March 1, 2021 at 3:57 p.m.
Dairy's Working Youth
Get to know Cassandra Hinsch of Goodhue, Minnesota
Cassandra Hinsch (left) works for Kristin Schrimpf and her family at Schrimpf Farms, where they milk 500 cows near Goodhue, Minnesota. The 17-year-old senior at Goodhue High School also works for her parents, Mike and Ann Hinsch, who raise heifers also near Goodhue, Minnesota. PHOTO BY KRISTA KUZMA
Parents: Mike and Ann Hinsch
Employers: Kristin and Ken Schrimpf, Schrimpf Farms
Goodhue, Minnesota
Goodhue County
Schrimpfs milk 500 cows
Senior at Goodhue High School
17 years old
Questions for employer:
Tell us your favorite experience of your employee helping with chores. I don’t have one experience, but whenever one of our employees is sick, Cassandra always makes her work on the dairy a priority and helps us at the last minute. She is very reliable.
What qualities does your employee have that benefit the farm? She is pleasant to work with, easy going, hardworking and open to suggestions for how she is doing things on the farm.
Questions for the youth:
What are your responsibilities on the farm? I work on my parents’ farm, where they raise heifers for my cousins’ dairy. There, my responsibilities are mixing feed and helping sort heifers that need to go back to the main farm. I also help haul manure and fix fence. At Schrimpf Farms, I milk cows and help do calf chores when they need an extra hand.
When did you begin helping on the farm? I started at the Schrimpf Farm this last summer about the second week in August. I work whenever they need someone either feeding calves or milking. I have been working on my home farm since I could walk, and now my responsibilities have grown. When I was younger, feeding the calves was how I got started working on the farm.
How do you balance school, extracurricular activities and farm chores? I balance school and working on the farms pretty well. It helps now that I am not in any sports. So, I’m able to come home after school to mix feed or help the Schrimpfs on the weekend when they need it.
How has working on the farm shaped your character? I have been on a dairy farm my whole life. Working on both farms built me to be a strong, hard-working young adult who has good time management skills. It has taught me to do what I love, and to have big and small dreams. It has also taught me to accomplish what I can reach but keep striving for more when a goal is reached.
What do you love most about farm life? I get to do what I love. Not a lot of people are lucky to say that. I love it all. Feeding calves or milking at the Schrimpfs’ farm, mixing feed, fixing fence or hauling manure at my home farm. It puts a smile on my face to do something I enjoy.
What is one thing you have learned from working alongside your parents and employer? Hard work and dedication can get you far in life. Take opportunities to follow your dreams and don’t be disappointed if something doesn’t work out. There is always something else out there for you.
What are your future plans? This fall I will attend the University of Wisconsin-River Falls to study dairy science. From there, I don’t know what will happen.
Comments:
You must login to comment.