February 25, 2023 - 1st section - Zone 1

CASH?

See page 20 of this section for details!

DAIRY ST R25

Volume 25, No. 1

Carrying on the blue and gold

Woitalla family involved in FFA for generations

By Tiffany Klaphake tiffany.k@dairystar.com

HOLDINGFORD,

Minn. – Wearing the blue corduroy jacket means more than just being an FFA member to Grace Woitalla. It means she is a second-generation Holdingford FFA Chapter member.

Both her parents, Keith and Patty Woitalla, and uncle and aunt, Kurt and Kristi Woitalla, wore the iconic blue and gold jacket when they were attending high school in Holdingford.

“We didn’t force (our children) to join, but we encouraged them to try it,” Keith said.

Brothers Kurt and Keith farm together, milking 125 cows in two conjoined tiestall barns. They raise 750 acres of corn, alfalfa and oats. Grace and her sister, Abby, help daily after school and on weekends. Patty helps as needed when she is not at her full-time job in St. Could.

“I knew about the organization from my parents talking about it, and … one of my friends encouraged me to join her team,” Grace said. “I did well and got to go to the state convention, and after that, I just fell in love with FFA. It’s the community behind it; everyone is so supportive and

Unexpected invitation

Molitor attends State of the Union

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

ROCKVILLE, Minn. –Before Hannah Molitor could accept an invitation to attend the State of the Union Feb. 7 in Washington, D.C., she needed to reschedule with area farmers.

“I had to do some checking around,” Molitor said. “I had some herds that I was already scheduled to test. I had to call all those guys.”

Molitor is a eld representative for Dairy Herd Improvement Association. She also helps at her family’s dairy farm, owned by her dad, Joe Molitor, and uncle, Tom Molitor. They milk 300 Holsteins near Rockville.

On the morning of Feb. 2, Molitor was in her coveralls and barn boots, doing some milk testing in a tiestall barn, when her cell phone rang.

“I received a call from U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer’s ofce, inviting me to the State of the Union,” Molitor said. Molitor was expected to

depart at 7 a.m. the following Tuesday. She said all of her clients were willing to reschedule their milk tests when they heard about Molitor’s unex-

pected invitation.

Emmer sponsored the Agriculture Skills Preparation for Industry Recruitment Efforts Act with Sen. Tina Smith, which was introduced this summer. The act would support workforce development in the agricultural sector by establishing a work-based agricultural training program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program to fund apprenticeship and internship programs with local farms and agricultural businesses.

Molitor said the bill may be one of the reasons Emmer invited a young person in agriculture to attend the president’s speech. In a press release introducing his State of the Union guests, Emmer mentioned the bill. He also gave high praise to Molitor and his other guest, Blair Anderson, who retired as police chief of St. Cloud.

Turn to MOLITOR | Page 6

Ushering in efficiency

New parlor keeps Woodards dairying

By Amy Kyllo amy.k@star-pub.com

WINONA, Minn. – Jimmy and Michelle Woodard are working to ensure their future.

The Woodards built a milkhouse and parlor and milked their herd in the new setup Jan. 25. The Woodards milk around 100 cows and own two farms for a combined 435 acres near Winona.

The new parlor is important to continuing the Woodards’ farm. Jimmy said without the parlor, they likely would not have been dairying for much longer.

The Woodards installed a double-8 parallel pit parlor with a BouMatic Xpressway indexing system. The Woodards bought the milking equipment from Lester and Donna Banse who were retiring. They transitioned out of a 21-inch, double-8

“Hannah and Blair have both dedicated their lives to step-up parlor.

Michelle said increased efciency and consistency is one of the most important advantages of the parlor, leading to high milk production. The faster milking setup allows their cows more opportunities to rest and eat and less time spent in the holding pen. The Woodards’ old milking system had begun to take up to four to ve hours per milking by the time they transitioned out of it. In their new parlor, milking and clean up takes around 2.5 hours.

The goal of the parlor was that one person could easily take care of milking.

“Ideally, we were looking for it to be a one-person operation,” Michelle said. “To position ourselves that if something happened to me, or something happened to him, one of us could easily ll in that void.”

The Woodards also hope that less time spent in the parlor will allow Jimmy to get into the eld more.

“Last year, … I didn’t plant

Jimmy and Michelle Woodard stand outside their new double-8 parallel pit parlor Feb. 17 on their farm near Winona, Minnesota. The Woodards transi�oned out of a double-8 stepup parlor.

any corn,” Jimmy said. “I baled maybe 100 bales of hay. I didn’t have time to get out there. We were grateful to have other family members to assist with our crops.”

Jimmy said the additional

time should yield better crops. “Maybe we get a little better quality or the crop in on time to get better yield,” Jimmy said.

“All dairy, all the time”™

Grace Woitalla

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Hannah Molitor stands with U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer Feb. 7 at Emmer’s office in Washington, D.C. Molitor was there as one of Emmer’s guests for the State of the Union.

GRACE JEURISSEN/DAIRY STAR

ST R

Dairy Prole brought to you by your North America dealers. Debt ceiling debate limits farm bill activity

Ag Insider www.dairystar.com

Published by Star Publications LLC

General Manager/Editor

Mark Klaphake - mark.k@dairystar.com

320-352-6303 (ofce)

320-248-3196 (cell)

320-352-0062 (home)

Ad Composition - 320-352-6303

Nancy Powell • nancy.p@dairystar.com

Karen Knoblach • karen.k@star-pub.com

Annika Gunderson • annika@star-pub.com

Editorial Staff

Tiffany Klaphake - Assistant Editor

320-352-6303 • tiffany.k@dairystar.com

Maria Bichler - Assistant Editor

320-352-6303 • maria.b@dairystar.com

Danielle Nauman - Staff Writer

608-487-1101 • danielle.n@dairystar.com

Stacey Smart - Staff Writer

262-442-6666 • stacey.s@dairystar.com

Abby Wiedmeyer - Staff Writer

608-487-4812 • abby.w@dairystar.com

Grace Jeurissen - Staff Writer

320-352-6303 • grace.j@star-pub.com

Jan Lefebvre - Staff Writer

320-290-5980 • jan.l@star-pub.com

Amy Kyllo - Staff Writer amy.k@star-pub.com

Consultant

Jerry Jennissen 320-346-2292

Fax: 320-352-5647

Deadline is 5 p.m. of the Friday the week before publication

Sales Manager - Joyce Frericks

320-352-6303 • joyce@dairystar.com

Mark Klaphake (Western MN)

320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell)

Laura Seljan (National Advertising, SE MN)

507-250-2217 • fax: 507-634-4413 laura.s@dairystar.com

Jerry Nelson (SW MN, NW Iowa, South Dakota)

605-690-6260 • jerry.n@dairystar.com

Mike Schafer (Central, South Central MN)

320-894-7825 • mike.s@dairystar.com

Amanda Hoeer (Eastern Iowa, Southwest Wisconsin)

320-250-2884 • amanda.h@dairystar.com

Megan Stuessel (Western Wisconsin)

608-387-1202 • megan.s@dairystar.com

Kati Kindschuh (Northeast WI and Upper MI)

920-979-5284 • kati.k@dairystar.com

Julia Mullenbach (Southeast MN and Northeast IA)

507-438-7739 • julia.m@star-pub.com

Bob Leukam (Northern MN, East Central MN) 320-260-1248 (cell) bob.l@star-pub.com

Deadlines

One year subscription $40.00, outside the U.S. $200.00. Send check along with mailing address to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378.

National Council of Farmer Cooperatives President and CEO Chuck Conner is optimistic about the upcoming farm bill debate but is concerned about the lack of activity. Conner said Congress is consumed with the debt ceiling issue. “It’s sort of taken all the oxygen out of the room,” Conner said. “By the time that’s resolved, I fear the clock may just be working too much against us to get the farm bill done this fall or even by the holidays.”

“I’ve been working hard to really try and get agriculture out front of this climate debate in a way that is very, very pro-farmer,” Conner said. The NCFC annual meeting was held this past week. Labor shortages were a top issue at that meeting. Conner said labor is the reason many farm cooperatives have postponed plans for expansion.

Decit continues to grow

Without action to raise the debt ceiling, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Ofce said the United States could default on its debt as soon as July. CBO Director Phillip Swagel also reported the U.S. decit totals $1.4 trillion. “The federal debt held by the public is projected to rise from 98% of GDP in 2023 to 118% in 2033,” Swagel said. “Over that period, the growth of interest costs and mandatory spending outpaces the growth of revenue. Those factors persist beyond 2033 pushing federal debt higher still to 195% of GDP in 2053.”

Seeking change in federal orders

New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand plans to reintroduce the Dairy Pricing Opportunity Act. This bill was rst introduced in 2021. It calls for the Secretary of Ag-

riculture to initiate the process of Federal Milk Marketing Order hearings within six months. American Dairy Coalition CEO Laurie Fischer praised this announcement, saying the Class I pricing formula needs to be modernized.

Dairy industry weighs in over school lunches

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s recent proposals for school nutrition and the Women, Infants and Children program addressed salt, added sugars and whole grains. International Dairy Foods Association Senior Vice President Matt Herrick said the proposal could potentially eliminate chocolate milk from elementary and middle school meals. “There’s a 60-day comment period the (USDA) opened up, and we’re working to make our voices heard,” Herrick said. Studies throughout the country have evaluated the use of low-fat avored milk in schools. “They have low-fat avored milk on the menu and then remove it, and they measure the reaction from those kids,” Herrick said. “What they end up seeing in those instances is there’s lower participation rst (in school meals), and they see a lot of waste. When they add low-fat, avored milk back, kids are actually participating more in the program and they’re eating more of their meals.” Herrick said this recent proposal conicts with USDA’s own dietary guidelines.

and articles

of

Lindell Sales & Service Cannon Falls, MN

HammellEquipment Chatfield, MN Eitzen, MN

Adkins Equipment Detroit Lakes, MN

Isaacson Sales

& Service Lafayette, MN Blue Hilltop Lake Wilson, MN Schlauderaff Implement Litchfield, MN Fluegge’sAg Mora, MN Northland Farm Systems Owatonna, MN Lake Henry Implement Paynesville, MN Minnesota Ag Group Plainview, MN Dairyland Supply Sauk Centre, MN Woller Equipment Swanville, MN WernerImplement Vermillion, MN Anderson Bros. Edgeley, ND Duppong's, Inc. Glen Ullin, ND Enerbase Cooperative Minot, ND Roeder Brothers Inc. Bellevue, IA Maquoketa, IA Kunau Implement DeWitt, IA Preston, IA Bodensteiner Implement Elkader, IA Rexco Equipment Farley, IA Burco Sales Independence, IA Engel Agri-Sales Sac City, IA DeeImplement of Waukon Waukon, IA PS 200 Series ProSpread ® Rear-Discharge Spreaders WORLDWIDE LEADER IN SPREADING TECHNOLOGY Designed to meet the needs of any farming or industrial operati on. Our innovative, high-quality spreaders provide superior performance with years of low-maintenance service. PXL 100 Series ProSpread ® Rear-Discharge Spreaders 1200 Series EasySpread ® Rear-Discharge Spreaders HP 160 ProPush ® Rear-Discharge Spreaders SL 100 Series ProTwin ® Slinger ® Side-Discharge Spreaders

INVEST IN QUALITY ® www.kuhn.com KuhnNorthAmerica.com I NVEST w ww.k u hn.com KuhnNorthAmeric

www.kuhn.com

‘19 S-450, Glass Cab & Heater, 2500 Hrs ....$24,500

‘18 Cat 236D, 775 Hours .............................$43,900

‘14 Toro 22321, 1251 Hours, Tracks Good, Gas ............................................................$15,900

‘17 MT-85, 1350 Hours................................$17,500

USED TILLAGE

‘16 W-R 13QX2 53’, 3 Bar Harrow

w/Rolling Baskets ......................................$69,500

‘12 W-R 13QX2 50’, 5 Bar Spike Harrow .....$28,500

‘12 W-R 13QX2 47’, 3 Bar Harrow

w/Rolling Baskets ......................................$34,500

‘04 W-R Excel 38’, 4 Bar Harrow .................$12,900

W-R 3400, 30’ 4 Bar Harrow .........................$4,500

(3) W-R 513 Soil Pro, 9 Shank ...Starting at $25,000

‘17 W-R 657, 13’ 3 Bar Mulcher ..................$17,500

‘11 W-R 5800 Chisel Plow, 39’ ....................$25,500

‘02 Case I-H 9300, 9 Shank Disc Ripper ......$16,900

DMI ET5 Ripper .............................................$7,500

J-D 2700 Plow, 4 Bottom, Vari Width ............$1,500

Kewanee 1020, 21’ Disk ................................$2,750

USED PLANTERS

White 6100, 12x30, Verticle Fold .................$10,900 White 6700, 12x30, Verticle Fold ...................$7,500

Case I-H 900, 12x30, 3 Point .........................$4,950

USED HAY EQUIPMENT

‘12 N-H H-7450, 13’ Discbine, Drawbar Swivel ..........................................$20,500

‘05 N-H 1431, 13’ Discbine, Std Hitch .........$14,900

‘95 N-H 499, 12’ Haybine...............................$4,250

‘97 N-H 1465, 9’ Haybine...............................$9,500

N-H 492, 9’ Haybine.................................$6,500

Idea 5209 ...............................................$6,500

Deere 260 Dsicmower...........................$3,500

790, 824 Cornhead, Hayhead .................$7,950

500TSS Forage Box ............................$7,500

N-H 460 Rd Baler, CropCutter ................$28,500

N-H 648 Rd Baler, Twine Only, Nice Shape$9,000

N-H 660 Rd Baler .....................................$4,950

N-H BC-5060 Baler w/thrower ...............$24,900

H&S HDX-17, 17 Wheel Rake ................$12,900

144 Invertor............................................$2,500

USED MISC (2) N-H 185 Spreader ...................Starting at $6,500

Supply, demand estimate updated

According to the USDA World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates, the forecast for milk production totals 228.3 billion pounds. That’s down 900 million pounds from the previous estimate. A downturn in the milk price is also inuencing the expected number of cows in the U.S. dairy herd.

Record dairy exports

U.S. dairy export sales were record high in both value and production in 2022. According to USDA, dairy exports totaled $9.5 billion in value last year. That beats the 2021 record by 25%. Sales totaled 2.8 million metric tons in volume, up 52% in the past 10 years. The U.S. dairy industry now exports 18% of all milk production.

USTR renews Canadian dairy policy challenge

The United States is challenging Canada’s use of dairy tariff-rate-quotas through the U.S.-Mexico-Canada dispute settlement panel. “We would expect to have a response and a nding from the panel in 2023,” said Doug McKalip, U.S. ag trade ambassador. “We think our dairy farmers are in a very solid position.

Advocating for a healthy ag budget

Minnesota’s February budget forecast will likely push the budget surplus beyond the current record level of $18 billion. “That will be good news if we have an increase,” said House Agriculture Committee Chair Samantha Vang. “What is most important for me is advocating for a healthy ag budget so we can do good things.” Priorities include climate resiliency, meat processing and support for next-generation farmers.

Fischbach joins budget committee

Minnesota Rep. Michelle Fischbach has been appointed to the House Budget Committee. Fischbach was already a member of the Ways and Means Committee and the Rules Committee.

Torres Small nominated for Deputy Ag Secretary post President Joe Biden has nominated Xochitl Torres Small to be the next Deputy Secretary of Agriculture. Torres Small is currently the USDA

Undersecretary for Rural Development and previously represented New Mexico in Congress. Torres Small succeeds Deputy Secretary Jewell Bronaugh, who is stepping down. USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service Administrator Kevin Shea will serve as the acting deputy secretary in the interim.

USDA promotes Mayberry

Mia Mayberry has been promoted to chief of staff for the undersecretary of marketing and regulatory programs. Most recently, Mayberry was the acting deputy assistant for administration. Before joining USDA, Mayberry was the deputy of outreach for Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and was the deputy national political director for Klobuchar’s presidential campaign.

