December 24, 2022 Dairy Star - 1st section - Zone 1

DAIRY ST R

Volume 24, No. 21

“All dairy, all the time”™

December 24, 2022

A Christmas calf for Hanks 8-year-old wins Opal the Jersey

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

ATWATER, Minn. –

Daphne Hanks was all smiles Dec. 19 as she arrived with her dad, Trent Hanks, at Oat Hill Dairy near Atwater. Not only did the 8-year-old second grader from Blackduck get to skip school, but she was about to meet Opal, the heifer calf she won through Dairy Star’s Great Christmas Giveaway.

Opal, a registered Jersey, took to Daphne right away, sucking her ngers and accepting gentle pats on the head. The calf was provided by sisters Katie and Kim Olson of Oat Hill Dairy where they milk 120 cows with a robotic milking system.

Trent said his daughter was at rst confused when she heard she won the calf.

“She didn’t know she was in the drawing,” Trent said. “Her aunt put her name in, so I was surprised too.”

Daphne’s name was entered at Perham Stockyards in Perham. Beth Stoderl works there and said she was pleased to hear that Daphne won.

“The Hanks are denitely a well-deserving family,” Stoderl said. “They are also highly into 4-H and FFA and are raising their kids in an agbased, ag-future way.”

Once the news of winning set in, Daphne’s reaction changed.

“I got really excited,” she said.

At Oat Hill Dairy, Katie Olson was on hand to help Daphne and Trent load Opal into an en-closed wooden sheep container that Trent borrowed from a neighbor and strapped to his pickup bed.

“When we heard the winner was an 8-year-old girl, we thought that was awesome,” Olson said. “She’ll have a long time with the calf and get to

show her and have fun with her.”

Olson remembered being

as young as Daphne.

“I was on the farm when I was 8 years old and anticipat-

ing showing for 4-H,”

said. “We couldn’t show until

Making a miraculous comeback

By Stacey Smart stacey.s@dairystar.com

DELAVAN, Wis. – Tanner

Schmaling was told he would spend the majority of his life in a wheelchair after breaking his neck in a swimming accident in January. At best, he would be able to walk short distances. But that was not a diagnosis this dairy farmer was willing to live with.

“I wasn’t content with being in a wheelchair for the rest of my life,” Tanner said. “I thought, how am I going to do the things I still want to accomplish in life if I’m in a wheelchair?”

Tanner and his wife, Maddie, own and operate MapleLeigh Futures near Delavan – a certied in vitro fertiliza-

tion facility and boarding business for donor cows and show

cattle. Maple-Leigh Futures houses around 90 donors and 25

high-type animals for customers around the country. Maddie also works full time at Land O’Lakes. Tanner farms alongside his parents, John and Jill, on their 120-cow commercial dairy, where the Schmalings farm about 500 acres and custom crop another 500 acres.

Tanner and Maddie were on vacation in Maui, Hawaii, with other family members celebrating Tanner’s parents’ 40th wedding anniversary when the accident took place.

“It was the second to the last day of our vacation,” Tanner said. “We had a great time before that.”

On Jan. 7, Tanner was swimming 20 yards offshore when he dove into a wave and was pulled underneath by the undercurrent.

“The wave ipped my whole body, and I heard and felt my neck crack on the ocean oor,” Tanner said. “I went limp and passed out face down in the water.”

Tanner’s world went dark before the water quickly carried

him back to shore and dumped him face down on the beach. His family was there, as well as a doctor who immediately tended to Tanner until paramedics arrived. Tanner lay helpless, unable to move. He was 90% paralyzed.

“It was the scariest feeling waking up and not having the ability to move or feel anything,” he said. “The only thing I could move were the ngertips on my right hand.”

Tanner’s long journey of recovery began two days later when surgeons fused the C4 through C6 vertebrate in his neck during an eight-hour surgery. This involved putting in two metal plates and four screws that will stay with Tanner permanently. He wore a neck brace for 12 weeks following the operation.

Tanner began making small movements with his right hand and tried standing up with the help of a machine. Hospital

JAN LEFEBVRE/DAIRY STAR

Daphne Hanks meets Opal the Jersey calf Dec. 19 at Oat Hill Dairy near Atwater, Minnesota. Daphne, from Blackduck, Minnesota, won Opal in Dairy Star’s Great Christmas Giveaway.

Olson

Schmaling dees odds, walks again after life-threatening accident

STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR

Tanner Schmaling and his wife, Maddie, own and operate Maple-Leigh Futures near Delavan, Wisconsin, where they board donor cows and show ca le. Tanner broke his neck in a swimming accident in January while vaca oning with his family in Hawaii and has since learned to walk again a er being told he would spend the majority of his life in a wheelchair.

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demand numbers updated

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report increased its 2023 milk production forecast slightly. Production is estimated at 229.5 billion pounds, up 300 million pounds from the previous forecast. Higher-than-expected cow numbers and more output per cow were factors. The 2023 price forecast for cheese and butter increased due to better-than-expected demand and recent price strength.

CoBank releases report

High production costs, rising interest rates and weak demand will likely pressure farm margins in the year ahead. In its 2023 Year Ahead Report, CoBank said dairy farmers were able to pay down debt with record high milk prices earlier in 2022. Herd expansion was minimal this past year and that is expected to continue in 2023. Domestic dairy demand will be hurt as consumers try to reduce spending at the supermarket.

Dairy industry ghts for workforce modernization act

The International Dairy Foods Association wanted the Farm Workforce Modernization Act passed during the lame duck session. “Workforce is by far the No. 1 issue facing our IDFA members,” said Michael Dykes, CEO of IDFA. “Most of our members are short 10% to 20% of the workforce and are heavily reliant on temporary workers.”

Land O’Lakes CEO calls for action

the country is at a tipping point, and U.S. food security is threatened by inaction on the immigration issue.

H-2A visa changes sought

Colorado Sen. Michael Bennett has introduced legislation to develop an agricultural visa system. The bill would revamp the H-2A visa program and give farm workers a path to permanent residency. At this point, there are no Republican co-sponsors for the bill, limiting its chance for success.

Education will be necessary for new ag committee members

Ag Insider

on workforce bill

Agri-Pulse communications editor Sara Wyant said there will be a lot of new people writing the next farm bill, and many of these lawmakers have no agricultural background. “A lot of them have not been involved in writing a farm bill in the past and may have joined the House Agriculture Committee not to work on farm policy but to work on food policy,” Wyant said.

DMC enrollment period extended USDA has extended the deadline for farmers to enroll in the Dairy Margin Coverage and Supplemental Dairy Margin Coverage programs for 2023. The Nation-

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al Milk Producers Federation praised the news and encouraged dairy farmers to consider USDA’s complete array of risk management options. The new enrollment deadline is Jan. 31, 2023.

Farm policy goes beyond taxes, regulations

Non-traditional issues, such as healthcare, childcare and workforce development, are current priorities for the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation. “We are hearing more and more from our members that it’s not just about taxes, crop and livestock issues, it is those second-tier issues that are really impacting their business,” said Karin Schaefer, executive director. “We’re also looking at rural vitality and making sure that our workforce is strong and our farm families have those basic necessities like broadband, access to childcare and housing availability.”

Common farming practices may be a target

The Minnesota Legislature will have a new look in the upcoming session. The majority shifted in the Senate, resulting in one-party rule in both chambers. The entire House and Senate leadership team are also new with the exception of House Speaker Melissa Hortman. Speaking at the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers meeting, agricultural lobbyist Bruce Kleven said it will be more difcult for agriculture to hold off bills that target common farming practices. “You’re referring to the bans on neonics, bans on Roundup, bans on treated seed and those kinds of things,” Kleven said. “(The Environmental Protection Agency) registers this stuff so when it trickles down to the state legislature, it’s often done on just a whim; I have an election certicate, so I’m going to take it away from you.” Kleven will concentrate on the Senate, which typically is a more deliberate body. “We’ve always found an open audience there,” he said.

More work needed on opioid misuse

A new national poll determined 60% of adults in rural areas are more aware of the opioid crisis than they were ve years ago. Of those surveyed, 42% said they know someone who is or has

been addicted to opioids or prescription painkillers. The American Farm Bureau Federation and National Farmers Union continue to work together on this issue. Both groups support more education about mental health and opioid use in rural America.

Zenk named USDA deputy undersecretary

USDA has announced several staff appointments. Danube, Minnesota, native Katie Zenk is the new deputy undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs. Most recently, Zenk was the chief of staff for USDA marketing and regulatory programs. Previously, Zenk held positions on the House Agriculture Committee staff and with Land O’Lakes.

IDFA honors MN, SD lawmakers

The International Dairy Foods Association has honored six individuals for their work in supporting U.S. dairy policy. That list includes Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, South Dakota Sen. John Thune and South Dakota Congressman Dusty Johnson

MN Farm Bureau hires public policy director

Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation has named Pierce Bennett as its new director of public policy. Bennett comes to MFBF from the Livestock Marketing Association where he was the director of government and industry affairs. Bennett is an Ohio native and graduate of Kansas State University.

Trivia challenge

A total of 135 million pounds of eggnog is consumed by Americans each Christmas. That answers our last trivia question. For this week’s trivia, a person described as a turophile is known for what? 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

staff used a sling to move him from the bed to the wheelchair and back again.

“I told myself, this is not going to be how it is; this is not going to be it for me,” Tanner said. “It was not acceptable in my mind to say this is who I am now.”

No family was allowed to visit Tanner during his two-week hospital stay in Hawaii due to coronavirus restrictions. When the ambulance took him away that dreaded day on the beach, Maddie did not see her husband again until he was transferred closer to home.

“That was traumatizing,” Maddie said. “I got very little sleep. I had occasional FaceTime with the nurse only. All doctor updates were done over the phone. We had no face-to-face contact with anyone.”

The Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago, Illinois, was where Tanner spent the next six weeks – a rehabilitation hospital specializing in neurological injuries. When a doctor told Tanner he would probably be conned to a wheelchair for longer distances, he and Maddie were devastated. But, they soon shook off the news with a determined spirit.

“It was a tough thing to swallow, but it didn’t take long for Maddie and I to decide this isn’t it,” Tanner said. “We said that’s not an option. The doctor only knew me for a few hours when she made that prediction. I wasn’t going to let her dene my future.”

A will to walk again powered Tanner’s ambitious goal to rid himself of the wheelchair as he faced the most challenging year of his life. Fighting his way back home, Tanner was relentless in inching toward a life of independent mobility.

“There were a lot of hard moments,” he said. “But, we had many people supporting us, and I had way too much to come home to that I couldn’t afford to give up. Family was the No. 1 driving force, and the farm was a very close second.”

Tanner longed to be home with his family and his cows. His absence from the farm left a hole that employees, friends and neighbors worked tirelessly to ll. Tanner felt comforted by the fact his farm was in capable hands.

“The farming community all around us stepped up and helped too,” he said. “Everybody came together when I got hurt. That’s what farmers do. If somebody goes down, we make sure the job gets done until people are back on their feet.”

Countless cards, phone calls, text messages and prayers ooded in to Tanner and Maddie.

“The dairy community is amazing,” Tanner said. “People we didn’t even know sent stuff. The people in this industry are top-notch.”

Maddie agreed.

“The local community has been great too,” she said. “We had meals dropped off every day for a month to keep people going around here.”

Tanner’s desktop computer was brought to the hospital so he could work on billing and sending emails.

“I liked doing little things like that to still have my foot in the door,” he said. “I wanted to feel like I was contributing. It was my way of saying I’m still here.”

Patience was essential as Tanner learned how to do the things people often take for granted.

