Farmer Resilience

The Best Ordinary Tuesday: Finding Glimmers in the Grind

Tue, 12 May 2026 13:16:37 GMT

We are the people of the next. On a farm, the clock and the calendar are our masters, but they are also our greatest distractions. We wait all day for the end of the day so we can finally pull off our boots. We wait all year for the next year to come, hoping for better margins, better weather or a better balance of the markets. We spend entire lifetimes working for the prize 2-year-old, the record milk production or the bin-busting crop that finally justifies the sweat.

But if we are honest, when those records finally arrive, they often feel like a destination we reached while we were looking out the window at something else. Because the truth of the farm life — the goodness we praise God for — isn’t found in the record books; it’s found on an ordinary Tuesday.

The Success of the Seconds

Success on our 750-cow dairy is usually measured in pounds, percentages and bushels harvested. We track data points with precision, seeking logic in the chaos, but the real successes of a farming life don’t always happen in the margins. Sometimes they are the glimmering moments that we too often take for granted because they don’t come with a trophy or a line on a balance sheet.

Think about the last time you worked cattle together as a family. It’s a task that can easily descend into shouted directions and frayed nerves. But then, there’s that moment where it all just works. No one has to say a word; you move in a silent, practiced choreography passed down through generations. Your father knows exactly where you’re going to move the gate; your children anticipate the next cow in the chute. In that fleeting minute, the legacy isn’t a legal document or a transition plan — it’s a heartbeat.

It’s the five-minute window in between filling the planter when a football appears from the back of the truck. The dust is still settling, the sun is high and, for 60 seconds, you aren’t a manager or an operator; you’re a dad. You’re a kid again yourself. Those spirals thrown over the tongue of the planter are the things we actually long for, yet we often treat them as interruptions to the “real work.”

Community Covered in Plastic

We saw it last fall during the long stretch of chopping. The silage pile was growing, the weather was turning and the exhaustion was setting in. Then, the high school varsity football team showed up — a dozen young men with more energy than sense, ready to help pull the plastic and toss the tires.

In the grand scheme of the year’s production, that couple of hours of help was a small fraction of the labor. But in the grand scheme of life, it was everything. It was the community showing up when the always-on nature of the dairy felt like too much to carry alone. It was the realization that the farm doesn’t just produce milk; it produces the character of the town. If you didn’t stop to see the goodness in those dusty, laughing teenagers, you might have thought it was just another chore finished. But it was the best Tuesday of the month.

The Prize of the Return

Then there is the greatest glimmer of all: the conversation you didn’t dare to script. It happens in the cab of the truck or while walking back from the parlor. Your oldest son, the one you’ve watched grow up in the shadow of this barn, looks at the horizon and says he wants to do what Dad does for a living. After graduating from college this spring, he is planning to come back to the family farm.

In that moment, the low margin and crummy weather lose their power. The audacity and faith required to keep a 750-cow and 1,800-acre operation running are suddenly rewarded. Not with a record milk check, but with the knowledge that the soil you’ve tended and the cows you’ve bred have a future beyond your own hands.

Searching for the Glimmer

The thing about these moments is that they don’t happen for 24 consecutive hours. They don’t last for weeks or months. They are seconds. They are glimmers of hope that we have to actively search for.

If we aren’t careful, we can finish the day thinking it was just another grind — another ordinary Tuesday where the equipment broke or the labor was short. But if we adjust our sails and shift our gaze, we realize that the days we’ve been longing for are happening right in front of our eyes.

The prize isn’t the 2-year-old in the show ring; it’s the 2-year-old grandchild sitting on your lap in the tractor. The record crop isn’t just the bushels per acre; it’s the harvest of memories with family by your side being made while the work was being done.

Praise God for the goodness that being a farmer is — not because it is easy and not because it is always profitable, but because it gives us the eyes to see that an ordinary Tuesday can be the best day we have ever asked for. We just have to be brave enough to stop waiting for the “next” long enough to see the “now.”

The Invisible Enemy: The Audacity and Faith of One Incredible Wisconsin Dairy Family

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 13:09:11 GMT

In the world of dairy farming, we often talk about the things we can see: the quality of the silage, the conformation of a heifer or the rising numbers on a milk check. But for the Den Hoed family in northern Wisconsin, the most defining battle of the last 17 years has been against an enemy that is entirely invisible. It is a story of a silent killer that nearly broke their business, but instead, forged a family legacy of unshakable faith and the grit to build something entirely new from the ground up.

The story of Den Hoed Dairy doesn’t begin in the cabin country of Wisconsin. It begins in the Yakima Valley of Washington, where Walt Den Hoed grew up milking cows alongside his father and brothers. By 2008, the operation had grown to 1,200 cows. But that year, a storm hit: Walt’s father passed away from cancer, and the family realized — too late — that no succession planning had been done.

In 2010, at age 40, Walt faced a crossroads. He could stay in the shadow of a fractured legacy, or he could take a leap of faith. With his wife, Denise, and their children, he looked at seven dairies across the Midwest. They eventually settled on a site in northern Wisconsin, arriving with nothing more than two tractors, a loader and a determination to start over.

“We didn’t bring any cows,” Walt recalls. “We bought everything here. We didn’t know then why the former owner had sold the farm. We found out soon enough.”

(Den Hoed Dairy)

The Silent Killer: 17 Years of Stray Voltage

What the Den Hoeds had unknowingly purchased was a stray voltage farm. Located precisely between two electrical substations, the earth beneath their feet was a conduit for balancing energy. For the cows, it was a living nightmare.

“It affects their liver,” Walt explains, his voice heavy with the memory of the struggle. “The cows wouldn’t drink.”

At their lowest point, the cows were only taking in 13 gallons of water a day.

“We were down to 44 pounds of milk on 3x milking,” says Colton Den Hoed. “They wouldn’t even let their milk down in the parlor; they’d get back to the stalls and just start dripping. It was like they were being suppressed from the inside out.”

The numbers were staggering and, for any other business, it would have been a death sentence. The farm carried a 44% cull rate and a 10% death rate. In the winter, production hovered at 60 lb.; in the summer, 75 lb. Compared to the 90 lb.-plus averages they had achieved in Washington, the Den Hoeds were merely surviving in a state of constant “IV tube” management.

“We were in the shed at 3 a.m. in -25°F-below weather, building little pens to warm up calves that were dying because the stray voltage prevents calcium transfer,” Denise says. “They couldn’t keep themselves warm. We were doing whatever it took to save them, but you can’t out-farm physics.”

(Den Hoed Dairy)

The Legacy Farmer Pivot: Permission to Dream Again

For years, the family lived in a survival bubble. The Den Hoeds say when you are buried in the daily trauma of losing animals and fighting a plummeting milk check, you stop dreaming. You focus on the next bill, the next IV bag and the next sunrise.

The turning point came a year and a half ago when the family connected with Legacy Farmer. They wanted a cold, hard audit of their operation. They were prepared for the criticism. In fact, they invited it.

“We wanted to find the holes,” says Jayce Den Hoed. “We wanted to know where we were failing. But they dug into our portfolio for two months and came back with something we didn’t expect. They told us, ‘You guys can’t get any more efficient. The only thing you’re doing wrong is milk production, and you can’t help that in this facility.’”

That revelation was the green light the family needed. The audit proved their do-it-all philosophy — hauling their own milk, harvesting 1,700 acres of their own feed and handling every equipment repair in-house — had created a foundation of extreme efficiency. If they could just get the cows onto clean ground, the sky was the limit.

“We had a day of depression when we saw the reality of the numbers needed to build new,” Colton says. “But we all came back to the table with the same vision. We knew we had the equity. We just needed the courage to jump.”

Building from Scratch: 6 Miles to Freedom

The Den Hoeds are currently in the middle of a massive transformation. Just 6 miles away from their current death trap, they are building a brand-new facility from scratch. The new dairy will feature a double-20 parallel parlor and a state-of-the-art feed center.

The goal is to move the milking herd, dry cows and close-ups to the new site by November. The original farm will be repurposed for heifers and calves, who seem better able to handle the environmental stress until they reach breeding age.

