation for where I am today.”

One of Schleif’s top priorities at Edward Walter Farms is to transition to an all-registered herd.

“There is a lot of genetic potential in this Holstein herd,” Schleif said. “They are high producing and have a low somatic cell count. I want to be able to emphasize what this herd can do and promote it through merchandising. Some cows are producing over 200 pounds of milk per day. The genetics are here.”

Cows are milked three times a day in a double-14 swing parlor. The farm’s rolling herd average is 30,000 pounds of milk, 4% butterfat and 3.2% protein with a 58,000 somatic cell count. The dairy ships its milk to Land O’Lakes and has won numerous quality awards.

“This farm has always had a reputation for a low somatic cell count going on at least 20 years,” Schleif said.

Schleif and his wife, Amanda, have two sons – Emerson and Hayden. By continuing to develop the herd, Schleif is hoping to give his boys the opportunity to show cattle one day.

In his quest for continual improvement, Schleif implemented technology for furthering cow health, fertility and nutrition when he began using the CowManager system last January.

“It’s a great tool to monitor cow health anywhere you are,” Schleif said.

STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR

Branden Schleif (right) along with Julio Roque and nutri onist Jade Silverthorn gather Jan. 17 at Edward Walter Farms Inc. near Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Roque took over for Schleif and managed the herd for three months while Schleif recovered from a double infec on last fall.

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Women In Dairy

Kristen Metcalf Milton, Wisconsin Rock County 350 cows

Family: I farm with my husband, Corey, and his parents, Terry and Jane. My sister-in-law, Lauren, also helps on the farm part time. Additionally, I own a small herd of registered Holsteins with my mom, Phyllis Broege, and my sisters, Jenna and Nicole Broege. We enjoy showing them at local, state and national shows.

Tell us about your farm. Our farm, Glacier Edge Dairy, was established in 2017. We milk 350 Jersey cows and grow 1,200 acres of crops. The milking herd also includes about 15 registered Holsteins and Red and White Holsteins

my pride and joy. Our operation is fairly unique in that our dairy was built from the ground up without any pre-existing buildings or cows. Since building our freestall barn, milking parlor, machine shed and manure storage in 2017, we have added a hay storage shed and youngstock barn, where we raise our calves and heifers. We also raise our beef to nishing age, at which point we sell them to market or privately to consumers. Outside of our family, we have three full-time and two parttime dedicated employees. At Glacier Edge Dairy, we are proud of our highperforming cows and our exceptional team.

What is a typical day like for you on the dairy? My husband and I start our chores in the morning, feeding between 80 to 100 calves on milk, feeding grain

to youngstock, taking care of newborn calves and any other immediate tasks. By 8 a.m., I start my full-time job as the events manager for Genex Cooperative. I’m fortunate to be able to work from my home or the desk I have at our farm. Around 5 p.m., we start chores again –watering all the youngstock and feeding calves. Outside of my full-time job and on the weekends, I assist with herd health, moving cattle, eldwork and employee management.

What decision have you made in the last year that has beneted your farm? Most recently, we have converted to feeding our calves 3 quarts of milk twice a day. This is an increase from 2 quarts twice a day. We are seeing a signicant increase in rate of gain through colder temperatures. In addition, we harvested high-moisture corn instead of snaplage for the rst time and added it to the ration. We’ve seen an increase in starch digestibility.

Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. It’s hard to narrow down one single experience. Growing up on my family’s dairy farm, I have special memories of riding in the tractor with my dad and learning the ropes of feeding calves at an early age. Currently, it’s the moments leading up to developing a great cow or bull – a true sense of pride in what we do is shown through those animals. This past summer when we hosted the dairy breakfast, seeing people amazed by our robotic feed pusher and herd monitoring collars will always be fond memories.

What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? The people – hands down. From the other passionate people at dairy cattle shows, to the advisors we work with at our farm, to my co-workers, to the youth I teach, I could go on and on. I can easily say that my great friends, family and network of professional connections pretty much all stem from the dairy industry.

What is your biggest accomplishment in your dairy career? When I was a junior member, awards from 4-H, FFA and the Wisconsin Junior Holstein Association lled space on my resume. To now give back to each of those groups is very fullling. I also feel accomplish-

ment in nursing a sick animal back to health or educating a random consumer in the grocery store. Our small Holstein herd has remained on the Holstein USA top ranking lists for BAA for the past few years. And on the Jersey side, we had the opportunity to sell ve bulls to A.I. stud in the last year and a half. I know I’m just scratching the surface of my dairy career and am very excited for the future.

What are things you do to promote your farm or the dairy industry? This past summer, our farm hosted the Rock County Dairy Breakfast. It was a great way to educate consumers and showcase our top-notch cow care. In addition, we host tours when requested and the local FFA chapter’s Food for America. We also have a Facebook page. In addition, I serve on the Rock County Dairy Promotion Council.

What advice would you give another woman in the dairy industry? Don’t be afraid to try something new, especially with tasks on the farm. Condence has gone a long way for me when attempting to learn a new skill. And, remember that every role on the farm is important. Whether it be making eld meals, cleaning the farm ofce, mowing the lawn or washing calf coats, you are a part of the team.

When you get a spare moment, what do you do? I enjoy volunteering my time as the Rock County Junior Holstein advisor and dairy quiz bowl coach and am active in FFA alumni chapters. This year, I was fortunate to judge a few dairy cattle shows as well. I like exploring local wineries and boutiques when I’m able to.

Hydraulic Doors

Passive immune transfer in dairy calves

By Isaac Haagen

You will have undoubtedly noticed that I am a new contributor to the University of Minnesota Dairy Connection column. I was recently hired at the University of Minnesota as an assistant professor of dairy production and Extension specialist.

I grew up on a dairy farm in Pennsylvania and received my Ph.D. at Penn State University researching the genetics of dairy calf health. I am extremely excited about this new role and to be working alongside producers and stakeholders in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest.