“It took forever to put my sock on or tie my shoe,” he said. “It was very frustrating. I had to retrain every muscle. Walking is huge, but the little things add up too – like combing my hair, putting on deodorant or brushing my teeth.”

Toward the end of February, Tanner took his rst steps since the accident while wearing a gate belt that allowed a therapist to offer him support and balance. Tanner’s proudest moment came the day he was released from the hospital.

“I walked out of the hospital,” he said. “I did not get wheeled out.”

Tanner was sized for a wheelchair and sent home with one, but he stuck it in the closet and never used it. A week later, the wheelchair was picked up and taken away. When Tanner came home March 6, the barn was where he wanted to go rst.

“After stepping back in the barn for the rst time in over two months, my heart was full, and it felt so good to be back in there where I belonged,” Tanner said.

He wasted no time getting back to work and proceeded to take insulation off of a water line the next day. He walked with the assistance of braces on his left side. The functioning of his left hand was limited, and his strength was minimal. For eight weeks, Tanner and Maddie drove three times a week to the Shirley Ryan outpatient facility in Arlington Heights, Illinois, for physical therapy.

“Neurological injuries are so unpredictable, and you wonder, how much are you going to get back?” Tanner said. “I wasn’t supposed to be able to drive, but I’m doing that too. I was a healthy, active person beforehand, and that helps a lot.”

Tanner can also operate machinery and did all the planting this past spring. In addition, he is driving truck and trailer and the grain semi.

“Farming is its own exercise” Tanner said. “People undergoing therapy might not have a job to come back to. I do physical therapy in the morning and come back to the farm to do a full day’s work.”

Every week gets better as Tanner is able to do more and more of the everyday tasks he did before the accident.

“I’m happy with the progress I’ve made, but I’m not to the point yet where I’m satised,” he said.

In regards to strengthening, Tanner said he has a long way to go. He is limited on his left side when it comes to moving his hand and foot and being able to walk with a good gait. He also endures limited feeling in his ngers and cannot feel anything in his right thigh.

“I had quite a bit of pain and still do,” Tanner said. “But I weaned myself off of pain meds right after I got out of the hospital. It feels like a constant frostbite in some of my extremities, like a tingling all over my body.”

According to Tanner who continues to do physical therapy three times a week locally, the mental part is just as challenging as the physical part.

“You have to get yourself to go to therapy and not settle for where you’re at,” he said. “I’m trying to get back to fast walking and am also learning how to run again.”

The barn at Maple-Leigh Futures is full. The business Tanner created continues to click along smoothly, almost as if he were never gone.

“Things are going extremely well,” Tanner said. “We picked up new clients and also had a great year in the show ring as well as on the genomic side. I’m looking forward to hitting the show season with full steam next year. I would also like to do another sale in the future.”

With much to live for, he and Maddie are grateful for the blessings received. The couple is looking forward to another special gift as they are expecting their rst child in April 2023.

“That’s extra motivation for me to get as close to 100% as I can,” Tanner said.

Tanner has deed expectations, gaining the freedom to walk on his own and resume living the life he knows and loves.

“This was quite an ordeal, but it makes you a stronger person and enables you to look at things in life a little differently,” Tanner said. “It’s not impossible, and I want to thank everyone who helped in one fashion or another. Prayers were answered, and we have so much to be thankful for.”

we were 9 years old then. There was no such thing as Cloverbuds when I was a kid.”

That is not a problem for Daphne. She is already in 4-H and planning to show Opal in the county fair, which is the second week of August in her home county of Beltrami.

In the meantime, Opal will stay in a weening pen at the Hanks’ farm, where they milk 74 Holsteins in a double-6 herringbone parlor. As a Jersey, Opal might stand out a bit.

“I like that she has white spots on her,” Daphne said.

At home, Daphne pitches in with chores.

“I help a lot,” Daphne said. “I feed calves and get the cows up in the morning, and I feed grain to them all.”

Opal was born Oct. 1. Her registered name is Oat Hill Voucher Opal. Daphne said she likes her name.

With Opal loaded into the sheep container, dad and daughter were ready for the nearly four-hour return trip to Blackduck. All the while, Daphne still wore a smile.

Miller takes home cash prize

Meanwhile, further south near Plainview, Kristine Miller is $1,000 richer as she approaches the holidays. She and her husband, John, own JM Dairy and

milk 300 Holsteins in a herringbone parlor. Miller works off the farm at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.

Like Daphne, Miller had no idea her name had been entered in Dairy Star’s Christmas drawing. When she received the news that she had won, Miller said she was confused.

“I didn’t remember registering,” Miller said. “I asked my husband, and he said he didn’t do it.”

Later, Miller discovered her mother had entered her and John’s names at Ag Partners in Plainview.

Todd Speltz is a dairy nutritionist at Ag Partners who knows the Miller family well.

“They are one of the most genuine families; they make me feel like family,” Speltz said. “Knowing them, they will use the money in some way for the whole family.”

Speltz was correct. Miller said she was thinking of a certain family member when asked what she would do with the money.

“I have a grand-baby coming in April,” Miller said.

Her advice to Dairy Star readers is that it is worth having one’s name in the drawing.

“Go for it, and let anyone else do it who wants to sign you up as well,” Miller said.

PHOTO SUBMITTED Kris ne Miller, with her husband, John, is this year’s $1,000 winner in Dairy Star’s Great Christmas Giveaway. The Millers milk 300 Holsteins in a herringbone parlor at JM Dairy near Plainview, Minnesota.

Working double duty

Young farmer hauls milk, dairy farms

By Tiffany Klaphake tiffany.k@dairystar.com

GREELEY, Iowa – Jason Sperfslage’s schedule is full. Not only is he a fulltime dairy farmer, Sperfslage is also a part-time milk truck driver.

“Truck driving funded all of it,” said Sperfslage of purchasing his grandfather’s farm. “The only thing I had to take out was a loan for the land.”

Sperfslage milks 40 cows in a stanchion barn and farms 80 acres on his farm near Greeley. He drives a milk route every other day.

The money to purchase a farm was not the only benet to hauling milk.

“It helped me get my start by letting me see different options and helped me decide how I want to do it,” Sperfslage said. “Seeing the different ways of doing it gives me new ideas of things to try. I like to experiment and try new things.”

Sperfslage bought his

grandfather’s farm in 2015 after his grandpa died.

“There hadn’t been any cows on the farm since 1986, and so there were a lot of upgrades that needed to be done to the barn,” Sperfslage said.

The biggest challenge for Sperfslage was getting a loan from the bank to buy

the land.

“I had it all gured out how I was going to make it work, but the bank was very hesitant to give me a loan,” Sperfslage said. “I paid for everything up front as I went except the land.”

At the time, Sperfslage was working for a local well and plumbing company as

well as working for a neighboring dairy farmer.

“I knew my neighbors’ milk hauler pretty well, and I got to talking to him one day,” Sperfslage said. “He said they are always looking for good drivers and that I should ride along one day to see what it was like.”

Sperfslage obtained his

Wishing all of you

commercial driver’s license and started hauling milk in June 2017 on weekends while doing the well and plumbing work during the week.

“It didn’t take long for me to notice I was making more money hauling milk on the weekends,” Sperfslage said. “It became a no brainer to start hauling milk full time.”

Sperfslage hauled milk and farmed until 2020 when he had saved up enough money to x up his grandpa’s old barn and purchase seven cows.

The barn did not have a pipeline or a bulk tank and needed new wiring, leaving a lot of work for Sperfslage to do.

“Buying the pipeline and bulk tank was cheap compared to getting them installed,” Sperfslage said.

Sperfslage milked his own cows for the rst time July 13, 2020.

Sperfslage knew he wanted to milk cows from a young age. Sperfslage’s parents sold their 60 dairy cows in 2015 and bought beef cat-

Happy Holidays

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Jason Sperfslage stands next to the milk truck he drives part me Dec. 16 near Greeley, Iowa. Sperfslage milks 40 cows and hauls one load of milk every other day.

tle and continued to farm the land.

“My best memories growing up always revolve around the farm and the cows,” Sperfslage said. “That always stuck with me, that and I never could sit still for very long.”

Sperfslage said young farmers looking to start a farm of their own should not take on unnecessary debt.

“I had a lot of people tell me it’s not worth it to be small and to start dairy farming, but it is doable as long as you don’t bury yourself in debt,” he said.

Sperfslage raises his own feed which consists of baleage and ground corn with salt and minerals mixed in. In the summer, the cows are on pasture.

“I get really good components, and it pays better to get higher components,” Sperfslage said.

Someday, Sperfslage plans on

getting a mixer but is content with his current setup.

Sperfslage’s parents live about 10 miles away and help during the busy times of the year. His brother also helps when needed.

Looking ahead, Sperfslage would like to buy another 80 acres and increase his herd to 50-60 cows.

Sperfslage said part-time hauling allows him to farm.

“Driving milk truck seven days a week was never my thing,” he said. “But it is nice to see other farms and talk to other farmers.”

Sperfslage plans to continue his working arrangement of farming while also hauling.

“I don’t feel like I’m missing out when I hear my friends going out on nights and weekends,” Sperfslage said. “Milking cows isn’t work to me. It’s what I want to do.

Staph. Aureus is back ?!?

The problem with their “years of study” is that they willfully ignore the significant studies. 60 years ago, Dr. Derek Forbes published research proving that liner action forces the staph up the teat canal. 22 years ago, Cornell published research proving CoPulsationtm prevents new Staph infections with CoPulsationtm fixing the problem Forbes identified. 18 years ago, at the NMC annual meeting Univ. of Madison and others reported milk is “pumped” back up into the udder by the closing liner, and the list goes on and on with you losing cows and money.

Will 2023 be the year they admit your pulsation is causing staph infections?

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Jason Sperfslage stands in the milkhouse on his farm near Greeley, Iowa. Sperfslage purchased his grandfather’s farm and a herd of cows with money he earned hauling milk.

Growing the team

Pungs’ connection bolsters family dynamic

By Tiffany Klaphake tiffany.k@dairystar.com

FREEPORT, Minn. – Jeremiah and Amber Pung met in college, and now nine years later, they are farming together and nding fulllment in working with animals.

“(Amber) knows the hours it takes to dairy farm,” Jeremiah said.

Jeremiah and Amber, along with Jeremiah’s father, Duane, and brother, Josh, milk 160 cows in a swing-10 parlor and farm 600 acres on their farm near Freeport.

The couple met as students while attending Ridgewater College in Willmar and formed a relationship after they graduated. The two have taken their respective skills to bolster Jeremiah’s family farm and contribute to the success of Pung Dairy.

Jeremiah is the herd manager at Pung Dairy, while Josh does all the feeding and uses his welding degree in their shop to complete most of the repairs himself. Amber helps when needed with everything from milking cows to cleaning pens to driving skid loaders.

“I can be taught to run anything,” Amber said. “I jump in where needed.”

The senior Pung does most of the eldwork, including all the tillage and chopping. However, Duane was in a car accident in 2003, which paralyzed him from the waist down.

“We have made modications to the tractors so Dad can drive them,” Jeremiah said. “We built a lift for my dad so that he could drive tractors and the skid loader.”

Shortly after the accident, Duane drew up sketches of a system so he would be able to continue farming. The plans were brought to Jerry Mayers of Mayers Repair in Farming.

Mayers brought Duane’s plans to life. Jeremiah

and Josh have made a few modications since then to adapt to their needs.

The Pungs have an electric lift that is hydraulic and on wheels so it can be moved around the yard or brought to the eld where needed. There is a sling that goes under Duane, who is then lifted up and placed into whichever cab he needs to go into.

All of the Pungs’ tractors have been modied to be hand controlled.

Duane can operate skid loaders and tractors to the same degree as any other farmer.