Minnesota Livestock Hall of Fame inductees named

The latest inductees into the Minnesota Livestock Hall of Fame have been announced. The honorees are purebred Holstein breeders Jerry and Linda Jennissen of Brooten; Hereford cattle breeder Jerry Delaney of Lake Benton; dairy farmers Fran and Mary Ann Miron of Hugo and the late Dr. Harry Rajamannan, who developed ova transfers and cryo-preservation in cattle production. Portraits of the inductees will be hung in Haecker Hall on the University of MinnesotaSt. Paul campus. The recognition will be given at the Minnesota Livestock Breeder’s Association annual meeting March 9 in St. Paul.

Trivia challenge

In 1963, John Deere started producing and selling lawn and garden tractors. That answers our last trivia. For this week’s trivia, what snowmobile brand introduced the Pantera, Puma and Kitty Cat models? We will have the answer in our 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.

service,” Emmer said. “They represent the best of the 6th District.”

As majority whip for the House of Representatives, Emmer was allowed three guests for the State of the Union. Other Congress members could invite only one guest. Besides Molitor and Anderson, Emmer invited his wife, Jacquie.

When Molitor arrived at Emmer’s ofce Feb. 7, she had the chance to visit with him in a small group.

“Emmer is a big advocate for young farmers, so he was really interested in hearing what is going on,” Molitor said.

After the meeting, Molitor and other guests were invited to attend the Speaker of the House Reception in the speaker’s ofce.

“That was really cool because I got to meet Kevin McCarthy,” Molitor said. “The reception was fun because I was rubbing shoulders with all of these Congress people and their guests. Being a guest at something like that really leveled the playing eld. Everyone was there for a reason, and everyone was interested in what that reason was.”

Molitor said she was impressed with how authentic and down-to-earth everyone seemed there.

When it was time to assemble for the president’s speech, Molitor and

other guests gathered in the gallery, located in the upper level of the House of Representatives. From there, they could observe the event.

“Being in the House chamber itself was an honor,” Molitor said. “It’s not anywhere I ever expected to be. To be in the same room with all of the leaders of our nation, it was a really neat experience.”

The gallery’s design allowed for close viewing.

“The House chamber is smaller than one might think,” Molitor said.

“Looking down onto the senators and the representatives, you could see their facial expressions. You could denitely see people that you know about.”

Being there allowed her to experience the emotions of the atmosphere.

“You could tell there was energy in the room,” Molitor said. “People were excited to be there.”

Although Molitor enjoyed being in the heart of the political arena, she said it does not make her want to pivot to a career in politics. However, she does see value in knowing one’s representatives in government.

“It does make me realize that your relationship with your elected ofcials does make an impact,” Molitor said. “For example, being on the Stearns County Farm Bureau Board, we host events on dairy farms called Farm Bureau Friends on the Farm, where we ask local ofcials to attend, and they meet with farmers for one-on-one conversations. I think events like these are important.”

Right after Molitor received the call from Emmer’s ofce, she called Dan Glessing, the president of Minnesota Farm Bureau.

“He told me I should do it, to not pass it up,” Molitor said. “I’m so glad I did it.”

Farm Bureau stepped in to help make Molitor’s trip easier. They sent someone to help Molitor navigate Washington, D.C. and get to Emmer’s ofce.

“They were really generous,” Molitor said.

Back in Minnesota, Molitor said she is still processing her experience.

“It was a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Molitor said. “When would I ever get the chance to do something like this again?”

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Hannah Molitor received this invita�on to a recep�on she a�ended at the office of U.S. Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy, Feb. 7 in Washington, D.C. Molitor was at the Capitol as a guest of U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer for the State of the Union.

The updated parlor has been in the process of fruition of a long time.

The Woodards bought the rst of their two farms in 1998. They built their 87-stall, sand-bedded freestall barn in 2003. Their old step-up parlor was installed in 2005. Originally, the plan was to remain in that setup for ve years. However, the dairy economy of 2009, a stroke Jimmy suffered in 2012 and the building of a 30-stall dry cow freestall barn in 2014 pushed the parlor transition back.

Jimmy said the cows seemed to adjust to the parlor for the rst milking.

“Nobody missed a beat; they all milked out the rst time,” Jimmy said.

The Woodards had six people to help with the rst milking, and the whole process took them two hours. Michelle said the hardest part of that rst milking was getting the cows to be used to the windows in the parlor. The Woodards were milking by themselves after only six milkings.

Michelle said they were concerned

their somatic cell count might increase because of the unit switch, but their SCC did not go up when they transitioned into the parlor. The Woodards, who ship their milk to Associated Milk Producers Inc., have an SCC around 150,000.

The Woodards hope to increase their herd and milk 150 cows by this fall. They have been building their heifer inventory so they can transition heifers directly into the parlor. Currently, they have around 60 heifers, half of which are bred to calve in. They also plan to buy around 20 cows in the meantime.

The parlor addition features high ceilings which were built to accommodate their future dream of putting in a vertical indexing system. The parlor has wide, gradual, cement steps going down into one side of the pit and metal steps on the other side. Jimmy wanted the cement steps because he was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis four years ago. In the front of the parlor, there are several large windows that add natural light.

Comfort wise, the parlor is heated with a radiant heater. Eventually, the inoor heat will also be ready. The deck and the pit have rubber oor mats.

The Woodards used many contractors for building and installation. Lang’s Dairy Equipment, of Decorah, Iowa, installed the milking system. Jimmy said the last four days before the transition, the dairy equipment installation team was there from 8 a.m. until 11:30 p.m., often with four or ve men working during that

time to make sure they would hit the Jan. 25 deadline. During the project, they also remodeled their heifer shed by putting in electricity, water fountains and concrete mangers.

With multiple contractors working on different areas, there were days when the Woodards’ yard was full.

“I’ve got video – seven trucks in the yard and 12 different workers here for two or three days,” Jimmy said.

The Woodards said others looking to undertake a similar project should set clear expectations and dates in place when working with contractors.

Michelle said she is happy with the work the contractors did.

“All of our contractors are just amazing,” she said. “They all did a really great job.”

Because they had multiple contractors, Jimmy said he wanted to foster collaboration.

“We had a meeting prior to start,” he said. “I just asked them to please respect each other’s time because you all have other work to be doing and other jobs. If you work together, it’ll ow better.”

With every building and renovation project, the Woodards said they try to envision how the current project could tie into a future project.

“So, when we built the other barns, we always left rebar and water lines stubbed out so we could tie in and do the next step,” Jimmy said.

In the future, the Woodards are considering converting the old barn they milked in into housing for dry cows.

GRACE JEURISSEN/DAIRY STAR

The Woodards started milking in their new double-8 parallel parlor Jan. 25. They milk around 100 cows.

passionate.”

Grace serves as the Holdingford FFA Chapter president, participates in the milk quality and products career development event, the employment skills leadership development event and has had three supervised agricultural experiences.

Abby, likewise, heard about the experiences of her parents and was able to see rst-hand how Grace ourished within the program.

“I saw how far Grace got to go with FFA and how much she and my parents enjoyed it,” Abby said. “I also had a friend encourage me to join the oriculture team she was on.”

Holdingford expanded its agriculture program and added a new teacher for middle school, so now students can participate in FFA while in seventh and eighth grade.

That was not the case when Grace joined the chapter.

“I took an ag class the summer going into my ninth-grade year because I really wanted to be in FFA,” Grace said. “Now, we have a bunch of kids in seventh and eighth grade.”

That includes Abby, an eighth

grader at Holdingford Public Schools, who joined the chapter this year. Patty said Grace was more inclined to give FFA a try on her own.

“Abby was on the fence, and we encouraged her to get involved in something,” Patty said. “We are glad she chose FFA.”

Patty was a member of the Holdingford FFA Chapter from 1996 until she graduated in 1998. She was the chapter secretary and was on the oriculture team.

“It’s a great way to try new things,” Patty said. “You don’t have to know a thing about a cow, but you don’t know until you try it. You might like it. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there.”

Patty did not grow up on a farm but embraced FFA. She said she is grateful for the experience.

“For me, it was a place to belong,” Patty said. “Even now, I’m proud to say that I was in (FFA). It really is a community. Keith and I are also involved in our local FFA Alumni chapter.”

Keith was a member of the chapter from 1995-98. He was a member of the dairy judging team and was chapter president his senior year.

“FFA taught me to set goals and to work toward those goals, to work hard and to keep trying,” Keith said.

Turn to WOITALLAS | Page 9

TIFFANY KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR

Grace (front, from le ) and Abby; Keith (back, from le ), Pa y, Kris and Kurt Woitalla gather Feb. 17 at their farm near Holdingford, Minnesota. All of the Woitallas have been members of the Holdingford FFA Chapter.

Kurt began his FFA journey in 1988 and stayed active through his senior year with being president of the chapter and obtaining his State FFA Degree.

All of the elder Woitallas said there are fewer FFA activities today outside of the contests and fewer members at their alma mater.

“There are fewer farm kids now,” Patty said. “It’s harder to get kids without that agriculture background involved because so many just assume it’s just for farm kids.”

Kurt said they made memories during activities outside of FFA contests.

“We would have open gym nights with movies and pizza and just open gym time,” Kurt said.

Keith agreed.

“We would have one ice shing day and one day of shing in the summer,” he said.

Going to rodeos, state conventions, pizza nights and attending the National FFA Convention were just some of the many memories for the senior Woitallas.

“My biggest highlight was going to the National FFA Convention in Kansas City, Missouri,” Kurt said.

Everyone agreed going to National FFA Convention was an opportunity they are glad to have had. The sea of blue jackets created by tens of thousands of high schoolers passionate about agriculture is a sight most FFA members will never forget.

“We also got to go on tours while there,” Kurt said. “I got to tour the John Deere tractor factory in Moline, Iowa.”

Now, they see the next generation gaining FFA experiences and memories. Grace competed at the National FFA Convention with her SAE in forage production when she was a sophomore, but that was in 2020 when the convention was held virtually. She did attend the National FFA Convention this past fall in Indianapolis, Indiana.

“I received a silver placing at nationals, and to me, that was a pretty big deal considering I was up against (competitors from) states with farmers who raise thousands of acres and I am from small-town central Minnesota,” Grace said.

Once an FFA member wins the state contest in any eld, they are not allowed to compete in that area again. The same goes for nationals. Grace switched to diversied crop production and added dairy production as well. She continues with agricultural services, which she began in 2018.

“I like a lot of it, but I like lling out my prociencies because then I can show off all my hard work over the summer, my knowledge and experience,” Grace said. “I also really enjoy being an ofcer, especially president, because then I get to help make the decisions for the chapter and help lead new members into having a successful FFA career.”

At every opportunity, Grace likes telling others about FFA and all the organization has to offer.

“FFA is not just about agriculture,” Grace said. “You should get out and experience it. It’s a great way to try new things.”

Kurt agreed.

“It’s also neat to know that you are a part of a national organization,” he said. “It’s not just a local thing. There are hundreds of thousands of members across the country.”

Just like countless other FFA members, each of the Woitallas learned about agriculture, leadership and career opportunities through the program.

“I have learned a lot with FFA, especially when doing my SAEs and learning about the different career choices,” Grace said.

Being involved with FFA enhanced Grace’s interested in agriculture. This fall, she plans to attend Ridgewater College in Willmar for agribusiness management.

“I’m doing a crop emphasis, and my time on the farm and doing the SAEs helped inuence that decision,” Grace said.

Keith and Patty said they love to hear from their daughters about their FFA events.

“I am very proud to see my girls in FFA and doing as well as they are,” Keith said. “It’s fun to see them come home from contests and hear they did well.”

Patty agreed.

“People can be in different sports and that’s great, but FFA is learning how to interview, how to public speak, how to lead a program, how to run governmental processes,” Patty said. “It’s a much more rounding experience for the student that is in it if they choose to be active.”

Birds just love this barn. The webs in these trusses are easy nest areas for birds. They also

Lotion a protable value-added product for Popp

By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

UNITY, Wis. – Michelle Popp spent several years exploring options to add value to the milk produced by her small herd of Jersey cows before nding the one she felt might work for her.

Popp milks 26 Jerseys on her Clark County dairy farm near Unity.

“I started out thinking I wanted to bottle A2A2 milk, but anyway I looked at that, the capital investment required made it cost prohibitive for me,” Popp said.

Not giving up on her desire to create a value-added product to diversify her farm, Popp continued her search until she found the idea that worked for her.

“I just woke up one morning with the idea that I would explore making lotion from milk produced by my cows,” Popp said. “It turned out to be the perfect answer for me. It requires less labor, minimal investment and has a longer shelf life than food products would. And, it has turned out to be protable for me.”

Popp shared her story of creating a value-added business with oth-

Smooth as silk

er women in agriculture

Feb. 14 at the University of Wisconsin-Extension’s VITAL program in Milladore.

After about six months of research, experimentation and sharing samples of her lotion to gain feedback, Popp launched Jersey Girls Lotion February 2022, placing her lotions in small, local businesses and attending craft shows. To market her lotion, she needed only to obtain a Wisconsin seller’s permit through the Wisconsin Department of Revenue.

“Milk is the main ingredient in my lotions, and they are all natural,” Popp said. “That was very important to me; I messed around with the recipes until I came up with one I liked that was primarily milk.”

As a matter of choice, Popp pasteurizes the milk she uses for the lotions using an Instant Pot.

Popp produces lotions of seven scent varieties, including one that is unscented. Popp scents her lotions using essential oils.

Popp makes her lotions on an asneeded basis and has been working to discern trends in the demand. In

between milking, Popp said she can make up to four varieties of lotion.

“I have two sets of equipment to make the lotion,” Popp said. “One set can be in the dishwasher while I’m making the next batch. I use clean equipment between every batch to keep the scents pure.”

One batch of lotion yields about 7 quarts, and each 7-quart batch uses 88 ounces of milk. Popp packages her lotions in four sizes: 8-ounce tubs, 8-ounce pumps, 4-ounce bottles and 2-ounce bottles.

Once she found a recipe she was happy with, Popp started thinking about the marketing and branding of her product. She solicited name ideas from her family, and the suggestion of Jersey Girls was the one that most appealed to her.

“The lotion is about my cows, so this name really says it all,” Popp said.

Throughout her rst year in business, Popp has learned much about marketing her product.

“I have been able to experiment

and just try new things to see what works,” Popp said. “Because of the limited scope and investment, I am able to take those chances. I’m not relying on this for a primary income.”

In her marketing journey thus far, Popp has relied on both social media and word-of-mouth promotion.

“I’ve given away a lot of lotion this past year, just getting people familiar with it and being able to get their feedback,” Popp said. “I’ve donated quite a few baskets for fundraisers. I like to do that because I can. It’s a way I can give back.” Popp has also connected with customers at craft and vendor fairs and other events.

“I didn’t think I’d love spending my Saturdays at craft fairs, but I learned that I actually do,” Popp said. “It’s a great way to connect with the public to educate them about agriculture and the story of

DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR

Michelle Popp displays varie es of Jersey Girls Lo on at the University of Wisconsin-Extension’s VITAL program Feb. 14 in Milladore, Wisconsin. Popp launched her value-added side business by making lo on from milk produced on her dairy farm.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Michelle Popp’s herd of Jersey cows serve as the inspira on behind the milkbased lo ons she developed and markets under the Jersey Girls Lo on brand. This photo became the image Popp chose to use in her logo. Turn

my own dairy farm.”

In addition to her lotions, Popp offers canvas prints and notecards made from the photos she has taken around her farm. While Popp said she does not sell many photographs, they serve as a way to open conversations about her farm with consumers.

With a rst year of experience and learning under her belt, Popp is looking forward to the future with the protable business she has created. To increase her market share, Popp said she would like to venture

Michelle Popp lls an 8-ounce pump bo le with newly made Jersey Girls Lo on. Popp pasteurizes the milk she uses for her lo ons using an Instant Pot.

into the world of online sales and is considering opening an Etsy store for that purpose.

From a product development standpoint, Popp said she is exploring other non-food products made with milk, such as shampoos and lip balms.

Popp said others who want to nd a value-added product for their farm should adopt an open-minded attitude and persevere to nd the path that best ts the situation.

“I never thought this would become something I would love so much,” Popp said. “Having a positive attitude is so important in going after the things you want in life. I believe your current thoughts become your future life.”

DHIA FIELD REPRESENTATIVE PROFILE

What counties or area do you cover? Most herds are in Morrison county, but I also test herds in Crow Wing, Todd and Otter Tail counties.