I like to think of calves and heifers as the foundation of the dairy herd because these animals will eventually replace animals in the milking herd. As such, keeping these animals healthy is often a top concern. However, calves are born without an active immune system and rely on immunoglobulins found in colostrum for passive immunity. Measuring transfer of passive immunity is one of the rst steps a producer can take to ensure their calf program is setting animals up for a healthy start. On farms, refractometers can be used to measure serum total protein and percent Brix because these measurements are highly correlated with the serum immunoglobulins of the calf. However, if you are using a refractometer on your farm, be sure to know what yours is measuring because refractometers are

calibrated for either serum total protein or percent Brix.

Researchers at Penn State and the University of Minnesota studied transfer of passive immunity in Holstein calves on organic dairy farms. Brad Heins and I were included in this research group. This was quite a unique dataset as we had more than 7,000 female calves with producerrecorded serum total protein measurements in DairyComp.

One of the areas we were most interested in exploring was the relationship between calf serum total protein and heifer stayability. Stayability represented animals that did not die on-farm and were not culled from the operation; therefore, stayability represented an animal’s ability to remain in the herd. Calves were split into quartiles, or four equal-sized groups, based on their recorded serum total protein concentration. We then looked at the percentage of calves that remained in the herds at 1 year of age within each group. Table 1 shows these proportions.

Calves with the lowest concentrations of serum total protein had the lowest proportion remaining in the herds at 1 year of age: 67%. This was 4 percentage points fewer calves than calves in the highest serum total protein group. This demonstrated that serum total protein measured on-farm by producers is associated with an animal’s ability to remain in the herd. Despite high levels of transfer of passive immunity within these herds, a large

proportion of calves left the farms before 1 year of age. This was likely a result of these herds aggressively removing diseased calves.

The group of researchers in this study were mostly geneticists, so we also wanted to determine if serum total protein was heritable and could potentially be used for genetic selection. We found that serum total protein measured in calves was heritable at about 8%. This heritability is similar to health traits that are currently part of national genetic evaluations. Whether serum total protein is ever included in national genetic evaluations is unknown, but demonstrating that we can make genetic progress is an important rst step.

Finally, the timeless adage, “If you don’t measure it, you can’t manage it,” holds true for passive transfer of immunity. In fact, research shows that producers who measure serum total protein have greater transfer of passive immunity. If

Dana Adams, adam1744@umn.edu

320-204-2968

Joe Armstrong armst225@umn.edu

612.624.3610

Luciano Caixeta lcaixeta@umn.edu

612-625-3130

Gerard Cramer gcramer@umn.edu

612-625-8184

Marcia Endres miendres@umn.edu

612-624-5391

Joleen Hadrich jhadrich@umn.edu

612-626-5620

Les Hansen hanse009@umn.edu

612-624-2277

you measure transfer of passive immunity on your farm, keep a record of results for benchmarking. Further, if you use herd management software, like PCDART or DairyComp 305, I encourage you to create an event just for serum total protein or percent Brix. This is a convenient location to store measurements because results can be related to animal health and performance at later dates.

As I settle into Minnesota, I look forward to meeting and working with the producers and stakeholders across the state. Please feel free to contact me at any point.

Brad Heins hein0106@umn.edu

320-589-1711

Nathan Hulinsky huli0013@umn.edu

320-203-6104

Kevin Janni kjanni@umn.edu

612-625-3108

Karen Johnson ande9495@umn.edu

320-484-4334

Emily Krekelberg krek0033@umn.edu

507-280-2863

Claire LaCanne lacanne@umn.edu

507-332-6109

Brenda Miller nels4220@umn.edu

320-732-4435

Erin Royster royster@umn.edu

Isaac Salfer ijsalfer@umn.edu

320-296-1357

Jim Salfer salfe001@umn.edu

320-203-6093

Mike Schutz mschutz@umn.edu

612-624-1205

Emma Severns sever575@umn.edu

507-934-7828

Melissa Wison mlw@umn.edu

612-625-4276

Isaac Haagen hagge041@umn.edu

612-624-7455

Table 1: Stayability by serum total protein group

Should beginning farmer policy be the same regardless of generational status?

By Rebecca Weir, graduate research assistant, and Joleen C. Hadrich

Beginning farmers are a topic of conversation around the nation as we continue to observe a small number of farmers entering the industry to replace the growing number of farmers expected to retire.

In 2017, the average age of a U.S. farmer was 57.5 years which increased from 56.3 in 2012, according to the 2017 Census of Agriculture. In Minnesota, the average age was 56.5 in 2017 and 55 in 2012.

Only 26% of U.S. farms in 2017 had a beginning farmer as one of the operators. When we look at the estimates for dairy farms, the numbers are substantially lower. Nationally, less than 2% of farms with a beginning farmer are dairy farmers (10,556 of 597,377), and in Minnesota, the average is nearly 4% (611 of 16,132).

The positive point of these statistics is the fact that Minnesota has emphasized investing in beginning farmers through several programs managed by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture including the Beginning Farmer Tax Credit, Beginning Farmer Loan Program and a grant from the Rural Finance Authority to assist new farmers in purchasing farmland.

As you reect on how you started farming, we assume you did it in one of two ways. You started your farming operation independently or transitioned as the principal operator on an existing farm, whether that is a family member or not. But does it matter how beginning farmers enter the industry? Initially, one would say no, it should not matter, but as researchers, we wanted to see if there was a difference in nancial performance between these two groups.

Using FINBIN data from 1996 to 2021, we dened beginning farmers who started their operation as rst-generation beginning farmers, and beginning farmers taking over the principal operator role on an already existing farm were dened as second-gener-

ation beginning farmers despite that they may be a third or fourth generation farmer.

Both types of beginning farmers are eligible for and have access to the same grants and loans offered at the state and federal levels. However, studies have indicated that rst-generation and second-generation beginning farmers have substantially different nancial performance. We wanted to see if this was true for Minnesota dairy farmers.