Jeremiah works alongside his father and brother, which comes as no surprise because he decided early on the dairy farm life was for him.

“I knew since I was 4 years old that I wanted to dairy farm,” Jeremiah said. “It’s my whole life; it’s what I’ve always wanted to do.”

Amber grew up on a dairy farm near Brooten. Unlike Jeremiah, Amber had no intentions of returning to the family farm after she left for college.

“Originally, I wanted to be a large animal vet,” Amber said.

Jeremiah studied dairy management as part of the school’s two-year program. He wanted to obtain a degree in a short amount of time and return home to the farm so Josh could also attend college.

“It worked out so he was home when I went to college, and I could come home so he could go to college,” Jeremiah said.

Amber studied dairy science at Ridgewater College after a semester at Bemidji State University and a semester at University of Minnesota-Crookston, taking classes in biology and animal science.

Amber concluded college was not for her and started working for a neighboring dairy farm. By then, her parents had sold their cows.

Once Jeremiah graduated, he formed a partnership with his dad.

“The farm business management classes were denitely benecial to have,” Jeremiah said.

Josh attended Alexandria Technical and Community College for welding and had intentions of working for the railroad, but while attending college, he realized he missed the farm. After he graduated, Josh

TIFFANY KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR

Amber and Jeremiah Pung hold their daughter Eden Dec. 15 at their dairy farm near Freeport, Minnesota. Amber and Jeremiah met at Ridgewater College while pursuing degrees in dairy management.

came home to farm, and the partnership became a trio.

Jeremiah and Amber started dating in summer of 2017. Jeremiah said he liked that Amber had a dairy background.

The couple said they make a good team in life and on the farm.

“He is the opposite of me; he is so easy going, and I can be a little high

strung,” Amber said. “We help balance each other out.”

They became engaged in 2019 and were married in 2020. Their daughter, Eden, was born in September.

With Duane leading the way, Jeremiah and Josh, with Amber right alongside them, are making sure they, as the third generation of Pungs, keep the farm thriving for the fourth generation.

Josh Pung operates the hydraulic li to help his dad, Duane Pung, into the cab of the self-propelled chopper at their dairy farm near Freeport, Minnesota. The Pungs had the li custom built in 2003 a er Duane was in a car accident, which le him paralyzed from the waist down.

Ben and Ashley Schafer Schafer Farm • Strathcona, MN

“They

Molded by dairy

Wiener crafts Josef’s

Cheesecake

By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. –

Growing up as a part of his family’s restaurant business, the original Josef’s, Nicholas Wiener knew becoming a chef was his calling. What he did not predict is that cheesecake would become his life.

“I have worked as a chef for over 30 years all around the world in highend Michelin-rated resorts,” Wiener said. “I had never previously worked as a pastry chef, but it has become something I have fallen in love with.”

Wiener and his wife, Kristen, operate Josef’s Cheesecake in memory of his father and mother, Joseph and Mary Ann. Wiener launched the business in December 2019 in Chippewa Falls.

Today, more than 1,000 cheesecakes are sold at Josef’s Cheesecake on a daily basis. In addition to the cheesecakes, which are sold as full cheesecakes and as cupcakes, the shop also sells macarons made by Kristen, hot chocolate bombs, breads and a variety of pastries.

Wiener said vast amounts of dairy products are needed to churn out the many delicacies the store sells.

“We use a lot of cream cheese, heavy cream and butter,” Wiener said.

On an average basis, Wiener

said he goes through well over 1,000 pounds of cream cheese and over 500 gallons of heavy cream each week.

Wiener began the business when he struggled to nd the kind of work he was accustomed to.

“When my father became ill, I came back to this area to spend time with him and give him time with his grandkids,” Wiener said.

Wiener worked at a few local establishments, including a stint where he created a cheesecake recipe that was so well received he could barely keep up with demand. That was when Wiener made the decision to follow his newfound passion.

Wiener began selling cheesecakes from a food truck prior to opening the storefront.

“I gured out how many cheesecakes I would need to sell to make a living running a cheesecake shop,” Wiener said. “That magic number was 57 cheesecakes a day to get by. To say the least, I have been blown away by the response.”

Wiener has a repertoire that consists of more than 450 avors of cheesecake, all of which he has created his own unique recipes for. From traditional avors to specialty varieties, Wiener has made it all. On any given day, there are usually 12 to 30 avors available at Josef’s Cheesecake, envisioned and crafted by Weiner with the perfect avor.

“It is really a God-given talent,” Wiener said. “I get my inspiration from everywhere. Sometimes, I’ll just walk through the grocery store and dream up ideas.”

An example of Wiener’s more unique cheesecake avors include Dr. Pepper, Mountain Dew, chai tea, taco, dill pickle, chicken and wafes, and brandy old fashioned. Heading into the holiday season, specialty avors include hot chocolate, eggnog and sugar cookie.

“I just try and do different things; it is really just a creative process,” Wiener said. “I love cheesecake, and I try every single one of my batters.”

During the summer months, Wiener makes a cheesecake avored ice cream.

DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR

Nicholas Wiener displays cheesecake cupcakes at Josef’s Cheesecake Nov. 28 in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. Wiener uses more than 1,000 pounds of cream cheese and 500 gallons of heavy cream each week to make his confec ons. Turn to JOSEF’S

People are not the only creatures to enjoy the fruits of Wiener’s creativity. He has developed a recipe to make cheesecakes for dogs.

“I use honey instead of sugar in those, and the crust is made of crushed Milk Bones instead of graham crackers,” Wiener said. “Pumpkin is good for dogs, so that is the avor. We actually sell a ton of dog cheesecakes.”

Besides daily sales from the store, Wiener completes many special orders for events like company parties, weddings, graduations and an array of gatherings. Wiener utilizes the original food truck to stage catering desserts for events.

Wiener said the colder months, from Thanksgiving through the Easter holiday, are his busiest while the late spring and summer wedding season comes as a close second.

Wiener keeps his business local rather than branching out into offering shipping.

“I have been asked to ship cheesecakes frequently, but it is really cost prohibitive,” Wiener said. “The cheesecakes freeze well, but that is not the product I want to provide. I

pride myself on my cheesecakes being fresh every single day.”

Despite being anchored to the physical store, Wiener has customers who travel to purchase from Josef’s Cheesecake.

“I have customers that drive quite a distance and buy a few dozen cheesecakes to take home and freeze themselves,” Wiener said.

After witnessing the success Wiener had in opening Josef’s Cheesecake, his brother, Greg, approached Wiener about opening a Josef’s Cheesecake in Easton, Maryland.

“They are really two different businesses, but we do collaborate some on recipes and ideas,” Wiener said.

While Wiener never would have expected to become a master of the cheesecake four years ago, he said he has truly found his calling.

“I spent 30 years doing something I loved, working as an executive chef,” Wiener said. “But I never would have expected just how much I would truly love and enjoy making cheesecakes for a living.”

PHOTO SUBMITTED

A cheesecake rests in a box at Josef’s Cheesecake in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. This variety is one of more than 450 that can be found at the store.

Our Side

F r o m O u r S i d e

O f T h e F e n c e Of The Fence

Kylyn and Jace Anderson 8 years old and 7 years old, respectively Parents: Ryan and Hayley Anderson of Victory Farms Milbank, South Dakota Grant County 5,000 cows

How do you help on the farm? I help feed the baby calves their calf feed.

Tell us about your favorite animal. My favorite animal is my dog, Zoey. She was born when I was a baby, and she likes to run around on the farm with me.

What is your favorite Christmas treat? My favorite Christmas treat is the cookies my mom and I cut out and frost to give to Santa.

What do you want for Christmas? For Christmas, I want a music box and a brand new sled.

What is your favorite activity to do during Christmas break? I like to play with my toys and spend time with my family. I like it when we go sledding and climb the big snow pile.

Do you think you are on the naughty or nice list? I think I am on the nice list because I help take care of my younger siblings.

If you could ride with Santa on his sleigh, where would you want to go and what song would you sing on the way there? I would not want to ride on his sleigh because I am scared of heights. But if I did, I would go to my grandparents’ house and sing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”

What do you want to be when you grow up? When I grow up, I want to be a farmer like my mom and dad.

How do you help on the farm?Kylyn: I like to help Papa Kevin with the hospital pen when I am at the farm. Jace: I like to help my dad and Papa snow blow the farm so the milk trucks can get in.

Tell us about your favorite animal. Kylyn: A koala bear because they are cute and cuddly. Jace: My favorite animal is an elephant because I like their trunk.

What is your favorite Christmas treat? Kylyn: I like candy canes because they come in different avors. Jace: Reese’s peanut butter cup trees.

What do you want for Christmas? Kylyn: I would like four tickets to Great Wolf Lodge. Jace: Legos.

What is your favorite activity to do during Christmas break?Kylyn: I like being pulled on a sled with a four-wheeler. Jace: Ride sleds down snow hills.

Do you think you are on the naughty or nice list? Kylyn: I have tried to be good, so I am hoping the nice list. Jace: Nice list, because I am good and help with chores.

If you could ride with Santa on his sleigh, where would you want to go and what song would you sing on the way there? Kylyn: I would sing “Feliz Navidad” on the way to Great Wolf Lodge. Jace: I would sing “Ruldoph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” all the way to California.

What do you want to be when you grow up? Kylyn: I want to work in an animal shelter and take sick animals to Auntie Audrey who is a veterinarian, so she can make them feel better. Jace: I want to be a dairy farmer and drive tractors all day.

Do you think you Do you think you are on the are on naug hty or nice list? naughty or nice

Alec Zigan

6 years old Parents: Derek and Amanda Zigan Long Prairie, Minnesota Todd County 130 cows

list?

How do you help on the farm? I help on the farm by working with my grandpa, and I scrape poop off the skid loaders and stack calf pails for Mom.

Tell us about your favorite animal. My favorite animals are the beef cows because they are chubby, and the baby calves.

What is your favorite Christmas treat? My favorite Christmas cookies are the ones with the chocolate on top.

What do you want for Christmas? I want toys for Christmas, skid loaders, and I need three brand new ones.

What is your favorite activity to do during Christmas break? I like to plow snow during Christmas break and go to the waterpark.

Do you think you are on the naughty or nice list? I am probably on the naughty list because I broke a toy. Please Santa, don't put me on the naughty list.

If you could ride with Santa on his sleigh, where would you want to go and what song would you sing on the way there? I would go with Santa to the North Pole on his sleigh. We will sing “We Will Rock You” and “Cupid Shufe.”

What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be a hoof trimmer when I grow up.

Lexi Berscheit 7 years old Parents: Adam and Ashley Berscheit Browerville, Minnesota Todd County 96 cows

Emily Wiener

7 years old

Parents: Aaron and Ashley Wiener Sauk Centre, Minnesota Stearns County 76 cows

How do you help on the farm? I help by feeding our cats, dogs and calves. Sometimes I help scrape the walk.

Tell us about your favorite animal. My favorite animal is a cat. The cats like to snuggle with me and play with me.

What is your favorite Christmas treat? Sugar cookies, because they are so yummy.

What do you want for Christmas? Pokemon cards, LOL dolls, a girl Lego set and a dress for my doll.

What is your favorite activity to do during Christmas break? Spending time with my family. We play games and ride snowmobile.

Do you think you are on the naughty or nice list? I think I am on the nice list because I’m being nice to my friends and family.

If you could ride with Santa on his sleigh, where would you want to go and what song would you sing on the way there? I want to stop at my house to pick up my family. Santa and his reindeer will bring us to the North Pole. We will meet the elves and Mrs. Claus. We would sing “Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer” on the way there.

What do you want to be when you grow up? A gure skater and a teacher.