“The bank approval was a miracle,” Denise says. “We spent months putting together a portfolio — projections for years to come, profit and loss statements, every detail laid out. We had a three-hour meeting with the board, and within 90 days, we had the approval. Our lender actually grew up on a farm that was also plagued by stray voltage. She understood our heart because she had lived our pain.”

(Den Hoed Dairy)

The Next Generation: Wired for the Legacy

Perhaps the most compelling part of the Den Hoed story is the two young men standing alongside Walt. In an era where the average age of the American farmer is rising, Jayce and Colton bring that figure down considerably. They are hardworking, tech-savvy and deeply committed to the family brand.

Jayce, who bought his first 100 acres at age 18, even before he graduated high school, handles the crop inputs and the beef side of the business.

“I’ve always wanted to farm,” he says. “You teach your kids responsibility, and that’s missing in our culture today.”

Colton, who cares for the youngstock, has taken the Den Hoed story to the world through social media, where he has built a following of nearly 200,000 people. He documents the good, the bad and the muddy.

“I want to show people what we do. I’ve had kids from small towns come through the barn who have never seen a cow,” Colton says. “The disconnect is huge, and we’re trying to bridge it.”

The brothers haven’t always seen eye-to-eye — they admit to butting heads in their younger years — but the shared trauma of the stray voltage years and the shared vision of the new build have welded them together.

(Den Hoed Dairy)

A Culture of “Familia”

The Den Hoeds don’t just treat each other like family; they extend that culture to their team. When they moved to Wisconsin, they struggled to find help until they recruited from the local Hispanic community. Today, they have four employees who have been with them for years.

“We treat them like family,” Colton says. “We have dinners together. We bring them donuts. We know about their lives. It’s not just a number on a payroll; it’s a relationship. That morale is why they stay, even when the facility was a struggle to work in.”

This focus on people is the secret sauce of their efficiency. By hauling their own milk, they save nearly $1.10 per cwt. — a figure that adds up to hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.

“If we didn’t do it ourselves, we wouldn’t be here,” Walt says simply.

The Audacity of Faith

Woven through every conversation with the Den Hoeds is a profound sense of faith. In their barn, a sign reads “In God We Trust,” and it isn’t just for show.

“When we put that sign up, it felt like our problems got worse,” Walt says with a wry smile. “It was like Satan went to work harder. But it just made us pray harder. We stopped praying for God to ‘fix’ the farm and started praying for wisdom. And that’s when the pieces started falling into place.”

They see God’s hand in the timing of the Legacy Farmer audit, in the specific background of their lender and even in the naysayers who told them they would fail.

“You’re always going to have people who think you’re nuts,” Walt says. “But we’ve learned to manifest the positive. You don’t go forward unless you poke your head out of the shell. We’re taking a leap of faith because we believe this industry is worth it, and we believe our family is worth it.”

Looking Toward November

As the construction crews move dirt at the new site 6 miles away, the Den Hoeds are already seeing the cumulative wins. Their pregnancy rate has surged from 23% to nearly 50% after a shift in management protocols. Their days in milk have dropped from 215 to 160. Though these changes did not translate to a single extra pound at their current facility, the engine is being tuned for the big move.

“We need hope,” Denise says. “We were in that survival pool for so long we didn’t realize how depressed we were. We had actually stopped dreaming.”

But the dreams are back. In November, when the first trailer load of cows pulls into the clean parlor of the new facility, it won’t just be a move of livestock. It will be the culmination of 17 years of perseverance. It will be the moment the invisible enemy finally loses its grip.

As the rain falls over the Wisconsin cabin country, the Den Hoed family gathers for their daily lunch — a tradition that keeps them connected and grounded. They joke, they plan and they pray. They are a testament to the fact that the most valuable asset on any dairy isn’t the quota or the equipment — it’s the people who refuse to quit.

The Den Hoeds are no longer just surviving. They are building a legacy that will outlast the hardships and the stray voltage. They are proving that when you combine elite efficiency with an audacious faith, the cream always rises to the top.

The Grace of the Stillness: A Lesson in Healing

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 13:07:39 GMT

In the span of just two weeks, the rhythm of my life was violently disrupted, replaced by a forced stillness that I never saw coming. It began on the evening of February 27, when a black truck turned left directly into my vehicle’s path. The impact was high-velocity and terrifying, painting my mid-section with a map of deep purple contusions and bruising that stretched from hip to hip. But as I sat in the quiet aftermath of deployed airbags and twisted metal, my physical pain was eclipsed by a profound sense of luck. My husband and I walked away. We were alive. We were discharged to go home. The script of that night could have been written very differently, and we knew it.

However, survival was only the first chapter. Just a few days later, I moved from the trauma of the near-fatal accident into the sterile reality of a planned surgery — one that carried a daunting eight-week recovery timeline. Suddenly, the woman who is used to directing the flow of a busy household and a demanding career found herself anchored to a bed, restricted by a 10 lb. lifting limit and the heavy fog of pain medication and fatigue.

Then, as if to test the very limits of my resolve, the sky turned white. A spring blizzard swept across the farm, bringing with it the biting wind and heavy snow that demands every hand on deck. From my window, I watched the world turn cold while my home hummed with a different kind of energy. Because it was spring break, all of my children were home. And because of the elements that Mother Nature graced us with, they were outside, plowing snow, bedding calf huts and taking over the extra chores that define farm life in a storm.

The Weight of the “Mind Over Matter” Mantra

As I watched them, a heavy, suffocating sense of guilt filled the room. I wanted to be out there. I wanted to be of service, to be the one hauling the buckets or — at the very least — the one standing over a hot stove preparing a meal for the exhausted crew coming in from the cold. Growing up on a farm, often we are raised on a steady mantra “mind over matter.” Farm women are legendary for their toughness. We are the ones who push through the flu, the ones who work until the job is done, the ones who equate our value with our productivity.

But as I lay there, sore and exhausted, I realized my toughness was being called upon in a way I hadn’t practiced before. I had to learn the foreign concept of extending grace to myself.

Strength Through Grace

I had to understand rest isn’t a lapse in character. It is a required ingredient for a future of service. To truly lead my family and my community, I had to lead by example in the art of self-care. I had to embrace the season of stillness I was in, allowing my body and mind to knit themselves back together. I had to accept that for this brief moment in time, the most productive thing I could do was to kick my feet up and sleep.

It is so much easier said than done. It feels like a betrayal of our nature to let others wait on us. Yet there is a sacredness in allowing those you have spent your life serving to serve you in return. It allows them to grow, and it allows you to heal.

If you find yourself in a season where you are doing “less,” please listen to your body and your doctor. Do not mistake rest for weakness. Whether you are recovering from a literal collision or the metaphorical storms of life, remember the farm will stand, the chores will get done, the farm family will manage to find something to eat and the world will keep turning. Allow yourself the grace to be still. For once, let the help come to you. Because in the end, that is the only way we truly heal.

Leading Through the Storm: How This Mother of Three Navigated a Dairy Transition Alone

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 13:25:07 GMT

In the quiet rolling hills of Franklin County, Pa., near the small town of Newburg, the hum of a dairy farm usually signals the steady rhythm of a dream realized. But a year and a half ago, that rhythm was shattered in an instant. For Kerri Weber, co-owner of Rustik Dairy LLC, a routine day of hoof trimming ended not with the satisfaction of a job well done, but with a frantic 911 call and a prognosis that offered almost no hope.

Her husband, Rob, had suffered a Grade 5 subarachnoid brain aneurysm — the most severe type of rupture possible. As the surgeon told Weber that first night: “All we can do is pray.” She made a silent, steely vow: she was bringing him home.

What followed is a story of perseverance that defines the modern woman in agriculture. It is a story of a first-generation farm built from scratch, a business transition finalized in an ICU waiting room, and a community that proved the dairy industry is less of a business and more of a family.

(Photos Provided By Rustik Dairy LLC)

From the Ground Up

Kerri and Rob Weber didn’t inherit their legacy — they rented it, one barn at a time. Both grew up with a passion for cows — meeting, fittingly, while showing cattle — but starting a dairy from scratch in the 21^st century is a feat many call impossible.

“You’re not going to start at the top,” Weber reflects.

