Barn full of memories: Harlan Bohn

Twin Brooks, South Dakota

What year did you start farming and what year did you retire? I started farming in 1977 after graduating from college. My degree is from South Dakota State University in dairy science production. We sold our herd in 2009. I officially retired in December 2025.

Tell us about your farm when you started and describe what it looked like when you retired, including how many cows you milked when you retired. We built a 48-stall tiestall barn in 1977; this was done in partnership with my dad. We farmed 560 acres of hay ground and row crops. We had a full herd dispersal in 2009, milking approximately 80 head, then started raising registered Angus cattle in 2013. After the sale, I worked a season for a local grain elevator and then worked for a neighbor who had a dairy heifer raising operation for a few years. At present, we have 35 cow-calf pairs. Our oldest son, Greg, also has registered Red Angus and registered Shorthorn cattle.

What were some of the big advancements you made during your career? We started showing our cattle at the state Holstein show in 1977. Until the herd was dispersed, we showed over 130 all-state winners. We were premier breeder and premier exhibitor at our state show several times. We also developed one of the first 95-point cows in South Dakota.

What did you love about milking cows? I loved the challenge of breeding and developing an outstanding herd.

What was the highlight of your dairy career? We earned the Progressive Breeder Registry award four times over the years. We also were co-chairs of the National Junior Holstein Convention in 1991 and the National Holstein Convention in 2006, which were hosted in South Dakota. They were great events.

What is the biggest challenge you faced in your career, and how did you overcome it? The biggest challenge for me was making the decision to have a full herd dispersal in 2009. Having the sale at our farm, we made every effort as a family to display the cattle and our farm at its best.

If there is one thing you wished you could have done differently during your farming career, what would it be? We should have built a bigger barn when we built. Rotating cows in and out of 48 stalls as we expanded proved to be a lot more work than we anticipated.

What piece of equipment or technology has been introduced that you wish you had for your dairy career? There have been huge advancements in cow comfort over the years. Better ventilation and bedding practices, individual cow management with computer technology and new waste management practices would have helped us and will help others tremendously.

What do you miss most about dairy farming? We miss the involvement in the Holstein association and the connections made with other dairymen through the years.

What advice would you give to a young farmer today? Find a good mentor to help get started, and have a supportive family.

What is your tie to the dairy industry today? I continue to be a member of the Holstein Association USA Inc.

Was retiring an easy or hard decision/transition? Dispersing our herd in 2009 was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made. With health issues happening in the past few years and our oldest son and daughter-in-law interested in continuing with the day-to-day working of the farm, retirement was an easier decision.

What have you been doing since you retired? I watch over my registered Angus herd and assist with various jobs around the farm as my health permits. It keeps me busy.