BENTON AG Plus
Sauk Rapids Herald | Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024
Serving rural Benton, Morrison, Mille Lacs and Kanabec counties
A new year
PHOTOS BY EMILY BRETH
Patrick Plante stands in his tiestall barn with his dog Nov. 28, 2023, on his farm near Little Falls. Plante milks 50 cows, and his herd consists of mainly Holsteins.
RUMINATIONS WITH MARY
MARY BARRON-TRAUT
Every year it starts. The media lauding the bene ts of making New Year’s resolutions and the general public enthusiastically committing to new lifestyle choices only to forget them within a few weeks. I’m a participant in this cycle, too. My resolutions mirror those of many. My rst resolution, usually, is to get more exercise, and this can get a bit tricky. In my current job, I sit a lot. I remind myself that during breaks I need to walk the hallways to accumulate some steps; however, this thought process lasts again for the rst week, and then I make excuses. I convince myself that the exercise I get from doing chores in the afternoon is enough,
Barron-Traut page 2B
Prospering Plante builds farm, never deters from a problem
considered starting his own dairy operation on a farm site that had been foreclosed and was up for auction. Plante was told the farm was in rough shape, which is probably why he won with a low bid. “Anything that would have discouraged me at the time would have made me try to strive higher (because) I don’t turn away from a challenge,” Plante said. “When I rst came (to the farm site), I couldn’t turn around in the yard with a vehicle; it was that full of junk.”
BY EMILY BRETH STAFF WRITER
If there is one thing that never scared Patrick Plante, it was a challenge. Buying a farm site in 1989, prior to seeing it, Plante had his work cut out for him. A herd of 50 milking cows, which are mainly Holstein with a few Holstein-Angus crossbreds, can now be found in the tiestall barn on Plante’s farm near
The cows on Patrick Plante’s farm lie in the tiestall barn Nov. 28, 2023, at his farm near Little Falls. The cows are milked twice a day with automatic takeoff units.
Little Falls. Plante’s ancée, Cathy, works off the farm, but Plante’s full-time employee tends to cow care and milking while Plante does all
the eldwork. Plante did not always plan on buying a farm, and it was not until he needed a way to pay the bills that he
Plante page 2B
KUHN SPREADERS! New PS242 w/horizontal beaters
Several really good used Kuhn Spreaders to choose from!
New PS242
Stop in or call Rod
w/vertical beaters
1960-2024 Celebrating 64 years!
FLUEGGE’S AG Farm Material Handling Specialist
ROD FLUEGGE “the boss”
2040 Mahogany St., Mora, MN |
320-679-2981
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