Educating through leadership

OTTERTAIL, Minn. — Being active in their community is something Mike and Denise Menze have always valued. This attitude was rewarded when they were named the 2024 Ottertail County Farm Family of the Year.

“People know if they call us, we will help out as much as we can,” Denise said.

Mike is the fourth generation on the Menze family’s dairy, which is operated by the couple, their children, Jacob and Makayla, their nephew, Jared Menze, and their hired hand of 14 years, Taylor Sweazey. The farm consists of 75 milking cows, around 15 beef animals, three goats and a flock of laying hens. The family milks in a double-4 herringbone parlor.

Denise has helped at the extension office in the past and now volunteers with the East Ottertail County 4-H. She is also becoming a master gardener and serves as a youth group leader at church. Mike serves on the Dairy Herd Improvement Association board and is an elder at church.

Denise’s favorite place to help others is through 4-H.

“I like helping the next generation because there are so many kids that just don’t know (about the farm),” Denise said. “Are they going to know how to raise their own food? Are they going to know where their food comes from?”

Within the Henning school district, there is one other dairy farm family enrolled at the public school. Because of this, Denise said there is a lot that kids do not know about dairy farming.

“They think a brown cow makes chocolate milk, and if there is purple milk, it comes from a purple cow,” Denise said. “That’s seriously what they talk about. Many kids need to realize ag isn’t a job. It’s how you eat. If you don’t have ag you don’t eat.”

Mike said he volunteers to give back to the community that has helped them over the years.

“You do it because you want to do it,” Mike said. “That’s the way it’s supposed to be. You help somebody and don’t expect anything back from it.”

The couple said it was never their goal to be awarded for their dedication to farming and the community. They spent their years doing what was best for their family, farm, land and community.

“Taylor, his family, Jared and our kids all work together very well,” Denise said. “Community service is only possible for us on the farm with all of us working together. We have great friends and neighbors that come and help us to make everything possible.”

Helping educate people is a big part of the Menze farm the couple said. This ranges from informing about farming to being a good leader in the community.

“You lead by example and when you get to be a certain age you automatically become a leader,” Denise said. “If you don’t show up, you’re not showing others what a good leader is.”

Not all their volunteer efforts are tied to education. Mike said there are times they do so simply because they feel it is the right thing to do.

“It is gratifying to see the progress you are making with others,” Mike said. “Sometimes you do things and it makes people smile.”

The Menze family has also been active in the day-to-day work of their farm. Denise said farm owners have to put in their share of work to be successful.

“The prices some people pay to have someone come work for them can be too much,” Denise said. “You have to figure out what you can afford to pay for and what you can do yourself. We are always learning, fixing and changing if something is broken or not working.”

She added that there are a lot of hands-on parts to farming that have to stay that way.”

Mike enjoys working on the farm, with harvest heading the list of his favorite tasks. He likes to see the work put in during the spring and summer pay off. The farm as a whole means a lot to Mike.

“I am very proud to be the fourth generation doing this,” Mike said. “There are not a lot of people who are farming; a lot of them are gone. We are a small farm trying to survive.”

Denise grew up with farming in her life as well. Both her parents came from generational farms.

“Generational farming is ingrained in us,” Denise said. “It is really important to my husband and it’s all he’s ever known and all he’s ever wanted to do. Here we are living his dream.”