Owners, employees spell success

CLARISSA, Minn. — At Twin Eagle Dairy, the Lunemanns and their team work together to keep the Clarissa farm thriving.

The Minnesota Milk Producers Association has recognized the Lunemann family as their 2024 Producer of the Year.

“(This award) is about recognizing our whole community,” Pat Lunemann said. “From our employees, to those who help us raise our heifers, to the custom chopping crew, agribusinesses that we work with, and the community around us that supports us.”

Lunemann and his wife, Jody, and their team milk 900 cows in a double-12 parallel parlor and farm 1,600 acres of corn and alfalfa. The farm employs 20 individuals, many of whom have been with the Lunemann family for more than 10 years.

“The goal here is to hire good people and empower the ones we have to be the best that they can be,” Lunemann said.

One employee, Beth Ruegemer, has been with the Lunemanns for more than 30 years.

“It’s a good place to work,” Ruegemer said. “They are just an excellent family to work for, and the culture here is excellent.”

When Ruegemer first started working for the Lunemanns, they were milking in a tiestall barn, and Ruegemer got to know all aspects of operating the farm. As the farm grew, so did Ruegemer’s knowledge and level of responsibility.

Today, Ruegemer is in charge of scheduling employees, DairyComp software, ordering supplies and general organization of the farm.

“It’s been a good place with flexible hours as my own personal family grew,” Ruegemer said. “I can work remotely and log into DairyComp wherever I am and check on things.”

Cesar Garcia is the herdsman and has been with Twin Eagle Dairy for more than 20 years.

“I like the cows and the people here,” Cesar said. “When I first started, I didn’t (understand) the cows well, but now, I know when and what is wrong with each of the cows.”

Another longtime employee, Javier Garcia, is in charge of calf care until calves are 400 pounds. At that point, employee Dale Reining takes over until heifers are pregnant. Then the animals are sent to a local heifer grower, where they stay until one month before calving.

“Because we are successful at calf raising, we are able to sell quality animals beyond what we need to other dairies while still maintaining a good herd,” Lunemann said.

Industry advances have made it easier for the crew to care for the herd at Twin Eagle Dairy.

“Managing the cows has become so much easier because of technology,” Lunemann said. “We use activity monitors, and those have made things much simpler for Cesar and our A.I. technician.”

Ruegemer agreed.

“Communication is key,” she said. “Cell phones have enabled us to call and text back and forth much easier.”

Lunemann said it is because of dependable employees like Ruegemer and Cesar that he can participate and take on leadership roles at the local and state level.

“It is so much fun to work side by side with leaders of different agriculture organizations,” Lunemann said. “The conversations and ideas you gain are just fun. You come back to the farm with a different perspective.”

Lunemann has served on the board of AgriGrowth for 20 years, chairing it for three years. He sat on the board of the Minnesota Milk Producers Association board for 18 years, nine years of which he was president. He is also serving on the state’s Governor’s Advisory Council on Climate Change.

“Getting off the farm and rubbing shoulders with other people in the dairy and agriculture industry has meant a great deal to me,” Lunemann said. “I bring so much knowledge back home when I work with other people in leadership positions.”

The son of a German immigrant, Lunemann uses his voice to advocate for dairy farmers.

“This coming May will be the 100-year anniversary of when (my grandparents and dad) got off the ship in Ellis Island in New York,” Lunemann said. “They found their way to Browerville, Minnesota, and we are still farming here.”

Lunemann and his wife took over the farm in 1983. At the time, the farm consisted of 55 cows milked in a 51-stall tiestall barn. In 1996, the Lunemanns built the freestall barn and milking parlor and expanded to 400 cows. Over the next 15 years, they expanded the operation to its current size.

The Lunemanns have six grown children, seven grandchildren, and are looking to retire and transition the dairy farm. Their youngest son, Alex, works on the farm and prefers the cropping and equipment maintenance part of the business. Since the other Lunemann children hold jobs off the farm, the Lunemanns are working with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s FarmLink program to find a young person or family interested in taking over their dairy farm.

“We worked hard to achieve a lot of things,” Lunemann said. “There are a lot of dairies in our area that haven’t made it, but we are still here. There are a million small decisions that have gone right in order for us to make it work.”

Through it all, the Lunemanns have remained each other’s biggest supporters.

“Every time I come up with a crazy idea, Jody says, ‘OK, I support you,’” Lunemann said. “We wouldn’t be where we are without Jody and I being a true team. It is also by the grace of God that we are still here.”