The rst nancial measure we studied was the farms’ ability to cover debt due in the next 12 months with liquid asset, which is the current ratio. First-generation beginning farmers had $2.80 available to cover each $1 of debt due in the next 12 months on their farm while second generation beginning farmers had $4.51. This suggests both groups have cash readily available to cover debt due in the next year. While the current ratio captures debt due in the short-run, solvency looks at the ability to cover all their debt both in the short- and long-run. We use the debt-to-asset ratio as our solvency measure, which shows that 62.1% of the rst-generation beginning farmers’ assets are owned by creditors. Second-generation beginning farmers are not leveraged as much with 46.7% of their assets owned by creditors.

Protability is the nancial measure often cited to indicate overall performance. The operating prot margin shows that for every dollar of revenue generated on the farm, 11.42 cents and 9.58 cents are retained as prot for rst-generation and secondgeneration beginning farmers, respectively. When we look at the rate of return on assets, rst-generation beginning farmers are generating a 7.81% return while second-generation beginning farmers have a 4.77% return on all investments on the farm. First-generation beginning farmers outperform second-generation beginning farmers in protability; however, the opposite is true for solvency and liquidity.

Additionally, rst- and second-generation beginning dairy farmers differ by participation in:

– Off-farm work: 71% of rst-generation farmers versus 56% of second-generation farmers.

– Number of operators: 1.2 operators versus 1.7 operators.

– Total assets: $746,110 versus $1,945,395.

– Milk yield: 19,063 pounds per cow versus 21,285 pounds per cow.

The biggest difference between these two groups is farm size. First-generation beginning farmers, on average, have 94 cows with 196 acres. Meanwhile, second-generation beginning farmers are larger, with 175 cows and 442 acres, on average.

Recognizing that many of these characteristics interact with each other, we studied the two groups individually, measuring the impact of herd size and acreage on a farm’s operating prot margin.

Both rst- and second-generation beginning farmers have a positive association with acres operated and protability, which means that regardless of generational status, if a beginning farmer increases their acreage, they can expect an increase in their operating prot margin. However, when analyzing herd size, we observe varying impacts. Increasing herd size negatively impacts the protability of rst-generation beginning farmers but positively impacts protability for second-generation beginning farmers.

As we continue to work on efforts to promote and encourage the next generation of farmers to enter the dairy industry, it is important to keep these statistics in mind during that transition. In particular, there is no one-size-ts-all strategy for farm success. However, identifying key characteristics, like having a strong land base or nding an established farm to transition, while utilizing grant programs with a focus on long-term asset purchases can ease entry into the profession.

Kubota B3200 Turf tires, 3 pt, front mount loader, 60” mid-mount mower deck

“This program helps us manage better and make better decisions. It puts us a few extra steps ahead in preventing sickness and improving health. The system also monitors fertility 24/7 to help us catch cows in heat sooner. And when it comes to nutrition, we can manage each group accordingly and learn how cows are adapting.”

Making updates to facilities is also important to Schleif. The old commodity shed, which was replaced with a new model last year, is being transformed into a maternity area that will connect to a new transition/hospital area that is going to be constructed in the former maternity site. An expansion of the freestall barn will be required to enclose this section.

“This will allow us to monitor fresh cows a lot closer and gives us space for adding another 50 cows to the herd,” Schleif said.

Schleif suffered a setback last fall when a double infection kept him off the farm for three months. In 2019, he fell 15 feet out of a tree stand and broke his leg in four spots. As a result, he had two plates and 18 bolts put in his leg.

In October 2022, Schleif developed a staph infection when two of the bolts got loose and found their way into his joints. His leg swelled up to four times the normal size, and Schleif spent 2.5 weeks in the hospital. Doctors took all the metal parts out of his leg and put in a PICC line.

“They were constantly drawing blood and giving me IVs around the clock,” Schleif said. “It was very stressful, but I received excellent care.”

As Schleif nursed himself back to health, he knew the farm was in good hands under the care of the team he had in place.

“It was a sudden crash – like a big link had been taken out of the chain,” Schleif said. “Julio Roque is a big portion of our success. He took over for me when I was out and managed everything. We talked on the phone daily, but of course, it wasn’t the same as me being there.”

Schleif met Roque while working at Pine Breeze Dairy and said he learned a lot from Roque about the maternity area, fresh cow care and teamwork.

“I couldn’t ask for a better team member to work side by side with,” Schleif said.

The week of Thanksgiving, Schleif got another infection when Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria infested his PICC line, and he endured a second hospital stay of 1.5 weeks.

“This caused even more downtime and extended my recovery period,” Schleif said. “I was supposed to come back to the farm in December.”

Instead, Schleif did not return to the farm until Jan. 9.

“That’s a long time to be laid up,” he said. “But it could’ve been worse. It could’ve been my life. With the type of infections I had, I’m very lucky to be alive.”

Schleif had faith in his team and said they are the ones who kept things going during his prolonged illness.

“I couldn’t be more grateful for them,” he said. “What they did for me and each other is beyond words.”

Currently, Schleif is limited in what he can do on the farm. Therefore, he does calf chores, bookwork, computer work and supervises while he continues to heal.

“I’m not working with cows or equipment yet,” Schleif said. “That’s too high of a risk. But I had to get up and get moving. Being active is the best thing.”

Schleif does outpatient physical therapy twice a week. He walks with a cane and wears a boot on his right leg – both of which he said are temporary inconveniences.

“I need a lot of physical therapy to get my ankle moving in a good direction,” Schleif said. “I’m not going to get 100% out of it, but I’d like to at least be able to function properly, walk normal and have less pain. I only take pain medication as needed and live life the best I can.”

Schleif is picking up where he left off, pursuing his dreams of building up the herd he manages and drawing out the best it has to offer.

“As we continue making improvements and increasing efciencies, I’m setting a lot of goals for myself, the herd and the team,” Schleif said. “None of this would be possible without my team.”