For eight years, the couple operated as nomadic dairymen, renting tie-stall facilities and moving their growing herd as opportunities arose. They lived by a strict philosophy: You have to go through all four seasons before you make a judgment call. They crunched numbers on $16 milk and $20 milk, knowing their break-even points by heart.

Their break came when they returned to the farm where Rob had worked as a teenager. They entered a partnership with brothers Wayne and Brad Beidel. It was a phased transition — a lifeline for a young couple looking for a permanent home for their Holstein, Jersey and Brown Swiss cattle. By the time the first brother, Wayne, retired, Rustik Dairy LLC was formed. They were four years into the second phase of the transition when the world stopped turning.

107 Days of Uncertainty

The day of the injury was like any other until Rob walked into the barn office, spoke Weber’s name, and collapsed. While he lay in a coma for four weeks, Weber’s life became a grueling marathon. She was the mother of three young children at the time — twins who were only 18 months old and a five-year-old daughter.

For 107 days, Weber balanced the sterile silence of hospital hallways with the demanding noise of a 180-cow dairy. She stayed by Rob’s side for nearly every one of those days, yet she never let the farm slip. She did morning milkings when she could, managed the books from hospital chairs and coordinated a team of part-time help that stepped up to become full-time heroes.

“One day at a time” became her motto.

“One day was one more day that I kept Rob alive,” she says.

The Choice in the ICU

Perhaps the most defining moment of Weber’s strength occurred four weeks into Rob’s stay in the ICU. The second partner, Brad, was ready to finalize his retirement. Weber was faced with a choice that would break most people: sell the cows and walk away to focus on her family, or sign the papers to buy out the partnership and take over the entire operation alone.

She chose the farm.

“I was convinced he was coming home,” Weber says. “And I knew he couldn’t come home to an empty barn. He needed something to fight for. If the farm was gone, he wouldn’t have that fight anymore.”

A week after Rob finally returned home, Weber officially took over the management of the entire dairy. She became the sole decision-maker, the lead manager and the primary caregiver for both her husband and their children.

(Photos Provided By Rustik Dairy LLC)

A Miracle in the Barn

Today, Rustik Dairy is not just surviving; it is thriving. The herd of 180 cows is averaging 24,000 pounds of milk with 1,000 pounds of fat and 800 pounds of protein — a remarkable feat given that 40% of the herd consists of color breeds.

But the real success is measured in the small moments. Rob is a walking medical miracle. Though he faces mental challenges, fatigue and the need for ongoing surgeries, he is back on the farm. Weber has integrated technology to help him navigate his new reality. They installed the Topcon feed app, which uses color-coded scales and sounds to help Rob mix feed — a task he once did by memory but now performs with the help of digital eyes.

“Farmers don’t forget what they’re doing,” Weber notes. “It’s muscle memory. He can still drive a tractor better than I can.”

To make life more manageable, Weber moved the calf-raising operation. They built a new calf barn right outside the house so the children can play among the hutches while Weber and Rob work. It allows the family to stay together, fulfilling the dream they had before the accident: raising their children in the barn.

The Power of the Dairy Community

When Kerri reflects on the past year and half, she doesn’t just talk about the struggle; she talks about the silver linings. She speaks of the Amish and Mennonite neighbors who showed up to feed calves without being asked. She speaks of the dairy community that sent diapers, clothing and two meals a week for over a year.

“You don’t have that anywhere else. That love and support... you don’t see that outside of the dairy community,” she says, noting the incredible importance of their families who pitched in from Day 1 to help in anyway they could. “We couldn’t do what we do without the support of our families.”

Even the farm’s nutritionists and veterinarians became part of the inner circle, understanding the “Rustik story” so well that Weber didn’t have to explain her weaknesses — they simply jumped in to fill the gaps.

Looking Forward: One Day at a Time

As spring approaches, the family continues to focus on gratitude. Weber continues to manage the herd with a focus on component growth and efficiency, but her primary objective remains unchanged: keeping the family together.

The journey hasn’t been easy. There are setbacks, like Rob’s shunt revision surgery, and the difficult mentalities that a brain injury can sometimes leave behind. But Weber finds joy in the simple things: a walk through the freestyle barn, the sight of their daughters holding bottles for calves, and the fact Rob is there to see it.

“I look at life differently now,” Weber says. “You don’t realize how quickly life can be taken for granted until it’s nearly gone. I’m just thankful for what I have today, even when the circumstances aren’t what I expected them to be.”

Kerri Weber is more than a dairy farmer. She is a testament to the fact that a farm is held together not just by fences and gates, but by the determined spirit of the women who refuse to let the dream die. At Rustik Dairy, the cows are milking, the children are growing and the miracle is just beginning.

The Identity Trap: What You Do is Not Who You Are

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 18:56:50 GMT

I will never forget how helpless I felt on Jan. 24 when I watched my son stumble across the wrestling mat. He took two major blows to the head during a match – a sound I could hear from the top of the gym bleachers. As he struggled to orient himself, I felt like I was going to throw up.

In a matter of seconds, he was on his back convulsing with trainers at his side trying to take off his shoulder brace so he could breathe. Sweat poured off his body in a way no workout ever could have done.

I held my hand over my mouth and wailed, watching nearly 13 years of hard work, sacrifice and commitment get carried off the mat on a stretcher. I knew in my heart that this was not a “shake it off” moment as they raced him to the emergency room by ambulance.

By God’s grace, the X-ray of his neck was clear. He never lost consciousness. He answered his questions correctly. Minus the uncomfortable neck brace, within an hour, our son seemed a little drowsy, but normal. We were able to leave Loyola Hospital in Chicago later that day and made it home through the snow that night. With time and rest, he was expected to make a full recovery, but it just wasn’t enough time for his brain to heal to allow him to wrestle in his senior year state series starting a couple of days later.

As a parent, this was a pretty excruciating moment because for thousands of days, I watched this kid commit his whole heart to this sport – a three-time state qualifier who overcame a hip avulsion fracture suffered during his sophomore year during the state tournament, a car accident at the end of his junior season and a torn labrum in his shoulder just weeks after his senior season began. It seemed like all of that was enough. And yet the disappointment was not over.

If I can be honest, I’m angry. Not at anyone in particular, but I’m just angry at the way it played out for him. There is nothing worse than watching your kid hurt and not be able to fix it.

The following weekend of regionals was hard to sit through, though we absolutely wanted the best for his teammates. At church the next day, some friends we hadn’t seen in a while came up and talked to our son. I overheard him say, “Wrestling is something I do, it’s not who I am.”

Parallel Paths: From the Mat to the Ranch

Fast forward a few days to the Top Producer Summit where I listened to a powerful panel. Leaders of top companies in agriculture weighed in on a variety of thought-provoking topics, but one message stood out to me.

“All too often, we confuse what we do with who we are,” said Lamar Steiger with The 808 Ranch. “As farmers and ranchers, we are our job. It’s our identity. That was my problem as a young man.”

Steiger grew up on a dairy. High interest rates in the late 1970s made farming particularly challenging. When he was in his 20s, their family lost the dairy. After working so hard to make that operation work, Steiger took this as a deep personal failure.

“There was nothing I could do to save the dairy because outside forces were at hand. But it’s so hard for farmers and ranchers to separate that,” he said. “Looking back, I had depression for quite a while after that, but we didn’t talk about that then.”

When he was in his mid-30s, Steiger attempted suicide.

“I had to be removed totally from my working life and start completely over,” he shared. “I learned the hard way how to separate my identity from my role.”

Steiger said it wasn’t pretty, but he is grateful for how this time of his life changed him.

“When you come to the end of yourself, you look for something bigger and better. That’s worked out really good for me,” he said. “Being a rancher is cool to me, but it’s not who I am. I’m Lamar. I try my best and I fail. We have great successes and then we have some things that just don’t work out. But it’s not all my responsibility.”

There’s something so humbling about another person vulnerably sharing their story. We can learn so much from each other. All it takes is a willingness to share your story. Left unshared, our stories may only change us. But by sharing, we can help each other find our way through the very real burdens of life.

A Truth Worth Holding Onto

It’s easy to confuse your identity with what you do because it becomes such a big part of our lives. As another Shike kid closes one chapter and gets ready to start the next, I find myself confusing who I am with my role as a mom. I’m not sure what life looks like without Saturday wrestling tournaments and late nights posting photos of our wrestlers.

