MANTORVILLE, Minn. — Willie and Karen Naatz have been active in their community and have now been recognized as the 2024 Dodge County Farm Family of the Year.
“We have a very strong passion for ag and want to advocate for it — especially animal-related ag — as much as we can,” Karen Naatz said. “It is important people know how animals are treated and raised.”
Naatz was raised on a dairy farm where Willie started working when he was in middle school. The couple started to dairy farm with 25 cows when they were 18 and 19 years old.
In 2003, they bought their current farm and grew the herd to 250 cows. They milk in a double-10 herringbone parlor with the help of their four sons — Tristin, Trace, Brodee and Wyatt — and a few high school students.
Running a dairy farm is the best thing they have done, Naatz said. She and Willie have worked with their kids every day and continue to be blessed as hands-on parents. Their four sons continue to help on the farm.
Tristin works full time on the farm, owns a custom baling business and is a certified diesel mechanic. His wife, River, enjoys being on the farm and works at the Mayo Clinic. Trace received his undergraduate degree in health sciences in spring 2023 and currently serves as a licensed emergency medical technician on the Dodge Center Ambulance Service and helps on the farm. Brodee graduated from high school in 2023. He works full time on the dairy farm and helps with his brother’s baling business when needed. Wyatt attends high school online and helps on the farm.
The Naatz family said they were honored to receive two National Dairy Quality Awards from the National Mastitis Council. In 2023, the family received the platinum level award.
“To be in dairy farming you have to really love what you do,” Naatz said. “My mom and dad always told me ‘If you don’t work hard for it, you won’t appreciate it.’”
The family owns 40 acres of land and rents an additional 28. They buy most of their feed and make local purchases as often as possible.
The family has been active in 4-H and FFA for numerous years and lease animals to young people who are not from farms.
“4-H is so good for kids,” Naatz said. “It gives the kids such a strong background.”
Any youth involved with FFA or 4-H will blossom, Naatz said.
The Naatz children were involved in dairy judging and were members of a team that competed at the state level. The family is still active in both organizations.
“I think it is very important for kids to be in these organizations,” Naatz said. “The amount of leadership, values, support and integrity the kids get is beyond amazing.”
Naatz has served on the American Dairy Association boards for both Goodhue and Dodge counties. Willie has been involved with the Dodge County Dairy Herd Improvement Association board. The whole family is active at their county fair.
“I want to share what we do with others,” Naatz said. “We might not get much sleep, but we feel like it was well worth it. Watching my kids grow and be part of the community has been really rewarding.”
The family also donates money and dairy products to their local food shelf to promote the dairy industry and support the community.
“We need to get out there and promote our product,” Naatz said. “We need to get that to our local people and show our support.”
Naatz also said it is important to help those who do not have a direct connection to a farm become better informed.
“If we don’t have a voice out there and bring (farming) to them, are they ever going to be around it or know fact from fiction?” Naatz said.
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