TNT Sales & Service

Jason Combs, Paul Knapp, Tom Huls, Heath Dumas and Merle Huls.

Tom Huls doesn’t sugarcoat his commitment to hard work and constant improvement. “I’m never happy with where I’m at. If you’re in the middle of the ocean treading water and you’re happy with where you’re at, you’re going to drown. You’d better be swimming somewhere.”

Tom and Brooke Huls, and their son, Graham, farm east of Westfield. Along with their partners – Merle Huls, Paul Knapp, Jason Combs and Heath Dumas – they run a cow-calf operation plus grow corn, soybeans, alfalfa and grass hay. Tom grew up on the dairy farm of his parents, Merle and Sue Huls. “Farming is what I always wanted to do. The first time I ever drove a tractor, I was three years old. Mom and my brothers were gone to the lakes. Dad put me on the seat of the 3020, put twine through my belt loops and tied me to the tractor. He put the tractor in low, in first gear. He had me driving while he was on the rack behind the square baler. I still remember it because the lady who lived here then called the sheriff because she thought I was too young to be on the tractor.” Livestock was always his first love. “Going out to the pastures at the beginning or end of the day, that’s my favorite. I started milking my first cows when I was five. My mom and dad helped me buy the first cows of my own when I was a sophomore in high school.” He wrestled and played football for Akron-

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Merle and Sue Huls with grandson, Graham. Westfield High School and received scholarship offers in the mail, “but I never opened them because I wanted to farm.”

After high school graduation, he milked cows with his parents. “I also worked two part-time jobs. I worked for Highland Farms doing everything – processing pigs, working cattle, baling. Then I also worked for a plumber named Steve Carlson. He tried to teach me the ins and outs, but I was intimidated by it. I was more of a grunt and shovel guy.” In the spring of 1998, the owner of Highland Farms asked if he wanted to rent a substantial amount of pasture. “It took off and the cow herd expanded from there,” he said. Tom figured if a person is going to get up from a sound sleep to check 10 cows, he might as well make it worth the hassle and check 200 or 300 instead.

Tom’s parents sold out of milk cows in 2001. “Mom went to town and started working at Walmart. Dad and I worked the cows and had other side jobs. We poured concrete and I worked for a welding and fabrication shop. I also worked welding for Masaba Mining Equipment for seven years. It was nice to have flexible people to work for who understood the need to put the crop in, take it out, and work the cows during calving season.” He has never had to seek out additional acres. “I'm proud that I’ve never asked anybody to rent their land – they’ve always asked me.” But he