What do you enjoy about the farmers you work with?

since 1995

I have great respect for all the work and dedication that dairy farmers, their families, and employees have for their animals. I enjoy seeing the results of all they do. I also enjoy the fact that a lot of dairies I am working with are the second generation. I’ve watched them grow up and take over.

What do you like about your work for DHIA? Every day is a new day. I have been in barns in many counties. Every one is different, but they make it work.

What do you do in your free time? I enjoy spending time with my grandchildren in Minnesota and Nebraska. I enjoy gardening and cutting rewood. I am also active in American Legion Post 136 in Flensburg.

DHIA: Now MORE than ever

Sauk Centre, MN Buffalo, MN 763.682.1091

www.mndhia.org

“I enjoy seeing the results of all that farmers do.”

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Milking in isolation

Davis dairy reaches out to educate in Iowa

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

Editor’s note: This is the third story in a series highlighting families who are the last dairy farm to operate within their respective counties across our coverage area. Dairy Star hopes to shed light on the industry’s landscape surrounding these farms and how these isolated farms thrive.

In the Feb. 11 issue of Dairy Star, we featured Randy and Sue Henke and their children, Wilton and Sigryn, who milk 200 cows in a double-7 herringbone parlor on their Oliver County farm near Hannover, North Dakota.

In the Jan. 28 issue of Dairy Star, we featured Scott and Darlys Albrecht and their youngest son, Dallas, of Mizpah, Minnesota. They milk 90 cows in a double-10 parabone parlor in Koochiching County.

Read their stories at www.dairystar. com.

GILMORE CITY, Iowa – Dairy farming in north central Iowa makes for uncertain plans.

“I really don’t know about the future because I don’t know how long milk will still be picked up in my area,” Glenn Davis said. “If that would end, I’d be forced out.”

Glenn and his partner, Tracie Phil-

lips, and brother, Bruce, manage the only dairy farm in Humboldt County near the town of Gilmore City. They milk 75 cows, mostly Holsteins with a few crossbreds, in a double-5 herringbone parlor. They also grow corn, soybeans, hay and oats on 600 acres.

“I’ve got to go 15 miles to the north to get to the next dairy, but I can go 30 miles to the south and 50 miles to the east of me,” Glenn said. “My good friend just quit last year, and he lived 7 miles to the west of me. Now, the next dairy farm (to the west) is probably 40 miles.”

Associated Milk Producers Inc. picks up and processes the milk from the Davis farm. A truck comes every other

day and brings the milk to the AMPI cheese plant in Sanborn.

“It’s not looking good since we’re out here alone in the middle of nowhere,” Glenn said. “I’m going to have trouble getting the truck to come in.”

It was not always that way in Humboldt County. Glenn and Bruce are the third generation on the farm.

“When I was in high school, there were six of us in our family besides Mom and Dad, and when people wanted to go on vacation, I’d go milk their cows,” Glenn said. “I helped in four different setups, and they’re all gone.”

Glenn said he has memories of a dairy farming community.

“We all worked together as kids,” Glenn said. “We’d go help the neighbors bale hay. Now, I’m basically the only one that has any hay around the area.”

Glenn has to plan ahead because the support once available in the area is no longer there.

“The next hard part is to make sure you have supplies,” he said. “I have enough supplies to get me by for about three months. I’ve got a route man who comes every two months, so I’ve got to think in advance about what parts I might need.”

Without other dairy farmers nearby, Glenn said it has become difcult to connect with the community because events are no longer scheduled around the farming lifestyle.

“Being out here, you’re kind of a loner because you have nobody who understands that when it’s milking time, the operation shuts down and you head to the barn,” Glenn said. “All the meetings – such as church boards and things like that – are at 5 p.m. There is no way I could join organizations because (meetings) are moved up to their convenience, not mine.”

Glenn said Tracie, who did not grow up on a dairy farm, has also encountered an obstacle in connecting with community.

“Most of the friends Tracie has are elderly and can relate to her from their younger life in farming,” Glenn said. “The women and men of her age don’t have a clue what it is like (to dairy farm) anymore. It’s a forgotten art.”

Tracie began farming with Glenn in 2006. Two years later, an opportunity arose for them to highlight the importance of dairy farms even as those farms

PHOTO BY AARON THOMAS

Glenn Davis (from le ) and his parents, Lawrence and Lois Davis, and Glenn’s partner, Tracie Phillips, display the most recent aerial photograph of their farm Feb. 7 near Gilmore City, Iowa. Glenn and his brother, Bruce (not pictured), are the third genera on on the family’s farm.

were in decline in their area.

An elementary teacher in a nearby town, who had attended school in Gilmore City, contacted Glenn and Tracie when her school’s eldtrip had been canceled. She asked if the students could visit the Davis farm instead. Tracie said she expected around 20 kids to arrive.

“When they came, there were 60 kids that got off the bus,” Tracie said.

That day inspired a mission of sorts for Tracie and Glenn.

“We quickly got things organized, and it’s kept growing from there,” Tracie said. “Sometimes you just have to get out of your comfort zone.”

What she and Glenn named Dairy Day has been happening one day each spring ever since that rst event, with neighbors joining in to add animals and activities for children to enjoy. This year’s Dairy Day is May 12, and the event keeps growing.

“Over the 15 years, we’ve added something new or different every year,” Tracie said. “Last year, we added butter churning, corn shelling and corn grinding.”

More than 400 elementary, pre-K and day care students from a variety of schools, some over 40 miles away, attended last year’s event. Dairy Day now offers around 28 stations, allowing students to ask questions and experience agriculture rst-hand.

“We even have someone show how to make rope,” Glenn said. “The kids get to make a jump rope and bring it home.”

A demonstration shows the children what and how much a cow eats per day.

“The kids go nuts because each of the ingredients has a different smell to it,” Glenn said.

“We also have milk jugs tied to the silo to show how much milk a cow produces in a day.”

Visitors watch a cow being milked, and clear buckets are used for the demonstration so kids can see the milk.

Neighbors bring a host of other animals such as llamas, alpacas, sheep, a miniature horse and a miniature donkey for petting. One neighbor

brings a Clydesdale, sometimes accompanied by a foal, and another neighbor brings in a team of horses and gives wagon rides. The farm also has chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys and a few pigs.

“We really want to educate the kids that their milk doesn’t just appear in the store; it comes from somewhere,” Tracie said. “The kids love it. We have another school that wants to come this year that has never come before.”

Glenn said he looks forward to the event each year.

“The best thing about it (for visitors) is that it’s all free,” Glenn said. “How can you put

a dollar amount on a smiling kid’s face?”

The couple said they see the importance of Dairy Day as an educational tool. They are reminded when they see so many children and adults who have no previous experience with farms and little knowledge of where their food comes from.

Once, when a calf was being born during Dairy Day, Glenn and Tracie said they were surprised the adults present were divided between whether or not the children should be allowed to watch what is a common occurrence on a farm.

“We’re not just educating the kids,” Tracie said. “We’re

educating the parents too.”

However, Dairy Day can only continue if the Davis dairy farm can continue, and that depends on several factors.

Of Glenn’s three adult daughters and Tracie’s teenage son, only the oldest daughter, Amanda Davis, is interested in taking over the farm. She works off the farm but is ready to step in when 62-year-old Glenn is ready to hand over the reins. But, Amanda is not interested in milking cows.

“She loves everything else – feeding the cows, eldwork, haying, the baby calves – she just doesn’t like the barn,” Glenn said. “Unless she can nd someone to take over the milking part, that part might end.”

In the meantime, Glenn and Tracie continue their routine.

“We don’t have any hills or pasture; everything we have down here (in Humboldt County) is at land and farmable,” Glenn said. “I can look out across the eld and see if everyone’s doing what they are supposed to be doing, and I don’t even have to get out of my house.”

However, Glenn does have to go to the barn to milk cows twice each day, a chore he said he does not mind doing.

“I’m still here,” Glenn said. “My good friend was milking 120 cows, … and he just up and said, ‘That’s it.’ He’s done. I’m not able to do that yet. I enjoy my job and treat it as a hobby, a way of life, and the farm is a place my kids can come to and say, ‘This is home.’”

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Glenn Davis talks with elementary students May 13, 2022, on his farm near Gilmore City, Iowa. Davis and his partner, Tracie Phillips, host Dairy Day on their farm each spring to teach young kids about where their food comes from.

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

Dan Lindahl Lindstrom, Minnesota Chisago County

120 cows

What is your current somatic cell count? Our current SCC is 69,000.

What does your milking procedure consist of? We milk in a swing-8 parlor. Eight cows are predipped with a peroxide predip. Then, they are dried with paper towels and the units are attached. Then, we post dip with a 1% iodine barrier.

Throughout your years of dairying, what were the biggest changes you made to decrease your SCC? Ten years ago, we switched from tie stalls to free stalls with sand bedding. Their comfort level went way up, and their SCC went way down.

What preventative measures are critical to keep your SCC low? I think many things make up a good SCC. I’m a big believer in genetics. I only use bulls with low SCC, high health traits and really good udder traits so they have good textured, square udders that milk out well. When we dry up the cows, we use no dry cow treatment and just seal them with sealant. Dry cows are housed in the sand-bedded freestall barn with access to pasture in the summer. We have an awesome route truck technician who keeps our milking system running properly. I also think keeping the cattle as clean as possible from the time they are born until they are milking helps.

When your SCC starts to rise, what are the rst things you do to keep it in check? We make sure stalls are full of sand. We make sure the milking and wash system are working properly. We check out cows that are high on our DHIA SCC list.

What advice do you have for someone who is trying to lower their SCC? Just keep cows and equipment as clean as possible. Use predip and milk as consistent as possible.

Tell us about your farm. We raise corn and alfalfa on around 320 acres. Our milk is sold to Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery. I farm with my brother, Kevin. We milk 100 cows in a swing-8 parlor. My wife, Jeri, son, Ethan, and daughter, Alexa, help when needed. Also, Ana Anderson and Brennen Kreuger help milk in the evenings.

What preventative measures keep your SCC low?

Jessica Mueller

Mt. Vernon, South Dakota Davison County

90 cows

What is your current somatic cell count?

My somatic cell count is currently 120,000.

What does your milking procedure consist of?

When starting the milking process, I wipe the sand off each cow and dip with Theratec Plus. Then, I dry them off with a paper towel. In the winter months, I use Derma Sept.

Throughout your years of dairying, what were the biggest changes you made to decrease your SCC? The best change we made was building the freestall barn and bedding the stalls with sand.

What preventative measures are critical to keep your SCC low? It’s very nice to have my Dairy Herd Improvement Association current. It always helps me to identify my high somatic cell cows and monitor the herd’s performance.

When your SCC starts to rise, what are the rst things you do to keep it in check? I always strip my fresh cows for a good week after calving and use Udder Comfort and Fight Bac on them. Any high somatic cell cows are put in the bucket, and we use Spectramast rst on any cow with mastitis. We also use Quartermaster at dry off.

What advice do you have for someone who is trying to lower their SCC? My advice to anyone trying to lower your somatic cell count is to try and keep your stalls as dry and clean as possible. Always know your high cows.

Tell us about your farm. We have been milking since the early 1980s when my dad purchased the farm. I farm with my family and milk 90 Holsteins and Jerseys. We sell our milk to Dairy Farmers of America. Throughout the years, we have made several signicant upgrades to our facilities as our milking operations grew. We raise and breed our replacement heifers, and the steers are sold at 600 pounds. In addition to milking, we raise alfalfa, oats and corn. My brother, Justin, provides custom chopping for haylage and corn silage for several local farmers.

Star Blends has been helping Midwest farm families by providing, high-quality feed, dairy nutrition, and commodity contracting for more than 20 years.

Our state of the art mill can accuratelyblend anything from a custom pre-mix to complete feed,

Matt Berktold Lake City, Minnesota Wabasha County

150 cows

What is your current somatic cell count? It is at 50,000.

What does your milking procedure consist of? We prep the cows by wiping them off with paper towels, strip them out, milk them and post dip with 1% iodine.

Throughout your years of dairying, what were the biggest changes you made to decrease your SCC? We switched to all sand bedding for the milk cows. Also, we are able to have enough replacement heifers so we can cull high SCC cows.

What preventative measures are critical to keep your SCC low? We dry treat everyone and keep them clean and dry.

When your SCC starts to rise, what are the rst things you do to keep it in check? We make sure cow prep is being done thoroughly. We look for chronic cows and make sure equipment is working properly.

What advice do you have for someone who is trying to lower their SCC? Go over your milking procedure and consider selling some cows that have consistently high SCC.

Tell us about your farm. I farm with my father, Tony. We milk 150 cows and fatten out all of our steers. We raise alfalfa, corn and soybeans. We ship our milk to Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery in Ellsworth, Wisconsin.

in balancing diets, or work with your private nutritionist or dairy consultant.

Contact Star Blends at: 800-462-4125 or StarBlends.com

Chad Waltman

Little Falls, Minnesota

Morrison County

75 cows

What is your current somatic cell count? It is currently about 50,000.

What does your milking procedure consist of? We have a double-8 swing parlor. We wipe the cows, then dip with an iodine dip and wipe off the dip to strip them.

Throughout your years of dairying, what were the biggest changes you made to decrease your SCC? We put up a freestall barn and bed with sand. After a couple years, I noticed a drop when we put up the parlor too. We started bedding with sand around 2017 and put up the parlor in 2019.

Jerry Pohlmann (not pictured and Bev and son, Aaron Pohlmann) Grey Eagle, Minnesota

Todd County

72 cows

What is your current somatic cell count? Our SCC is 47,000.

What does your milking procedure consist of? We milk at 5:15-5:30 a.m. consistently. We do not predip or strip cows before putting units on. We use paper towels dipped in Radix teat dip, and we wipe to make sure teats are clean. Units are put on 1-2 minutes later. Once the cow is done, we remove the unit and dip with Radix teat dip. Before the cows lay down after being milked, we make sure wet straw is removed, and we bed with fresh, dry chopped straw.

Throughout your years of dairying, what were the biggest changes you made to decrease your SCC? When rst taking over the family farm in 1982, the SCC was high. We tested cows through our milk plant and Dairy Herd Improvement Association, treated the high cows and culled chronic cows. We updated the pipeline to 2 inches and the vacuum line to 3 inches. We installed a Sentinel vacuum controller which helped at that time. Using paper towels and after many trials on teat dips, we found one that works for our herd and environment.

What preventative measures are critical to keep your SCC low? We try to stay on top of the bedding part, making sure the cows are dry and not overcrowding, and we make sure to treat the cows if they do come up with mastitis.

When your SCC starts to rise, what are the rst things you do to keep it in check? We make sure we know which cows don’t have mastitis and treat those that do. That’s pretty much about it.

What advice do you have for someone who is trying to lower their SCC? To be honest, I think the sand bedding is our biggest thing for a lower SCC.

Tell us about your farm. We have 240 acres. We have about 70 acres of alfalfa, and we plant 100 acres of corn. The milk is shipped to First District Association in Litcheld, Minnesota. My wife, Jolaineah, is a teacher, but she helps with feeding calves. I have one daughter, Sadie, and one son, Carter. They pretty much help with everything. They do the majority of the milking, actually. My nephew and my brother also help.

What preventative measures are critical to keep your SCC low? Keeping cows clean and dry using chopped dry wheat straw. For highproducer cows that leak, we put ground lime stone in the stall to help prevent bacteria. Dry cows are treated with Tomorrow tubes. Our milking system is checked monthly, especially the vacuum controller.

When your SCC starts to rise, what are the rst things you do to keep it in check? If we don’t notice a are up, we look at the recent fresh cows and check with a California mastitis test paddle and DHIA records. High quarters are milked in a quarter milker and stripped often for a week. If the SCC is not lowered, we treat with Today tubes.

What advice do you have for someone who is trying to lower their SCC? Keep the environment clean and dry. Have milking equipment checked regularly, especially the vacuum controller. Find a teat dip that works for your farm. Use DHIA testing for individual cow information. We use our milk plant to test individual samples and type of mastitis.