10 years old

Parents: Curt and Lisa Nachreiner Fairfax, Minnesota Renville County 250 cows

farm? I help water 60 calves with my mom and help my dad move calves out of huts sometimes.

Tell us about your favorite animal. I really like dolphins because I like the water and that they jump.

What is your favorite Christmas treat? My favorite treat is Ritz crackers with peanut butter in the middle dipped in chocolate. I have made them twice this year.

What do you want for Christmas? I would like more cute clothes.

What is your favorite activity to do during Christmas break? Playing with all my cousins.

Do you think you are on the naughty or nice list? I don't know because sometimes I am not nice, but most times, I am nice.

If you could ride with Santa on his sleigh, where would you want to go and what song would you sing on the way there? If I took a ride with Santa, I would go to California and sing “Silent Night.”

What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be a teacher.

Eli and Audrey Lamm

6 years old and 5 years old, respectively Parents: Pam and Corey Browerville, Minnesota Todd County 120 cows

How do you help on the farm? We feed calves and get gates.

Tell us about your favorite animal. Eli: I like sh so I can eat them. Audrey: My favorite animal is a giraffe.

What is your favorite Christmas treat? We both like making and eating Christmas candy.

What do you want for Christmas? Eli: I want a semi. Audrey: I want an ice cream shop.

What is your favorite activity to do during Christmas break? Eli: I like sledding. Audrey: I like doing homework and going sledding.

Do you think you are on the naughty or nice list? Eli: Nice because I have been good. Audrey: Nice because I was nice.

If you could ride with Santa on his sleigh, where would you want to go and what song would you sing on the way there? Eli: “Jingle Bells” and I would go to Ethan’s house. Audrey: “Jingle Bells” and go to Grandma and Grandpa’s.

What do you want to be when you grow up? Eli: I want to be a semi driver. Audrey: I want to be a farmer.

Kreofsky

Sylvia Nachreiner

How do you help on the

Harvesting Quality Forages

Feeding rye, consistent harvest make a difference

Don Borgschatz Zabel Borgschatz Dairy Plainview, Minnesota Wabasha County 200 cows

Describe your farm and facilities. We have a 3-row, sand-bedded and drive-thru freestall barn. We use a double-9 herringbone parlor for milking.

What forages do you harvest? We harvest alfalfa, corn silage and rye grass. We cut all the ditches and waterways and make grass hay out of that as well.

How many acres of crops do you raise? It’s around 470 acres tillable.

Describe the rations for your livestock. The milk cows right now are at an 80% corn silage and 20% haylage for forage along with the base concentrates. The dry cows are getting straw, corn silage and a little haylage. The pre-fresh

group gets a lot of straw and corn silage. Heifers clean house; they’ll get whatever refusal the dairy cows have from the day before plus a lot of straw, corn silage and haylage.

What quality and quantity do you harvest of each crop? I chop an earlier variety of corn silage, and we are at about 22 ton an acre. For my haylage, I’ve just done a three-crop program the last couple of years. It’s a low-lignin alfalfa variety. I’m feeding dry corn that gets powdered. It’s around 15 pounds of dry corn per cow.

Describe your harvesting techniques for alfalfa and corn silage. John Speltz, a dairy farmer by Altura, Minnesota, has a harvest crew, chopper, trucks and packing tractor. We coordinate with him for chopping the haylage and harvesting the corn silage. We also have a hay cutter and cut some of the

hay ourselves.

What techniques do you

use to store, manage and feed your forages? All the silages are on drive-over

piles/bunkers. We’ll do some baleage for hay and sometimes rye.

Describe a challenge you overcame in reaching your forage quality goals. The last few years, I’ve gotten more comfortable feeding rye to the milk cows. We planted rye after the corn silage, and we’ve been harvesting that and then planting soybeans on that ground the next season. It looks like you’re putting in straw sometimes, but somehow, the cows milk great on it. I’m learning to go after the rye early enough to make good quality feed. The rye can go from milk cow feed to dry cow feed really fast, within a period of four or ve days, so the harvest window for rye for milk cows was a challenge. Turn to

PHOTO SUBMITTED Don Borgschatz, who dairy farms near Plainview, Minnesota, said he has go en more comfortable with feeding rye to milk cows. At Zabel Borgschatz Dairy, 200 cows are milked in a double-9 herringbone parlor.

of the product.

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Happy Holidays

So, this is Christmas

Christmas is the time of year when traditions are revisited. Most people have at least one special thing they celebrate at Christmas. Because I did not grow up on a farm, my Christmas traditions did not include waiting for chores to nish before opening presents or giving my favorite cow extra grain, as I have heard from others.

Growing up, my family always had family friends visit our house for Christmas Eve. We would stay up late playing games. I have three siblings, and our friends had four kids who came too, so it was a big crowd. Our favorite games were Spoons and Catch Phrase.

By Abby Wiedmeyer Staff Writer

On Christmas morning, we went to church and opened presents sometimes in that order, which was painful for a kid. I remember thinking as a young child that the church service might have had more of an impact if I had not spent the whole time wondering what was in all the boxes at home.

Every year, my dad’s side of the family gets together to celebrate. We alternate between my parents’ house and my aunt’s house. For a long time, it was not your usual serene Christmas dinner by the replace. My family tends to treat holidays as an excuse to party. Cousins and friends usually spread out across the house and into the garage. Libations ow and memories are made. With a large family, it was one of the few times we were all in the same place.

Now that I am grown with four kids of my own, it’s hard to make traditions. We do not live close to any of our families, so Christmas usually turns into a travel day for us. We generally have to leave my husband behind to run the farm while the kids and I make the two-hour drive to our hometown for an overnight visit.

My children now know the anticipation of waiting until chores are done to open presents. Our farm story has been so eventful with moving a handful of times and always trying to either build the herd up or milk three times a day, trying to increase productivity to make ends meet. It seems that every year has been different.

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WISCONSIN

Advanced Dairy Spring Valley, WI 715-772-3201

Ederer Dairy Supply Plain, WI 608-546-3713

DeLaval Dairy Service Kaukauna, WI 866-335-2825

Joe’s Refrigeration Inc. Withee, WI 715-229-2321

Mlsna Dairy Supply Inc. Cashton, WI 608-654-5106

Professional Dairy Services Arlington, WI 608-635-0267

Redeker Dairy Equipment Brandon, WI 920-346-5579

The Scharine Group Inc. Whitewater, WI 800 472-2880 Mt Horeb, WI 800-872-3470

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One of our rst years at this farm was difcult because we had been having manure system troubles all week. In the tiestall barn, the barn cleaner chain kept breaking. It was one of those weeks where I hardly had a moment out of the barn, and I had not made it to the grocery store before Christmas. I was trying to think how to get creative to make a festive meal for my kids when my neighbors showed up with a huge bag of groceries. It had all the ingredients to make a luxurious breakfast of French toast and coffee and hot chocolate and so many other wonderful things. I do not know if she knew we were struggling or not, but I can’t think about that morning without getting choked up.

One year when we were renting a 40-stall barn and switching it to milk 80 cows, our youngest was about 9 months old. She had been woken up early to the other three kids’ delighted screams of Santa having visited, and she would not tolerate being put down so we could nish milking. At the time, the milkman would come and empty the tank while we switched the cows so there would be room for the second group’s milk. On that Christmas Day, he served as a surrogate grandpa and held on to our daughter so we could nish chores. I’ll always be grateful for his help that morning.

This year, my husband is serving as a milkman, and Christmas morning will nd him behind the wheel of the truck. I might remind him of that day just in case he sees any families struggling to get through chores this year.

Even though the situation seems to change every year, which makes traditions hard to maintain, I have fond memories to keep us warm this Christmas. Whatever we do, the important part is doing it together.

Your Mixer, Spreader,

Dana Berreau 507-879-3593 / 800-821-7092

Box 116, Lake Wilson, MN 56151

Iowa farmland values hit all-time high

Despite concerns about higher ination, interest rate

By Wendong Zhang and Nathan Cook Iowa State University Extension

AMES, Iowa – One year after skyrocketing 29%, the average value of an acre of Iowa farm-land jumped another 17%, or $1,660, to $11,411 per acre.

The nominal value of an acre of farmland is again higher this year than at any point since Iowa State University began surveying values in 1941. When adjusting for ination, the 2022 average value surpasses the previous inationadjusted record value set in 2013 for the rst time.

Farmland values in Iowa have increased more than 15% in a year a handful of times since 1941, most notably in 2011 when values rose 32.5% and last year when values rose 29%.

While ination was a major factor that drove the increase last year, Wendong Zhang, an associate professor of economics and faculty afliate of Center for Agricultural and Rural Development at Iowa State University, said it did not play as much of a factor as commodity prices, limited land supply

and low interest rates through summer 2022 did this year.

Zhang, who is responsible for conducting the annual survey, said that ination rates this year are similar to those from last year, but the Federal Reserve has used aggressive rate hikes since this summer to curb the problem.

“The Federal Reserve seems to be determined to keep raising interest rates until they get a rm control on ination,” Zhang said. “This is a tricky balance because larger and quicker interest rate hikes run the risk of slowing down the economy, potentially to a recession.”

While he noted that higher interest rates put downward pressure on the land market, the effects typically do not show up in land prices for one or two years.

While the Federal Reserve has been raising interest rates, Zhang said that 81% of Iowa farmland is fully paid for, so the higher interest rates do not always affect farmers’ land purchasing decisions.

This is especially true when high ination makes the real interest rates negative or low, which tends to incentivize more borrowing and investment. Furthermore, a signicant portion of respondents said that cash on hand was a positive factor inuencing land values.

“Farmers have a lot more cash on hand and supply chain issues led to a shortage of equipment, so the money that farmers normally spend on equipment is now devoted to land,” Zhang said.

As for commodity prices, Zhang said they have been strong this year and yields have been higher than expected, despite the weather challenges.

“Not only are crop prices much higher, livestock and poultry prices are also signicantly higher, translating into higher farm income and profits,” he said.

For the rst time, this year’s survey asked respondents’ views of current farmland values. Zhang said 70% of respondents feel that current land values are too high or way

too high.

“The higher land values do create an even higher entry barrier for beginning farmers, and the following increase in cash rents, along with higher input costs, could negatively affect producers, especially those with a lot of rented ground,” he said.

Zhang said 48% of respondents forecasted an increase in farmland values one year from now, while 24% forecasted no

Proud Partner of the Midwestern Hoof Trimming School

Denny Sanford Premier Center, Sioux Falls, South

Gill will serve

as president of NAFB

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

ALBANY, Minn. – As it begins its 79th year, the National Association of Farm Broadcasting will have a new president.

Joe Gill, a familiar voice at KASM radio in Albany, will take those reins and said he is excited to begin.

“I’ve been in NAFB for 10 years,” Gill said. “I really value the friendships and the networking – just everything the organization is all about.”

Gill will be the rst KASM broadcaster to serve as president of the association.

“I participated in a leadership conference a few years ago (through NAFB), and that lit the re a little bit,” Gill said. “I felt that it was the right time to run.”

In both his position as president for NAFB and as the farm director and trafc manager for KASM, Gill said he appreciates the promotion of agriculture and farmers. Gill grew up on a dairy farm near Albany and said he respects that heritage.

“As I get older, I now can realize the value of how I grew up,” he said. “There’s something noble about the profession. It’s who we are.”

Growing within tradition

Both Gill and his wife, Denise, are from large dairy farming families. Even though they now live in the city limits of Sartell with their children, Natalie and Ben, Gill tries to stay connected to his roots.

“I’ll never be called a farmer, but I raise calves on the side just to keep that connection,” he said.

Gill keeps them in a barn he rents about 2 miles away from the KASM station.

