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How did you get into farming? We have always milked cows here, and I took over from my dad after high school. He now works off the farm. My grandpa started this farm, so I am the third generation in my family to milk cows here. 

What are your thoughts and concerns about the dairy industry for the next year? The milk price is always a concern, but I am more concerned about trucking in the next year. We were just informed that our hauling company had to change because there were not enough drivers. 

What is a recent change you made on your farm and the reason for it? We have changed our breeding program for our heifers recently. We used to run the bull with the heifers full time, but now we are more intentional about when the heifers get bred. We now allow 10 to get bred in the fall and 10 to get bred in December. We did this to avoid having fresh heifers in the winter because they seem to have a hard time with that. 

Tell us about a skill you possess that makes dairy farming easier for you. I am here by myself every day, so I have become pretty versatile. Being tall also comes in handy because I can reach most things. 

What is the best decision you have made on your farm? Simply deciding to farm has been a good decision for me because I have always enjoyed milking cows. 

What are three things on the farm that you cannot live without? My skid loader because it is handy and beats pitching by hand, my motorized feed cart that I use to feed in the barn in winter because it makes chores a lot easier, and the cement cow yard that we put in a few years ago because now cows don’t have to wallow in mud and they are not as dirty. 

What strategies do you use to withstand the volatile milk prices? We stay pretty consistent with management, so we know what to expect on our end. We also grow our own crops, which keeps us from having to purchase feed. 

How do you maintain family relationships while also working together? My dad mostly helps with fieldwork, and my sister comes and feeds calves on days when she has off of work. We mostly just get along, and if we don’t, we get over it pretty quickly. 

What do you enjoy most about dairy farming? I like being my own boss and getting to do whatever I want every day. 

What advice would you give other dairy farmers? Keep doing what you’re doing if you like it. 

What are your plans for your dairy in the next year and five years? In the next year, I want to keep the cows here. Eventually, I would like to expand a little bit to maybe 100 cows, but that will take longer than five years. We farm about 100 acres, so it is not enough right now to expand on. 

How do you or your family like to spend time when you are not doing chores? I am pretty much always on the farm, so I do little things around here in between chores. 

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