Tell us about your farm. Bev and I do the milking 99% of the time and have for 40 years. Our son, Aaron, joined us after high school. Aaron takes care of the outside animals, dry cows and heifers, eldwork, mixing feed for the milk cows and working with our nutritionist for all our rations. We own 430 acres and rent 160 acres. We grow corn, soybeans, alfalfa and triticale. Our milk is shipped to Associated Milk Producers Inc. in Paynesville. We get paid 43 cents for a SCC under 100,000.

Information at your ngertips- Easy, clean, fast. When you are looking for resources you’ll nd them on our site. Our clean, easyto-navigate site makes it simple to locate the information you’re searching for.

Kicking off year 25

What were you doing 25 years ago?

One might think conjuring up details from a quarter century ago would be a difcult pursuit, but for me, vivid memories rise to the surface, making it feel much more recent. I was fortunate to be here 25 years ago when the rst issue of Dairy Star ew off the press. While I was a writer and salesperson for the local Sauk Centre Herald, an always thought-provoking dairy farmer, Jerry Jennissen, thought the area would benet from having a paper strictly geared toward dairy farmers.

because of the vastness of the challenge of operating a dairy farm. There are so many things that happen on a dairy farm every day; there are equally many thoughts from those same farmers on how they hope tomorrow can be a little easier.

Since day one, the stories we have featured are often informational and otherwise entertaining. Our story list covers the gamut of ideas.

By Mark Klaphake Editor

After discussing the venture with Jeff Weyer, the then sales manager of the Sauk Centre Herald, and mentioning the idea to the then Sauk Centre Herald publisher Dave Simpkins, we decided to give Jennissen’s idea the go-ahead.

After working on the inaugural issue for several weeks, Dairy Star was born Feb. 27, 1999. Then and for many issues after, designer Janell Westerman and writer and assistant editor Andrea Borgerding and I crafted each issue along with Weyer and sales person Laura Seljan.

Our rst paper was delivered to mailboxes throughout Stearns County. Approximately 750 dairy farmers dotted the landscape in this dairy-rich county at that time.

In the inaugural issue, we highlighted Mennonite families that had moved to the Stearns County area. We published a column about the worst day on a farm and included relevant information for dairy farmers, like market updates.

Our mission then was to publish a newspaper about farmers for farmers. We wanted to be a median where farmers could share workings from their farms with other farmers.

And now, all these years later, our focus remains the same: We synchronize our efforts to craft a paper highlighting the dedicated, hard-working dairy farmers and the news happening in their farm yards.

I have a lot of family who milk cows, which includes ve brothers, two nephews and a brother-in-law. But when I think of my dairy family, I believe it stretches to everyone who milks cows. Whether you milk 50 or 1,000 cows, you are part of a unique family with one thing in common.

You work tirelessly to produce milk to feed a growing population. Our family numbers go down yearly, but the value or importance of being a dairy farmer only rises.

As a dairy newspaper, our job is to cover the farmer’s daily trials, whether good or, sometimes, not so good.

That scope can be pretty encompassing

We cover the broad technology boom we are within and dairy farmers receiving awards – from low somatic cell count to sustainable farming to tremendous farm families. We put pen to paper, highlighting farms handed down from generation to generation. We bring dairy-related news from our government and shine a light on dairy consumption and promotion. We share dairy farmers’ hobbies and pastimes. We journey through the tragedies that occur and rally among our dairy farming community.

The ideas are countless because of the incredible diversity of what it takes to be a dairy farmer.

The paper remains free thanks to the support of our advertisers. Without their belief in us, the paper could not exist.

Dairy Star is delivered to mailboxes on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month. While our sales team is visiting with dairy advertisers, our writers are heading up driveways to interview farmers about their thoughts and ideas.

Then, our ads are sent to our designers, and stories with photos are sent to our Sauk Centre, Minnesota, ofce. Within three to four days, we are ready to print.

As we embark on our 25th year, we have several signicant changes within Dairy Star.

You’ll notice our year-long theme celebrating 25 years. Starting with this issue and for the following 23 issues, we will give away $100 cash. All you have to do is nd the 25-year logo in each issue of Dairy Star and mail us the form or enter online at www. dairystar.com. We will draw one winner for each issue.

Secondly, we have content-driven changes starting with a shift in our Day in the Life feature being bolstered into a photo story feature. Day in the Life has been a popular feature for many years, and moving into the upcoming year, we plan to make this small but impactful change.

Another new feature we plan to highlight is introduced in this issue – The Day That Went Awry. Within this feature, we will visit with farmers about when things didn’t necessarily go according to plan. That might include equipment breaking down when traveling down the road or a cow putting herself into a position where words cannot explain how she got there nor how a farmer can get her out. Or, it could simply be when one breakdown leads to another, and by the end of the day, a cold drink is the answer.

We hope to continue to land on the top of your mail stack every two weeks. Between our feature stories, columns, and question-and-answer responses, know you are not the only one ghting the good ght. What you do really matters.

“Talking to veterinarian Doug Evans and the team at the Udder Comfort™ booth, we got more regimented in our use of Udder Comfort and saw SCC drop from 200,000 to 120,000. We started making sure we sprayed every fresh udder after each milking for the full 3 to 4 days after calving and watched our somatic cell counts respond. We saw SCC on our fresh cows drop right down collectively by 10 to 12 days in milk,” says Kyle Hirt, Mithva Farms, New Woodstock, New York.

“We were already using Udder Comfort for 4 years on swelling in fresh cows and mastitis. We knew it reduced edema faster and better than anything else,” Kyle adds.

“By getting more regimented on the full routine of Udder Comfort for every fresh animal, we saw even better results. It works,” he reports.

hrs., 1604 Sep hrs., #551147........... $165,000

JD S680 2014, PRWD, Duals, Chopper, 2317 hrs., 1575 Sep hrs., #555096........... $169,900

JD S680 2015, PRWD, Duals, Chopper, 2583 hrs., 1865 Sep hrs., #190078........... $174,500

JD S680 2014, PRWD, Duals, Chopper, 2260 hrs., 1355 Sep hrs., #554365........... $189,900

JD S680 2014, PRWD, Duals, Chopper, 2349 hrs., 1668 Sep hrs., #531966........... $195,000

JD S680 2017, PRWD, Duals, Chopper, 1516 hrs., 1053 Sep hrs., #273646........... $249,900

JD S690 2012, PRWD, Duals, Chopper, 2311 hrs., 1645 Sep hrs., #551148........... $149,000

JD S690 2015, PRWD, Duals, Spreader, 3600 hrs., 2565 Sep hrs., #552365 .......... $152,000

JD S690 2016, PRWD, Duals, Chopper, 2544 hrs., 1820 Sep hrs., #547267 .........$219,900

JD S690 2015, PRWD, Tracks, 2400 hrs., 1615 Sep hrs., #550872 ......................... $232,900

JD S690 2017, PRWD, Duals, 2102 hrs., 1461 Sep hrs., #552684 ......................... $249,900

JD S690 2017, PRWD, Duals, Chopper, 1433 hrs., 1028 Sep hrs., #549457........... $280,700

JD S770 2018, PRWD, Duals, Chopper, 2261 hrs., 1652 Sep hrs., #549678........... $259,900

JD S770 2021, PRWD, Duals, Chopper, 565 hrs., 486 Sep hrs., #554050............... $405,000

JD S770 2022, PRWD, Duals, Chopper, 270 hrs., 195 Sep hrs., #554014 .............. $560,000

JD S780 2018, PRWD, Duals, Chopper, 1521 hrs., 1130 Sep hrs., #551736........... $319,300

JD S780 2018, 2WD, Duals, Chopper, 1214 hrs., 826 Sep hrs., #555412 ............... $324,900

JD S780 2019, PRWD, Duals, Spreader, 1562 hrs., 1131 Sep hrs., #549680 .......... $328,800

JD S780 2018, PRWD, Duals, Spreader, 1620 hrs., 1131 Sep hrs., #276170 .......... $329,900

JD S780 2018, PRWD, Duals, Chopper, 1519 hrs., 1124 Sep hrs., #553584........... $333,900

JD S780 2019, PRWD,

PRWD, Duals, Spreader, 1072 hrs., 784 Sep hrs., #188458

2020, PRWD, Duals, Spreader, 953 hrs., 659 Sep hrs., #188459 .............. $428,400

JD S780 2020, PRWD, Floaters, Chopper, 1021 hrs., 803 Sep hrs., #553375 ......... $434,000

JD S780 2021, PRWD, Duals, Chopper, 798 hrs., 607 Sep hrs., #556191............... $479,900

JD S780 2021, PRWD, Duals, Spreader, 652 hrs., 469 Sep hrs., #191047 ...............$504,900

JD S780 2022, PRWD, Duals, Chopper, 449 hrs., 353 Sep hrs., #552362............... $549,000

JD S780 2022, PRWD, Floaters, Chopper, 395 hrs., 323 Sep hrs., #553546 ........... $549,900

JD S780 2022, PRWD, Duals, Chopper, 462 hrs., 345 Sep hrs., #553598............... $567,000

JD S780 2022, PRWD, Floaters, Chopper, 243 hrs., 177 Sep hrs., #554707 ........... $578,500

JD S780 2022, PRWD, Floaters, Chopper, 219 hrs., 169 Sep hrs., #554706 ........... $579,500

JD S780 2022, PRWD, Floaters, 182 hrs., 139 Sep hrs., #554710 .......................... $583,500

JD S780 2022, PRWD, Floaters, Chopper, 183 hrs., 131 Sep hrs., #554709 ........... $584,500

JD S780 2022, PRWD, Duals, Spreader, 240 hrs., 183 Sep hrs., #554094 .............. $587,500

JD S780 2022, PRWD, Floaters, Chopper, 140 hrs., 91 Sep hrs., #554708 ............. $589,500

JD S780 2022, PRWD, Floaters, Chopper, 236 hrs., 170 Sep hrs., #554623 ........... $599,000

JD S780 2022, PRWD, Duals, Chopper, 69 hrs., 39 Sep hrs., #190242................... $609,000

JD S780 2022, PRWD, Duals, Chopper, 5 hrs., 1 Sep hrs., #190724....................... $619,900

JD S780 2022, PRWD, Tracks, Chopper, 295 hrs., 238 Sep hrs., #554013 .............. $675,000

JD S790 2018, PRWD, Duals, 1847 hrs., 1407 Sep hrs., #549847 ......................... $303,900

JD S790 2019, PRWD, Duals, Chopper, 1770 hrs., 1426 Sep hrs., #532032........... $314,200

JD S790 2018, 2WD, Duals, Chopper, 1579 hrs., 1128 Sep hrs., #273973 ............. $319,300

JD S790 2018, PRWD, Duals, 1636 hrs., 1218 Sep hrs., #549845 ......................... $338,000

PRWD, Duals, Chopper, 1314 hrs., 940 Sep hrs., #554633............. $354,900

PRWD, Singles, Spreader, 1453 hrs., 1055 Sep hrs., #549846 ....... $359,900

727 hrs., 530 Sep hrs., #191075 ............. $569,700

JD S790 2022, PRWD, Duals, Chopper, 427 hrs., 302 Sep hrs., #552839............... $589,900

JD S790 2022, PRWD, Duals, Chopper, 334 hrs., 269 Sep hrs., #554381............... $610,000

JD S790 2022, PRWD, Duals, Spreader, 68 hrs., 24 Sep hrs., #274940 .................. $659,900

JD S790 2022, PRWD, Tracks, Chopper, 38 hrs., 21 Sep hrs., #553771 .................. $719,900

FIELD CULTIVATORS

JD 980 2000, 44 ft., 5-Section Folding, #545689 ..................................................... $16,500

JD 980 2000, 44 ft., 3-Section Folding, #546434 ..................................................... $16,900

JD 2200 2003, 43 ft., 5-Section Folding, #555398 ................................................... $22,500

JD 2210 2005, 38 ft., 3-Section Folding, #191986 ................................................... $28,000

JD 2210 2004, 27 ft., 3-Section Folding, #531751 ................................................... $29,900

JD 2210 2006, 60.5 ft., 5-Section Folding, #553154 ................................................ $29,900

JD 2210 2005, 43 ft., 5-Section Folding, #551803 ................................................... $33,500

JD 2210 2009, 50.5 ft., 5-Section Folding, #535118 ................................................ $34,900

JD 2210 2008, 33 ft., 3-Section Folding, #554294 ................................................... $39,900

JD 2210 2014, 25 ft., 3-Section Folding, #554138 ................................................... $42,500

JD 2210 2011, 50.5 ft., 5-Section Folding, #556431 ................................................ $44,000

JD 2210 2014, 41 ft., 3-Section Folding, #554297 ................................................... $47,500

JD 2210 2010, 57 ft., 5-Section Folding, #542886 ................................................... $47,900

JD 2210 2014, 60.5 ft., 5-Section Folding, #190857 ................................................ $57,500

JD 2210 2012, 58 ft., 5-Section Folding, #533062 ................................................... $57,500

JD 2230 2022, 55.5 ft., 5-Section Folding, #551187 ..............................................$141,900 Sunflower 5055-50 2012, 50.5 ft., 5-Section Folding, #552837 ............................ $39,900

Case IH TIGER MATE 200 2009, 54 ft., #552287..................................................... $43,500

Case IH Tigermate 2 2007, 44

IOWA

Rock Valley, IA 712-476-9290

United

Systems,

West Union, IA 563-422-5355

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

Whitewater, WI 800 472-2880

Mt Horeb, WI 800-872-3470

Melrose, MN 320-256-3276

Brookings, SD 800-636-5581 Advanced

Mora, MN 320-679-1029

Pierz, MN 320-468-2494

DAIRY STAR MILESTONES 1999

Feb. 27, 1999 First issue of Stearns County Dairy Star is published.

September 1999

The paper expands into Otter Tail, Wadena, Todd, Morrison, Sherburne, Benton, Wright, Meeker, Kandiyohi, Pope and Douglas counties. It then becomes Minnesota Dairy Star.

Dairy farmers in the lower two-thirds of Minnesota are added to the newspaper’s mailing list.

The northern counties of Minnesota, as well as the larger dairy counties in South Dakota and Iowa are encompassed in the paper’s coverage area. Minnesota Dairy Star now becomes its current name, Dairy Star

Dairy Star expands into southwest Wisconsin, covering counties along the MinnesotaWisconsin border.

Dairy farmers in west central Wisconsin now receive the paper.

‘02 NEW HOLLAND FP230, Single axle, processor, low acres, hay and corn heads available! $18,900 (POTTER)

SEVERAL NEW NH FP240 IN STOCK! CALL TODAY!

2022 KWIK TILL AVAILABLE HIGH SPEED DISKS 24’ AND 25’ HD MODELS CALL NOW! (POTTER)

MILLER PRO 5100, 18 Ft. Unloading Box, EZ Trail 13 Ton Wagon, Good Condition, $9,000 (WAUPUN)

‘23 NEW HOLLAND

Dairy Star adds counties in northwest Wisconsin, providing dairy industry coverage to more than half the state.

Marathon, Wood, Adams, Juneau, Sauk, Columbia, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Jefferson and Rock counties are added to Dairy Star’s coverage in Wisconsin.

$5,500 (WATERTOWN)

Dairy Star is mailed to all the dairy farmers in ND, SD, WI, MN, IA and parts of Michigan and Illinois; encompassing 1/3 of the nation’s dairy farmers.

2013 CASE FARMALL 95U, 4,500 hrs, loader, $39,900 (POTTER)

2005 H&S HD7+4, 18 Ft. Unloading Box, H&S 16 Ton Wagon, VG Condition, $12,500 (WAUPUN)

2019 NEW HOLLAND TS6.140 Only 366 hrs, powershuttle, like new! $84,900 (POTTER)

NEW GREAT PLAINS TERRA-MAX, Brand New 20’ Terra-Max ON HAND, CALL NOW BEFORE IT’S GONE

‘23 NEW HOLLAND ROLLBELT 460 Just in! Rotocut, moisture sense! CALL NOW (POTTER)

‘16 42’ WILRICH QUAD X2 CULTIVATOR VERY

How is your chapter celebrating National FFA Week?

Dayna Terning Senior at Dassel-Cokato

High School

Parents: Darrel and Heidi Terning Dassel, Minnesota Meeker County

60 cows

FFA chapter president

Number of members in FFA chapter: 70

What is your FFA chapter doing for National FFA Week? My chapter will be doing ag trivia as well as an ag Olympics section during our unied basketball tournament on Friday.

