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Adam Wilwerding
Parents: James Wilwerding and Sarah Overby
Wilwerding Dairy
Freeport, Minnesota
Stearns County
2,800 cows
Senior at Melrose High School


Questions for parents:

Tell us your favorite experience of Adam helping with chores. One of Jim’s favorite experiences was teaching Adam to cut hay. Sarah enjoys helping Adam with his 4-H animals.

What qualities does Adam have that benefit the farm? Adam is like a utility player on our dairy team. He can do many jobs and is always willing to learn new things. He has a strong work ethic, and we can count on him to follow through and get things done.

Questions for Adam:

What are your responsibilities on the farm? I am in school activities in the fall and winter, so most of my work is done in the spring and summer. I help a lot with agronomy and maintenance during those seasons.

When did you begin helping on the farm? My first memories of helping on the farm are from when I was about 8 years old. I helped pick rocks.

How do you balance school, extracurricular activities and farm chores? Because of the 24-hour schedule on our farm and my activities, I do not have regular chores. I put my school work and activities first, and when I have extra time, I can devote it to helping out.

How has working on the farm shaped your character? Working on the farm has given me a strong work ethic and given me working experience I could not get anywhere else. I get to use creative problem solving and think outside the box.

What do you love most about farm life? I enjoy working with the people on our dairy and exploring new things every day.

What is one thing you have learned from working alongside your parents? Every day is a new adventure. It’s never too late to learn something new. You can always learn from your mistakes.

What are your future plans? I plan to attend South Dakota State University and study mechanical engineering and ag business.

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