As I sat there at Top Producer Summit, I kept hearing my son’s voice in my head saying, “Wrestling is something I do, it’s not who I am.”

He’s only 17 and has a lot of life to live, but I’m grateful he recognizes this truth. I know there will be times when he will be tempted to measure his worth by his performance. But I believe when we get honest and share these stories, we can help one another avoid the mistake of confusing what we do with who we are.

From Pasture to Milk: The Inspiring Journey of an Irish Dairy Farmer

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 16:30:00 GMT

In the ever-evolving world of agriculture, the quest for farm profitability remains constant, regardless of geographical location. For Brian Rushe, a dairy farmer from Ireland, this pursuit is not just about numbers on a ledger; it is the foundation upon which sustainability and longevity are built.

Rushe’s farm is nestled in the luscious countryside of County Kildare, Ireland, a vibrant testament to change, resilience and foresight. The year 2015 marked the beginning of a journey for Rushe and his family, as they transitioned from a long-standing beef and crop operation to dairying. This shift was not a rash decision but a well-considered pivot, recognizing their greatest potential for profitability and optimal land use.

The Shift to Dairy Farming
Before delving into the dairy sector, the Rushe family had been successfully managing a beef and crop farm. However, when evaluating their options for future growth and sustainability, the shift toward dairying became apparent. Rushe explains the decision was partly influenced by their location and land characteristics, ensuring a more promising avenue for their agricultural endeavors.

In Ireland, the topic of quotas is a common discussion among dairy farmers. Rushe mentions even if a producer exceeded their quota, if the processor was under, the balance was maintained. This outlook provided a more flexible approach toward managing dairy production levels.

Rushe’s dairying venture actually began on a neighboring farm in 2013. This farm provided a significant block of land, which allowed him to quickly increase cow numbers.
Brian recalls, “It was a drier farm, as well,” alluding to how drier land is advantageous to get cows to grass quicker, ultimately boosting per-cow income, in a primarily pasture-based system.

As the family eased into dairying, they maintained their beef and tillage operations for a while. However, it soon became evident a tough business decision was necessary. Rushe and his father decided to sell some of their land as the workload of managing both operations became too cumbersome.

“We were not going to continue with the crops because the workload was actually getting too hard,” Rushe shares.

Intensive Grazing Strategy
The Rushe family grazes their dairy cows for nine months each year. Despite the demanding nature of these months, they prefer this schedule over year-round crop management.

By 2020, the Rushe family decided to expand further by building a second dairy. Through fortunate timing and planning, they avoided the supply chain issues many faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, they successfully milk 350 cows across two dairies.

Their cows go dry from mid-December to early January. On their second farm, calving starts in February, but at the home farm, it begins in March, attributed to different levels of soil dryness. Capitalizing on their grazing ability and sensor collars, the farm uses New Zealand genetics and crossbred cows.

Challenges and Opportunities for Irish Dairies
Rushe highlights several challenges dairies in Ireland face, including who will represent the next generation of farmers. With fewer individuals willing to run dairy farms, Rushe says some young people have moved to New Zealand or the U.S. However, the slow pace of life in Ireland is appealing for retaining labor from other countries, and the Rushe farm employs staff from the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia.

The Irish dairy farmer shares the removal of quotas in 2015 was a relief for producers, including himself.

“For the first time, farmers could see opportunities and grow their herds,” he says.

Manure management regulations impose challenges, with stocking rates limited by nitrogen limits per hectare. If exceeded, Irish producers must apply for a derogation program, taking further environmental protection steps. Rushe explains losing the derogation could impact the number of cows they keep.

Despite this challenge, Rushe believes Irish farmers are invested in their dairy future, with 16,000 dairies in operation and the majority of milk going into powder production.

“I would have said three years ago the limit on growing dairy was going to be a process of capacity because we’ve peaked,” he says. “The processing capacity has gone the other way now because milk production has declined.”

Rushes shares processors worry if farmers lose the derogation their milk supply will further drop, and the co-op will become less efficient.

“This will impact the co-ops’ ability to pay a good milk price,” he says.

Looking Ahead
Looking to the future, Rushe shares his wife, Rebecca, is a nurse and their two children, Rhys, 13 and Reese, 9, are too young to know what the future holds. Although he notes that his son shows interest in the farming operation.

“I hope he gets an education,” he shares, and gets the chance to travel to other operations to learn from their mistakes and see what opportunities have worked for them before returning to the family operation.

“Everybody does things a little differently and sometimes by seeing other farms, you can find something that will work for you,” he says.

Rushe says the one thing he has been the most impressed when visiting U.S. dairy farms is their attention to detail.

“Attention to detail pays and their views on pinpointing what is causing problems is pretty amazing,” he says. “Even on some big, complex dairies, they simplify it at a personal level.”

Through strategic transformation and expansion, the Rushe family illustrates the evolving nature of family farming in Ireland. As they navigate the challenges and opportunities of modern dairying, their journey offers insights and lessons for farmers not only in Ireland, but worldwide.

Your Next Read: Discover How Innovation Transforms at Grotegut Dairy

Saying Goodbye to Dad: A Farmer’s Journey with Grief

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 15:55:54 GMT

Grief is hard. Whether it’s the loss of a loved one, a way of life, or even a dream, the pain of losing something we care about is an inevitable part of being human. However, that doesn’t make grief any easier to walk through.

On May 23, 2024, Nathan Isler lost his father, Bill, to a stroke. The man who was greater than life to him, was no longer by his side every day on their family pork and grain operation. The loss that everyone who loved him felt was undeniable.

“I don’t know how people deal with grief without faith. If you think death is just the end, it’s a hard thing to deal with,” Isler says. “For me, the toughest part is the loss of those moments where I wish he was there to talk to about things.”

In Isler’s mind, grief is more of a feeling than a definition. In the simplest of terms, he says it’s disappointment in life not going the way you want it to – not getting the answers you hoped for or not having the person you want to be there.

But grief, as painful as it feels, is also a process that can open the door to growth and resilience.

“It is impossible to live without experiencing pain at some point in our lives,” says Jorge Estrada, Global Coaching Alliance Latin America lead. “Life and pain go hand in hand. They’re part of the great dichotomies: black and white, day and night, life and death, love and pain.”

Pain isn’t an interruption to life, it’s a thread woven through it, Estrada adds. At the same time, grief isn’t a sign of weakness or failure. It’s evidence of our capacity to love deeply and to heal, even after profound loss.

Understanding Grief

“Grief hurts,” agrees Gina Forte, an expert in thanatology which is the study of death, loss and the processes that follow. “When we love someone or something, we become attached to it. The more we love, the more it hurts to lose.”

But that hurt has a purpose. Grief is an adaptive emotional process, a way to make sense of loss and find balance again, she adds. Knowing it’s a process helps people move forward.

“Perseverance is a necessity in life,” Isler says. “Life goes on. You can’t stop. You can’t lose your potential or your life. Putting my head down and getting work done – being productive – has helped me during this time.”

He says there is something healing about setting goals and pushing forward.

“Getting in your own head too much allows the grief to multiply,” Isler adds. “For me, being able to have wins and accomplish goals promotes healing.”

Forte says that’s the function of grief – to restore and heal.

“When we don’t allow ourselves to process it, grief can become unhealthy or even pathological,” she says.

From Shock to Acceptance

When loss hits, no one is ready to understand or accept it fully. The stages of grief all play a key role in the process. Forte outlined the seven stages of grief:

Grief isn’t a straight line, she says. Sometimes people circle back to the same stage again, but the visits grow shorter over time.

One day, one of Isler’s dad’s friends showed him a video of his dad swinging on a rope at a retreat not long before he passed away.

“I don’t know what, but something triggered inside me – to see that youthfulness and joy he always had,” Isler says. “It’s hard to predict what will trigger different parts of the grief process. I have found that the return to different stages gets quicker as you move on.”

On the Other Side of Loss

The resilience that emerges on the other side of loss makes us stronger people, Estrada says. In short, it’s not just surviving hardship, it’s being transformed by it.

Estrada defines resilience as the ability to navigate change, understand grief, learn, let go, and create a new reality—one that carries a better version of ourselves into the next stage of life.