“I think it’s important to see the barns and the silos and the person pulling out of town with feed in the back of his truck,” Gill said. “I hope we don’t lose that.”

While Gill’s career is entrenched in the agriculture landscape, he said when he was a teenager, he wanted to get away from farming.

“It’s weird, but in high school and college, I couldn’t get far enough away from the farm,” he said. “I needed to go do my own thing. But, as I got older, I couldn’t get close enough to the farm.”

That step away from agriculture involved pursuing an education in broadcasting, eventually taking him to St. Cloud State University where he studied communications with hopes of becoming a sports announcer. A professor picked out two people in the class of 31 and told them they had a voice for radio. He told the rest to make sure they had a backup plan. Gill was not one of the mentioned

two. The professor’s comment sticks with him; however, the professor did not deter Gill from pursuing radio.

“I hate my voice,” Gill said. “I can’t stand listening to it.”

Still today, Gill has trouble believing people when they tell him they like his radio voice.

After a few broadcasting internships, Gill showed up at the KASM station on a whim as a college student.

“I just walked in one day and said, ‘Hey, I have an interest. Do you have anything for me?’” Gill said. “I actually went on the air that day; they needed someone at 4:30 p.m. It was my start.”

That was 1999, and Gill never left.

Gill worked rst as a sports broadcaster and ll-in announcer. After becoming the farm director in 2009, he became trafc director as well. The title has nothing to do with road trafc.

“What you hear on the radio every day, that’s considered our trafc,” Gill said. “Our daily log is what we call it, and I’m the manager. We have a structure and know the skeleton for every day; it’s just how you ll in the blanks.”

Things come up – weather, sports happenings and breaking news – so exibility is required.

Gill also took over for Cliff Mitchell, who had been at KASM for 56 years and was inducted into the NAFB Hall of Fame in 2005.

“It’s like batting after Babe

Ruth,” Gill said. “Congratulations, you are in the majors, but you are batting after him.”

To this day, at every NAFB convention, Gill is asked about Mitchell.

“His name comes up; stories come up,” Gill said. “At rst, I thought that I must be doing a crappy job, but it’s just that he had such an impact.”

Gill has served as NAFB

vice president and is the president-elect. His term as president will begin with the new year.

“My goal is to really encourage others (in the membership) to take a leadership role,” Gill said. “I also hope to maintain the tradition of the organization.”

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Joe Gill is a broadcaster and the farm director at KASM radio near Albany, Minnesota. He also manages the sta on’s program scheduling, which is geared for listeners in the middle third of Minnesota.

Turn to GILL | Page 26

NAFB membership totals close to 900, which includes broadcasters in both radio and television, management, sales and allied industries – including advertising and public relations – and all aspects of farm media. NAFB’s annual meeting and convention is held each November in Kansas City, Missouri. The last meeting had 700 attendees, a record number for recent years. Within the membership, about 175 are broadcasters, which Gill said is a number that is maintaining but not growing.

Through the decades, the group’s mission has remained steady: to serve the interest of the agricultural community and create value for its broadcast member stations and networks. NAFB serves as a liaison between farm broadcast stations and networks and the agri-marketing community.

The organization did, however, make one wording adjustment in 2005, changing from the National Association of Farm Broadcasters to incorporate broadcasting instead.

“As communications evolve, we have to make sure we include not just radio but print, online, social media and everything else,” Gill said. “Originally, we had someone at a microphone on the radio at a radio station, and that’s it. But, now some people broadcast online, so we have to become more encompassing of everything.”

Gill said NAFB is undergoing a strategic planning process to determine the landscape of the industry by the year 2032.

The organization’s members are not in favor of all changes set for the future of radio.

“For instance, some electric vehicles are not going to have AM radio in them,” Gill said. “Ford made the decision to not include AM radio. The vehicles are going to be app-based, but not every station has an app or is online.”

Although KASM is online, many stations, especially smaller or remote ones, are not. Gill said the technology aspect could be a barrier for listeners.

“We’ve begun the process of making our voices heard, saying how important AM radio is not just to our organization but to public interest in keeping people informed,” Gill said. “That is just one aspect that has come up, and we have some broadcasters who speak frequently on that issue. We’re not a group that necessarily does advocacy stuff. We’re a nonprot group, so it’s more informing, saying, ‘Hey, this is what is and it’s a concern.’”

Gill said the Federal Communications Commission supports AM radio. He also said NAFB is meeting with politicians to make sure they are informed.

As he looks back at his journey in radio, Gill said he values the groundwork Mitchell laid and thinks Mitchell would appreciate what he and the team at KASM are doing today.

“I hope he’d be proud,” Gill said. “We’ve never changed a lot as far as programming. I see it as a challenge to live up to what he did, but we should also try to

raise the bar a little bit.”

Both goals depend on making real connections with listeners.

“That’s what Cliff did, and it’s a connection that I think gets lost a lot nowadays,” Gill said.

“I think we’ve done a good job to feed that and make it strong.”

Gill said people are surprised to hear he likes to work on the air Thanksgiving mornings.

“I always think there’s peo-

ple out there who don’t have a family, and they are listening to the radio,” he said. “A few years ago, a couple brought me a hot beef sandwich and a piece of pumpkin pie. Their kids weren’t home, and they were alone.”

Gill has also received texts from listeners if he is gone on vacation, asking where he is.

“Oddly, I feel like I eventually found the path that was right for me,” Gill said. “I want to do my best. I grew up listening, so

I know the tradition of it, and I respect that a lot. I’m proud to say I work here and am from the area.”

Being president of NAFB means Gill can help lead others in supporting all people who work together to celebrate and share farm topics and life with audiences across the country.

“This role really means a lot to me,” Gill said. “I’m representing the industry.”

Hydraulic Doors

By the most trusted name in the industry

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Joe Gill interviews an a endee at the 2013 Na onal Associa on of Farm Broadcas ng annual mee ng in Kansas City, Missouri. This was the rst year Gill a ended the event for the NAFB, an organiza on that he will become president of in 2023.

He said most respondents expect the one-year

either be the same or increase roughly 5%-10%.

Looking ve years ahead, Zhang said 60% of respondents believe land values will increase 10%-20% from current values, while about 24% forecast a decline in prices.

For the second year in a row, all 99 of Iowa’s counties showed an increase in land values. However, for the rst time in almost a decade, Scott County did not report the highest overall value. O’Brien County topped the list this year, reporting a 20.6% increase, or $2,818 per acre, to $16,531. Decatur County again reported the lowest value, though land values there in-creased 10%, or $505 per acre, to $5,566.

Mills, Fremont, Page and Montgomery counties reported the largest percentage increase, 21.6%, while O’Brien County saw the largest dollar increase of $2,818 per acre. Wayne, Lucas, Appanoose and Decatur counties saw the smallest percentage increase, 10%, while Decatur County saw the smallest dollar increase, $505 per acre.

Land values increased across all crop reporting districts.

The northwest district reported the highest overall value, $14,878 per acre, the largest percentage increase, 22.3%, and the largest dollar increase, $2,714 per acre.

The south central district reported the lowest values, $6,824 per acre, and the lowest dollar change, $790 per acre, while the southeast district saw the smallest percentage increase, 9.8%.

Statewide, low-quality land now averages $7,369 per acre, an increase of 15.2% or $972 per acre. Mediumquality land now averages $10,673 per acre, an increase of 17.7% or $1,602 per acre. High-quality land now averages $13,817 per acre, an increase of 16.8% or $1,983 per acre.

The northwest district reported the highest values for low-, medium- and high-quality land at $9,569, $13,710 and $17,121 per acre, respectively. The south central district reported the lowest values for low-, medium- and high-quality land at $4,379, $6,872 and $9,478 per acre, respectively.

Low-quality land saw the largest percentage increase in the northeast district, 19.8%, while the northwest district saw the largest dollar increase, $1,481 per acre. Low-quality land saw the smallest percent increase, 7.9%, and the lowest dollar increase, $321 per acre, in the south central district.

Medium-quality land saw increases of more than 20% in the west central, northeast, southwest and northwest districts, which respectively showed increases of 20.1%, 21.9%, 22.7% and 24.2%. The northwest district also saw

the largest dollar increase in mediumquality land, $2,688 per acre. The southeast district showed the lowest percent increase in medium-quality land, 6.2%, and the lowest dollar increase, $508 per acre.

High-quality land in the west central, southwest and northwest districts all saw increases of 20.6%, 21.2% and 22.3%, respectively. The northwest district reported the largest dollar increase in high-quality land at $3,124 per acre. The southeast district reported the smallest percent change in high-quality land, 10.3%, and the smallest dollar increase, $1,201 per acre.

The most frequently mentioned positive factor inuencing the land market was higher commodity prices. Limited land supply and low interest rates through summer 2022 were the secondand third-most frequently mentioned factors. Other frequently mentioned factors included cash on hand and high credit availability, strong yields, a good farm economy and strong demand.

The most frequently mentioned negative factor affecting land values was interest rate hikes. Other noted factors included concerns about higher input costs, and stock market volatility and economic uncertainty were the second- and third-most frequently mentioned negative factors.

Land values were determined by the 2022 Iowa State University Land Value Survey, conducted in November by the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development at Iowa State and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Results from the survey are consistent with results by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, the REALTORS Land Institute and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Iowa State Land Value Survey is based on reports by agricultural professionals knowledgeable of land market conditions, such as appraisers, farm managers, agricultural lenders and actual land sales, and is intended to provide information on general land value trends, geographical land price relationships and factors inuencing the Iowa land market. The 2022 survey is based on 668 usable responses from 443 agricultural professionals. Seventy-one percent of the 443 respondents answered the survey online.

The Iowa State Land Value Survey was initiated in 1941, the rst in the nation, and is sponsored annually by Iowa State. The survey is typically conducted every November and the results are released mid-December. Only the state average and the district averages are based directly on the Iowa State survey data. County estimates are derived using a procedure that combines the Iowa State survey results with data from the U.S. Census of Agriculture.

Family: My husband Michael, daughter Courtney, 22, and sons Zander, 20, and Keith, 18.

Tell us about your farm. We are the third generation on this farm. Keith has plans to be the fourth generation. The main farm was my father's and his mother's. My parents bought more land around the farm when they were farming. Currently, we own 300 acres and rent 80 acres. We milk about 80 cows plus raise our youngstock.

What is a typical day like for you on the dairy? Not every day is the same. For sure, I milk and feed the cows with my husband twice a day and take care of the heifers. The rest of the day depends on what time of year it is. If I'm not tilling, planting or chopping crops, then I'm probably mowing lawn or doing yard work, doing bookwork for cows or nancials, keeping up the house, making meals or plowing snow.

What decision have you made in the last year that has beneted your farm? We decided to have my brother plant our corn. This took stress off of us so we weren't trying to seed new hay elds, plant corn and start chopping haylage all in a small timeframe. We don't have hilly land; it's a lot of low land with clay soil. In the spring, it doesn't dry out as fast as other elds a few miles north of us. So, if we have a wet spring, it can be a struggle for us.

Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. I was chopping haylage on what we call the corner eld and one of my sons had given me a drink and a sandwich. As I sat in the tractor, I ate and watched that son take food to my husband who was cutting hay. I had switched chopper boxes, and my daughter was pulling the full box out of the eld. Then, coming from the farm, my other son was driving on the road with an empty box that he had put in the silo. I remember sitting there thinking, “Wow. I created this. A

mom, dad and three kids all working hard together for our farm.”

What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? I have enjoyed working with my husband and raising our kids on the farm. My family is very important to me, and the farm has made us closer as a family. We've gotten a couple of comments from people saying they were jealous of how Mike and I get to work with each other and how we work together so well.

