WILFERT FAMILY

USES TECHNOLOGIES TO GROW QUALITY PRODUCE

By Marian Viney

As owners of a 143-year-old family farm, Dave and Terri Wilfert embrace technology and advocate for agriculture while providing quality produce for their customers. Wilfert Farms LLC in Two Rivers is the largest fresh market farm in east central Wisconsin. The farm includes cash crops, processing carrots and fresh produce. New to the table, the farm also sells farm raised, locally processed beef with a family connection. The Wilferts share ownership of this legacy with their daughter Kelly, their son Ryan and his wife Kelsey, who are the fifth generation.

Using Technology "America does agriculture better than any place in the world," said Ryan, who attended UWMadison’s Farm & Industry Short Course. "I've grown up in agriculture and have seen first-hand how vital it is to our local community."

Science, precision agriculture and technology play major roles on today's farms. Using a touch screen in the tractor, Ryan can make "Implementing needed adjustments for applications in the field. technologies keeps our farm producing the highest quality planting to spraying to tillage," added vegetables, crops and produce and Ryan. "It reduces overlap and prevents improves our production each year," misses. In vegetable farming, consistent said Ryan. "Seeing the results is the fun application is very important." part of farming. It's important to see a He explained that precision is essential quality product in demand by the public when planting 24 to 36 rows of a crop per as people learn more about how food week to allow for staggered harvest, it is is grown." important not to overlap or have misses.

For example, by using the precision of "You simply return to the field and pull GPS, the Wilferts use the same track for in next to where you planted and can be planting and spraying crops, saving time, confident that everything will line up money and resources and reducing their as if you planted the field at the same carbon footprint. time," explained Ryan. "This is the same "By using real time kinematic or RTK, for spraying. Accurate GPS plays a huge which is the most accurate application role in making sure that I am applying available, it allows for sub-inch precision product exactly where I need it at the and accuracy for every application from correct time."

Ryan explained that they also use the RTK signal for drain tile installation. "Sitting in the cab of the tractor we can create elevation maps and topography with the GPS," added Ryan. "Then we can install drain tile on the correct grade and consistently at the correct depth across the field. It also allows us to determine if we can place the tile in the ground and have the water flow the direction that we want it to, before we even put the tile plow in the ground." Growing the Best Produce

The Wilferts own 300 acres and rent an additional 400 acres from a family member. They plant field corn, soybeans and wheat to make straw for the strawberries. They also schedule and manage multiple plantings of produce including sweet corn, strawberries, peas, cauliflower, broccoli, peppers, onions and other vegetables. It doesn’t stop there though, the family also grows carrots and snap beans for processing.

Growing a total of 30 different crops, staggered plantings extends the availability of produce to customer throughout summer and fall. "To ensure the quality of our produce, it is hand-picked, hand-washed and hand-sorted, and can be on your table hours after leaving the field," added Dave, who earned his degrees in marketing and economics from UW-Oshkosh. "We want it to be all about taste and quality, and our family and employees are proud about making that happen. Our motto is "We may not be the biggest, but we're always trying to be the best." Field Crops

The Wilferts use field crops such as wheat, corn and soybeans as rotational crops for the vegetables. "Crop rotation helps return nutrients to the soil naturally," said Ryan.

Each year weather is a challenge for the Wilferts. "This year we are considerably drier as compared with last year," added Ryan. "But we've also had to contend with cool temperatures, for example, in mid-June we had to irrigate the strawberries to keep the blossoms from freezing. This works because heat is released as water freezes."

Dave added that because of the farm's vertical integration and their ability to control the processes, reduce costs and improve efficiencies, their farm remains profitable. Beef, An Added Product

This spring Dave's sister and her family lost access to their processing plant due to the coronavirus outbreak. The family contacted a local processor but needed a place to Terri checks on the progress of the carrots. Wilfert Farms grows and supplies one percent of the processed carrot sell the beef. tonnage in the U.S. or about five percent of the processed "We purchased a carrot tonnage in Wisconsin. freezer for the farm market and filed for licensing and permits to sell retail beef," It's a Different Year said Kelly, who recently graduated Terri explained that following the Food from UW-Madison Law School and is Safety Modernization Act of 2011, the working for Investors Community Bank farm's sanitization routines were adjusted in Manitowoc. "From there, it took off to meet national standards; however, due like wildfire. Consumers contacted us to the coronavirus pandemic, they've about purchasing and it was gone within made some additional adjustments. days and continues to sell out as quickly "The challenge is finding the sanitizer as the freezer is filled." and disinfectants," said Terri.