“Everything you do in life changes who you are a little bit,” Isler says. “I’ve learned more about who my dad was to so many. I’ve learned not everyone has a role model like him. I hope I can live up to the example he set for my kids.”

Studies show one of the strongest predictors of resilience is having loving and supportive relationships that offer trust, encouragement and security through the grief process.

For Isler, living next door to his mom, who has been living with dementia for several years, has put him in a unique situation. Sharing stories about his dad with his mom has been especially healing.

“My mom has always been someone I could talk to easily,” Isler says. “I’ve used her as a map to put it all out there because she isn’t grieving the way the rest of us are. She knows dad isn’t around, but it doesn’t all connect for her like it does for us. When I talk about dad with her, it does nothing but bring joy to her.”

Get Off the Island

Everyone deals with grief at some point, Isler says. Maybe it’s grief from the loss of a loved one, but for farmers, grief could stem from a terrible financial situation on the farm or the loss of a business you’ve built your life around.

“For all the people who think they are alone, it’s just not the case,” he says. “We all deal with grief, and we all deal with it differently. A lot of times we put ourselves on an island – especially in our industry.”

Farmers – especially men – are some of the worst about talking about their feelings, Isler says.

“We are tough guys. We get the work done and go on,” he says. “But it helps to talk about it. Let people show up for you or go find someone to talk to if they don’t know what you are going through.”

When Isler’s sister told him that what helped her in the grief process was being around him, he was taken aback a little.

“She said I reminded her of dad and was a lot like him, that being around me made it easier not having dad around anymore,” he says. “To me, that’s the best compliment I’ve ever received.”

4 Natural Disasters in 13 Months Leave Florida Dairy Strong as Ever

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 17:00:01 GMT

As Hurricane Helene ripped through northern Florida in fall 2024, one farm in its path was Full Circle Dairy, home to the Watts family, 3,900 lactating cows and 50 employees.

The Category 4 hurricane, moving at over 120 miles per hour through several southeastern states, would deliver devastation throughout the region — something the dairy had been all too familiar with in recent months.

Helene came on the heels of Hurricane Idalia in August 2023, a tornado in May 2024 and Hurricane Debby in September 2024. Being the fourth disaster to hit the farm within 13 months, Helene found the Full Circle Dairy team as prepared as they could be, but it still left the worst damage.

(Full Circle Dairy)

“Hurricane Helene caused three-fourths of one of our freestall barns, which houses 800 cows, to collapse,” recalls Philip Watts, operations manager and fifth-generation dairy farmer. “We were in the middle of milking two groups in that barn. Thankfully, the gates were open and most of the cows were able to walk out of the barn when it started to collapse, reducing the number of animals in the barn.”

Throughout the storm, Watts says they maintained normal milking operations as long as they could. As soon as it became unsafe for employees, they paused to ride out the hurricane. Helene left significant damage to the commodity barn, too, meaning much of the extra feed they’d had delivered ahead of time was also lost.

From the previous storms, the farm had learned to prepare by securing any small items that could blow around and by adding extra sand to the plastic covering for the hay and straw to prevent feed from being ruined or blown away.

“Due to losing several fans from previous hurricane winds, we went through and zip-tied nearly 900 fans to prevent damage,” Watts says. “We were fortunate to have experienced Helene last in having learned ways to better prepare the farm.”

(Full Circle Dairy)

The days and weeks following the storm were challenging to say the least, but a positive mindset made all the difference.

“When the disaster hits, understand this is temporary and this will pass. Most likely, when you get past this, you will be stronger and better in the future,” Watts says.

Backup power kept milking equipment, water and barn fans operational, maintaining essential cow care despite power loss.

“We relocated heifers after the barn collapse and retrofitted a heifer freestall barn to house lactating and dry cows after the storm,” Watts says.

“The farm also received a tremendous amount of support from local agricultural groups offering to assist with storm cleanup,” he adds. “The Florida commissioner of agriculture, along with other local representatives, made a visit to the farm post-storm to assess damage.”

Beyond the Storm

Just weeks after the storm passed was a ribbon-cutting for a new RNG facility, a full-scale dairy manure to pipeline quality RNG operation expected to produce an average of 100,000 dekatherms annually. At full capacity, the emission reduction will be equivalent to powering 3,500 homes for a year.

(Full Circle Dairy)

“This project is another milestone into the sustainability practices that we implement at Full Circle Dairy,” Watts says. “Our use of technology on the farm is to gain efficiencies for our team members as well as our animals to prioritize their comfort and care.”

Watts’ parents, Greg and Cindy Watts, are the founders of Full Circle Dairy, and together it’s their goal to provide an opportunity for the next generation on the farm. Integral to the farm’s sustainability efforts is their approach to involving not only their own families but also the local community.

“We welcome school groups, FFA chapters, 4-H groups and more for scheduled tours throughout the year,” Watts says. “We also share our dairy farming story at numerous local community events.”

With the natural disasters moving further into the rearview, Watts says, “Over the next five to 10 years, we will continue to focus on progressive, sustainable and profitable practices.”

Their work in sustainability, resilience and innovation has truly come full circle, several times over.

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Don't Break, Build: A Farmer's Playbook for Taking Control of Your Mind

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 19:02:20 GMT

It was already shaping up to be one of those days.

An unexpected bill is due, and the money just isn’t there. The kids are fighting again. Understandably, your wife is over it, and now it’s your fault. One of your employees just called to say the new group of wean pigs is sick. It’s all a part of a life, but sometimes it just stacks up to be too much.

“In a world of unpredictability with so many factors at play on any given day, it’s easy to be mentally or emotionally hijacked by elements out of our control,” says Athena Diesch-Chham with Restorative Path Counseling and Wellbeing. “Stress and anxiety thrive in this environment. However, the long-term effects of that are real.”

Farming stress will never go away, so how can you get more grit or become more resilient to that stress?

One expert says it starts by paying attention to the present.

“Don’t think about what happened yesterday or worry about what is happening tomorrow,” says Cheri Burcham, with University of Illinois Extension. “Focus on what you are doing and feeling in the very moment.”

Diesch-Chham likes to think of it as “being where your feet are.”

“So often brains are hijacked by stress and launch us mentally to a different space either in the past or in the future,” Diesch-Chham adds. “Mindfulness is just asking for our whole selves to be here in this moment, wherever our feet are planted.”

Pay Attention

This concept of truly being “in the moment” not only reduces stress, but research shows it can also lower blood pressure, increase immunity and reduce anxiety and depression, Burcham says.

When you intentionally notice where you are, you can recognize potential challenges sooner, says Abigail Cudney with Michigan State University Extension . Instead of habitually reacting to stress with intense anger, emotional shutdown, negative thinking or overthinking, this intentional awareness helps rewire the brain through a process called neuroplasticity, or the brain’s ability to grow and adapt to new experiences.

Consider the attention you pay when walking through the barn. You use all your senses to make assessments and determine what’s going on all around you.

“Whether it’s walking the barn or enjoying the fall scenery, naming something you are currently experiencing for each of the five senses is another way to practice mindfulness,” Diesch-Chham says. “This doesn’t have to be complicated – the whole goal is to bring mind and body to the same place.”

5 Senses Technique

Just Breathe

The fight or flight response animals have when stress strikes is the same thing that happens in people. As a review, the vagus nerve, which runs from the base of the brain and branches out to the organs, serves as a conduit of chemicals/hormones that are activated automatically/reflexively by the sympathetic nervous system. This is an involuntary and adaptive process that increases respiration and blood flow to prepare the body for quick and protective action, such as fighting or fleeing. Once the perceived threat has passed or been managed successfully, the stress response also passes and respiration, blood pressure, and heart rate return to a normal steady state, according to the Yale School of Medicine .

Through deep breathing, the vagus nerve can be stimulated intentionally to help restore, mitigate and even prevent these physical and psychological reactions. Slow, even breaths that originate deep within the abdomen stimulate the vagus nerve in a way that signals safety and cues the body and mind to relax, restore, and release chronic and unhealthy patterns.

“Deep breathing can be practiced anywhere and in so many ways – so it is very accessible and easy for farmers to practice,” Burcham explains. “Practice in the field or even while operating machinery.”

