125 years dairy farming

WEST ALLIS, Wis. — For the Bangart family, Aug. 5 started a little earlier than usual. They hit the road before chore time to be honored at the Wisconsin State Fair for their family’s more than a century of dairy farming.

Rick Bangart is the fifth generation to dairy farm the family’s land near Stratford. He and his wife, Peggy, purchased the farm from his parents in 2011. Today, they milk 140 cows with two robotic milking units and farm 500 acres of owned land and 225 acres of rented ground.

The idea of applying for the century farm recognition came after the couple heard about it on a local radio station last year, prompting them to learn more about their farm’s history. While they applied for the century recognition this year, the farm has 125 years in the family, dating back to when Rick’s great-great-grandparents first purchased it in 1900.

“I enjoyed my childhood, growing up on a farm, and I wanted my kids to have that same opportunity and maybe even the next generation down the road, too,” Rick said.

To celebrate the farm’s quasquicentennial anniversary, the Bangart family hosted a family reunion in July with over 200 relatives in attendance. A large family tree dating to the 1900s with 1,058 family members on it was displayed on a wall.

Reflecting on memories made while farming, Rick said he was once worried about Peggy quitting her full-time job and being at home with the kids full time and helping on the farm. Now, looking back, he said that is the best thing that could have happened for their family.

Their three children have stayed connected to the farm and are working in agriculture. Their oldest daughter, Claire, has a career in nutrition and still helps around the farm. Their second daughter, Emma, has an interest in calves on the farm and is studying at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls with plans to attend veterinary school. Their youngest, Dylan, hopes to carry on the family legacy.

“It means a lot (to have this opportunity),” Dylan said. “It’s not easy to start out by yourself now, and trying to buy cattle without a place to go with them or having to house them somewhere is not easy. I have a place to go with them.”

Dylan and his siblings have been involved in showing registered Holsteins. A few days before the breakfast recognition, he was exhibiting in the state fair’s junior dairy show.

“The whole group looks forward to it every year,” Dylan said. “(We) meet new people, and (see) a lot of people you don’t see very often throughout the state. It’s just good to go around and see what kind of animals people own, show and have fun.”

While Dylan enjoys the showring, he said the lessons from working on the farm mean the most.

“It’s just what we grew up on, and all I’ve ever known,” he said.

Rick said those experiences have kept his kids invested in dairy farming.

“When they were younger, we got them involved in 4-H and FFA,” he said. “They met a lot of close friends that way, and they just have the passion to show cattle (and) hang out at the fair with their friends. They kind of live for it.”

Since graduating from high school in 2024, Dylan can be found on the farm helping with the day-to-day care of the cows in addition to helping make decisions with his father.

The most enjoyable part about farming with his family, Dylan said, is that his bosses — his parents — cannot always tell him no.

“Sometimes I get to put in ideas and sometimes he goes for them, sometimes he doesn’t,” he said. “But, it’s always good to bounce ideas off each other.”

Throughout the history of the farm, it has grown to adapt to the family’s lifestyle. For example, there was not much of a thought 20 years ago about adding robots, Rick said, but that changed as the family’s schedule changed.

“About 11-12 years ago, we decided it might be the way to go because our kids were starting to grow up and they were involved in different activities,” he said. “With the cost of building, we decided to jump into it in 2016, and with some improvements and all the other automation that came with it, it’s made life pretty good.”

There are difficult times too, Rick said.

“There are always challenges from day-to-day,” he said. “Things break down continuously. You have sick cows and there are always problems. You just got to deal with them, make the best of it, and hopefully the outcome is good.”

The Bangart Family Farm and 68 other farms were honored with the century award and 30 were recognized with the sesquicentennial award through a partnership between the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and the Wisconsin State Fair.