Kids Corner: the Elsenpeter

Henry Elsenpeter
16 years old
11th grade

When do you do chores, and what chores do you do? I do chores whenever I am asked to, mornings, evening or whenever. I can milk, mix feed, scrape the barn, grind feed, feed calves, move fence and whatever fieldwork that needs to be done.
What is your favorite chore and least favorite chore? I don’t have a least favorite chore, but I dread clipping cows and fixing equipment that isn’t simple. I really enjoy chopping silage and cat tails because it is not something we do all the time.
What is your favorite animal on your farm? Well, I have my cows, Blaire and Marie, and their sons and daughters. I like them because they are a decedent of Claire, the first cow I ever showed. I also enjoy my four pigs because they are hilarious to watch, and they are a business venture of mine.
What do you want to be when you grow up? A farmer or mechanic.
If you had a farm, describe what it would look like. My farm would be certified organic. I would milk 150 cows, have 150 chickens, 10 pigs, 20 goats and maybe a few sheep and ducks, etc.
What is your favorite dairy treat? Homemade butter on homemade toast.
What is your favorite part about farm life during the summer? Spending all day on the farm, not in school.
What is your favorite memory of working or playing on the farm? As hard as it was mudding the silage out in 2019, it was interesting yanking forage boxes through the mud. Another one would be hanging out in the dairy barn at the Wright County Fair, especially last year.

George Elsenpeter
15 years old
10th grade

When do you do chores, and what chores do you do? In the morning, I feed calves, and in the evenings, I milk cows and scrape the barn.
What is your favorite chore and least favorite chore? My favorite is chopping corn silage, and my least favorite is clipping animals for the county fair.
What is your favorite animal on your farm? The ducks because we used to have some domestic ones that flew.
What do you want to be when you grow up? A dairy farmer.
If you had a farm, describe what it would look like. Money provided, it would have a freshening barn, a parlor, heifer and dry cow shed, a machine shed and equipment.
What is your favorite dairy treat? Whipped cream.
What is your favorite part about farm life during the summer? Cutting hay.
What is your favorite memory of working or playing on the farm? Building treehouses that fell apart with my brothers. One time we stole a 2-by-4 from the crew that built our freestall barn.

Harvey Elsenpeter
13 years old
Eighth grade
When do you do chores, and what chores do you do? I help in the morning and in the evenings. I feed chickens and calves every two mornings. I also milk when my dad needs me to.
What is your favorite chore and least favorite chore? My favorite chore is milking because I like working with cows. My least favorite is chickens because they make a mess and I have to clean it up.
What is your favorite animal on your farm? My favorite calf 1172. She is really friendly.
What do you want to be when you grow up? A farmer or mechanic.
If you had a farm, describe what it would look like. I would milk 200 cows and only have Jerseys.
What is your favorite dairy treat? Probably ice cream.
What is your favorite part about farm life during the summer? Chopping hay or baling hay.
What is your favorite memory of working or playing on the farm? My favorite memory is making forts with small square bales in the hay shed.

Ralph Elsenpeter
11 years old
Sixth grade

When do you do chores, and what chores do you do? I feed calves every night and every two mornings.
What is your favorite chore and least favorite chore? My favorite chores are feeding calves.
What is your favorite animal on your farm? I just like the cows.
What do you want to be when you grow up? Farmer.
If you had a farm, describe what it would look like. It would be a 200-cow dairy.
What is your favorite dairy treat? Cream cheese.
What is your favorite part about farm life during the summer? Fieldwork.
What is your favorite memory of working or playing on the farm? Riding in the tractor.

Dorothy Elsenpeter
9 years old
Fourth grade

When do you do chores, and what chores do you do? I feed calves every night.
What is your favorite chore and least favorite chore? I don’t really have a least favorite chore, but feeding calves is my favorite because I like calves.
What is your favorite animal on your farm? My favorite calf on my farm is Iris, 1287. I showed her at the Wright County Fair.
What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be a farmer when I grow up.
If you had a farm, describe what it would look like. It would be big, and I would have lots of cows and heifers. I would milk about 190 Jersey, Brown Swiss, Guernsey and Milking Shorthorn cows.
What is your favorite dairy treat? My favorite treat is cottage cheese because it is so creamy.
What is your favorite part about farm life during the summer? My favorite thing to do in the summer is getting my calf out.
What is your favorite memory of working or playing on the farm? My favorite memory is when I was milking with Emily, our herd manager.

Leroy Elsenpeter
7 years old
Second grade

When do you do chores, and what chores do you do? Feeding calves and picking eggs.
What is your favorite chore and least favorite chore? Picking eggs is my least favorite, and my favorite is feeding calves.
What is your favorite animal on your farm? Our duck, Betsey.
What do you want to be when you grow up? Farmer.
If you had a farm, describe what it would look like. It would have cows, ducks and pigs. Everything but chickens. I hate chickens.
What is your favorite dairy treat? Cottage cheese.
What is your favorite part about farm life during the summer? Riding in the 4430 with Henry.
What is your favorite memory of working or playing on the farm? Riding in the older 4430 cutting hay.


Pearl Elsenpeter
5 years old
Kindergarten

When do you do chores, and what chores do you do? In the morning, I take the compost out.
What is your favorite chore and least favorite chore? My favorite chore is filling the duck pool.
What is your favorite animal on your farm? I like the pigs. We have four of them. They are black and whitish/pinkish.
What do you want to be when you grow up? I would be a pig farmer. I would have six sows and a barn full of pigs.
If you had a farm, describe what it would look like. It would look like ours with a freestall barn and parlor with lots of tractors.
What is your favorite dairy treat? Ice cream.
What is your favorite part about farm life during the summer? Riding with George in the tractor.
What is your favorite memory of working or playing on the farm? When I learned to ride my bike without training wheels.


Norman Elsenpeter
2 years old

When do you do chores, and what chores do you do? I haul my tractors back to my toy room.
What is your favorite chore and least favorite chore? I like filling the duck pool. My least favorite is picking up my toys.
What is your favorite animal on your farm? Mable.
What do you want to be when you grow up? A standup comedian.
If you had a farm, describe what it would look like. It would have a lot of choppers.
What is your favorite dairy treat? Cheese sticks.
What is your favorite part about farm life during the summer? Going outside.
What is your favorite memory of working or playing on the farm? Playing with my peddle tractor.


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