Let Go of What You Can’t Control

Perhaps one of the biggest advantages of “being where your feet are” is realizing you can’t control it all.

“Working towards recognizing what truly is within our individual control and then choosing to focus our energy on managing what we can control to improve our overall mental health and stress, helps us remain resilient through the pieces that are outside of our control,” Diesch-Chham says.

Adversity happens. Markets will crash. Animals will get sick. Disease will strike. Families will argue. But you can recover faster from those stresses by staying grounded in the moment, aligning your thoughts and emotions with reality.

Resources to Help Build Resilience:
North Central Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Center

Mindfulness: University of Illinois Extension

Building Resilience with Mindfulness

Celebrating the Resilience and Spirit of Farmers with 'Green and Gold'

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 19:19:56 GMT

As the football season kicks back into gear, there’s more to celebrate than touchdowns this fall. The premiere of “Green and Gold,” a stirring film about a dairy farmer’s audacious gamble on the 1993 Green Bay Packers to save his farm, has hit a remarkable milestone with 100,000 streams. This achievement is not just entertainment news; it’s a significant step for agriculture, championed by Culver’s commitment to donating $1 per stream to support three crucial ag organizations.

The result is a $100,000 donation, a testament to the company’s continual dedication to farmers through their Thank You Farmers Project. Earlier this year, Culver’s pledged to donate $1 from every rental and digital purchase of “Green and Gold,” which has now materialized into support for:

Farmer Angel Network: Offers community support through events and resources aimed at farmer well-being.
Farm Foundation-led Farm Family Wellness Alliance: Provides mental health and wellness services for farm families.
National FFA: Educates and prepares young agricultural leaders for future challenges.

Celebrating Farmers Through Film
“Green and Gold” eloquently encapsulates themes of family, resilience and community spirit. It follows Buck, portrayed by Craig T. Nelson, a Wisconsin dairy farmer who faces the brink of foreclosure. His bold move? Betting the farm on the Packers to win the Super Bowl. The film’s director and co-writer, Anders Lindwall, acknowledges the poignant impact the film has had.

“We’re honored that ‘Green and Gold’ resonated with audiences so much that it made Culver’s donation not only possible, but incredibly significant,” Lindwall says.

Culver’s ongoing support for agricultural communities, through initiatives like the Thank You Farmers Project, has raised over $6.5 million since its inception in 2013. This latest donation is a continuation of their mission to support those who sustain and nurture our nation’s food system.

A Personal Connection
Watching “Green and Gold” with my husband earlier this year was a heartfelt reminder of the steadfast qualities embodied by American farmers: hard work, dedication and an unwavering commitment to land and family. In a rapidly evolving world, these values, highlighted by the film, resonate deeply.

Leaving the theater hand in hand with Scott, I was reminded of the profound gratitude I feel for being part of this vibrant farming community. Scott, much like the characters portrayed, is a dedicated family man and community leader, whose spirit embodies hope and resilience — a sentiment that runs deep in the farming way of life.

A Tribute to The American Farmer
Let’s celebrate the farmers, whose relentless dedication keeps us grounded. In times that feel overwhelming, it’s crucial to remember that many of us stand in support, cheering you on. The film “Green and Gold” pays homage to the unseen sacrifices and unwavering spirit of farmers, capturing the essence of resilience and community. It’s a must-watch for anyone who holds the American agricultural spirit close to their heart or simply appreciates a moving story.

In our ever-changing world, may there always be a place for stories that celebrate the undying dedication of the American farmer. I am profoundly proud to be connected to agriculture and grateful to Culver’s for bringing this inspiring story to the screen.

For more information about Culver’s commitment to agriculture, visit culvers.com/about-culvers/thank-you-farmers-project .

The film “ Green and Gold ” is now available on major streaming platforms.

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From Despair to Hope: Why a Farmer on the Brink of Suicide Chose to Keep Going

From Despair to Hope: Why a Farmer on the Brink of Suicide Chose to Keep Going

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 15:41:24 GMT

It’s starting to feel similar to the 1980s. Not only are farmers on the brink of financial collapse, but there’s another grim reality setting in: The number of farmers dying by suicide is on the rise, and it could be at a rate U.S. agriculture hasn’t seen since the 1980s.

Even though statistics on suicides among farmers aren’t reliable from the 1980s because many were deemed “accidents” during that time, some estimates point to more than 1,000 farmers dying by suicide during that crisis.

“Unfortunately, it just almost seems like it’s a pandemic situation. I mean, there’s a lot of it, and it’s sad,” says Brent Foreman, a farmer in Shelby County, Mo., who knows the impacts of farmer suicides all too well.

“From an agricultural perspective, there’s a lot of stress in this industry, especially now,” Foreman says. “And somebody that’s contemplating this. I would say, we as farmers, we like to try to fix things, and we’re pretty good at it, but you can’t fix everything. If you get to a point like that, please reach out to someone, a family member, a good friend. Just please try to get some help.”

Touched By Suicide Three Times

Foreman isn’t just a fellow farmer concerned about the number of farmer suicides today. He’s a life-long farmer who’s been impacted by farmers dying by suicide three times, and the first loss happened when he was just 12 years old.

“My grandfather was a wonderful man, the most important male figure in my life,” Foreman says. “It happened 54 years ago, and it leaves a heck of a hole in your heart still today.”

Sixteen years later, his younger brother died by suicide, another sudden and tragic loss where there were no signs something was wrong.

“And then just a little over two years ago, my brother-in-law, who was 68, took his life,” Foreman says. “I’m telling you, it’s a devastating thing for loved ones to have to go through. It is tough. It’s really tough.”

Foreman says with his brother-in-law, there were signs he was struggling. He tried to take his life one time, but didn’t succeed. That’s when the family tried to get him help, which he agreed to, even going in for treatment.

“We thought that things were getting better, but they weren’t,” Foreman says. “At the beginning, I consulted our preacher, and I said: ‘I need some prayer and I need some advice.’ And he said: ‘Well, I do want to tell you something. I want you to be able to be prepared if you fail. Can you handle that?’ And I said: ‘Well, what I can’t handle is if I don’t try. I have to try.’

Experiencing three suicides, all by loved ones he was extremely close to, has been devastating. Foreman says the emotions are still raw today.

“It’s tough to live with, going through that so many times,” he says. “When I was a youngster I always told myself, the hurt, that’s something I would never do to anyone else. I just made like a pact with myself that I would never do that, because I’ve seen and lived firsthand how it affects you. From a family’s perspective, the pain goes on and on; it doesn’t quit. My wife, from her perspective, I can just see it in her eyes almost daily, the devastation.”

‘When We Lose Hope, It’s a Dangerous Place to Be’

When a person loses hope, that’s when the situation turns bleak.

“Sadly, that is the end all for a lot of people,” Jolie Foreman, executive director at Shelby County Cares , says. “Hope is key. If you have hope, you can keep going. When you lose hope, it’s just a very dangerous place to be.”

Lafayette County, Mo., farmer Ethan Daehler has been there.

“It was actually 2019 was kind of my low point,” he says.

Just six years ago, this Missouri farmer hit rock bottom.

“I was pretty much just down in the dumps, ready to just give up on life,” he says. “Thank the Lord something happened that kind of changed my way of thinking.”

In his early 30s, Ethan Daehler knows what it’s like to be on the verge of suicide. In 2019, he hit a low point. But something saved him, and he hopes by sharing his story, he will reach other farmers in a similar state of mind, reminding them that life is worth living.

(Ethan Daehler, Missouri Farmer )

Battling ongoing pain from an accident and stress of work, as well as struggles with the dynamics of a family farm, it all compounded the issue and pushed Daehler to a breaking point.

“I had a full-time job at the time working for another farmer and trying to do my own small operation,” he says. “We had family issues, which happens to a lot of farmers. There is a lot that compounds into thoughts, it’s just not financial problems, and I think that’s what people need to understand.

Daehler is now proof that it’s worth finding a reason to live, and he is only sharing his story to possibly save someone who’s in a similar spot as he was in 2019.

“There’s more to life,” he says. “I’m in a tractor now, baling hay, this is my fourth cutting. This is what I kind of dreamed of. Find something you love doing.”