What other activities does your FFA chapter do throughout the year? My chapter competes and is successful in many career development events and leadership development events. We run an event called Elementary Ag Day and go into both elementary schools and teach all grades about agriculture in their town and world. We take part in an event called Urban Ag Day, which has the same concept as Elementary Ag Day except the FFA members of my school go into a city school and teach their third graders about agriculture. We host two big fundraisers, the rst one being a fruit sale in October and the other being a plant sale in May where we sell the projects the horticulture classes grow. FFA is an organization for all, so this year my chapter played a basketball game against the unied basketball team. To level the playing eld, FFA members had to play with headphones on, glasses that only show light and a little clarity through a pin hole, and a wheelchair.

What events are you involved in? I have been very involved in parliamentary

procedure; I was the chairman of the state champion team and competed at nationals this past October. It has taught me the importance of structure in a meeting setting as well as accomplishing something in an orderly fashion. I also have been successful through horse judging, which has taught me the importance of genetics in livestock, as well as the Farm Bureau discussion meet, which has taught me how to have a civil discussion. This year, I will be competing in a contest known as ag issues. This contest has taught me how to think critically about controversial topics.

How do you promote agriculture outside of FFA? I am a student who is involved in just about everything, and I use my farm background to my advantage. I stepped out on a limb and joined my school’s DECA organization, which is essentially the same as FFA but in a business-type setting. What made my projects different from everyone else’s is that I had personal examples I could talk about. Individuality is a trait judges are looking for.

What do you enjoy most about participating in FFA? I enjoy the connections I have made through participating in FFA as well as having an opportunity to help others succeed in the way the organization encouraged me to succeed. For example, my dairy background started as a small part of my life and is now the industry I will be pursuing a degree in. I met a kid a few years ago who led me to the job that I currently hold at First District Association.

What are your future plans? I am interning at First District Association, and this position has encouraged me to pursue a major in dairy production and manufacturing with a minor in food safety at South Dakota State University.

Lauren Rott Senior at PlainviewElgin-Millville High School

Parents: Bruce and Melissa Rott

Potsdam, Minnesota

Wabasha County Custom raise and breed 400 Holstein

heifers for Carlson Dairy FFA chapter secretary

Number of members in FFA chapter: 60

What is your FFA chapter doing for National FFA Week? During National FFA Week, my chapter will have games in the lobby during lunch and trivia questions in the daily bulletin that give our entire student body the opportunity to earn prizes and learn more about agriculture and FFA.

What other activities does your FFA chapter do throughout the year? My chapter hosts career development event contests as well as an ag challenge. Furthermore, my chapter provides free meals for farmers during harvest season, participates in school and community parades, hosts movie nights, and is a sponsor of various school and community events. Every month, the chapter comes together for a tour of a local business followed by a meal and business meeting, and the night ends with a fun activity. Finally, my chapter gives our members the opportunity to participate in numerous activities, contests and events on the regional, state and national levels.

What events are you involved in? I have participated in several CDEs including conduct of chapter meetings, milk quality and products, dairy cattle handlers activity and, most notably, dairy cattle evaluation. In 2019, my chapter’s dairy cattle evaluation team took rst place at the FFA state contest and advanced to the national FFA contest. Through these activities, I have received

the opportunity to further develop my skills of public speaking as well as increase my knowledge of the dairy animal and community.

How do you promote agriculture outside of FFA? I am a member of Olmsted County 4-H and participate in the dairy project, the dairy market goat project and the dairy steer project. Additionally, I’m also a member of my county’s dairy judging and dairy quiz bowl teams as well as a youth representative on my county’s Dairy Project Development Committee. Moreover, I am a Minnesota 4-H agricultural ambassador and promote agriculture at statewide events. Finally, I never pass up any opportunity in my everyday life to promote the dairy community and support our local farmers.

What do you enjoy most about participating in FFA? For me, FFA has given me the opportunity to become more involved in my local agriculture community and give back to my community through many activities and events. Additionally, I have created new friendships with FFA members from other chapters all over the state and been given the chance to join an organization dedicated to preserving our agriculture community.

What are your future plans? Next year, I will be attending the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota to study business operations, logistics and supply chain management and compete in track and eld for the Tommies. While this isn’t the usual agrelated approach to college, I will not hesitate to help the agricultural community if the opportunity arises during my post-high school days. I am unsure of where my future career will take me, but I can see the possibility of using my business degree to land a career at an agricultural business.

Turn to FFA | Page 25

Seth Spadgenske

Sophomore at Menahga High School

Parents: Mark and Kristine Spadgenske

Menahga, Minnesota Becker County

320 cows

FFA chapter member

Number of members in FFA chapter: 25

What is your FFA chapter doing for National FFA Week? We have a chapter fun night of snacks and sledding planned, and some members attended a leadership day with the National FFA president and Minnesota state FFA ofcers. We are hoping to have a work night and service project during the week as well.

What other activities does your FFA chapter do throughout the year? In the spring, our FFA chapter has a barnyard. The barnyard is where FFA members

Krista Hurd Junior at Paynesville Area High School

Parents: Randy and Machelle Hurd Roscoe, Minnesota Stearns County 35 cows

FFA chapter reporter

Number of members in FFA chapter: 49

What is your FFA chapter doing for National FFA Week? Wearing FFA apparel for lettering points, staff appreciation, spring tour and an ag day.

What other activities does your FFA chapter do throughout the year? Other activities my FFA chapter does include a barn dance, cosmic bowling, Plot Day, Troop or Treat, and more.

Katie Rohe Senior at Melrose Area High School

Parents: Mike and Deb Rohe St. Rosa, Minnesota Stearns County

240 cows

FFA chapter member of leadership team

Number of members in FFA chapter: 57

What is your FFA chapter doing for National FFA Week? This year during FFA week, we have multiple trivia activities, an FFA emblem search, ag Olympics at a pep fest with a relay race and a teacher appreciation breakfast.

What other activities does your FFA chapter do throughout the year? We do fruit sales, different service projects, monthly meetings, participation in different regional and state activities, and other activities in our community.

bring in animals or something ag-related and have a zoo at our school. Then the younger kids come out of class and visit the barnyard. We also offer an ag safety day. Our chapter holds its meetings once a month, and at the end of the year, we have a banquet where everyone can come and see what we did for the year.

What events are you involved in? I went to a few competitions. I also went to a Region II winter rally.

How do you promote agriculture outside of FFA? I show people through social media what I do when I work at home.

What do you enjoy most about participating in FFA? FFA gives me a lot of opportunities and will help me in the real world later.

What are your future plans? I want to go to Ridgewater College in Willmar for precision ag. Then, I would like to come home and work.

What events are you involved in? I am in small animal/veterinary science. It has given me helpful information and the ability to identify if something is wrong with my own animals. I also participate in parliamentary procedure. It has helped me with my soft skills and speaking skills but has most helped in making me more condent.

How do you promote agriculture outside of FFA? I promote agriculture by explaining that working in elds of agriculture doesn’t just have to be farming.

What do you enjoy most about participating in FFA? The best thing I like about being in FFA is how positive the environment within our FFA chapter is.

What are your future plans? My future plans include attending a four-year university after high school.

What events are you involved in? My career development event is livestock evaluation. I have learned public speaking skills and team skills.

How do you promote agriculture outside of FFA? I promote agriculture by talking to people about agriculture and helping inform people on different subjects. If I hear someone talking about something that is not correct, I always make sure to politely correct them and help inform them.

What do you enjoy most about participating in FFA? I enjoy getting to meet new people from all across the state at events. I also like being involved in events in the community. I also love being able to get younger members involved and watch them grow in their involvement.

What are your future plans? I plan to attend Ridgewater College in Willmar, Minnesota, for ag business and possibly farm business management.

Shelby Swanson Junior at Hutchinson High School

Parents: David and Kari Swanson Stewart, Minnesota Renville County 90 cows

FFA chapter reporter

Number of members in FFA chapter: 50

What is your FFA chapter doing for National FFA Week? We are doing a kiss-the-calf fundraiser where we raise money for the animal shelter in our community. The top ve teachers with the most money get to kiss the calf at our pep rally. FFA members make coffee, bacon, pancakes and eggs for our teachers at our teacher appreciation breakfast. We also make an FFA round bale display at a local farm to promote National FFA Week.

What other activities does your FFA chapter do throughout the year? We have monthly meetings with activities, attend leadership camps and participate in many contests. Community service projects this year included making 40 tie blankets and giving half of them to nursing homes in our community and the other half to Operation Hope. In the fall, we host a farm product and safety day for 200 fourth graders, where we educate them on grain bin and auger safety; dairy, beef, tractor and ATV safety; and when to call 911. At our county fair, we use the FFA barnyard to advocate for agriculture education by teaching the community about FFA, sharing animals for petting and offering kids’ activities.

What events are you involved in? I have competed in dairy evaluation, milk quality and parliamentary procedure. Through these contests, I have learned leadership skills, teamwork, communication, persuasive speaking, how to judge cows and the importance of milk quality. My supervised agricultural experience project is dairy production placement.

How do you promote agriculture outside of FFA? I am a fth-generation dairy farmer, and I promote agriculture whenever I have the opportunity, especially through my active involvement and leadership in 4-H. I serve as a McLeod County dairy ambassador where I am able to share my dairy story through appearances at parades, town celebrations, serving ice cream, social media and creating a positive image for the dairy industry.

What do you enjoy most about participating in FFA? It’s more than just the jacket; it’s the connections I am able to make with the students, advisors and people in the agricultural community. These are my people. I get to talk to them about agriculture and relate with them on a personal level. FFA provides many learning opportunities that have helped me develop the skills I need for choosing a career path, and I love the leadership skills and inspiration FFA has given me to be the best version of me possible.

What are your future plans? I plan on going to college to pursue my future career in agriculture. Agriculture has given me so much already that I can’t imagine my life without it.

Halli Poppler Senior at Howard Lake-WaverlyWinsted High School

Parents: Harlan and Jennifer Poppler Waverly, Minnesota Wright County 600 cows

FFA chapter vice president

Number of members in FFA chapter: 109

What is your FFA chapter doing for National FFA Week? We are sledding at Highland Hill, volunteering at Feed

My Starving Children, playing musical chairs with members during school advisory, holding an ofcer/advisor piein-the-face event and giving an appreciation dinner for community supporters and alumni.

What other activities does your FFA chapter do throughout the year? We do Project Caring, ag literacy for elementary students, highway cleanup, corn drives, blood drives, fruit sales, cookies for college kids, a barn dance and chapter meetings.

What events are you involved in? Best informed Greenhand, dairy evaluation, conduct of chapter meetings, nursery/ landscape and oriculture. I have learned that hard work can take you a long way. Through my career development events, my advisor, Winnie, has shown me to be persistent, determined and motivated to

do my best. Through COCM, I learned how to talk with a voice and without being shy. My team made it to nationals for nursery/landscape. I placed gold individually, and we placed gold as a team. Through this experience, as well as my oral CDE, I grew my love for plants. These CDEs have shown me what my interests are and have given me ideas of future careers I would like to pursue.

How do you promote agriculture outside of FFA? One way that my family and I have promoted agriculture is by hosting breakfast on the farm. We opened up our farm to the public to inform and show others how a dairy farm operates. It is important the public understands how and where their food comes from to prevent misleading information.

What do you enjoy most about participating in FFA? My favorite part of FFA is the bonds I make with my peers and my advisors. I will forever have the connections I made through FFA.

What are your future plans? This fall, I began taking agriculture courses online through Ridgewater College in Willmar, Minnesota, as part of a post-secondary program. I plan on continuing at Ridgewater College in person next fall with an agribusiness major with an emphasis on crops. The program I am completing is an associate degree. When I graduate, I plan on attaining a job in either a Farm Service Agency ofce, agronomy or ag sales.

Mason Boser Senior at PierzHealy High School

Parents: Jason and Terri Boser Pierz, Minnesota Morrison County 76 cows

FFA chapter member

Number of members in FFA chapter: 46

What is your FFA chapter doing for National FFA Week? We are having a Mass in ofcial dress at Harding Catholic Church and an ice shing contest. We are handing out cheese sticks to students, selling ice cream at lunches, wearing FFA non-ofcial dress on Thursday and wearing FFA ofcial dress on Friday.

What other activities does your FFA chapter do throughout the year? We help at a Christmas tree farm, give a

Christmas party at the nursing home with the residents, ring bells for the Salvation Army, sell ice cream cones and yogurt smoothies twice each week, recycle, and attend the Next Gen Conference on plant science in St. Louis, Missouri, animal science in Denver, Colorado, and power/structural/technical systems in Raleigh, North Carolina.

What events are you involved in? Nursery and landscaping. I’ve learned plant identication, pruning and planning skills.

How do you promote agriculture outside of FFA? I work on the farm. What do you enjoy most about participating in FFA? I enjoy being part of the group and having fun with classmates.

What are your future plans? I plan to become an electrician.

85 cows

Natalie Clemenson Senior at Zumbrota-Mazeppa

High School

Parents: Brian and Tiffany

Clemenson

Zumbota, Minnesota

Goodhue County

FFA member who served as chapter president, vice president and secretary

Number of members in FFA chapter: 58

What is your FFA chapter doing for National FFA Week? Our chapter is hosting many activities during FFA Week both for FFA members and our school as a whole. One event for FFA members is having a representative from a local ag company come in to speak during lunch. We will also be having a donut social before school for our members. In addition to this, we have events planned for the rest of the school to promote FFA and celebrate FFA week. We will be doing dress up days to engage students during the week. To add to this, our chapter is cooking and hosting a breakfast for staff members before school. We will also be having “Boots for Roots” during lunch for our middle and high school students. If you wear boots of any kind, you can get a free root beer oat during lunch. Thursday we will be hosting ag Olympic games in the high school. Finally, on Friday we will be going to the elementary school to host ag Olympics.

What other activities does your FFA chapter do throughout the year? Our chapter completes many other activities throughout the year. Some of these activities involve community service. One example is the Adopt a Highway program. Each fall and spring, our chapter picks up trash and debris along a stretch of local highway. We also do a craft each month on our school’s early release days. We alternate what we do each month between a school staff appreciation gift and something to benet our community. A few activities we have done for the community months include making tie blankets for the Ronald McDonald House, putting together treats for the local rst responders and farmers, and making spring cards and ower arrangements for the nursing home residents. Our chapter also has activities for our members to attend such as speakers during lunch, recreational events and helping to host ag in the classroom for our elementary school. We also have many members attend region and state level camps and conferences to improve the overall leadership abilities within our chapter.

What events are you involved in? I have been involved in many contests throughout my time in FFA. These include best informed Greenhand, parliamentary procedure, employment skills, dairy cattle evaluation and milk quality. I placed rst individually and my team placed rst at the Minnesota state convention last April, which qualied us to compete at the National FFA Convention. At national convention, we received a gold ranking and placed ninth as a team. I placed 11th individually. I have learned many valuable skills through the contests I have participated in. Some of these skills include time management, good practice habits, public speaking, condence and perseverance.

How do you promote agriculture outside of FFA? I promote agriculture and the dairy industry in many ways outside of FFA. One of these ways is through social media. Through social media I am able to share my story with a large number of people. I use social media to post images and videos of what a day on the farm might look like, facts about agriculture and answers to questions others might have. I also share other’s informational and factual posts to promote agriculture. Another way I promote agriculture is by focusing my school projects or speeches on agricultural topics. By doing this, I can inform my other classmates about areas of agriculture and why they are important to our economy, environment and society. I enjoy promoting agriculture and the dairy industry because it is something I believe is especially important and something I am passionate about.

What do you enjoy most about participating in FFA? All the people I have met and the connections I have made. Throughout my time in FFA, I have met many people I would not have met without the organization. I served as a Region VIII assistant ofcer this past year, which gave me the opportunity to meet a lot of new people. I could make connections with members of all ages from across the region, community members and sponsors. FFA has also given me the opportunity to promote the importance of agriculture to a larger audience. Whether it is facilitating a region workshop or a one-onone conversation, I can share my story about dairy and why the industry is so important. This is just one of the many things I enjoy about being a part of this great organization.

What are your future plans? After graduation, I am planning to attend the University of Wisconsin-River Falls to pursue a degree in animal science.

