Top Producer Winner Launches Second Children’s Book
Louise Malecha wears her titles as a badge of honor—that of a farm mom, farm wife, nana, businesswoman and entrepreneur. With her newly released second book, ‘Ginger’s Big Day,’ Malecha can also add published author to her long resume.
Malecha, her husband, Todd, and five of their seven children make up the Malecha Enterprises team in Villard, Minn. Their operation includes 1,200 milk cows and 1,100 replacement heifers as well as 2,500 acres of diverse crop and forage production. In addition to the dairy operation, the farm includes the production of alfalfa, corn, silage, soybeans and hay. They also do custom work and own and operate a gravel pit.
For all their successes with Malecha Enterprises, the Malechas were honored with the Top Producer of the Year Award in 2022.
Malecha also shares she has home-schooled all seven of her children, who today range in age from 19 to 33.
"We’ve always went on family vacations and done things as a family,” Todd says. “The No. 1 thing we did as a family was work. But we would always try to have fun.”
“We make everything fun,” Louise adds, “even picking rocks.”
Five of their children and two daughters-in-law are members of the Malecha Enterprises team, which also includes 28 full-time and 16 seasonal employees.
According to Malecha, the reason she writes children’s books is to teach children and even adults where food comes from. One way she captures this is, she has added real live farm videos (Augmented Reality) to her books.
“The goal is to teach children around the world where our food comes from and family farm life through the eyes of children,” she says.
‘Ginger’s Big Day’ was released on June 21, 2023, and is available through Amazon. Malecha’s first book ‘Going to Papa and Nana’s Farm’ and an ‘Activity Book’ are also available through Amazon.
Both books were illustrated by Malecha’s daughter, Katelynn, who is active on the family farm and has a strong passion for photography, graphic design and agriculture.