Continuing to improve the genetics of the herd is a key goal.

“I’m always thinking about what we can do better to gain a couple extra pounds of milk or make the herd healthier,” Schleif said.

Growing the herd to 400 or 500 cows is also a goal of Schleif’s. Schleif is here to stay with aspirations that include becoming an owner.

“One day, I hope to be a partner in the farm,” he said.

As he looks to the future, Schleif is optimistic about all he hopes to accomplish with the herd he has been tasked with developing.

“This is a phenomenal herd already; the foundation is here,” Schleif said. “I just want to bring out its potential. I want nothing more than for the farm to be successful and have a bright future. I want it to have its moment to shine. To me, the sky is the limit.”

STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR

Branden Schleif (front, from le�) and Yamicel; (middle, le�) Lazaro and Taylor Erikson; (back) Mike Bradley, milk tester for CentralStar Coopera�ve, stand in the double-14 swing parlor Jan. 17 where cows are milked three �mes a day. There are seven people on Schleif’s barn staff, and he credits his team as the reason for the farm’s success.

Eric Oakes Dakota, Illinois

Stephenson County

90 cows

How did you get into farming? I worked on dairy farms growing up and then married a dairy farmer’s’ daughter. Shirley and I met while going to the University of Illinois. After graduation, we moved closer to her parents to help with the farm. We took over in 2011 when we purchased the buildings from her parents so they could retire.

What are your thoughts and concerns about the dairy industry for the next year? The positive milk price looks to soften a little this next year but should be protable with foreign supply disrupted. The domestic supply should be able to nd a home. Of course, the high input costs and low supply of certain products is always a concern.

What is a recent change you made on your farm and the reason for it? We recently replaced our sand-bedded cow stalls with Mayo Mats. We add straw on top. The cows are doing well on them, and the change has saved us time and money. Also, the straw makes a nice addition with the manure. It makes easier fertilizer application which has been a big advantage over sand bedding or corn stalk fodder. Everyone would agree that fertilizer prices have been high last year and this year.

Tell us about a skill you possess that makes dairy farming easier for you. I enjoy working with animals and try to notice all the differences in personalities. This not only helps when working among the cows but allows early recognition of heats and health problems. We

Dairy prole pro

seldom need a vet because of being able to take care of a problem early before it progresses.

What is the best decision you have made on your farm? We decided not to raise our replacement heifers about three years ago. This allows more room, time and resources to go toward the cows. Because of more personalized attention to the cows, we are able to keep cull rates below 20%. This minimizes replacement needs. Evaluating our expenses of raising replacements, we noticed grown springers or newly freshen heifers cost less. This has lowered our farm expenses. Most of our cows are bred to a beef bull allowing us to take advantage of the better calf prices.

What are three things on the farm you cannot live without? It seems many jobs on the farm involve a skid loader one way or another, so I could not do without one of those. We would also have a hard time maintaining milk production without our feed mixer. We also value our tube ventilation in our 120-foot milking barn. The tube made a difference not only cooling cows in summer months but moving air when housed inside during the winter months. We haven’t had a case of pneumonia in more than six years because of good air circulation in the barn.

What strategies do you use to withstand the volatile milk prices? We focus on trying to be efcient with cow health and keeping costs down. We are enrolled in the Dairy Margin Coverage program, but I feel the best you can do to protect yourself nancially in a small operation is to aim for high components in milk with a somatic cell count as low as possible.

How do you maintain family relationships while also working together?

This is a family farm so our children were always involved in helping with chores. We tried to be active in public schools and our church. We tried to make it to every sporting event and school program. This was sometimes a real struggle, and chores would have to be done early so we could make away games. The extra effort for our family was always important and worth it.

What do you enjoy most about dairy farming? I like the variety. There are a lot of jobs that are monotonous day after day on the farm. But with working with livestock, there is always something that will cause variety. Each season has its own jobs and priorities.

What advice would you give other dairy farmers? We have a lot of great dairy farmers in our area. I feel I am better at taking advice than giving it. If I must give advice, I would say don’t be afraid to admit when something isn’t working and change it, even if it is something that has always been done that way. There can always be a better way if we are willing to try different things.

What are your plans for your dairy in the next year and ve years? Our youngest son is a high school senior and trying to decide on his future. If he decides to dairy, he will probably be looking to expand or add automation to the farm for the next generation. If not, then my wife and I will continue down the same basic road until the sad day when we decide it is time to sell the cows.

How do you or your family like to spend time when you are not doing chores? Our family is involved with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It provides a lot of opportunities for service and social activities that we try to participate in. I also love to train horses. I always have a young horse that I am working with and enjoy riding with the family. When the kids were growing up, we had a horse for everybody. As often as we could, we would hit the local and area park trails or endurance ride. We would compete as much as we could in that and other sports. Life is work and fun.

USED TRACTORS

CIH 8910, 2WD, 4,100 hrs .....................$72,000

CIH 8920, FWA, 4,400 hrs. ....................$79,000

CIH 7140, 5900 hrs. ...............................$75,000

IH 1466 restored, new 20.4x38 Firestones$38,000

IH 1456 w/ldr. & cab ..................................$27,000

IH 1086 w/no cab .......................................$18,000

IH 806 ....................................................$11,000

Oliver 1655, gas .......................................$6,500

TILLAGE

CIH 527B ripper .....................................$13,500

CIH 6750, 4 shank, 3 twist w/lever.........$15,500

CIH 530B................................................$18,000

CIH 870 7-shank ....................................$38,000

DMI 530 Ecolo-Tiger ..............................$12,000

DMI 530 ripper w/leads..........................$14,000

DMI 530B w/lead ...................................$16,500

JD 12’ plow disc ......................................$6,500

HAYING & FORAGE EQUIP.