Dave predicts that Wilfert Farms will She also said that they ask customers, come around full circle by integrating "To take what they touch." the sale of beef along with the field crops The Wilferts do not have full-time and produce. employees, but upwards of 20 seasonal, "We've seen the benefits of this in part-time workers. During the growing agriculture and that customers want to season, crews are in the field seven know where their food is coming from," days a week. added Dave. "Customers want to trust Ryan's wife, Kelsey, is a nurse at their farmer and Wilfert Farms wants to Aurora BayCare Medical Center in be their farmer." Green Bay. On her days off, she helps on Growing Processing Vegetables the farm and said she wouldn't trade it for anything.

Wilfert Farms also grows vegetables for "To work alongside Ryan and his processors. family and to witness their passion "Since 1984, we have worked with and the effort they put into growing major processors of vegetables," adds quality vegetables and produce for their Dave. "At the turn of the century, we customers is amazing," said Kelsey. were growing and supplying one percent "Many of the customers have been of the processed carrot tonnage in the coming to the farm store for years and U.S. or about five percent of the processed come for the quality." carrot tonnage in Wisconsin." Terri, Kelly or other employees go

This year marks the 37th year of the to the Manitowoc Farmers' Market on business relationship between Wilfert Saturdays where they sell about 25 to Farms and Lakeside Foods, the second 30 percent of the Manitowoc Farmers' largest canner in the U.S. Market's total sales. With the challenges "Lakeside Foods purchases 100 percent of coronavirus and the lack of workers, of our carrot crop," says Dave. "This year, they have only recently been able to we will ship between 2,500 to 3,000 tons attend the market this year. of carrots from 100 acres."

Farm Bureau has helped Kelly build a professional and social network of farmers across the state and nation.

Farm Bureau Membership

The Wilferts have been Manitowoc County Farm Bureau members for several years and recognize the value in their membership. While attending UW-Madison, Kelly served as a county board member and Collegiate Farm Bureau officer. She won the 2016 WFBF Collegiate Discussion Meet and advanced to the Final Four round of the AFBF Collegiate Discussion Meet. In 2018, she won the WFBF Young Farmer and Agriculturist Discussion Meet and again advanced to the to the Final Four round of the AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Discussion Meet, finishing third overall. She also completed an internship with AFBF in Washington, D.C. "Farm Bureau helped me to build a professional and social network of farmers across the state and nation," said Kelly. "It's more than who I get to meet though – it's the learning and member benefits that keep me coming back. Discussion Meet developed skills that I use every day in advocating in corporate boardrooms. It's been a pleasure to see the policy impact of Farm Bureau's advocacy and know that being a Farm Bureau member lends weight to my voice on Capitol Hill." Community Involvement Wilfert Farms LLC was recognized as Small Business of the Year by the Chamber of Manitowoc County.

The family contributes more than 10,000 pounds of food to local pantries. Dave is involved and serves as director for the Manitowoc Chamber of Commerce, FFA Alumni, Mishicot Ag Advisory Board and the Mishicot High School Advanced Career Placement Board.

Terri serves on the Wisconsin FFA Alumni Council, Board of Wisconsin Fresh Marketing Vegetable Growers Association, the Farmers' Market committee and previously on the county FSA committee. "For the advantages our kids had, we believe it's important to give back to the youth in our community," Terri added.

Ryan is a member of the Manitowoc County UW Ag Alumni Board and State and National FFA Alumni.

Wilfert Farms expanded their involvement with the Farm-to-School Initiative by providing fresh produce to three schools in the area. They also donate sweet corn for many local fundraisers and supply organizations with pumpkins in the fall. "We also support the Mishicot FFA Chapter," says Dave. "Our family has benefited from the chapter, and by supporting them we help develop more young leaders."

As far as the future of Wilfert Farms, son Ryan shares the same passion for agriculture and is learning the vegetable business from his parents. "We found methods that work for us, but the rapid change and progress in agriculture are two of the industry characteristics that make production agriculture so interesting," says Ryan. "We must continually be open to new ideas. I look forward to finding ways to work with and to benefit the community. As we move forward, we are always looking for new ways to increase our efficiency, sustainability and of course, quality."

The farm market is open daily from May through October. Regular hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Produce information is available at sites.google.com/site/ wilfertfarms/home or call 920.683.3264.