What is your biggest accomplishment in your dairy career? My biggest accomplishment is becoming 99% free of Johne's disease. I'm not going to say 100% because there's always that slim chance. My dad used to truck cattle and would buy cows from different places and bring them back to the farm. This is how the disease had entered the herd and was not managed well. We lost a lot of cattle and money when we took over the farm in the beginning. I remember culling three breeding age heifers on the same day because they had Johne's. Usually a cow will show signs of the disease just after they have their second calf. We got very aggressive in ghting Johne's disease. If a cow tested positive, then I would check to see if she had any heifers. The next day, if possible, that cow and any of her offspring would be culled. Now, we try to keep a closed herd, and it has been a couple of years since we have had to cull for Johne’s.

What are things you do to promote your farm or the dairy industry? We focus on doing the best job we can, and we work hard at producing quality milk, much more than we focus on quantity. If someone comes to our farm, I love taking them around the farm, especially sharing the farm with kids. Their faces are priceless, especially if they have never been on a farm before. Even the adults are usually intrigued.

What advice would you give another woman in the dairy industry? The dairy industry is viewed as more of a male's career. I've had many encounters where I was treated disrespectfully because I am female. Don't let that discourage you. I once had a sales

guy come in the milkhouse and ask for Mike. I asked him if I could help him and he said, “No, looking for Mike.” So, I took him in the barn where my husband was struggling to turn an unborn calf's head back around in the birth canal so the cow could deliver the calf. I told my husband this guy was looking for him, and apparently, I couldn't help. I went back to the milkhouse to nish what I was doing. Minutes later, the sales guy came back through the milkhouse and very softly said, “Sorry,” and continued out the door to his car. I remember giggling on that one. My husband always has my back and says if you can't talk to my wife, then you don't need to talk to me.

When you get a spare moment, what do you do? I love spending time with my Rottweilers. Wherever I go, they go. My husband said that if he wants to know where I am and I can't hear him, he'll just look for the dogs. My oldest son asked me what I was going to do when he left for boot camp for the Marines because he knew that would break my heart. I told him I would get a puppy, and I did. Actually, that Rottweiler just had a litter of puppies, so I'm in heaven with all of the puppy kisses. My dogs are my stress reliever. It's true how petting a dog makes a person feel better.

Kathy Brooks (pictured with Mike (left) and Keith Brooks)

Marsheld, Wisconsin Wood County 80 cows

Why can’t you hear me? Communication styles on the dairy

By Dana Adams

Dairies are managed by a farm team, whether they have 1,000 cows or 100 cows. Common members of a dairy farm’s team include family, staff members and other professionals like agricultural lenders or veterinarians. This collaborative environment requires routine and effective communication between individuals. Now, just because something was verbalized does not mean that it was received and effective communication took place. Knowing the communication styles in a farm team can lead to more effective communication and less frustration from all involved.

Usually offered in the beginning of the calendar year, the University of Minnesota Extension program, “Planning Your Dairy Farm Future,” discusses how to set goals and a vision as well as communication and leadership styles. The program is targeted to farms expanding, transitioning and deciding how their farm ts into overall market trends. Visit z.umn.edu/dairy for times and locations near you.

During the class, farm teams are taught about the four primary ways individuals process information: action, process, people and ideas. Individuals are a mix of these four communication styles, having natural preferences for one or two of the four. All these communica-

tion styles have value on a farm team. Understanding their nuances can allow a farm to communicate better to take advantage of opportunities and prepare for challenges.

The best way to understand your style and the style of others on your team is to learn about each communication style.

Action-oriented people focus on results, practicality of solutions and value getting to the point quickly when communicating. Not only do they talk with action in mind, but they listen and expect actionable steps from co-workers and family. Some individuals can consider them terse, rude or hurtful. Actionoriented people view themselves as being efcient with everyone’s time and moving quickly toward goals. Many farm teams are composed of employees with an action communication style. When decisions need to be made, these are the team members to rely on for decisive action. To be heard when communicating with individuals with this style, get to the point quickly and emphasize practicality of proposed solutions. This approach will take practice but can pay off with increased clarity in communication.

Those with a process communication style take time to analyze the information given to them. For those with a co-worker with a process style of com-

munication, they can be viewed as taking too much time to evaluate options and getting hung up on the details. They thrive in situations when they are given all the information, it is presented in a logical manner, and they are not rushed. An asset that these individuals bring to the farm team, when they are supported, is sharing a carefully thought-out plan for the dairy.

Individuals with a people communication style value relationships. They frequently talk about values, motivation, teamwork and feelings. The challenge that people communicators present is focusing excessively on hearing everyone’s thoughts or job enjoyment. Outside of technical or physical tasks, people communicators want to know those on the dairy feel a sense of purpose and value. These individuals can be immensely valuable when teamwork, a focused vision or inclusion is needed on a farm. Steps that other team members can take are to offer small talk or discuss the farm’s mission and values. Building this connection with people communicators encourages them to connect with the operation, fostering an environment with increased motivation and teamwork.

The last communication style is referred to as an idea communication style. They can be perceived as innovative, exploring opportunities and looking for

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

Brad Heins hein0106@umn.edu 320-589-1711

Nathan Hulinsky huli0013@umn.edu 320-203-6104

Kevin Janni kjanni@umn.edu 612-625-3108

improvements in the spheres they work in. Idea communicators on farm teams can be perceived as unrealistic in their ideas or even egocentric. A foundation for a successful relationship with these team members can be built by allowing time for discussion and vetting of possibilities. When these individuals are on your team, present ideas by connecting them to the big picture and the idea’s unique characteristics. Idea communicators, and the innovation they share, can be leveraged when new ideas or outsideof-the-box thinking is needed on dairies.

As mentioned earlier, people tend to use a combination of communication styles when they talk to their co-workers. This prompts the use of a combination of approaches when communicating. For example, herdsperson Jesse has an action and relationship communication style. When communicating with Jesse about the farm’s goal to lower somatic cell count in the milk, other farm team members can be brief with practical steps and restate the farm’s vision to produce high-quality milk.

With practice, and reinforcement from positive results, these types of mindful interactions can come naturally. Communicating to your audience rather than the way you would prefer allows your farm team to hear each other more effectively.

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

What we have learned from robotic milking webinars

two years ago, we started a virtual

some of the key areas mentioned:

By Marcia Endres U of M

event that focuses on robotic milking. I named it 30 Minutes: Robotic Milking Edition. This has been a very informal event that highlights a dairy producer guest giving a brief overview of their operation followed by a question and answer session with the live virtual audience. I co-host this webinar series with Jim Salfer, University of Minnesota Extension dairy educator. Events are attended live to include question and answer time, then I share the recorded episode on YouTube.

The series has registrants from 46 countries. Much of the audience is comprised of dairy producers, but there are also industry professionals, those in academia and students. We planned the series with input received from a small sample of dairy producers in fall 2020. Producer feed-back helped us decide on the 11:30 a.m. time slot on the third Thursday of each month and the 30-minute duration. To register for the webinar series, visit z.umn. edu/30minRM. You will be sent a Zoom link. Once you register, you will receive automated reminders via email.

Over the last two years, we featured different brands of robots and various sized farms, from two to 72 robot-box dairies, two robotic rotary dairies and a grazing dairy. The audience includes producers who already have robots and those who are considering them. We are pleased to bring unbiased information directly from the end users to be shared with our audience. One easy conclusion from this series is that robotic milking systems are herd-size dependent and can work well in different barn layouts and congurations.

At the end of the session, we ask attendees to ll out a survey. One of the questions is what they have learned from attending the webinar. Here are

– Grouping rst lactation cows separately from older cows. Some of the producers indicated that by housing their heifers in a separate pen, milk production went up. This makes sense from a hierarchy perspective in a herd of cows, where the larger, more dominant cows can prevent access to resources; in this case, the robot box. Smaller dairies do not have the ability to create a separate group for heifers. It is then even more important to not overcrowd the pen, have enough space in front of the robot, avoid any design issues with dominant cows blocking entry or exit, and train heifers, etc.

– Training cows to visit the robot, especially rst lactation cows. Strategies mentioned by producers included installing a concentrate feeder in the dry cow pen or having a bedded pack area next to one of the robots to bring heifers through the robot box manually a couple of times a day. In addition, producers mentioned fetching those cows more often than twice a day in early lactation until they learn how to go voluntarily.

– Using a different liner in the milking units for those rst lactation cows housed in a separate group. Producers have seen increases in visits and milk production by doing this.

– Sand can be used as bedding on farms with robotic milking systems. It does increase maintenance costs, but producers like the cow comfort, low somatic cell counts and better traction. Sand can be used with all brands of robots.

– Free ow and milk-rst guided ow cow trafc, and how producers design the barns accordingly. Producers agreed that both systems can work well. Research shows the same. There are high-producing, healthy herds using either of these options. Older research indicated free ow had greater milk production, but this may have something to do with having feed-rst guided ow farms in those datasets. I would not recommend feed-rst cow trafc for U.S. dairy farms. Companies report they do not talk about feed-rst guided ow anymore.

– Learning more about different robot brands and the reason for choosing that particular brand. Producers mentioned having a competent supplier nearby or a prior relationship with them was a factor.

– Location and use of a footbath. Lame cows do not visit the robot box as often, so it is important to prevent lameness. Some farmers have the footbath at the end of the pen and manually walk cows through it a few times a week. Others automatically divert the cows at the robot exit to walk through the footbath.

– Feeding practices, especially what is fed in the robot box. Many guided ow farms in our webinar series are using corn gluten pellets instead of a formulated pellet to attract cows from the commitment pen to the robot box; this reduces cost. A farm reduced the average amount fed per day from 8 to 4 pounds without loss of production.

– Some free-ow farms are feeding more than one type of pellet, such as a high production and a low production pellet, or supplements specically for fresh cows. One of our research projects indicated that free-ow farms that intensively manage their feed tables by using more than one feed and more specic amounts by parity, stage of lactation and production level had greater milk production per cow and per robot.

Prioritizing youngstock success

Factors affecting heifer performance

By Grace Jeurissen grace.j@star-pub.com

JORDAN, Minn. – Heifer calves are a vital part of any dairy farm, and continual learning to care for them is paramount to success on the farm.

Local farmers gathered Dec. 16 at Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan to listen to the Vita Plus calf team share data and practices that could help improve calf and heifer health.

Noah Litherland, a dairy technical specialist with Vita Plus, presented information on concepts in raising a modern dairy heifer.

“We need to take excellent care of our heifers because we can’t afford to lose one,” Litherland said.

Litherland said there is a focus on controlling heifer inventory by utilizing beef semen in lower performing cows, and more heifers are being raised indoors, which in turn increases the risk of having respiratory challenges.

“All of these factors can affect heifer performance in the barn,” Litherland said. “Modern heifers can milk, so there are ways to maximize that potential. It all starts before day No. 1.”

Litherland said the cow communicates with the fetus using epigenetics, which is cow and calf interactions in utero. The cow’s hormones promote

calf health post-partum.

The cow’s hormones respond to the cow’s physical surroundings and signal for the calf to prepare itself for that environment.

Litherland said gestation length often adjusts with the gender of the calf and the weather. Calves born in the winter tend to have an increased gestation length, on average two to three days longer, and in summer, the gestation length is sometimes up to a week shorter.

Many factors affect the ideal environment for the cow and calf postpartum, such as if the cow is overcrowded or experiences heat stress during pregnancy.

Litherland said providing the cow with an ideal place to calve is essential to a calf succeeding throughout its growth stages.

“A healthy cow means a healthy calf,” Litherland said.

Adjusting a dry cow ration to t the needs of the cow and fetus is essential to calf growth and vigor. Litherland said body condition score is important to note, as heavy cows tend to have an increased risk of ketosis, hypocalcemia and calves higher in oxidative stress.