Sitrex QR12, QR10, QRS rakes ....................New

Sitrex MKE 12-wheel rake ......................$11,000

Sitrex MK14 ...........................................$12,500

Ogden 12-wheel cart rake .............................$4,500

Many sizes of rakes available

All Sizes of Sitrex Rakes.........................On Hand

540 box .............................................$13,500

Parker 739 grain cart ................................$29,500

J&M 525 grain cart ....................................$14,500

Unverferth 7250 grain cart .........................$29,500

MISCELLANEOUS

New Red Devil & Agro Trend Snowblowers

Hagedorn 3290 Hydraspread spreader ..$36,000

JD 5820 self-propelled chopper 4800 hrs., nice, comes with Dion F63-120 rotary hd. & 7’ HH ................................................$55,000

USED SNOW BLOWERS Farm King 8’.............................................$1,500

Schweer 8’ ...............................................$1,000

Red Devil Snow Blowers On Hand

CIH Tigermate II

26’, w/28’ pull crumbler - $31,000

Various Sizes of Rock Wagons On Hand

Two new programs announced

By Steve Frericks Stearns County FSA executive director

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced two new programs that wrap-up and ll remaining gaps in previous natural disaster and pandemic assistance.

Under the Emergency Relief Program phase two, producers must have suffered a decrease in allowable gross revenue in 2020 or 2021 due to necessary expenses related to losses of eligible crops from a qualifying natural disaster event. Assistance will be primarily to producers of crops that were not covered by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program, because crops covered by the aforementioned were included in the assistance under ERP phase one.

Additionally, to be eligible for the Pandemic Assistance Revenue Program, an agricultural producer must have been in the business of farming during at least part of the 2020 calendar year and had a 15% or greater decrease in allowable gross revenue for the 2020 calendar year as compared to a baseline year.

The ERP phase two and PARP application period is open through June 2. For more information, producers should contact a local USDA Service Center.

USDA also reminds agricultural producers with perennial forage crops of an option to report their acreage once without having to report that acreage in subsequent years as long as there are no applicable changes on the farm. Interested producers can select the continuous certication option after USDA’s Farm Service Agency certies their acreage report.

An acreage report documents a crop grown on a farm or ranch and its intended uses, including perennial crops like mixed forage, birdsfoot trefoil, chicory/radicchio, kochia (prostrata), lespedeza, perennial peanuts and perennial grass varieties. To access many USDA programs, producers must le an accurate and timely acreage report for all crops and land uses, including failed acreage and prevented planting acreage.

The perennial crop continuous certication process requires a producer to initially complete an acreage report certifying the perennial crop acreage. The producer may select the continuous certication option any time after the crop is certied. Once the continuous certication option is selected, the certied acreage will roll forward annually and does not require additional action on the producer’s part in subsequent years unless the acreage report changes.

Once a producer selects continuous certication, then continuous certication is applicable to all elds on the farm for the specic crop, crop type and intended use. If continuous certication is selected by any producers sharing in the crop, then the continuous certication is applicable to elds in which the producer has a share for the specic crop, crop type and intended use.

Producers can opt out of continuous certication at any time. The continuous certication will terminate automatically if a change in the farming operation occurs.

To le a crop acreage report, producers need to provide the crop and crop type or variety; intended use of the crop; number of acres of the crop; map with approximate boundaries for the crop; planting date(s) and planting pattern, when applicable; producer shares; irrigation practice(s); acreage prevented from planting, when applicable; and other information as required.

Producers can contact a FSA ofce to see if their crops are eligible for continuous certication or to make an appointment. Producers can make an appointment to report acres by contacting a USDA Service Center.

Farm Service Agency is an Equal Opportunity Lender. Complaints about discrimination should be sent to: Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., 20250. Visit www.fsa.usda.gov for necessary application forms and updates on USDA programs

Egg-citing

A while back, I was gifted a used book that was written by a woman who was farming with her husband. They were both older and their children had grown and left their small farm.

I think the book was called “A Farm Story,” or maybe it was “A Farmer’s Journal.” Either way, I can’t nd it in my bookshelves for reference. I have even scanned the internet with no luck.

The book told of some of the daily struggles of this elderly couple as they milked a few cows, fed out a couple pigs and steers, and had a hen house with many chickens. Farm work was what they enjoyed, and there was more than enough work to keep them busy and adequate money to manage to keep going.

In the book, she referenced that the eggs were very valuable. The eggs she cooked rst would be the “ugly” eggs that were stained, misshapen, soft or frozen. Most days, eggs were added to leftovers from the previous night’s meal. Packed with protein, it would keep the couple nourished and healthy.

She was also able to sell her “good” eggs when they went to town to pick up the few necessities from the grocery story. This was also when they went to the feed mill to grind corn for animal feed. There wasn’t a bakery in their little town that sold bread, cookies or cakes. So, everyone baked at home, and eggs were essential.

In my mind, I imagine a scene from “Little House on the Prairie” where Ma goes into Oleson’s to sell her basket of eggs, while Pa goes to the mill.

I have another story closer to home about eggs. My mother-in-law Ruth was said to be ruthless when she wanted something. Ruth and Keith, my father-in-law, were sharecroppers back in the early 1950s. They had been working for a farmer that would pay them a heifer here and there and also a minimal amount of money to keep them surviving. They had to milk his cows rst, and then they would be able to milk theirs. This farmer would show up after all chores were done and sit down at the kitchen table and demand breakfast.

Ruth had two little boys who were in tow as she helped milk the cows, clean pens and feed the calves. As the days turned to months and years, she knew she would have to gure out an escape plan out of this awful situation. She asked the landlord if they could get chickens, he at out said, “No. You aren’t feeding any of my corn to chickens.”

Well, Ruth ended up getting chickens and raised them in the attic. And yes, she did use his corn to feed them. She sold the eggs at the grocery store and stashed the cash in coffee cans.

When the day came when she had enough cash and the farmer came barging into her kitchen to demand his breakfast, she told him no. It wasn’t long before they moved to the farm we now own. Keith and Ruth bought the farm with her down payment of $1,000 from egg sales. They paid $28,000 for 240 acres with a house, barn, pasture and elds. It was their dream come true.

