Pooch raises Angus after ‘12 long years’ of Holsteins

Nick Pooch Farwell, Minn. Pope County

By LAURA COLE

The Land Staff Writer

For Nick Pooch in Pope County, April 25-May 5 is a usual target time frame to get in the fields; but he joins the company of many farmers who have been delayed due to Mother Nature. While Pooch is a bit concerned, he states he didn’t get out until May 25 last year and couldn’t complain with the good results he had.

Nick farms 1,500 acres near Farwell, Minn. and also has a beef cattle operation. He and his brother, Austin, are business partners on farming ground that was their grandfather’s. They are fourth generation farmers, as the Pooch family originally began farming near Lamberton, Minn. Nick and Austin’s father, Vernon, continues to help on the farm.

The family grows corn, wheat, oats, alfalfa, as well as soybeans for seed for Gold Country. “We always put a lot of seed plots in,”

Nick stated. He estimated about 10 percent of their acres go toward experimenting with different variables on corn and bean plots. “There’s a lot to be learned from that,” he remarked.

Nick described the soil quality at Pooch Farms as “heavy, heavy black dirt.” But 20 miles east it takes on a “sugar sand” quality.

He predicted he won’t be in the fields until mid to later-mid May and will be one of the last guys in the field. With having cattle, he stated he’s able to plant corn later to use for silage.

The operation feeds 750 beef calves to finish annually and also backgrounds about 300-400. “I’ve been sober from Holsteins since 2015,” Nick quipped. He started with Holsteins back in his 4-H days, and worked with them for “12 long years.” He reported the current herd is 80 percent black Angus, with a few red as well as white faced cattle.

A benefit to the operation is Nick’s wife’s vet tech education. Kris does the calf chores and completes