DAIRY STAR E-EDITION

Patented folding pattern, eliminates the need for adhesives & allows quick and easy application.

• 6.6 mil – 8.0 mil thicknesses available

• Reflects sunlight, guaranteed UV stable for 18 months.

• Both layers are completely recyclable

Women In Dairy

Rachel

Klinkner Cashton, Wisconsin Monroe County 65 cows

Family: Gerald and Ann Klinkner family

Tell us about your farm. Our organic dairy farm, Breezy Acres Dairy, is a sixth-generation dairy farm in rural Cashton, Wisconsin, which has been proudly owned and operated by family for more than 160 years. Our family farm started in 1863 with horse-drawn implements and the hand-milking of cows. The farm has progressed through various stages of mechanical horsepower and the sciences of animal genetics, nutrition, health, quality cow care and modern crop production practices. In 1993, we added a heifer barn and silo; in 1996 a feed room; and in 1998 an earthen manure pit and rubber mattresses for the cows. In 2000, we transitioned to an organic dairy; in 2002, we added a new silo; in 2003, we added an addition to the house; and in 2008, a new shed and shop were built. Then, in 2012, we put an addition on the heifer barn; in 2016, we installed a new 60-stall freestall barn; and in 2017, we converted our barn into a swing parlor. Today, we milk roughly 65 cows with a rolling herd average of more than 21,000 pounds of milk. We produce and ship more than 1 million pounds of milk to Westby Cooperative Creamery. The cows are milked twice daily in that same barn built back in 1903. We grow corn, alfalfa and small grains on over 300 acres of land as feed for the cows. I also have an aunt and uncle who own a farm nearby. Together, we help each other with planting and harvesting and the sharing of equipment and knowledge. It’s a very unique opportunity that we have been blessed with and allows us to remain close with our loved ones. We especially enjoy visitors to Breezy Acres. In 2014, we were happy to host the annual Monroe County Dairy Breakfast, which was also our 150th year family farm celebration. We had more than 3,000 people in attendance. It’s a good thing dairy farming teaches you how to plan, organize, manage time and details and to feed a herd.

What is a typical day like for you on the dairy? Because I am in college, I am not on the farm much. But, when I do come home, I help my family milk cows. I also help with feeding calves and monitoring cows who are about to calve. When there is enough help in the barn, I play with my nieces and nephews in the barn’s breezeway. They love to help with little chores and know a lot of the cow’s names, which is fun for me to see them grow up in the barn.

What decision have you made in the last year that has beneted your farm? In the last year, my parents and my brother’s family have decided to switch houses to allow my brother and his wife and kids to live on the home farm. Currently, my brother and his family live right next to us in a house on a farm we use for crops, so it won’t be a far move. However, this transition will be a big but important change to the operation of the farm. My brother and his wife will start to take more ownership of the farm, so it will be more efcient for them to be where the animals and machinery are. We plan to make the switch this summer if plans stick to schedule.

Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. Starting when I was very young, I helped name our cows. With less than 80 cows, naming them is easier to do and helps us identify them. When we name freshened heifers, we pick a name that starts with the rst letter of their mother’s name, which allows us to keep track of lineage and pedigree. Of course, when I was younger, I would name cows Cookie, Chips and Cinderella, for example. As I got older, I stared using real names, but occasionally, we will name a cow like Motor, whose mother was Harley and sister was Davidson. Being a part of the naming process allowed me to memorize all of the cows and be the family cow identier. In addition to names, I also memorized ear tag numbers and cow families. This is something I nd fun.

What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? I have enjoyed educating people about the dairy industry. Throughout middle and high school, I was a part of FFA. With my connections and experiences with FFA, I have had opportunities to teach others about agriculture and my farm’s story. Now, I am at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire where I am able to reach many people who are not familiar with dairy farming. Educating people about where their food comes from brings me joy. In addition, I am a communications major, and for my class projects, I always choose an agricultural topic because it’s a chance for me to learn more and educate others. I am blessed to have grown up on a dairy farm. I have developed a strong work ethic, time management skills and responsibility, which some people aren’t exposed or pushed to learn.

What is your biggest accomplishment in your dairy career? I started showing dairy cattle at the Monroe County Fair when I was about 9 years old and showed until my senior year of high school. I learned how to clip cattle from my dad and other cattle showers and leaders in the county. I was also a member of the Monroe Country All Breeds Junior Dairy Club where we went on educational farm tours, held dairy workshops, club activities and held a silent auction dairy basket sale at the Monroe County Fair. I was fortunate enough to place well in showmanship many years and was a part of the dairy basket program. Through showing, I gained numerous skills not just about the dairy industry but in general too.

What are things you do to promote your farm or the dairy industry? Besides educating about my experiences and knowledge of the dairy industry, I am also active through social media where I promote the dairy industry. I love cows, so I am always taking pictures of our family’s cows. I tend to post pictures of them on my social media accounts. In addition, I share news articles, blogs and interviews that handled dairy topics. As a patron and follower of Westby Cooperative Creamery on social media, I enjoy sharing content the creamery posts as it tends to be educational, promotional and engaging. Posting behind-the-scenes content of our farm operations is a great way to promote the dairy industry as well as following dairy-related businesses and organizations.

What advice would you give another woman in the dairy industry? I recommend getting involved in organizations and sharing dairy-related content on social media. Getting your foot in the door is a gateway to making an impact on the dairy industry, even if it’s small. If you want to start your own dairy operation, go for it. There are plenty of resources, organizations and people to support you along the way. As society is becoming increasingly engaged on social media, that is a great place to start promoting and educating. Follow fellow agriculturalists, whether

they are women or men. Finding people who are as passionate as you is a great start. I follow accounts such as the New York Farm Girls, FarmHer, Dairy Girl Network, FFA and others. There are numerous people who are passionate about advocating for agriculture.

When you get a spare moment, what do you do? When spare time comes around, I enjoy hunting, hiking, ATV riding, snowmobiling, going to concerts, crafting, watching movies, baking, nding new coffee shops, and spending time with family and friends.

www.extension.umn.edu/dairy

Horses, not zebras, when we hear hoof beats

By Joe Armstrong, DVM the zebra category.

The temptation when a disease process rears its ugly head is to chase down a complex cause or somewhat rare pathogen. We can also tend to lean toward placing the blame on external factors outside of our control. In reality, even when a disease process appears complicated, the solution is often under our control and relatively simple. This is the old adage in medicine of hearing hoof beats and training yourself to think horses and not zebras. Let us consider a common issue between beef and dairy operations: calf scours.

When dairy or beef operations call me with scours issues, the rst question is often centered on what to treat with to x the issue. Treating scours appropriately is important, but the most important question is: What can we do to prevent scours from occurring in the rst place? The next question is often what vaccine should be given. Vaccines are also important, but I prefer to solve on-farm issues without a needle whenever possible. Additionally, vaccine protocols, and changes to them, can be complicated and expensive, many times falling in

So, where do we look for a solution? How do we establish what is most important to x when there is limited time and money? Below you will nd a list, in order of importance, of where to look rst when preventing scours on beef and dairy operations.

– Colostrum: Colostrum is the single most important piece of calf health and the biggest predictor of lifetime performance for any calf. A proper colostrum management protocol on a dairy is essential for calf success. In a beef operation, farmers may think colostrum is outside of their control, but taking care of the dam’s health and nutrition has a huge benet to calf vigor, which applies to their ability to stand and nurse quickly. Dam health and nutrition also contribute to quantity and quality of colostrum.

– Dam health and nutrition: As many studies have shown, the health of the dam greatly inuences the health of the calf. Dam health starts with nutrition and comfort. Nutrition in its simplest form revolves around protein and energy. Feeding the appropriate amounts of protein and energy during the stages of gestation re-

sults in a healthy calf with improved growth. Bunk space, water space, clean and dry bedding, and protection from the elements gives the dam the comfort they need to keep stress as low as possible.

– Calf nutrition: Calves need enough calories to develop a reserve of fat. Fat acts as a vital source of energy to ght off any disease challenge the calf sees. On the dairy, this means at least 2 gallons of whole milk or a quality milk replacer (26% protein, 20% fat) per day, quality calf starter available starting on the second day of life and water available in addition to milk. In a beef operation, this is largely dependent on dam health and nutrition.

– Calf environment: Everything the calf comes into contact with needs to be clean. Infectious causes of scours are dose-dependent. More

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

harmful bugs means a higher likelihood of disease. Look at your calf housing and decide what the calves can reach with their mouths. If they can reach it, they will chew on it, and you need to clean it. With beef cows, everything starts with clean and dry cows, which comes back to dam comfort. Calving areas need to start clean and that is a function of keeping animals from contaminating the area prior to the start of calving.

– Calf stress: Stress suppresses the immune system. We cannot avoid stress entirely, nor should we, but we do need to be careful of stacking stress in calves. Dehorning, vaccination, weaning, handling and pen moves are all examples of stressful events. If we can spread stressful events out, rather than stacking them in a short time period, our calves will be healthier.

Brad Heins hein0106@umn.edu

320-589-1711

Nathan Hulinsky huli0013@umn.edu

320-203-6104

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

Red Devil Snow Blowers On Hand

USED TRACTORS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TILLAGE

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

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

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

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

CIH Tigermate II, 26’ ..............................$28,000

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

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

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

HAYING & FORAGE EQUIP.

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

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

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

Many sizes of rakes available

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

GRAVITY BOXES & GRAIN CARTS

(2) Demco 365 ..........................$7,800 & $5,000

Many Sizes of Gravity Boxes ..................on Hand Brent 657 gravity box, green & black, fenders ................................................$23,000

(2) Brent 644 box .......................................$18,000

Brent 644 ...................................................$16,500

J&M 385 ......................................................$6,500

J&M 540 box .............................................$13,500

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

Parker 4800 box...........................................$8,500

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

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

MISCELLANEOUS

New Red Devil & Agro Trend Snowblowers

Hagedorn 3290 Hydraspread spreader ..$36,000

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

USED SNOW BLOWERS

Farm King 8’.............................................$1,500

Schweis 8’................................................$1,000

GREENWALD FARM CENTER

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

Melissa Wilson mlw@umn.edu

612-625-4276

Isaac Haagen hagge041@umn.edu

Increase

Ef ciency By Feeding TMR!

Two largest models will process whole round bales

Twin augers and nearly vertical sidewalls eliminate dead spots

All Stainless Steel mixing chamber for extremely long life

Input power options include electric motor or 540 PTO

CIH Tigermate II

26’, w/28’ pull crumbler - $31,000

Greenwald, MN • 320-987-3177 WWW.GREENWALDFARMCENTER.COM

Busting burnout

By Emily Krekelberg

When we hear the word burnout, we likely conjure images in our head: Someone who has fallen asleep at their desk, a person who looks overly tired and seems a little too disorganized, and the ever-popular rubbing of the temples with a deep sigh.

If any of these images sound like something you have seen or experienced, I am glad you are reading. Burnout exists in every context of work. The work of agriculture is not immune to burnout.

We hear the word burnout, but what does it actually mean? Is it only stress? A higher level of stress? Something beyond stress?

Let’s take a moment to break all this down. Burnout is a form of exhaustion caused by constantly feeling swamped. Excessive emotional, physical and mental stress can make us feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained and unable to keep up with life’s demands. Burnout is more than stress; it is the result of too much stress.

Signs of burnout

Across medical literature, ve key symptoms are associated with burnout. A common symptom is increased anxiety. Even simple tasks or situations may feel overwhelming, and this may lead to avoidance or procrastination. A lack of sleep and general fatigue are also indicators of burnout. A constant feeling of exhaustion inuences all areas of our health: physical, mental and emotional. This can impact our ability to work and function day to day. Another symptom to look out for is a lack of creativity and purpose. Regardless of the work you do, feeling like you can express yourself and your ideals through your work is important. We all experience bad days or times when our drive is low; if creativity and purpose feel like a daily struggle, it may be a sign of burnout. Burnout can also be signaled by emotional numbness or depression. Depression is more than just feeling sad all the time; most people describe it as a feeling of emptiness. Other symptoms of burnout can leave us with a lack of emotional feeling and recognition. Because of that, emotional numbness can lead to poor work ethic. Lastly, a cynical outlook is a symptom of burnout. We all have our moments where it can be hard to feel optimistic about our job, but if every day feels like a battle to understand the purpose of it all, you may be experiencing burnout.

Taking action against burnout

If you think you or someone you know is experiencing burnout, there are several strategies to alleviate it. It may be hard to nd the motivation, but remember, you are an asset to your business. No one else is going to put your health rst, so learn to advocate for yourself even if it means taking some time away from work or readjusting your schedule. This can sound harsh,

but every job is replaceable. You, however, are not replaceable. Treat yourself like the high-value asset you are.

If there are work-specic stressors, evaluate your options. Discuss these concerns with someone. Think about schedule or expectation changes that may help take pressure off. Again, advocate for what you need to be successful. This is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of wisdom and foresight that what you are doing currently is not sustainable. With that, it is also important to seek support. Being able to talk about what we are experiencing and having others acknowledge it not as a fault but as a challenge can do a lot for our mental health. It is likely the way you are feeling is felt by others. Strong support systems promote emotional health and can help you get back to you.

Other actions you can take focus on self-care. Self-care is not an event or one thing you do once a month to feel good. Self-care is any action you take with the intention of taking care of yourself. Think of self-care as a series of decisions you make every day. Will you choose to take care of yourself today? Try a relaxing activity such as yoga or listening to music you like. Find a way to get physical activity outside of work every day. That could be going for a short walk, working out at the gym or going on a family bike ride. Along with exercise, fuel your body. Eat well-balanced, nutrient-dense meals and snacks. Having enough energy from your diet can make a world of difference in how you feel. Getting enough sleep is also critical to having energy. Sleep is restorative and can protect our health. Even during busy seasons, getting seven to eight hours of sleep every night is critical and can help you work more efciently during the day.

Mindfulness can reduce burnout

Mindfulness is the practice of focusing on your senses and feelings. A great way to start practicing mindfulness is by deep breathing. Take long breaths in through your nose and exhale through your mouth. As you are breathing, become aware of how your breath feels going in and out of you, what other sensations you notice and the emotions you are feeling. Becoming more mindful of our thoughts and feelings can help us recognize when we may be starting to feel burnt out. In addition, mindfulness is a great strategy to cope with burnout and general stress. It can be easy to ignore what our mind and body are telling us, especially when life and work feel too busy to focus on anything else.

Taking time to check in with ourselves and ground ourselves in the moment can provide relief and clarity. Mindfulness looks different for everyone, so nd what works for you. Deep breathing, meditation, journaling and practicing gratitude are all great ways to increase mindfulness. I encourage you to nd one way you can incorporate mindfulness into your life today. Your health will thank you.

CLASSIFIED

DOESN’T ALWAYS MEAN TOP SECRET!

It’s no secret that a Dairy Star classied ad can help you eliminate those unwanted items! Check the classifieds in our third section.

Breeding Prole

Johnsons utilize sexed, beef semen to breed their top 60%

Mark, Bradley, Richard, Trinity, Lee and Zac Johnson Johnson’s Rolling Acres Peterson, Minnesota Fillmore County

1,315 cows

Describe your facilities and list your breeding management team. We have two power-ventilated barns. We have a cross-ventilated barn, and we converted our natural ventilation barn to a tunnelventilated barn. All cows, including dry cows, are housed in the main dairy facility. Our breeding team involves Mark and Trinity Johnson and our transition cow manager, Walter Laumb.

What is your reproduction program?

We use a presynch protocol on our fresh cows. We use ovsynch on the cows for breeding, and we resynch the cows. All cows receive GnRH at day 32. All cows are bred rst service on timed breeding. We have a voluntary waiting period of 67 days. Cows are not bred prior to this. All cows are checked prior to breeding for a valid corpus luteum before being bred the rst time. If they have a good CL, they

continue in the protocol and are timed bred. We pregnancy check at 39 days post breeding, and open cows are already set up to be in the ovsynch protocol to be bred at day 42. We utilize SCR ear tags for health and breeding to help catch the repeat breeders.

Describe your breeding philosophy. We want a high-producing cow that will breed back with little issues. We want to maximize every animal to allow them to reach their full potential.