A Mission to Prevent Farmer Suicides

That pain is something that fueled his daughter-in-law’s work. Jolie Foreman is the executive director at Shelby County Cares , a nonprofit whose goal is to improve the quality of life for children, youth and adults.

“I knew that we were very resource poor,” Jolie says. “So when I heard that this opportunity was available, we jumped on it, and we’ve just grown from the bottom up. We are definitely grassroots. They had faith in us in what our vision was, and they invested in it.

Through a grant,Jolie’s initial focus wasn’t suicide, but as she started doing research, she discovered there was a desperate need to provide help.

“My family had been impacted by suicide, and that’s kind of why I had jumped on board in the beginning,” she says. “But once we sat down at the table and really started to dive into the names and being in a small town, we know all of those lives that have been lost to suicide up here, that the producer was the one that was struggling.”

Fall Typically Heightens the Stress and Struggles

Jolie says they are currently seeing an increase in the number of farmer suicides happening across the country. Some of that is due to the various stresses involved with farming, but she says the fall is typically when the number of suicides in agriculture rises even more.

“In the spring, there’s a lot of hope,” Jolie says. “You’re planting, you’re coming off of the year that may have been good, may have been bad, but there’s always hope in the spring. And come September, I think the stark reality starts to set in either the pricing and the yields.”

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month , and when it comes to agriculture the facts are startling. Farmers are 3.5 times more likely to die by suicide than the general population. The suicide rate among male farmers, ranchers and ag managers is 43.7 deaths per 100,000 people, according to the National Rural Health Association.

The mounting financial pressures unfolding across the agricultural economy are adding another layer to an industry that already faces one of the highest rates of suicide compared to any other profession.

“Suicide is one of those things that’s hard to put on a scale,” Jolie says. “I mean we know the lives we’ve lost. We unfortunately can’t see the lives that we’ve saved, but I do know from talking to the local ambulance district that the calls have definitely increased; 988 is a huge resource here, and those calls have gone up and increased exponentially. And just through conversations I know that that rural agricultural piece is pressing behind it.”

She says one of the most startling discoveries she’s made during her research and work is the desensitization to death among farmers. She says through various conversations, it’s a reality that’s sad but true.

It’s Not Just Financial Stress That Causes Strains on Farmers’ Mental Health

Jolie says it’s not just financial stress that causes these struggles. It’s also the fact farming comes with many stresses, and for the most part, many farmers are so isolated and might not have access to adequate healthcare.

AgriSafe says if you’re a farmer, rancher, or farmworker, you already know that your work can expose you to a variety of hazards. They believe that with proper education and access to knowledgeable health professionals, farmers can live a long, healthy, and productive life.

(The Total Farmer Health Model, AgriSafe)

According to AgriSafe’s Total Farmer Health , the financial factor is one that can compound mental health struggles, but there are other factors that lead to the risks of farmer suicides including:

Weather
Sleep
Cognition
Social
Diet
Hazards
Spirituality
Healthcare
Fitness

Signs to Watch

And for family and friends, there are signs to watch out for, including neglect of the farm or ranch or even an individual who makes a big financial moves.

“Financial moves are also huge, which is why we’ve talked to attorneys, and we also talked to the financial providers like different banks,” Jolie says. “Are they moving their money? Are they giving away prize possessions? Are they changing their wills? Are they creating a sudden will? We just want to give those resources the tools that they need just to be like, ’Are you okay?’

Daehler says his message for someone in a dark place is you’re not alone. That message is something the Foremans also wants farmers to know.

“I want them to know that we care. I want to know they feed and fuel the world, but if their bucket is empty, they can’t pour into others,” Jolie says. “It’s OK to not be OK, to talk about it, to reach out, to ask your neighbor, to not afraid if you do see something or change in behavior or more isolation. Don’t be afraid to have that conversation. And there are a lot of people that care.”

Suicide Prevent Hotlines

It’s important to remember no matter where you are, there is help. 988 is the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline .

And for farmers, there is a specific farmer crisis hotline you can call that is toll-free at 866.586.6746.

The American Farm Bureau also has a Farm State of Mind campaign which builds awareness to reduce stigma and provides access to information and resources that promote farmer and rancher mental health wellness. You can visit that list of resources here .

Farewell to Summer and Goodbye to the Farm Help We’ve Relied On

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 11:26:07 GMT

As the school bells ring and children return to their classrooms, we are reminded of the changing seasons not just in nature but in our lives here on the farm. This summer marked a significant chapter, as we came to rely heavily on our kids: Tyler, 21; Cassie, 19; and Jacob, 15. Their contributions have been invaluable, stepping in for tasks ranging from vaccinating heifers to sorting dry cows and feeding heifers and calves. Most recently, they took on the hefty task of hauling silage wagons. Their dedication and hard work have been pivotal for us this summer.

Back to School, Back to Change
Now, as our children turn their attention to education, a priority we fully support, our home grows a bit quieter, and their work boots remain cleaner than they’ve been all summer. Our oldest, Tyler, begins his senior year at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, diligently working toward a degree in dairy science. His heart remains tethered to the farm, and with Platteville being less than 100 miles away, he plans to balance his academic responsibilities with farm duties, including the all-important appraisal day and the conclusion of corn chopping. Yet, amid this balance, completing his education remains his No. 1 goal.

Distance Doesn’t Detract
Meanwhile, Cassie embarks on her sophomore journey at Iowa State University, also pursuing a degree in dairy science. Though three hours away, and likely to work at a nearby farm in Ames, we know her commitment to our farm remains strong. If there’s ever a bind during harvest, Cassie will undoubtedly make the drive to lend a hand.

Jacob, our youngest, is a sophomore in high school and playing football. So, his days and pretty much evenings are full, but he helps with a few heifer chores after school and will help haul wagons on weekends.

It’s hard to encapsulate the sheer amount of work and dedication our kids have shown this summer. The hours were long with projects both planned and unexpected. From routine tasks like herd health days and barn maintenance to unforeseen challenges like equipment and fence repairs, they have faced it all with resilience and determination.

Finding Gratitude Amid Change
With the school season reclaiming our helpers, I often find myself asking my husband, “What will you do now?” He always manages to find a solution, and for that, we are grateful for our 11 full-time, committed farm employees. When additional help is needed, I play backup.

I am thankful for our children’s willingness to aid their father and their passion for the dairy industry. Credit goes to my husband’s ability to engage our children with patience and involvement, even as our dairy operation expanded. Despite hectic days, he diligently imparted knowledge, encouraged hard work and made farm labor enjoyable. His openness to their input and readiness to lead by example has instilled in them not just skills, but a shared passion for our family’s legacy.

This season of change is not just about farewells to summer, but an embrace of growth for our family and our farm.

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The Two Worst Words a Farm Kid Can Say

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 14:18:10 GMT

Growing up on a farm is a unique experience that shapes vocabulary, attitude and lifestyle in countless ways. When you grow up on a farm, certain phrases become ingrained in your vocabulary, like “feed the calves” or “fix the fence” or “mow the grass,” but one phrase, in particular, is notably absent: “I’m bored.” In fact, these two little words should never escape the lips of a farm kid. On a farm, “boredom” is akin to a curse word, a concept almost as foreign as a cow that milks itself.

If, by some rare chance, a farm kid proclaims boredom, rest assured the farmer will always have a response, usually in the form of work. From fixing fences to milking cows, the endless list of tasks ensures there’s always something to occupy one’s time. Growing up, the idea of being bored was so unfathomable that even as a mere whisper, it would trigger an avalanche of chores.

I remember telling my mother, I was bored, could I go to the mall. My father overheard and said that rocks needed picked from the cattle corral.

In a world where other children would spend summer days at the mall or at a pool or watching television, farm kids are busy hauling manure, feeding calves, mowing grass, vaccinating cows, baling hay, getting their prize show animals ready for the fair and other tasks under the summer sun. During my own childhood, these activities kept me so occupied the notion of boredom seemed laughable.

The sheer sense of community and responsibility that arises from sharing in the farm work creates a mindset where leisure activities, such as trips to the movies or the mall, are rare and treasured luxuries.