“Making sure trace minerals are in a dry cow ration is important because a deciency in say manganese can show shorter limbs and abnormal jaw growth,” Litherland said.

Once the calf is born, the responsibility for its well-being transfers to the farmer and farm employees.

Having a clean calving area and proper post-partum procedures can help ensure calves are healthy as well as providing maternal colostrum in the rst two hours of birth, which will increase the calf’s immunoglobulin absorption.

If colostrum production in freshening cows is becoming a problem in a herd, Litherland presented information from the University of Florida that showed evidence of improved colostrum production with an increased amount of time lights were on in barns 14 days pre-partum.

From the calving pen, calves should be placed in a clean, warm environment. Litherland said straw bedding is the most recommended bedding to be used for calves and dry cow pens.

“There are studies showing that calf hutches are still the golden standard for raising calves,” Litherland said. “Also remember that weather impacts variation in calves, heifers and cows. Be sure to adjust rations and management practices accordingly.”

Litherland said around two weeks of age, calves should be given grain and warm water.

“Weaning is when we see the most variation in calf growth and performance,” Litherland said. “There are a variety of ways to wean and process calves to help ease them into a different pen; in the end, it’s what works for your operation.”

Andy Buttles

Lancaster, Wisconsin

Grant County 1,200 cows

How did you get into farming? I grew up farming in Racine County south of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It got to be too urban so we started looking at farms for sale and ended up here.

What are your thoughts and concerns about the dairy industry for the next year? I hope the milk price will stay competitive enough to offset all the increased costs.

What is a recent change you made on your farm and the reason for it? We have started to adjust our protocol to incorporate less antibiotic usage. It’s a combination of the right thing to do coupled with costs.

Tell us about a skill you possess that makes dairy farming easier for you. With our size, being able to manage people makes things easier for me.

What is the best decision you have made on your farm? Trying to put our

people rst. Being loyal and building people from within. I couldn’t do this without our people.

What are three things on the farm that you cannot live without? No. 1, our good people. No. 2, our computer management system. There is just too much information for me to keep track of without it. No. 3, our good cows. That’s what it is all about and what keeps it interesting. I wouldn’t want to do it otherwise.

What strategies do you use to withstand the volatile milk prices? We try to have a good milk marketing plan and stick to it. We also try to have a pricing strategy for buying inputs so we can have more control over the bigger costs.

How do you retain a good working relationship with your employees? We treat our people the way we would want to be treated.

What do you enjoy most about dairy farming? The cows. I like working with cows and genetics. I make breeding decisions with my herd manager, Levi.

What advice would you give other dairy farmers? You always have to keep trying to improve yourself. It’s not enough to just do things the way you’ve always done them.

What are your plans for your dairy in the next year and ve years? In one year, we’d like to continue to improve production. There are a few things to tweak. In ve years, I’d like to streamline replacement raising. It needs to be simplied.

How do you or your family like to spend time when you are not doing chores? We like to travel as a family when we’re able to. We have been to the Upper Peninsula a few times, and we like it. It’s just far enough away. My wife has family in Pennsylvania so we try to visit them too.

End of the year reminders

By Steve Frericks Stearns County FSA executive director

The entire staff at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency ofce would like to wish all area producers a blessed holiday season. We wish you good health along with a productive and prosperous new year.

I wanted to start out by reminding our livestock producers how important it is to be keeping accurate livestock inventory records. It is the time of year where we can start experiencing extremely cold temperatures. Livestock inventory records are necessary in the event of a natural disaster, so remember to keep them updated.

When disasters strike, FSA can help you if you’ve suffered excessive livestock death losses and grazing or feed losses due to eligible natural disasters. To participate in livestock disaster assistance programs, you’ll be required to provide veriable documentation of death losses resulting from an eligible adverse weather event and must submit a notice of loss to your local FSA ofce within 30 calendar days of when the loss of livestock is apparent.

You should record all pertinent information regarding livestock inventory records including documentation of the number, kind, type and weight range of livestock and beginning inventory supported by birth recordings or purchase receipts.

Beginning farmer loan assistance

Beginning farmers can run into hurdles in securing loans to nance agricultural enterprises. Under these designated farm loan programs, FSA can provide nancing to eligible applicants through either direct or guaranteed loans. FSA denes a beginning farmer as a person who has operated a farm for not more than 10 years; will materially and substantially participate in the operation of the farm; agrees to participate in a loan assessment, borrower training and nancial management program sponsored by FSA; and does not own a farm in excess of 30% of the county’s average size farm.

For more information, contact your local USDA Service Center.

Crop year elections, enroll in coverage programs

Agricultural producers can now change election and enroll in the Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs for the 2023 crop year, two key safety net programs offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Signup has begun, and producers have until March 15, 2023, to enroll in these two programs.

Producers can elect coverage and enroll in ARCCounty or PLC, which provide crop-by-crop protection, or ARC-Individual, which protects the entire farm. Although election changes for 2023 are optional, producers must enroll through a signed contract each year. Also, if a producer has a multi-year contract on the farm and makes an election change for 2023, they must sign a new contract.

If producers do not submit their election by the deadline, their election remains the same as their 2022 election for crops on the farm. Farm owners cannot enroll in either program unless they have a share interest in the farm.

Foreign buyers notication

The Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act requires all foreign owners of U.S. agricultural land to report their holdings to the Secretary of Agriculture. Foreign persons who have purchased or sold agricultural land in the county are required to report the transaction to FSA within 90 days of the closing. Failure to submit the AFIDA form could result in civil penalties of up to 25% of the fair market value of the property. County government ofces, realtors, attorneys and others involved in real estate transactions are reminded to notify foreign investors of these reporting requirements. The data gained from these disclosures is used in the preparation of periodic reports to the president and congress concerning the effect of such holdings upon family farms and rural communities.

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

Year-end reections

Midwest Dairy has been working hard on farmers’ behalf, focusing on being efcient and effective regarding their 15-cent investment for promotion and research nationwide. In 2021, we started a three-year strategic plan with a vision of “Bring Dairy to Life for a Better World!” and the mission “Work with Others to Give Consumers an Excellent Dairy Experience.” Throughout the past two years, Midwest Dairy has focused on maximizing dairy farmer investment by creating programs and resources that: – Increased dairy sales through collaboration with retail and food service partners and by embracing and enhancing consumers’ shift toward eCommerce. Many programs truly moved the needle for dairy this past year, including partnerships with retailers such as Cub, Hy-Vee, Pizza Ranch, Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, and others across Midwest Dairy’s 10-state region.

case we are always willing to share our learning with others involved in dairy promotion, to jump in and help in any effort to increase sales and trust in dairy.

Your dairy story, the unique wellness benets of dairy and your dedication to caring for the planet and your cows is always at the center of what Midwest Dairy does, and we are honored to work on the farmers’ behalf. I am excited to enter 2023 and continue showcasing the Midwest dairy industry.

By Molly Pelzer Midwest Dairy CEO

– Grew trust in dairy by working with partners to showcase dairy’s unique wellness and sustainability benets through events and activations such as Earth Day, state fairs, the College World Series, the Fuel Up to Play 60 program and more. We also partnered with trusted professionals like pediatricians and dietitians to share dairy’s unique nutritional benets.

– Advanced research in dairy by identifying the most incredible opportunities that offer the most signicant growth and how partners can use this information to fuel dairy sales and innovation. Midwest Dairy continues to partner with the Midwest Dairy Food Research Center, which is an effort between dairy farmers and land-grant universities with a mission of delivering research and education that benets consumers and fuels a strong market for dairy.

– Created dairy checkoff advocates by continuing to work with farmers, processors and decisionmakers. We showcased how Midwest Dairy provides tools and resources designed to share dairy’s story and the value of checkoff promotion.

– Developed farm and community leaders in dairy by working with farmers through the Dairy Experience and Leadership Program and dairy ambassador programs to provide resources and empower dairy farmers to use their unique skills to share about on-farm practices, sustainability and products with consumers.

2023 will be the nal year of our three-year strategic plan, and our goal is to continue bringing the story of dairy's unique ability to nourish people and the planet to today's consumers throughout the entire 10-state region.

Midwest Dairy values collaboration, and we realize it is key to the dairy industry’s success across the United States. We will continue collaborating with Dairy Management Inc. and other states and regions to promote dairy because what we learn from them strengthens our programs. I am proud of Midwest Dairy’s leadership in the federation. For example, we played a role in developing a high school STEM project featuring dairy, allowing our team to work closely with high school students across the Midwest and share some of our research and ndings within the Generation Z sector. Other projects include outreach to college students, featuring dairy to promote a solution to bringing them health and wellness benets. These projects show-

Editorial disclaimer: The views expressed by our columnists are the opinions and thoughts of the author and do not reect the opinions and views of Dairy Star staff and ownership.

She goes unnoticed, your herd stands out.

Christmas memories

I recently heard about a farm mom who was searching for a spot in a supermarket parking lot when her preschool son uttered a profanity. The mom admonished the child, saying, “What did I tell you about saying things like that? You'd better cut it out or I'll call Santa.”

The boy promptly reissued the expletive. “That does it,” declared the mom. “I'm calling Santa right now.”

She surreptitiously dialed her husband’s number. “Santa,” said the mom when the boy's father picked up, “Tommy has been saying naughty words again. What’s that? You want to talk to him? Here he is.”

She handed the phone to the terried youngster. “Hello Tommy,” said his father, disguising his voice. “What’s this I hear about you saying bad words?”

Tommy, near tears, blurted, “I said @#&$ but so does Daddy!”

The Yule season is upon us once again, and we are again looking over our shoulders, worrying if Santa noticed our latest misdeeds. Never mind that we didn’t give him a second thought last summer when we openly wallowed in warm-weather wantonness.

Christmas comes at a time of year when we are squirming in the icy grip of winter. It’s a season when the sun has all but abandoned the Northlands, and Mother Nature is openly trying to bump us off with her blizzards and her deep, deadly cold.

There’s nothing like climbing into a hayloft during subzero weather and being overwhelmed by the summer-like fragrance of alfalfa hay. The rafters of our cavernous haymow would be festooned with sparkling cobwebs that were as elegant as the nest Venetian lace thanks to the frosty condensation of our cows’ breath.

It’s somewhat of a paradox that Christmas is a season of sharing. We are in effect saying, “I have more than enough to get me through to next spring; here, have some of mine.”

This was never so clear as when I was a kid growing up on our dairy farm.

As we doled out hay to our hungry Holsteins, I couldn't help but recall how we had baled that alfalfa beneath a blazing summer sun. I had thought Dad was torturing us by making us toil in the insufferable heat. It didn't occur to me in that moment that the foragebased calories we were storing would sustain our cows – and therefore my family – throughout the long cold.

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But some of the greatest torment I endured as a kid involved being forced to participate in the Christmas program at First Lutheran Church.

We would rush through chores and milking on the evening of the Christmas program. That wasn't so bad, except my seven siblings and I all then had to take baths.

Taking a bath wasn’t so bad except we then had to don our Sunday duds – which had negative insulation value – and pile into our ice-cold station wagon and drive to church. As we rumbled through the inky countryside, I would gaze at passing farms – distant islands of light and warmth in a cold, dark universe –and secretly wish we were celebrating Christmas by staying home and watching “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer.”

I would trudge to the front of the church with my classmates and sing (I mostly lip-synced) traditional Christmas tunes. That wasn't so bad. After all, how often does one get to voice such lyrics as, “Rum pum pum pum?”

There was a reward at the end of it all in the form of a Hershey bar and a box of Cracker Jack. These delicacies were wolfed down during the ride home. Any body heat that had been lost during the evening’s ordeal was thus replaced by candy calories.