What guidelines do you follow to reach the goals for your breeding program? We never cherry pick any cows earlier than the voluntary waiting period to maximize milk peaks. We work closely with our ABS Global team member, Casey Nelson, to pick the best bulls to reach our goals. We utilize sexed and beef semen to only reproduce from our best cows.

What are the top traits you look for in breeding your dairy herd and how has this changed since you started farming? When we started it was all about milk, milk, milk. We have changed that to focus on components, somatic cell count and health traits. We also look for positive conception on SCR and daughter pregnancy rate.

What are certain traits you try to avoid? The biggest trait we try to avoid is straight legged bulls. We have gotten some that are too posty and now are trying to x them in the next generation.

Describe the ideal cow for your herd. We like a medium-statured cow with good legs that will breed back one of the rst times to stay around for a long time.

Walter Laumb, transi on cow manager at Johnson’s Rolling Acres, stands by a cow in the breeding lane Feb. 9 at the farm site near Peterson, Minnesota. The ideal cow at Johnson’s Rolling Acres is medium statured with good legs and is a consistent easy breeder.

What role does genetics have in reaching the goals of your farm? We have been using ABS Global’s Genetic Management System for more than 30 years and have also added genomics through ABS in the last four years to make sure we are achieving our goals with top genetics only from our best animals.

What percentage of your herd is bred to sexed, conventional and beef semen? The top 60% is bred with sexed semen, and the

bottom 40% is bred with beef semen. We no longer use conventional semen. The top animals get bred two times to sexed semen, and the top 85% of this group will also get a third service before being switched to beef.

What is your conception rate? Our conception rate is 44%, and our pregnancy rate is 30%.

What is the greatest lesson you have learned through your breeding program? We have learned with a combination of genomics and GMS mating that we can get a better animal all around. It is our experience that the environment can have a big impact on the animal so we don’t want to solely go off of genomics. We always want to verify the full genetic potential has been reached by physically looking at each animal individually.

What is the age of your heifers at rst service? We are breeding heifers at a minimum of 13.5 months but usually closer to 14 months old. All of our heifers are eligible for embryos the rst two services before being bred to sexed semen or beef semen.

How does your heifer inventory affect your breeding program? Our heifer program is a lot more consistent now that we are using sexed semen. We can control the number of heifers that are born a lot easier and are getting a better price on the beef calves that we sell.

Tell us about your farm. Johnson’s Rolling Acres was established in 1979 when LeRoy and Darleen and their sons formed a corporation. Over the years, all six of the boys were part of the farm and one son-inlaw. As of today, the farm is made up of six partners. The three senior partners are Mark, Bradley and Richard Johnson. The three junior partners are Trinity, Lee and Zac Johnson. We also raise pigs and have enough land to feed all the animals and have grain for sale also. We have 21 employees who are key to making it all happen on a daily basis. The current partners have areas we are in charge of: Mark and Trinity manage the dairy, Bradley manages the pigs, Richard is the farm manager, Lee manages the shop, and Zac manages agronomy. When we are busy, it is all hands on deck no matter the job.

AMY KYLLO/DAIRY STAR

Trinity Johnson (from le ), Walter Laumb and Mark Johnson stand in a freestall barn Feb. 9 at Johnson’s Rolling Acres near Peterson, Minnesota. Johnson’s Rolling Acres has a concep on rate of 44%.

AMY KYLLO/DAIRY STAR

Work smarter and increase productivity

McHale Round Baler V6750

• Designed to operate in the toughest conditions

• Saves labor—one person, one machine for baling and wrapping

Lice eat into prots

• Semi-automatic variable chamber baler

• 15 knife chopper unit and heavy-duty rotor ber y-duty

Less labor. More output!

Teagle Tomahawk 8500

• Bed down and feed with one machine

• “Dual Chop” system pre-processes straw

• Wider body for greater capacity and easier loading

• Industrial grade durability—wear resistant steel plate in fan housing

• Suitable for corn stalks

Get more done in a day

Worksaver RW Spin Off

•

Lice is a common external parasite in dairy cattle, most notably detected by visible loss of hair. Infestations occur predominantly in the winter months from December through March when cattle have thick winter hair coats. This is compounded by having seasonally less light and the tendency for animals to crowd or bunch together.

Lice infestations are more than a cosmetic issue. Cattle lice infections can affect the health and performance of animals during with winter months. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has estimated that livestock producers lose up to $125 million per year due to effects of lice infestations.

By Barry Visser Nutritionist

Lice are small, at-bodied insects with legs modied for grasping hairs. Cattle serve as the host to lice and are critical to their survival. Lice can only live away from the animal for a few days. Two common species of lice that infest cattle are biting lice and sucking lice. Biting lice eat skin debris and secretions on the outside of the animal while sucking lice pierce the skin with their narrow, pointed heads and suck blood from the host. Lice are species-specic, suggesting cattle lice cannot affect people or other livestock species.

Female lice will lay an egg at the base of cattle hair follicles, and the eggs are essentially glued individually to the hair. It takes about two weeks for the baby lice, or nymphs, to hatch. The nymphs resemble adult lice but are smaller. It takes them about three weeks to mature to adult lice. The adult lice live for about two to three weeks and, as reported by University of Kentucky entomologists, the females lay about one egg per day.

Determining the severity of the infestation is the rst step in developing an action plan against lice infestation. One method is to count and record the number and species of lice found per square inch of the hide. Biting lice will move when disturbed and are usually not found clustered with other lice, so you will see individual lice jumping around. In contrast, sucking lice will tend to stay stationary when disturbed and like to group together. Kentucky specialists have referenced 10 lice per square inch as the economic threshold for treatment initiation. However, producers will often treat with any presence of lice to proactively prevent reinfestation and, in some cases, just for the improved appearance that results.

The most common sign that cattle are suffering from a severe lice infestation is hair loss and raw spots, leading to increased maintenance costs associated with additional energy to keep animals warm in the winter. This is often combined with reduced weight gain, health and general thriftiness. Studies have shown average daily gain of growing calves reduced by up to 0.25 pounds per day, resulting in decreased feed efciency. Lice infestations can also lead to skin infections, potential blood loss and anemia in severe cases, and wear and tear on facilities and fences.

Lice populations will decrease in activity as the weather starts to warm. This may inuence the decision to treat, especially in cases where lice numbers are low or animals do not seem bothered by the lice infestation. When treating cattle, it is important to treat the entire group. Missing even one animal could allow it to serve as a reservoir for reinfesting the entire herd. A variety of products are available for control of lice. If you decide to treat a lice infestation, select a product that will work the best for the population of lice you have present. Biting lice are most effectively treated with a topical treatment. Sucking lice feed on blood and serum, so they are controlled more effectively with a systemic injectable product. To achieve a more complete kill, as second treatment may be necessary to capture those lice that were in the egg and infancy stage during the initial treatment.

Work with your veterinarian and herd health advisors to determine which products t the needs of your dairy. Implementing an effective lice control program will allow your herd to maintain optimal health status and maximize performance.

Barry Visser is a nutritionist for Vita Plus.

Something to Ruminate On

An optimistic outlook for dairy in the Midwest

A solid foundation of dairy promotion in 2022 has set Midwest Dairy up to adapt and respond to consumer needs as we enter into 2023. We will continue to build on our dairy promotion work this year to ensure the dairy farm family’s investment in checkoff is serving them well to build trust and demand for dairy. Since starting the threeyear strategic plan in 2021, Midwest Dairy has worked toward the vision of bringing dairy to life for a better world and the mission of working with others to give consumers an excellent dairy experience. Our accomplishments and progress toward building trust and demand show the value of checkoff as we build on our relationships with new and existing retail partners and continue to increase trust in dairy through nutrition resources and education.

By Molly Pelzer Midwest Dairy CEO

beverage manufacturers with the Cooperative and Processor Support program. Through this program, we provide market research and consumer insights, ongoing communications resources, and marketing assistance for new and innovative dairy products, which allows us to share with our partners to promote dairy in the marketplace. Undeniably Dairy grants are available to Midwest Dairy farmers, dairy groups and agricultural organizations to share their own story at a local level. These grants turn great ideas for promoting the dairy community to consumers into reality. In 2022, grants were used to bring dairy to new places and audiences, host onfarm events and engage with Generation Z consum-

ers. Applications are now open again for the 2023 funding cycle.

As a busy year unfolds, I am optimistic about dairy in 2023. We’ll continue to focus on ve areas: increasing dairy sales, growing trust, advancing research, creating dairy checkoff advocates, and developing farm and community leaders as we showcase the unique nutritional benets of dairy and how it is sustainably produced. And as always, we’ll promote the farmer’s dairy story – the unique wellness benets of dairy and their dedication to caring for the planet and cows is always at the center of what Midwest Dairy does.

Initiatives from Midwest Dairy are reaching more consumers than ever throughout our 10-state region with 39 million consumers residing in the marketplace. The year is off to a great start already, with dairy products playing a key role in consumers’ resolutions for a healthier version of themselves. Our retail partners, including Hy-Vee, Coborn’s and others, are capitalizing on this initiative as many promotions are happening now to spotlight a healthy diet by promoting yogurt and recipes containing dairy products paired with deals at the cash register.

I believe collaboration is a key focus for all programs and activities to expand dairy’s footprint and consumer trust. Midwest Dairy is maximizing the impact of the dairy farmer’s checkoff investment by working with and through partners to share information and real-time experiences that showcase how dairy products resonate with today’s consumers. For example, a new partnership with Godfather’s Pizza Express has received excellent consumer engagement from a limited-time offer of a ve cheese and sausage pizza. Midwest Dairy is funding the point-of-sale materials for this project that are currently being used in the three-monthlong program. Dairy also continues to reach younger consumers through well-known social media inuencers such as Mr. Beast, a gaming and YouTube icon, who shares insights and promotes dairy to his millions of followers online.

Midwest Dairy continues to support dairy in schools based on research and a legacy of leadership in student health and wellness. Current work on business case studies will help school decisionmakers grow meal participation with dairy-based smoothies, coffee stations and breakfasts. Studies show an opportunity to increase the number of students choosing school meals paired with a coffee beverage, encouraging them to consume milk they otherwise may not. These dairy-based programs generate excitement for milk and other dairy foods and the school meal program. A high school STEM pilot program is also giving dairy farmers an opportunity to shape the next generation and infuse dairy into the science curriculum. As a result, students learn how dairy is part of a healthy lifestyle, the scientic principles behind production decisions and get an inside look at related career opportunities.

Lastly, 2023 brings opportunities to support and work closely with those in the dairy industry. Midwest Dairy collaborates with processors, farmer-owned cooperatives, and dairy food and

You’re so vain

It never fails to amaze me what people are willing to endure in the name of vanity.

It’s macabre when you think about it: Folks voluntarily have their fat suctioned, their esh nipped and tucked, implants installed, and their eyes and noses reshaped. It’s enough to give Dr. Frankenstein the willies.

And, it’s not like there’s any dearth of options for those who don’t care for plastic surgeons. The cosmetics counter (They’ve got them everywhere nowadays, even at farm machinery dealerships.) abounds with unguents and ointments that promise to enhance your natural good looks using the best synthetic industrial compounds known to man.

In the name of research, I conducted a foray into my wife’s makeup kit, which is about the size of a steamer trunk, and found a cover-up crème that lists among its many ingredients such things as tri-

ethanolamine and propylparaben.

Oh, yeah, that sounds real natural. I can recall saying to our sons back when they were grade schoolers, “Let’s go down to the creek and gather up some hydroxyethylcellulose! I’ve heard that you can make good money selling that stuff to the cosmetics industry.”

I don’t spend much time on my appearance, a fact that has long annoyed my wife.

“It wouldn’t hurt if you spiffed yourself up a little,” she’ll say, dropping one of her subtler hints.

“What’s the point?” I’ll reply. “The dog and our Jersey steers don’t mind how I look, and I don’t especially care either.”

“Well, at least do something about your nose. It’s starting to look like a wooly bear caterpillar.”

She knows how to hit where it hurts. I’ve noted lately, with more than a little alarm, that my nose

has begun to sprout hair. Not in my nose, which happens to everyone, but on my nose. On the leading edge, if you will.

The obvious remedy would be to take a razor to my face, something I haven’t done for several decades. I trim my beard, mainly because I have zero musical abilities and would hate to be mistaken for ZZ Top. Plus, trimming my beard helps justify the cost of my fancy new weed whacker.

My fear is that if I start shaving my nose, I’ll accidentally lop off a big hunk of it. And how will I explain that? People will assume it’s a do-it-yourself rhinoplasty gone bad.

There are larger issues at stake here. For example, shouldn’t we be happy with the way God made us? After all, who are we to second guess the almighty? And how much should one have to suffer for the sake of one’s appearances?

These are the type of questions I’ve posed ever since I was a child. Not that voicing them ever helped me avoid that weekly torment known as the Saturday night bath.

Every Saturday evening after milking and chores were done, Mom would run some hot water into the bathtub. All eight of us kids would then take turns bathing in that water, with the addition of a little hot water between customers. My pleas to my parents that I’d been super fastidious during the previous seven days fell on deaf ears; I still had to take my turn.

As I soaked, I would think of all the resources that had been squandered on this bath and the unnaturalness of sitting in a tub of water in the wintertime. I shivered knowing that murderously cold temperatures lurked mere inches away on the other side of the wall. What if the wall were to suddenly collapse? Icy cold would come rushing in like a crazed defensive tackle pursuing a helpless quarterback. I would instantly become a frozen kidsicle.

Bad as all that was, it was a mere triing compared to what my ve sisters endured. When my bath was done so was my torment, but theirs had just begun. Because my sisters would roll their damp hair up in big, spiky curlers and then they would sleep on the darn things.

Sitting in church the next morning – wearing my little polyester suit, my hair plastered to my skull with Vaseline Hair Tonic (aka, super rened 30W motor oil) – I would ponder deep, philosophical questions. The main one was, “What’s the point of me getting all gussied up like this? After all, I’ll just revert to a close resemblance of Pigpen from the ‘Peanuts’ comic strip just as soon as we get back home to our farm.”

The passage of time has caused my youthful attitude regarding vanity and personal grooming to evolve especially after I discovered this fabulous product called Nair For Nose.

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.

By Jerry Nelson Columnist

Dear County Agent Guy

Signup set to open for Conservation Reserve Program

By Steve Frericks Stearns County FSA executive director

Agricultural producers and private landowners can begin applying for the Conservation Reserve Program Feb. 27 through April 7.

CRP is a cornerstone voluntary conservation program offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and a key tool in the Biden-Harris administration’s effort to address climate change and help agricultural communities invest in the long-term well-being of their land and natural resources.

Producers and landowners enrolled more than 5 million acres into CRP in 2022, building on the acceptance of more than 3.1 million acres in the largest grassland CRP signup in history. There are currently 23 million acres enrolled in CRP, with 1.9 million set to expire this year. USDA’s Farm Service Agency FSA is aiming to reach the 27-million-acre cap statutorily set for scal year 2023.

General CRP

General CRP helps producers and landowners establish long-term, resource-conserving plant species, such as approved grasses or trees, to control soil erosion, improve water quality and enhance wildlife habitat on cropland. Additionally, general CRP includes a Climate-Smart Practice Incentive to help increase carbon sequestration and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by helping producers and landowners establish trees and permanent grasses, enhance wildlife habitat and restore wetlands.

Timely report ownership, operator changes

Producers who are buying or selling agricultural land need to notify FSA as soon as possible following the transaction for timely update of FSA farm records.

To report an ownership change, provide either a copy of the recorded warranty deed or a contract for deed to FSA.

If you will be renting new land, FSA needs a copy of the lease before we can add you to the farm and/ or give you any information about the farms such as

maps, base acres, yields and ARC/PLC elections. If an operator is dropping rented land, we appreciate notication of those changes also for updating of records.

Producers who have transferred their land into a trust also need to report this ownership change to the FSA. To record an ownership change to a trust, the trust, grantors or trustee(s) need to provide a copy of the recorded deed to FSA.

Ownership changes involving land enrolled in CRP need to be reported to the FSA once the deed is recorded at the county ofce. Failure to report an ownership change (including land being transferred from an individual to a trust, etc.) for land enrolled in CRP could result in termination of the CRP contract and require a refund of all payments received under the applicable contract.