I have always had chickens on our farm. I love the way they are always busy scratching and making their chicken sounds. All of my children showed chickens during their days in 4-H, and they did well. We have about 50 chickens now, and some are older, beautiful birds that aren’t very productive, but the young ones are working hard laying nearly daily. I love having fresh eggs all year.

With the farm tours we host at our farm, we try to incorporate different farm animals – pigs, lambs, goat kids, ducks, turkeys and chickens. We have chicks hatching from spring through fall. Chicks and chickens are an easy way to connect with children who are fearful of the cows. A young child can hold chicks easily and often a chicken too. Gathering eggs is always exciting because we have chickens that lay a variety of colored eggs. Every once in

a while, I will have a teacher or parent give a worried look when their child is grabbing for the eggs. We get a few dropped or cracked ones at times. But not to stress, she will lay another one tomorrow. The discussion often goes to, “What came rst, the chicken or the egg?”

When the families come for a visit, the eggs usually go home with them after they are washed and placed in a carton. The experience is cherished, and the children are thrilled to help use the eggs for making so many delicious foods and baked items.

Recently, I have been getting calls from neighbors who know I have egg-laying chickens, and they want to buy eggs directly from us. Since I don’t buy eggs at the store, I was quite surprised when I was handed $5 for a dozen eggs. Wow, has the price gone up. Rumor has it

that some of the stores are out, and there are eggs selling for more than $9 a dozen.

When I gather my eggs, I think about the author of the book and the experience of Ruth and Keith and how important their chickens were on their farms. Chickens and eggs are valuable. They helped many families make it through hard times and tough situations. Now that the price of eggs is so high, I am certain there will be more backyard ocks with many more people who will enjoy and love chickens and the eggs.

Tina Hinchley, her husband Duane and daughter Anna milk 240 registered Holsteins with robots. They also farm 2,300 acres of crops near Cambridge, Wisconsin. The Hinchleys have been hosting farm tours for over 25 years.

Decision of the year!

By Tina Hinchley Farmer & Columnist

Sweet, simple things

“It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all,” said Laura Ingalls Wilder.

My latest sewing project has fabric with these words on it. I cherish this quote; the words in it are very grounding for me. When the world moves too fast, it reminds me to slow down for a smidge and look at the simple things.

January has been a heavy calving month for us. When a day or two goes by without new calves, we start to worry we will get slammed with 10 calves the next. So far, the highest has been eight, but with 10 days left in the month and 40 animals due to freshen, we could achieve 10.

There have been multiple days this month where I have had to run to the transition pen after hearing the telltale bellow that says, “Calf is on the way – fast!” Yet, a cow calving unassisted in a cozy straw pen, and unaware of my watchful eyes, is a sight to behold. Watching that wiggling, slimy creature gasp for its rst breath is beautiful. The mother, upon realizing what just happened,

heaves herself up, does a spin and begins to initiate those sandpapery licks to work the life into her baby. I have seen hundreds of calves born, and those rst moments are still sweet to watch. One cannot get more real than viewing new life coming into the world.

This past Friday was an in-service day at school, which meant extra barn help. Peter, Jaime and I had actual lunch at the table with the kids, and it was before 4 p.m.

It is an unspoken rule that whenever we sit around the table to eat a meal together, we go around voicing the things we are grateful for that day.

Our list that day ranged from a farm that brings us together to heat to warm the house. It is always entertaining to hear what the kids are thinking.

After the table had been cleared, Dane, Ira, Oliver – three giggly, smart-talking teenage boys – and Uncle Peter set to playing euchre with Henry and Finley there as eager observers trying to learn the game.

I had my back to them and was up to my elbows in

soapy water in the sink as I smiled listening to the joy radiate from their game. What a fun, snowy day bonding experience. They were thrilled to be able to play euchre with Peter. He does a fabulous job of making time for something so simple as a few hours of cards with the kids, knowing the lasting memory it makes and the feeling of importance it shows these kids.

the Ridge

By Jacqui Davison Columnist

A year ago, my dear friend Kayla and I, out of concern and love for the older people in our area, decided we should start making breakfast for them twice each month at a local church. The little restaurant in town had closed its doors months earlier, and the crew that had been eating breakfast together for years was left to drive farther to nd a gathering spot or, worse, not leave home at all. I watched Grandpa Ike decline when he could not have his lunches and conversations with people during the pandemic and learned how important those connections are as one ages. During chores one night in the barn, I posed the question to Kayla, “Why couldn’t we feed them breakfast?”

Kayla, because she speaks my crazy language, responded with an emphatic, “Why not?” Thus started our every-other-Friday breakfast venture we lovingly refer to as “Old Folks Breakfast.”

Kayla’s husband, Jason, and our friend and fellow calf feeder Jaime make up our kitchen team of four. Kayla’s children and any others we may recruit for the day become our wait staff. They take orders, deliver plates, wash dishes and are a ray of sunshine for all. Our breakfast guests are always delighted to see children involved. Our menu consists of two main dish options, meat, fruit salad, a mufn choice and is often rounded out by a dessert to celebrate a birthday or anniversary. We all work like a well-oiled machine at this point and love every minute of it.

This breakfast venture is as wonderful and heartwarming a year later as it was the very rst time we did it. This generation understands the fragility of life better than many. The majority of our guests are over 70 with one special lady celebrating her 98th birthday this past week at breakfast.

These people were one of my greatest support networks during chemotherapy last summer. Their words were heavy with caring, love and concern. After wearing a bandana most of the time and nally deciding to be bravely bald, many of them commented it was about time I got rid of that thing and that I looked beautiful as I was.

These people are some of my favorites to hang out with. They appreciate the simple things of life. They offer wise cracks and wise words and have the years of life to support both. The volume level when our guests start arriving crescendos like the lunchroom of an elementary school, and it is a beautiful noise. We started with a group of 25 hungry humans last January. We now sometimes we feed over 40. We never know exactly how many to expect. The rst time our guests numbered 40, a neighbor had to run home and snatch eggs from under his hens for us to fry quickly.

