Building on tradition

OWATONNA, Minn. — For the Schmidt family, dairy farming has been a way of life for more than a century.

Today, Jon Schmidt owns and operates Schmity Holsteins with his wife, Kim, who works off the farm, and several members of his extended family. The family milks 250 cows, cares for 250 head of youngstock and farms 250 acres of crops for cattle feed.

The Schmidt family was recently named the 2026 Steele County Farm Family of the year.

“It wasn’t a big surprise to me when we got selected, as I already knew we got nominated,” Jon Schmidt said. “It was nice to get recognized.”

For the Schmidt family, the recognition represents more than the work on the farm. It recognizes generations of family members who have contributed to keeping the operation going.

The farm is truly a family operation. Jon’s parents, Myron and Sandy Schmidt, live on the farm, with Myron helping feed calves each day. Jon’s sister, Andrea, and her husband, Chris Slater, are actively involved in the day–to–day operations. Jon’s nephews, Steven and Jacob, are full–time employees, helping with milking and fieldwork. The family also has two part–time employees.

“Steven and Jacob help every day on the farm,” Schmidt said. “They are the sixth generation of farmers.”

Outside of the farm, the family is notable members of the community, serving on many local and national boards. Chris serves as a Meriden Township supervisor, and Jon is a chair member of both the I-35 Holstein Club and Steele County American Dairy Association. Jon also serves on the board of Associated Milk Producers Inc. and was recently selected to the board of directors for World Dairy Expo.

“(The family) probably feels like I am gone a lot for meetings,” Schmidt said. “But we get it all done.”

Breakfast on the Farm events have been a hit for the Schmidt family as this year marked the third time they held the event at Schmity Holsteins.

“We served around 1,200 visitors with a 2–hour wait to get food,” Schmidt said. “There were around 1,500 people here that day.”

Hosting that many visitors takes preparation and a lot of help from family and volunteers. For the Schmidts, the event provides an opportunity to introduce people to the dairy industry and allows them to see the work that goes into producing dairy products.

Beyond opening their farm to the public, the Schmidts provide opportunities for young people to experience dairy farming through 4-H. The family leases calves and cows to local 4-H members. This year, the family leased calves to families in four different counties.

“One family that is leasing took some winter calves; the kids are super young,” Schmidt said. “Their dad thought it would be something to try out; hopefully they enjoyed it.”

Dairy has also been a major part of Schmidt’s immediate family. His daughter, Madi, grew up showing dairy cattle at the Steele County Fair and Minnesota State Fair. She has also served as a Steele County dairy princess for multiple years.

The family’s commitment to dairy genetics has also been recognized throughout the years. Schmity Holsteins has received awards for their outstanding genetics from Holstein Association USA Inc. for 20 consecutive years.

The farm has played a role in developing the next generation of advocates as well. Jena Hanson, the newly crowned 73rd Princess Kay of the Milky Way, was a previous employee of Schmity Holsteins.

“Jena asked me one day how she could run for dairy princess even though she didn’t grow up on a dairy or show dairy,” Schmidt said. “She worked hard while on our farm and was eager to learn all about dairy.”

The Schmidt family has been farming since 1884, and their farm is recognized as a Century Farm. The family has been dedicated dairy farmers for five generations with the hopes of continuing the legacy with Schmitt’s nephews.

In 2034, the Schmidt family will be celebrating their farm as a sesquicentennial farm.

“It’ll be exciting for the farm to reach 150 years,” Schmidt said. “It shows the dedication of the generations before us.”