Timely reporting of ownership changes is appreciated. FSA is not notied by the county recorder’s ofce of these sales. In addition, notify FSA if a bank account has changed.

Streamline loan application process

FSA has developed a simplied direct loan application to provide an improved customer experience for producers applying for loans from FSA. Producers also have the option to complete an electronic llable form or prepare a traditional, paper application for submission to their local FSA ofce. The paper and electronic versions of the form will be available starting March 1.

Approximately 26,000 producers submit a direct loan application to the FSA annually, but there is a high rate of incomplete or withdrawn applications, due in part to a challenging and lengthy paper-based application process. This new application will help farmers and ranchers submit complete loan applications and reduce the number of incomplete, rejected or withdrawn applications.

In October 2022, USDA launched the Loan Assistance Tool, an online step-by-step guide that provides materials to help an applicant prepare their farm loan application in one tool. Farmers can access the Loan Assistance Tool by visiting farmers.gov/farm-loan-assistance-tool and clicking the “Get Started” button. A

version compatible with mobile devices is expected to be available by this summer.

The loan application and Loan Assistance Tool are the rst of multiple farm loan process improvements that will be available to USDA customers on farmers. gov.

Other improvements that are anticipated to launch in 2023 include an interactive online direct loan application that gives customers a paperless and electronic signature option along with the ability to attach supporting documents such as tax returns. An online direct loan repayment feature will relieve borrowers from the necessity of calling, mailing or visiting a USDA Service Center to pay a loan installment.

Finally, all direct loan borrowers will receive a letter from USDA describing the circumstances under which additional payments will be made to distressed borrowers and how they can work with their FSA local ofce to discuss these options. Producers can explore all available options on all FSA loan options at fsa. usda.gov or by contacting a USDA Service Center.

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

hrs., 1835 CH hrs., #546919 .............. $308,000

JD 9800 2020, Kernel Processor, PRWD, 1287 hrs., 833 CH hrs., #536344 ................ $497,000

JD 8700 2018, Kernel Processor, PRWD, 2327 hrs., 1849 CH hrs., #552442 .............. $284,000

JD 8700 2016, Kernel Processor, PRWD, 1840 hrs., 1103 CH hrs., #525709 .............. $324,000

JD 8700 2018, Kernel Processor, PRWD, 1701 hrs., 1069 CH hrs., #541389 .............. $348,500

Claas 970 2018, Kernel Processor, PRWD, 2257 hrs., 1639 CH hrs., #533174 ........... $299,000

JD 9700 2020, Kernel Processor, PRWD, 1153 hrs., 653 CH hrs., #543646 ................ $503,000

JD 8600 2018, Kernel Processor, PRWD, 1651 hrs., 778 CH hrs., #188792 ................ $342,000

JD 7450 2008, Kernel Processor, PRWD, 5410 hrs., 3720 CH hrs., #547277 .............. $110,500

JD 8800 2016, Kernel Processor, PRWD, 2602 hrs., 1679 CH hrs., #175182 .............. $268,100

JD 8500 2016, Kernel Processor, PRWD, 2231 hrs., 1180 CH hrs., #555984 .............. $259,000

JD 8300 2022, Kernel Processor, PRWD, 29 hrs., #537501 ....................................... $459,000

JD 9900 2019, Kernel Processor, PRWD, 1221 hrs., 884 CH hrs., #550177 ................ $493,000

JD 9900 2020, Kernel Processor, PRWD, 844 hrs., 583 CH hrs., #553436

2016, Kernel Processor, PRWD, 2432 hrs., 1408 CH hrs., #532553 .............. $254,000

JD 6910 1997, PRWD, 4200 hrs., 2657 CH hrs., #555031 ........................................... $45,900

Claas 940 2020, Kernel Processor, PRWD, 650 hrs., 480 CH hrs., #532728 ............... $399,900

JD 9600 2019, Kernel Processor, PRWD, 1224 hrs., 811 CH hrs., #532049 ................ $409,900

JD 7780 2013, Kernel Processor, PRWD, 3366 hrs., 2109 CH hrs., #274502 .............. $169,900

JD 9800 2020, Kernel Processor, PRWD, 1414 hrs., 942 CH hrs., #554135 ................ $459,900

JD 6810 1996, Kernel Processor, PRWD, 3999 hrs., 2676 CH hrs., #552363 ................ $39,900

JD 8600 2016, Kernel Processor, PRWD, 1650 hrs., 1200 CH hrs., #555841 .............. $289,000

JD 8800 2017, Kernel Processor, PRWD, 1727 hrs., 904 CH hrs., #544616 ................ $339,900

JD 7400 2002, Kernel Processor, PRWD, 5112 hrs., 2623 CH hrs., #553603 ................ $87,900

JD 9700 2020, Kernel Processor, PRWD, 957 hrs., 500 CH hrs., #552460 .................. $524,900

JD 9600 2019, Kernel Processor, PRWD, 1720 hrs., 1130 CH hrs., #553763 .............. $349,900

JD 7980 2014, Kernel Processor, PRWD, 3400 hrs., 2366 CH hrs., #532823 .............. $157,000

JD 8700 2016, Kernel Processor, PRWD, 1467 hrs., 933 CH hrs., #532572 ................ $339,000

Seeing clearly

I remember when my mom started wearing glasses. My dad hooted and hollered about the fact her rst pair of glasses were bifocals. I didn’t understand what the big fuss was about until I repeated history.

I can clearly see the moment I realized I needed glasses. I was taking pictures of our kids as they marched in the Platte River Day Parade. I had a really nice camera and was able to zoom in on their faces. Yet as I looked through the view nder, the image was a bit fuzzy. Apparently the automatic focus wasn’t working right, so I slipped it off and manually adjusted the picture into focus and snapped away. When I got my pictures back from the developer, (Yes, the pictures were on lm.) I discovered

my problem. The rst “out of focus” pictures I took were as clear as day. The ones I manually manipulated were a bit fuzzy. The automatic focus was working just ne. It appeared my eyes were not. My rst pair of glasses would soon be bifocals too.

Mark and I have been stashing cheater glasses all over the farm for quite a while. There are glasses in all the tractors, trucks and skid loaders. There are at least four pair of glasses in the barn desk to nd breeding dates, sire codes and DHIA cell counts. We started asking why everything was printed in such small font. Apparently the only thing that was really changing was our eye sight.

I’ve adjusted to wearing glasses all the time now, but it sure has been a strong learning curve. Wearing glasses around the house is one thing. Wearing

TRI-START JR+

Performance Proven + Latest Research + Easy Application

To support your calf’s developing immune system, look to Tri-Start Jr+ (paste form). Developed using the latest calf research, the unique formulation of Tri-Start Jr+ is designed to boost your calf’s immune system at birth. The ingredient combination below helps improve rumen function and health by establishing microbial populations, which crowd out pathogens.

•20 billion viable colony forming units (CFU) of naturally occurring microorganisms selected specifically for young calves

•Short-chain fatty acid included to optimize absorption

•Egg protein antibodies protect the calf from specific pathogens

•Vitamins B, C and E and selenium yeast support immune system development

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL SELECT SIRES REPRESENTATIVE TO LEARN MORE!

glasses in the barn is an entirely different thing. Going in and out of a warm humid barn during cold winter days presents the challenge of how to keep glasses from fogging up. I would get frustrated having to wait for my glasses to clear before I could see what I was doing. Instead of waiting, I pushed the glasses up on my head and out of my way as I nished bedding cow stalls. I only needed to wear them for close-up work. In general, I could see what I was doing without them. Once I was done bedding cows and ready to move to the next job, I realized I couldn’t nd my glasses. Apparently, they must have slipped off my head as I bent down to get the straw under a cow and fell in the gutter. It would take a miracle to nd them. I always imagined we would nd them on the head of a deer or fox out in the elds.

By Natalie Schmitt Columnist

Since then, I have been very careful to keep track of my glasses. I wish they were as easy to nd as my cell phone. I just call the number and the ring tone leads me to where I left it last. I can’t call my glasses. I wish there was some sort of tracking device for them, especially when I lose them during milking.

When I’m milking, I have to be vigilant in protecting my glasses from swinging tails. With a quick ick of a tail, my glasses have been known to y off my face. Once they landed in the feed aisle in front of the cows. Another time, I retrieved them next to my feet. The worst time was when we stopped milking for 20 minutes just to search for my lost glasses.

Chime swung her tail and ipped my glasses right off my face before I even realized what was happening. I heard a gentle plop, but because sounds are all the same direction for me, I couldn’t tell where they landed. Mark and I took off all the milking units and started to search under three cows on each side of Chime. We searched the feed aisle. We rummaged our hands through the gutter just in case. Nothing. Another lost pair of glasses. We started milking again and moved the milking cart forward to the next set of cows.

As I walked back to retrieve a milking unit, I was walking very gently just in case I might step on the lost glasses. Good thing I was cautious. As I stepped out of the stall with the unit, there were my glasses lying in the middle of the barn alley. They had landed under the milking cart, and we managed not to step on them in our search.

I guess the best way to keep track of my glasses is to break down and put those granny chains on my glasses that droop from my ears to behind my neck. This will probably be the only way to protect my glasses from being launched by a swinging tail.

I’m glad I can see clearly now, but I hope I can see with more than just my eyes. As Zig Ziglar said, “Always pray to have eyes that see the best in people, a heart that forgives the worst, a mind that forgets the bad and a soul that never loses faith in God.”

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.

Just Thinking Out Loud

Our small, connected world

1950, the Ihrkes returned to Dover.

My grandpa’s youngest sister, Eileen, also settled down in southeastern Minnesota. After graduating from high school in Cromwell, Eileen moved back to Dover to work for Margie. She was reacquainted with Glenn Walters, a boy she had known from the Quincy one room school. They fell in love, got married, and took over Glenn’s family farm north of Dover.

Dairy Good Life

By Sadie Frericks Columnist

Good things happen when dairy farmers get together. Last week, several of us gathered for Minnesota Milk’s Annual Meeting, Dairy Dinner, and Dairy Day at the Capitol. Congratulations to the Mursu family – Tom, Tammy, Jeremy, and Vanessa – on their selection as Producer of the Year. They did a great job representing Minnesota’s dairy community at the Capitol.

During the ride from the Dairy Dinner back to the hotel, I was chatting with Marlys Hinckley of Chateld, Minn. She mentioned growing up in St. Charles, Minn. and followed with: “It’s a little town you’ve probably never heard of.”

“Well, actually, I have,” I replied. And then I shared a quick version of my family’s history:

My grandfather, Erwin Smith, was raised in southeastern Minnesota. My great-grandparents, Clarence and Ina (Kingsley) Smith, were raised in New Hartford Township, Winona County and Money Creek, Houston County, respectively.

At the time my grandfather was born in 1919, Clarence and Ina were farming near Stockton in Winona County. But, in the 1920s, Clarence and Ina lost their farm, likely due to the plummeting commodity prices and corresponding land values of that decade.

The Smiths family left their home in Stockton and moved to a farm in Trout Valley near Oak Ridge in Winona County. They farmed there on shares with the landowner. After three more children joined the family, bringing their crew to 11, they moved again to a different farm with a round barn near Quincy, farming 320 acres on shares and milking 25 cows.

Then, in the late 1930s, word came from Ina’s brother, Kenneth Kingsley, that there were farms for sale in northeastern Minnesota. Kenny had moved up north to work on road construction in Carlton County.

In September of 1941, Clarence and Ina packed up their family, four horses, two cows, and their belongings and relocated to Cromwell, Minnesota. They picked a farm near the highway because it was close to the new electric lines.

But one of my grandpa’s sisters, Marjorie, didn’t make the move. Margie, as we knew her, had already married an Olmsted County fellow by the name of George Ihrke, who she had met at the Dover Calf Show. George and Margie farmed together near Dover until 1945, when George was drafted into the war. Margie and their three young children moved in with Clarence and Ina while George was away. In

Repair vs. Replace

Electronic Dairy Board Repair Service

Specializing in: WestfaliaSurge, BouMatic, & DeLaval pulsators & Takeoffs, circuit boards, Mueller milk tank circuit boards. Call: (c) 406-590-7764

www.circuit xer.wixsite.com/ boumaticboardrepair

When I was a kid, we often visited George and Margie and Glenn and Eileen. I always marveled at Glenn and Eileen’s farm because they had a milking parlor with glass pipeline. We usually stopped in Dover as part of a making-the-rounds trip that included a visit to my aunt and uncle’s home in northeast Iowa.

So, yes, I told Marlys, I’ve been through St. Charles many times.

And then the conversation got really interesting.

Marlys said, “Dale is related to the Ihrkes!”

“No way!” I said.

Dale, Marlys’s husband, conrmed: “Yep. My mother was George’s sister.”

Dale knew that most of his Aunt Margie’s family was from up north, but wasn’t aware the family had deep roots in southeastern Minnesota.

We all agreed that the world is smaller and more connected than we often think –especially in the farming community.

Telling my great-grandparents’ story made me reect on one of the comments Jeremy Mursu made in the Mursus’ Producer of the Year video.

“I’m thankful for my forefathers and their families. Each generation has put a lot of hard work and sacrice into continuing farming. Without what they’ve done, I probably wouldn’t be farming today,” Jeremy said.

I couldn’t agree more with Jeremy’s statement.

Clarence could have gone back to work in town after losing the farm. No doubt it would have been simpler than relocating his family and livestock multiple times – including half way across the state. But during the Great Depression of the 1930s, living on a farm provided many benets for a large family. And, as my elders tell me, Clarence loved farming and working with animals – enough to go wherever there was an opportunity to continue.

That love for farming and courage to strike out continue to dene my family. My grandpa and grandma bought their own farm. My dad and mom did the same. Glen and I bought our own farm – and relocated our livestock a quarter of the way across the state in the process.

It’s good to reect and it’s good to be grateful. I’m so glad Marlys mentioned St. Charles. And that Jeremy talked about being grateful for his forefathers. Thank you to Marlys and Jeremy and all of the other dairy farmers and dairy friends who gathered with us for a great two days together.

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

$ Improving Your Bottom Line $

As a dairyman, are you looking to improve the way your fresh cows transition, take off, peak and breed back? Looking to improve rumen health, rumen function, overall health, digestion, feed efficiency, and YOUR BOTTOM LINE??? If so, then…

RECALIBRATE WITH RECAL

The RECAL line of probio cs is NOT just another probio c on the market. RECAL is a probio c heavily weighted towards be er diges on and uliza on, primarily FIBER DIGESTION. There are a lot of nutrients in your forages that can be u lized by improving diges on.

RECAL is also a probio c that produces more B-vitamins in the rumen of that cow, mainly vitamin B12. B-vitamins are well known to aide in s mula ng appe te, stress, immune system, reproduc on and also very important in rumen diges on.

30-day FREE TRIAL

We o er a thirty-day free trial. What does that consist of you ask? Well, we will give you enough product for thirty days and tell you what to watch for. If you don’t know what to be watching for, how do you know if the product is working and you have to see a di erence and a return on investment. Then, at the end of the thirty days if you say that you saw no di erence and don’t want to con nue feeding the RECAL, you pay absolutely nothing. But if you do like what you are seeing and want to con nue then you pay for the product you used in that thirty-day trial and we keep doing business together. Now, will you see full bene ts of this product in thirty days? Absolutely not. If you don’t see enough bene ts from any product in thirty days then it’s not working for you. Plus, there might be something you are already feeding that could be pulled out. Remember, its not an expense if you see a return on investment.

How o en do you see o ers like that?

NUTRITIONISTS DON’T KNOW EVERYTHING. GO BY WHAT THE COWS SAY!!

Our main focus with RECAL probiotics a n d YOUR cows YOUR !!!

To improve rumen health. What is the most important part of that cow??? The RUMEN!!!

To improve the overall immune system of your cow. The immune system starts in the RUMEN!!!

#3

#1 #2 #4

#5

To improve diges on and u liza on of the feed that the cows are ea ng. If the feed is going in one end of the cow and coming out the other end of the cow without being digested and u lized, what good is it??? A WASTE!!!

To improve reproduc on. Let’s face it, you don’t make money milking cows unless you are milking FRESH cows!!!

To improve YOUR BOTTOM LINE!!! It’s not about how much milk can we make. It’s about how much MONEY can we make!!!

We offer 30-day free trials.