I am looking forward to another year of the goodness this breakfast brings to my life. I hope your year is lled with sweet and simple things that bring you joy.

Jacqui and her family milk 800 cows and farm 1,200 acres of crops in the northeastern corner of Vernon County, Wisconsin. Her children, Ira, Dane, Henry and Cora, help her on the farm while her husband, Keith, works on a grain farm. If she’s not in the barn, she’s probably in the kitchen, trailing after little ones or sharing her passion of reading with someone. Her life is best described as organized chaos, and if it wasn’t, she’d be bored

Ramblings from

Cold weather impacts dairy cow performance

This winter has presented us with nearly every weather scenario possible: uctuating barometric pressures, bitter cold temperatures and wind chills around Christmas, and more recent mild

Something to Ruminate On

able to handle cold temperatures with minimal impacts.

Dairy cows will generally not start experiencing cold stress until about 5 degrees under most conditions. Provide a shelter for cattle to get them out of the elements. A wind break is one solution; however, providing a roof is ideal. Situations where cattle get wet from rain, snow or wet bedding will result in additional challenges during cold and freezing temperatures.

Feed intake, energy needs

By Barry Visser Nutritionist

temperatures with rain, ice and fog. These changing weather systems have an impact on dairy cows and milk production. Factors such as age and breed of cattle along with housing type and environment greatly impact how animals respond to these weather changes.

Dairy cattle must maintain their core body temperature of about 101 degrees. When it is cold, cows can divert their energy into maintaining body temperature instead of producing milk. There are a few management considerations to minimize the impact of cold stress on milk production.

Preparation for winter

Cattle have three different processes to prepare themselves for winter: growing winter hair, adding fat beneath the skin for insulation and increasing metabolic rate. A cow’s winter hair coat is her rst protection against the cold. When hair coats remain dry, cows are generally

In the cold weather, cattle need more calories to keep warm. Estimates of increased maintenance requirements range from 10% all the way up to 50% depending on the severity of cold and other environmental factors. Under diverse environmental conditions, it is critical that dietary energy be adjusted during extremely cold weather days. Discuss with your nutritionist the ideal feeding options for your herd and facilities.

When it gets cold, cows can increase dry matter intakes as much as 5% to 10% to consume more ration energy. It is important to allow for greater total mixed ration refusals during cold weather to compensate for this additional intake.

Impact of frozen feed

One issue that is often not considered during winter is the impact of cold temperatures on the feed cows are consuming. Wet forages and byproducts can freeze during long stretches of very cold temperatures, resulting in chunks of feed and sorting in the bunk. Even if dry feeds do not appear frozen, they are typically stored outside and likely the same temperature as the environment. This means the temperature of the TMR itself may be very cold.

Besides keeping themselves warm from cold environmental temperatures,

milk cows also need to warm up the more than 100 pounds of TMR they consume each day to above 100 degrees. This requires additional energy. While it is difcult to nd scientic research on the impacts of feeding frozen feed on the rumen microbial population, it is a safe assumption that dumping “ice cubes” in the rumen has a negative impact on the controlled environment desired by the rumen bugs.

Monitor waterers

Water is often referred to as the most critical nutrient, and adequate consumption is important to milk production. Water intake will decline in cold weather. Cows prefer water between 40-65 degrees. Make sure tank heaters are in proper order in the winter months to achieve this target. Monitor frozen troughs and other drinking points, and make sure water refresh rates are suf-

cient to allow cows to drink 3-5 gallons per minute. Keeping the water itself thawed is usually the rst priority, but access to waterers also needs to be considered. During extended periods of freezing temperatures, ice can build up around waterers and on oors due to splashing and dripping after drinking. Animals need to be able to easily access the waterer without stretching or slipping on the oor around the unit.

Concentrating on strategies to keep cows dry and comfortable will help mitigate challenges during the freezing temperatures. Providing increased energy and plenty of access to water during cold weather is necessary to maintaining health and performance of animals.

Barry Visser is a nutritionist for Vita Plus.

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Family legacy

Generally, we think of a legacy as something of value left behind for people to remember us by. For many farmers, the land they have nurtured from season to season is a legacy they plan to leave for their family. However, a legacy can take on many other forms. A legacy can land or monetary. A legacy can also be one’s faith, ethics or reputation, setting an example to guide future generations.

Leaving a legacy means making an impact that will last long after you die. In Proverbs 13:22, it says “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.” Is the farm the actual legacy or is the character built from farming the true legacy we give our children? Is a legacy something we have to touch or store in order to be real? Or, is it something deep within us?

We tend to save things for our children which

we think they may want in the future. A favorite doll or game, treasured art projects or report cards showing progress through a tough year. I have totes for each of my kids with their treasures. For 25 years, Mark’s sister has been saving her children’s games, toys, books, newspaper clippings and knick-knacks only to discover they don’t want any of it. She was saving these treasures because of her memories associated with the item. When we helped her move to a smaller house this fall, many of those items didn’t make the move. She and her children still have the memories. This made me question if what I saved in the totes are things my children will really want as well.

My family (OK, my mom and I) are collectors of family items passed down through the generations. There is the hand-carved wooden butter

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Just Thinking Out Loud

By Natalie Schmitt Columnist

bowl and paddles my great-great-grandmother used when she helped to homestead our family farm in the 1860s. There is Nana’s hand-crank glass butter churn from the 1900s and my grandmother’s ice box before electricity reached the farm. The legacy may not necessarily be in the items as much as the story shared from each generation. A story of endurance, determination, change and evolution. I’m sure they would never have guessed these items would be their legacy to me. Each generation cherishes the traditions of the previous but strives to improve their own time.

