How did you get into farming? My wife, Sheila, and I bought the farm from my dad, Alvin, back in 1980. I grew up on this farm, and it has been in the family for more than 100 years. I am the third generation to be on the farm.
What are the most significant ways your farm has changed since you started farming? Improvements in milk production and getting some new and better equipment have been some of the biggest changes I made. I also built a loafing barn in 1992 for the heifers.
What was a challenge you faced in your dairy farming career and how did you overcome it? One challenge has been finding parts for my milking equipment since it is all original from when I started milking. I had a high somatic cell count at times and I worked with vets and people from Sunrise Ag Coop. I just had to work it through with other people.
What is the best decision you have made on your farm? Buying the skid loader back around 1992. When I first had my heifer barn up, I just had a tractor and loader to do work in there and that was a pain, so I got a skid loader and that was way better. It’s made picking rocks and handling the heavy things a lot easier. That skid loader gets used a lot.
What three things on the farm can you not live without? A cab skid loader; I feed and bed with it and it is a lot warmer than my first two skid loaders. Another is the other machinery I bought over the years that helps me get my work done in a reasonable time.
What are your thoughts and concerns about the dairy industry for the next year? I’m skeptical about what the price is going to do because it was coming up, but now it has gone down again. It makes a big difference fast since I’m a small farm.
What strategies do you use to withstand the volatile milk prices? At my age, I just do not buy anything anymore. I just try to limp it through and do what I can with what is already here.
How do you retain a good working relationship with your employee(s)? Or, how do you maintain family relationships while also working together? I prioritize my family over the farm. I do take off a lot for family functions. The work will be there when I get back.
What do you find most rewarding about dairy farming? The fact that you can take off when you want to. I also like being able to work from home and not having to drive to work. I enjoy being able to walk to work and having the time I want.
Tell us something special about your farm. The fact that the farm is 100 years old I would say is the most special thing to me. It is a good thing to have.
What are your plans for your dairy in the next year and five years? I’m different because we just do stuff on the fly, unlike bigger farms that do everything by the book. You cannot have fun with that. I have nothing major planned; I am just riding it out. I have no plans but to just quit when the time comes. I plan to play it by ear, whether milk prices get really low or something major breaks down.
How do you or your family like to spend time when you are not doing chores? We enjoy playing cards and seeing some of our friends. If you have the right crew, it can be really enjoyable. You have to be able to laugh things off.
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