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Veronica Schefers
14 years old
Eighth grade

When do you do chores, and what chores do you do? Around here, it all depends on what employees we have. I sometimes help milk every morning and night. Sometimes just mornings. Right now, I work on Mondays and Thursdays, and on weekends, I wake up at 4:30 a.m. I usually just milk cows. I also feed our red barn which is full of chickens, rabbits, goats, cats and our Shetland pony, Bear. I feed and pick eggs every three days, because me and my siblings take turns.
What are your favorite and least favorite chores? My favorite is probably feeding calves because it is fun. The babies are so adorable and fun. My least favorite chore is probably cleaning up after foot baths, because there is a lot of manure. My arms always get tired of scraping.
Do you have a favorite animal on your farm? All the animals are my favorite. It would be so hard to choose one. Every animal acts differently than the other. They all have their own personalities.
What is your favorite subject in school? I don’t really have a favorite subject, but I think math would be at the bottom of my list.
What do you want to be when you grow up? I always go back and forth on what future job I would like to have. Right now, I would like to be an interior designer.
If you had your own farm, what would it look like? If I had my own farm, I would have beef cows because you don’t have to milk them. I would also like to have a few horses, goats, chickens, dogs and cats.
How does your list of chores change when spring arrives on the farm? When spring arrives, the farm gets really busy. My chores usually include milking, picking rocks, hauling cornstalk bales and bagging alfalfa and corn silage.
What do you enjoy most about spring on the dairy farm? I enjoy being outside and four-wheeling, and bike riding in the big yard is fun. Hanging out with the animals is fun when you don’t have to be cold or anything.
What is your favorite dairy treat and favorite meal with dairy in it? Any type of ice cream, and any meal with cheese in it.
Cory Schefers
13 years old
Seventh grade

When do you do chores, and what chores do you do? Sometimes I have to help milk at night. It all depends on how many workers we have Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. My brother and I mix feed for the cows, and on the weekends, we help milk, sort cows and vaccinate.
What are your favorite and least favorite chores? My favorite chore is to work with equipment, because it is fun to see how it works and runs. My least favorite chore is milking cows, because I do not like to finish and wash down during the winter.
Do you have a favorite animal on your farm? Auggie is my favorite animal because she is such a cute cow that milks a lot, and when I was little, I used to ride her.
What is your favorite subject in school? Math because it helps me farm, so I can add things.
What do you want to be when you grow up? A crop farmer and raising Angus cattle.
If you had your own farm, what would it look like? I am planning to have a big bin set up, 30 beef cows, all John Deere tractors and three sheds.
If you had your own farm, what would it look like? I am planning to have a big bin set up, 30 beef cows, all John Deere tractors and 3 sheds.
How does your list of chores change when spring arrives on the farm? We pick rocks, rake cornstalks and haul cornstalk bales. My brother and I help haul bedding pack, cut grass and help weed the pumpkin patch.
What do you enjoy most about spring on the dairy farm? We start fieldwork, and I love to do fieldwork.
What is your favorite dairy treat and favorite meal with dairy in it? I like Dilly Bars and macaroni and cheese.
Elizabeth Schefers
12 years old
Sixth grade
 
When do you do chores, and what chores do you do? I get up at 5 a.m. on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I milk cows. It depends on how much work we have because sometimes it is every morning and night.
What are your favorite and least favorite chores? My favorite chore is to feed the goats, chickens, rabbits and cats or to milk cows with my mother. My least favorite chore is to sort cows.
Do you have a favorite animal on your farm? My favorite animal on the farm is a Holstein or the Angus we raise. I love to watch them grow and eventually become mothers too. I like the Angus because they are usually very nice.
What is your favorite subject in school? I love social studies because I like learning about the past, and I love how nice and understanding my teacher is.
What do you want to be when you grow up? When I grow up, I would like to be a lawyer and raise some Holsteins.
If you had your own farm, what would it look like? I would have 100 Holsteins, 10-20 Angus cows, and some goats or chickens.
How does your list of chores change when spring arrives on the farm? When spring comes, there are easier chores like milking because usually everything freezes. We pick rocks, haul cornstalks and weed the pumpkin patch.
What do you enjoy most about spring on the dairy farm? I like to take my goats on walks, ride my four-wheeler or haul bales.
What is your favorite dairy treat and favorite meal with dairy in it? My favorite dairy treat is chocolate ice cream. My favorite meal with dairy is probably mac and cheese.



Ben Schefers
11 years old
Fifth grade

When do you do chores, and what chores do you do? From 5:30-7 p.m. I mix feed.
What are your favorite and least favorite chores? I don’t like milking, because it is boring. I like hauling feed, because it is fun, and I get to listen to music.
Do you have a favorite animal on your farm? My cow 4217, Fuzzy, is my favorite because she is cute. She is the granddaughter of my first cow, and she milks a lot.
What is your favorite subject in school? Math, because it is easy for me.
What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be a carpenter.
If you had your own farm, what would it look like? It would be a crop farm with 30 chickens.
How does your list of chores change when spring arrives on the farm? I have to pick rocks, haul cornstalks and scoop manure.
What do you enjoy most about spring on the dairy farm? I can go outside and bike. I get to help haul feed boxes.
What is your favorite dairy treat and favorite meal with dairy in it? I like ice cream cones and cheeseburgers.

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