It seems like a few years ago we were newlyweds sitting on one side of the table talking with Mark’s folks about the future of farm. We had ideas and changes we wanted to make to the operation. It’s an old story. Dad grumbles the kids will lose the farm with all of the changes. The kids grumble Dad is stuck in the past. Both sides are grumbling about the same thing: change.

Now, we are on the other side of the table trying not to grumble about all the changes happening around us. Looking back, I realize Ralph’s grumbling was not so much about the changes but the lack of control. I hope we can learn from the past and improve how we handle passing on our legacy to our children.

Farming is many things. It is a business. It is a way of life. It is also a family tradition or legacy passed down through the generations. Throughout the years, the land has stayed constant, but the way in which we farm has not. A legacy doesn’t mean staying the same generation after generation but building upon the legacy left behind by others.

A family legacy encompasses the values and passions that fuel your family through stories and the way we lived our family values on a daily basis. What will we leave behind as the building blocks of our children’s future legacy on or off the farm? The legacy I would like to leave includes strength of character and faith, honesty and the ability to laugh. I wonder what item my grandchildren will treasure as a reminder of the legacy Mark and I left for them.

What is our legacy? A work still in progress.

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.

AHEAD OF THE HERD TOGETHER

Chickens and eggs

When I wrote about being grateful for our egg-laying chickens this summer, I didn’t think that gratitude could increase. But here I am, doubly thankful. Most winters, our hens drop down to an egg or two a day – or stop laying altogether. So far this winter, the hens Daphne raised for 4-H

Dairy Good Life

By Sadie Frericks Columnist

have continued to provide us with all the eggs we need. I think we owe it to the breed of chicken she selected, the relatively mild weather, and the decision to offer a higher protein feed.

I understand all of the contributing factors, but it’s still crazy to see egg prices this high in the store. Now, if one of us drops an egg while collecting or an egg freezes before we do the morning pick, it’s worth fussing about.

Daphne plans to keep providing us with eggs. Her 2023 chicks will be here in a couple weeks.

Dan pre-ordered his market chickens already, too. He learned a good lesson about baby chick supply and demand last summer – he almost wasn’t able to get chicks in time for our county fair.

Helping him with the order was a good reminder for me to make more chicken. I’ve said countless times that market chickens are the tastiest 4-H project. But in order for us to maintain freezer space, I need to roast a chicken at least once every two weeks. And since they take a couple days to thaw and then a couple days to fully consume, I feel like I’m in a constant chicken rotation. Little did I know that birds raised in six weeks are really a year-round endeavor – at least from the chef’s perspective.

After four years of our kids raising and showing market chickens, I’ve learned a thing or two about how to roast a chicken. (I had never roasted a whole chicken prior.) My go-to method now is to spatchcock the chicken and roast it on a baking sheet. (We freeze the chickens whole.) The wings and legs disappear right away, but we usually have some breast meat left over. (We wait until the market chickens are extra large before processing them – a grocery-store rotisserie-sized whole chicken is barely enough for one meal.)

A day or two later, I pull any leftover breast off the carcass and make chicken stock from the carcass and bones. If I need a quick dinner, I’ll turn the chicken breast into chicken Alfredo. Otherwise I save it to use with the chicken stock. After the stock is done, I glean the carcass for all of the remaining bits of meat. I always feel very old-fashioned picking through the carcass, but that timeless manta of ‘waste not, want not’ makes it worthwhile.

Then I turn the stock, gleaned chicken, and leftover breast into a second chicken meal. For years, this was always some sort

of chicken soup. Then I decided I needed to try something new, so I started using the chicken stock to make rice. I measure the stock, add the appropriate amount of dry brown rice, and get delicious rice that’s packed with all of the nourishing goodness of the stock.

Hands down, our favorite way to eat chicken-stock rice is to combine it with the leftover chicken to make chicken fried rice. It’s delicious, nutritious, and, since it’s made with both chicken and eggs, the best recipe for a family involved in the 4-H poultry project.

Fried rice is a lot like hotdish – the possible variations are limited only by your imagination and, I suppose, your palate. Sauté any other veggies you like and add to the dish: a small onion, spinach, bell peppers, cabbage – just be sure they’re nely diced. Throw in some leftover roasted broccoli or cauliower. Switch out the chicken for pork or beef roast – or use a combination of meats. Any way you make it, it’s amazing.

Chicken fried rice

6 tablespoons butter, divided

6 eggs

3 cups cold cooked rice*

3 cups diced, cooked chicken

12 oz bag of frozen peas and carrots

1 teaspoon minced garlic (1 clove)

2 tablespoons dried chives or green onions**

2 tablespoons soy sauce or Bragg’s liquid aminos

Salt

*I use short grain brown rice, cooked in chicken stock, then refrigerated overnight. The rice must be cold.

**You can use 2-3 fresh green onions if you have them. In a pinch, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder will work, too.

Preheat oven to 175 or 200 degrees — the lowest your oven will go. Set a large cake or roasting pan in oven. Cook frozen vegetables in microwave safe bowl for 2 minutes — they just need to be thawed, not hot.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium-low heat. Once butter is sizzling, crack eggs into skillet, sprinkle with salt, and stir until well scrambled. You want them to be little egg bits, not uffy breakfast-style scrambled eggs. Transfer scrambled eggs to roasting pan and set pan in oven.

Return skillet to burner, add 2 tablespoons butter, and increase heat to medium. Once butter is starting to brown, add rice to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally until rice is hot and some of the rice has browned. Transfer hot rice to roasting pan, toss with eggs, and return pan to oven. Place skillet back on heat and add remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Once butter is melted, add diced chicken, veggies and garlic. Cook and stir until heated through. Transfer veggies and chicken to roasting pan and toss with eggs and rice. Add chives and soy sauce to mixture and toss again. Serve immediately with additional soy sauce, if desired.

Sadie and her husband, Glen, milk 100 cows near Melrose, Minnesota. They have three children – Dan, Monika, and Daphne. Sadie also writes a blog at www. dairygoodlife.com. She can be reached at sadiefrericks@gmail.com

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