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Zach Brand
Parents: Bonnie and Dennis Brand
Employer: Nick Agrimson, Metz’s Hart-Land Dairy and Creamery
Rushford, Minnesota
Fillmore County
190 cows
Junior at Rushford High School
17 years old

Tell us your favorite experience of Zach helping with chores. He’s a really good guy and fun to have around the farm. I do not have a specific time that has been my favorite, but it is fun to joke around with Zach because he likes John Deere, and I like Internationals.

What qualities does Zach have that benefit the farm? He is very reliable. We can always count on him showing up. And he is a really hard worker. He does what he is told to do. If we send him on a job, we do not have to worry about it. It will get done.

What are your responsibilities on the farm? I do milking, mixing feed, field work, bedding and anything else that needs to be done. During the summer, I work during the day through evening milking, which finishes at 7:30. During the school year, I can only work from 4-7:30 p.m. during the weekdays. I also work almost every weekend.

When did you begin helping on the farm? I started working here June 2018. I like working with cows, enjoy milking and the people I work with. My family sold its dairy herd several years ago so I have a dairy background.
 
How do you balance school, extracurricular activities and farm chores? I make sure my school work is done before I do any extra work on the farm. If I get behind on school, it becomes a priority. I do not do any extracurricular activities, but I also help my brother on his beef farm and custom baling, and I raise my own feeder calves.

How has working on the farm shaped your character? It has made me a hard worker. I also respect my employer by doing what I am asked to do and take time to get it done right.

What do you love most about farm life? I like doing the work – milking, field work and working with the cows.

What is one thing you have learned from working alongside your employer? I have learned to take time to do chores or a project. When you are not in a hurry, you can focus on getting it done right and do not have to worry about things breaking down. Fast is not always better.

What are your future plans? Someday I would like to have my own dairy farm.

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