The great philosopher Charlie Brown once agonized, “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?”

Perhaps an answer can be found in the movie “The Polar Express.”

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Each child who rides the Polar Express receives a gift. Santa has a comprehensive system that keeps track of who has been naughty or nice; he is keenly aware of every child's shortfalls. Even so, Santa gives his gifts freely, reinforcing the season’s core message of sharing and forgiveness.

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That’s one other greatest lessons I learned as a kid about this season: Even though I had only grudgingly participated in the Christmas program, and even though I didn't sing very much, I still received my sugary treats. There’s hope for every little boy, even those who say a bad word to their mom and then tattle on their dad.

What's not to like about a season like that? Have a happy Christmas and may your Cracker Jack prize be a secret decoder ring.

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Jerry is a recovering dairy farmer from Volga, South Dakota. He and his wife, Julie, have two grown sons and live on the farm where Jerry’s great-grandfather homesteaded over 110 years ago. Jerry works full time for Dairy Star as a staff writer and ad salesman. Feel free to email him at jerry.n@ dairystar.com.

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Maximize rst-lactation milk production

The goal of most heifer replacement programs is to raise high-quality, healthy heifers in an efcient and economical manner. These heifers have the genetics, frame, body condition and management background to conceive in a timely manner, reach their potential for high rst-lactation milk yield and become protable replacements to the herd.

Something to Ruminate On

to calves within a few hours of birth continues to be a key component in calf health and performance as well as rst-lactation milk production. Serum total protein analysis is a simple and repeatable way to evaluate passive transfer of immunoglobulins in dairy calves up to 5 days of age. Researchers in Po-land in 2021 reported that calves with serum total protein concentration greater than 6 g/dL produced 3,400 pounds more milk through their rst lactation.

age weight of mature cows in the herd. Cows typically do not reach their mature size until their third to fourth lactation. A subset of these cows between 80 and 120 days in milk should be used as the predictor for mature size. Overton cautions not to use the last load of cull cows that were long in days in milk with excess body condition.

Heifer rearing costs are the second- or thirdlargest cost on most U.S. dairy farms today. First-lactation heifers make up between 30% to 50% of the milk cows in most dairy herds. First-lactation performance also sets the stage for future production. Here are a few factors impacting rstlactation milk production.

By Barry Visser Nutritionist

In utero period

Recent research has explored the conditions calves face in utero and the long-term performance impacts they may have. The term epigenetics is used to describe phenotypic stressors on pregnant cows that impact the in utero calf and its future performance. Perhaps the best example of this is heat stress on dry cows. University of Florida research has repeatedly shown signicantly lower birth bodyweight and decreased future production for calves born from dams under heat stress. This reduced production continues when these cows are followed through the second and third lactation. Continued research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison took this a step further and showed granddaughters born of these heatstressed dry cows also had a signicant reduction in milk production through 35 weeks of lactation. Heat stress in dry cows is truly a generational problem.

Preweaning period

Feeding 2 to 4 quarts of high-quality colostrum

Preweaning growth rates are associated with increased milk production in rst lactation as shown in studies both from Cornell University in 2012 and 2013 and the University of Minnesota in 2017. Penn State research also shows a positive correlation between starter intake preweaning and rst-lactation milk production. Increased starter intake in the rst two months of life also results in greater rumen development and a more consistent growth pattern through weaning. Dry matter intake from liquid and dry feed has a synergistic effect and both are needed to increase rst-lactation milk production.

Prepubertal growth

Some refer to the prepubertal time between weaning and breeding as a forgotten period; yet, this 4- to 10-month age is a critical period to maintain heifer growth to carry them into the milking string. Target growth rates from 1.8 to 2 pounds per day are necessary to bring heifers through this prepuberty period in a timely manner and set up their future success as cows.

Bodyweight at



rst calving

There is a philosophical disconnect between age at rst calving and average daily gain on many dairies. Bodyweight of a heifer at the time of rst calving is a proxy for growth and size. If heifers have not reached the desired size at calving, they will continue to grow during lactation. This is much less efcient and happens at the expense of milk production. Dr. Tom Overton, Cornell University, estimates that 1 pound of growth during lactation cost 7 pounds of milk.

How big should heifers be at the time of calving? To answer this question, a farm must know the aver-

Overton said fresh heifers should weigh 85% of their mature bodyweight post-calving. If springing heifers are easier to weigh, they should be closer to 95% of this mature bodyweight shortly before calving. To reach these goals, farms must maintain an ambitious daily rate of gain during the rearing process.

If your rst-lactation heifers do not meet production expectations, assess these different stages of your calf and heifer program. As we learn more about epigenetics, in utero environmental conditions, such as heat stress, may also need to be evaluated.

Barry Visser is a nutritionist for Vita Plus.

Christmas carols

It’s the most wonderful time of the year to be in the barn milking cows.

Stepping between cows, I catch an old familiar tune on the radio and start singing. I know most of the words and melodies to every song. What I don’t know, I just make up. The time seems to y with an extra spring in my step rocking to the beat of the Christmas party hop, up and down the barn aisle. The cows’ neck chains jingle, and Mark will even sing or hum a few bars. But, I just can’t get him to dance with me in the barn.

Christmas time is always a special season when the urge to be with family pulls us home-ward. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been home for Christmas in the last 35 years. I thought we could sneak a quick trip south to celebrate my brother-in-law’s 60th birthday and an early Christ-

mas gathering with my family. It was going to be a run, run Rudolph dash through a winter wonderland between Minnesota and Illinois. It all depended upon the weather.

The forecast was troublesome. A major rain-sleetsnow storm was rolling across the whole country. We were going to have a white Christmas, but how much ice would be buried under the snow? We scrambled to get ready. All the equipment was tucked away in the sheds, ready for a long winter’s nap. Austin and I hitched up the snowblower to the back of the tractor. We were ready to win any snowball ght. Let it snow. It did for two days.

Luckily, we didn’t get any rain before the snow. The only ice underfoot is from the previous snow pack. We did end up with an 8-inch blanket of heavy, wet snow weighing down the pine boughs and outlin-

ing the oak tree branches. It was the perfect snow to bring Frosty the snowman to life. By the light of the moon, I started rolling up a couple of snowmen to greet drivers along our road. They stand next to our homemade “Noel” sign decked with bright, shining lights to bring a bit of joy to the world this holiday season.

The snow event was casting a shadow on my chances of getting home for the holidays. What happened in the next 48 hours sealed the deal. You could call it our eight days of Christmas breakdowns.

We started off with 8 inches of heavy, wet snow. I found seven kittens snuggled in an empty stall of straw. Soon the stalls would be lled with six fresh cows and ve broken rings. One new heifer decided she didn’t like her stall, so she broke her neck ring and wandered throughout the barn. Apparently the only place where there was room for her to sleep was away in the feed manger.

By Natalie Schmitt Columnist

Four broken barn cleaner and feed conveyor links; three bull calves.

All Mark wanted for Christmas was a red heifer calf carrying the Ralma prex. With a sparkle in his eye this past March, he bred a Rager-Red daughter (red carrier) to a red bull using sexed semen. The odds were in his favor, 50% chance red and 90% chance female for a perfect Christmas gift. Well, Jolly Old Saint Nick arrived in the middle of a calving spree dressed in his red suit carrying a bag of chestnuts for roasting. So much for good odds. Could this be the coal in Mark’s stocking or a hard candy Christmas?

Two broken skid loaders and one appendectomy. All are being xed and on the mend. Everything and everyone should be in working order before Christmas morning. So, it was a good thing we didn’t travel through the snow and over the hill to grandmother’s house. There will always be another Christmas trip in the works.

Here’s an eggnog toast to you and your family. May your days be merry and bright. May you jingle your bells and deck the halls and have yourself a merry little Christmas. Cheers!

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.

December birthdays

Two of our greatest Christmas gifts are our December babies. Daphne was born in mid-December and Dan was born a couple days before Christmas. They aren’t actual Christmas babies, but since Christmas has expanded to ll the last two weeks of December, any mid- to late-De-

cember baby is, in my book, a Christmas gift.

They are both celebrating milestone birthdays this month. Daphne turned 10 and Dan turned 16. Folks aren’t kidding when they say time ies; our baby is now in double digits and our oldest has full driving privileges. It seems like just yesterday that we swaddled them up and slid them into stockings for their rst Christmas photos.

Anyone with a birthday in the second half of December – or anyone parenting a child with a later December birthday – knows well the challenge of celebrating birthdays during the holiday season. Birthday parties are next to impossible to squeeze into the schedule. Gifts are often delivered with, “This is for your birthday and for Christmas.”

So we always try to carve out a little time to celebrate our birthday girl and birthday boy. Usually it’s as simple as sitting down for cake, singing while candles are blown out, and opening a birthdayonly gift. I also try to make their favorite meal. For her birthday last week, Daphne requested chicken wings, roasted sweet potatoes, and ice cream cake.

A couple days before her birthday, I added “pick up ice cream cake” to my list of errands for town. We planned to celebrate early, since one of our family Christmas gatherings was happening on her birthday. But when I got to Dairy Queen, it was closed. The grocery store was next on my list, so I pivoted to Plan B: pick up ingredients to make a homemade ice cream cake.

The ice cream cake we later enjoyed for Daphne’s birthday turned out to be fairly simple, absolutely delicious, and a nice change from the baked sweets that dominate this time of year. The kids and Glen declared that it tasted even better than a Dairy Queen cake.

I’ll be making another ice cream cake in two days for Dan’s birthday. He request-

ed a different avored cake and is still trying to decide between chocolate and peanut butter or strawberry and vanilla. You could easily make dozens of versions of this cake by using different ice cream avors. It’ll never happen in our house, due to my mint aversion, but I imagine some folks would nd a mint and vanilla ice cream cake to be very Christmas-y.

Whether you’re celebrating birthdays or Christmas or the coming New Year, may your festivities be lled with family, friends, and joy. (And perhaps this dairy delicious ice cream cake.)

Homemade ice cream cake

1 1/2 quart tub of high quality chocolate ice cream

1 1/2 quart tub of high quality vanilla ice cream

18 Oreo cookies, lling removed and crushed to make 1 1/2 cups of cookie crumbs

3 tablespoons butter, melted

2 cups chocolate chips

6 tablespoons light corn syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided

3 cups heavy whipping cream, divided

1 cup powdered sugar

Food coloring, if desired

Soften the chocolate ice cream for 20 minutes, then gently spread into an even layer in a chilled 9-by-13 cake pan. Freeze for 30 minutes.

While rst layer is freezing, make the chocolate fudge. Put chocolate chips, corn syrup, and 1 teaspoon vanilla into a medium bowl. Heat 1 cup of heavy cream in microwave until hot but not boiling. Pour cream over chocolate chips, let set for 5 minutes, and then whisk until smooth.

Next make the cookie crumbs. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix Oreo crumbs and melted butter together. Spread buttered crumbs onto cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Let cool, then break up any clumps. This step helps the crumbs stay crunchy after the cake is assembled.

Spread chocolate fudge on chocolate ice cream layer. Freeze for 10 minutes. Then sprinkle cookie crumbs over fudge. Freeze again for 2 hours.

Soften the vanilla ice cream for 20 minutes, then gently spread over fudge/ cookie layer. Freeze for 30 minutes.

While last cake layer is freezing, make whipped cream frosting. Combine 2 cups whipping cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla, powdered sugar, and food coloring, if using, in large bowl. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread frosting on cake. Freeze for one hour before serving. Cake will keep best tightly covered.

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.

Thank you for your support this past year! We look forward to working with you in 2023 and best wishes in the New Year!

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