Farm life might not be Instagram-worthy at times, but it certainly prepares children for the real world, as they learn resilience and a strong work ethic from an early age. If your own farm kids have ever echoed this curse word, how did you respond? Maybe you directed them toward the nearest trough that required cleaning or farm equipment to be washed.

Farm life is as much about character-building as it is about growing crops or raising livestock. It teaches adaptability and instills a sense of fulfillment born from hard work. The next time “I’m bored” is uttered, take it as an invitation to instill these valuable lessons, ensuring future generations uphold the traditions that make farm life so unique.

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Dutch Dairy: Blending Tradition, Innovation and Community at the Heart of Wisconsin

Dutch Dairy: Blending Tradition, Innovation and Community at the Heart of Wisconsin

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 14:27:01 GMT

In the rural heart of Wisconsin, near Eau Claire, Dutch Dairy stands as a testament to the fusion of traditional farming values and modern agricultural innovation. Owned and operated by Amy and Sander Penterman, a deep-seated dedication to sustainability, community welfare and agriculture advocacy propels this family-run dairy farm forward.

Embracing Modern Agriculture
Sander, is a first-generation immigrant from the Netherlands and after selling their farm quota, his family laid down roots in Wisconsin, investing in the property that is their home today. Today, the family milks 1,000 cows in a double-12 parallel parlor, prioritizing animal health, comfort and high-quality milk production. The heart of our farm’s success lies in their pioneering approach, from practicing no-till farming to leveraging the CowManager activity monitoring system.

“We do believe in high-quality milk production,” Amy Penterman shared at the 2025 Global Dairy Conference in Chicago, Ill. “Our main focus is on cow comfort and consistency.”

She says that because of the CowManager technology, they are able to be there for their kids and not worry about what’s going on back home.

“Because we’ve got it right in the palm of our hand,” Penterman says.

Sander agrees with his wife, adding: “Before CowManager we had to be in the barn, we had to physically walk to the barn and see what was going on. CowManager shows you can be anywhere in the world and you still can track you cows.”

The Pentermans raise their heifers on site until six months of age, and then they are sent to a custom heifer grower about 90 miles from them. They return home about two months prior to calving.

The family farms around 1,200 acres of cropland and grows corn, alfalfa and butcher wheat that is added to the ration for their herd.

(Dutch Dairy)

Community and Advocacy
Community involvement and advocacy are at the core of the Penterman family. They reach the dairy business association board that Penterman is involved with, as well as education and engagement work through their local FFA chapter. These efforts highlight the vibrancy and critical economic role of Wisconsin’s $45 billion dairy industry while encouraging young minds to see themselves as integral players in agriculture’s future.

In 2023, the Pentermans acquired and reopened a local country restaurant that they own property next to. While the family felt like they didn’t have a lot of spare time due to their roots in agriculture, they have made the restaurant a place where the community can see farmers.

“We hope that we can link the farm to table in the future,” Penterman says, noting they are open for business four nights a week. “Our kids not only work on the farm; they also work in the restaurant. So, it’s giving them a neat, unique perspective of kind of all different areas, because we really want them to have broad horizons.”

Bridging Hope
In 2002, the Pentermans faced a tragedy no family should endure — the loss of their oldest son to suicide. This devastating event spurred them into action, recognizing the urgent need to raise awareness about suicide prevention within their community and beyond.

In a community of just 1,200 people, they experienced three suicides in the span of four months: their son, a father of one of their students, and a teacher from their school district. This painful period underscored the necessity of community support and education.

“So, what can we do to help mitigate that and also open our farm up to people so they can see what a modern dairy farm looks like? We host a corn maze every fall, and those funds are raised for suicide prevention,” Penterman shares, noting that they work with their local fire department and school district.

(Dutch Dairy)

Cultivating the Future
The collective endeavors at Dutch Dairy, from managing a successful dairy operation to preserving the history embodied in their local restaurant, are driven by common values: innovation, efficiency, community and education. They aim to inspire and sustain future generations of farmers, raising awareness of the essential role they play in not just sustaining, but growing, agri-based communities.

“We got to educate our future generations, so they want to come back to the farm,” Penterman says. “At Dutch Dairy, we don’t just milk cows. We grow a future.”

Through their values of innovation, efficiency, community involvement and education, the Pentermans inspire and sustain not just a farm, but a bright future for the dairy industry, demonstrating the power of agricultural heritage and forward-thinking vision.

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Finding Community and Resilience: A Journey Beyond the Finish Line

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 13:43:29 GMT

In life, there are moments when we are called to do things we never planned for — or even wanted to do. But fate often inserts the right people at the right time to shift our paths. This adage rings true for Wisconsin dairy farmer Katy Schultz, and her fellow dairy runners Peggy Coffeen, Julie Veldhuis and Kelly Davis. United by faith, determination and the dairy industry, these women set out on a quest beyond their expectations by running the Every Woman’s Marathon sponsored by Team MILK in Savannah, Ga., last fall.

The Birth of a Running Community
The foursome embarked on their training to finish 26.2 miles together, where they shared not just the physical challenges of running but also each other’s personal triumphs and struggles. According to Schultz, running became her “thing,” but she encourages there is indeed something for everyone.

“Find something to stretch you in all aspects — physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually — and go after it with passion,” she says. “You can do hard things you’ve never imagined you could do.”

Meanwhile, Coffeen, host of the “UpLevel Dairy Podcast”, rediscovered a sense of community. A runner by nature, Coffeen realized running alongside others filled voids she didn’t know existed.

“What I found with these ladies was a missing piece after 20 plus years: community. A community built on commonality with dairy and faith,” she says.

This journey, inspired by connection, transformed each woman’s perspective and brought about an unexpected camaraderie.

(Provided by Katy Schultz)

Embracing Life’s “Hard Things” Together
During the marathon in the Georgia heat, Coffeen noted the incredible superpowers that emerged from each woman in moments of exhaustion and pain. This bond extended beyond race day, fostering growth in every facet of their lives.

Veldhuis, returning to running after personal setbacks, credited this marathon for breaking down walls she’d unknowingly built up. After enduring life’s hardships — including intense training disruptions — she bravely committed herself to the race, embodying the belief that life’s challenges are best faced with friends by your side.

“I became fiercely independent telling myself that if I wanted anything done, I’d need to do it myself,” she says. “I was surviving, sure. But I wasn’t letting anyone in. And then came the months of marathon training, full of encouragement, shared struggles and honest moments with women who saw me — really saw me. Looking back, it’s clear: God knew exactly what I needed. He always does.”

For Davis, who works for STgenetics, training and running this marathon was one of the most amazing and emotional experiences she says she has had in her life.

“It truly was the experience that showed me I can do hard things,” she says, noting the other women were the best cheerleaders and overall support team.

The Race Beyond Expectations
What started as a means to personal achievement evolved into something infinitely more significant: a shared adventure of healing, laughter and friendship.

As Veldhuis reflects, “It was everything I didn’t know I needed — and more.”

Running taught her, and ultimately all of them, that you can do hard things — both on track and in life.

As these four dairy women raced together, they grew beyond the confines of their planned paths and accepted the unplanned beauty life offered. Schultz, Coffeen, Veldhuis and Davis demonstrated sometimes the race isn’t about the physical miles — but the emotional and spiritual journey.

Veldhuis sums it up best: “What started as a race turned into something so much bigger: healing, connection, and a gentle, yet powerful reminder. Even when we think we’re doing just fine on our own, we’re often one ‘yes’ away from something extraordinary.”

The dairy marathoners remind us to embrace life’s unexpected journeys, cherish the communities we build and trust that sometimes the best experiences come from taking unplanned paths — that’s where extraordinary happens.

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Embracing Change: A Journey of Resilience and Renewal on the Farm

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 14:24:49 GMT

In the fast-paced whirlwind we call life, six years can feel like both a blink of an eye and an eternity. Time often blurs the boundaries between days and nights, seasons and years, leaving us with little opportunity to pause and reflect. Many of you might resonate with this sensation.

A Night that Changed Everything
On July 9, 2019, our lives split into a before and after. In the still of the night, a distressing phone call shattered our peace — a fire engulfed our heifer and commodity barns. In those moments, as I witnessed the roaring flames and inhaled the acrid smoke, I felt as if the ground would give way beneath me.

Yet, in the midst of this catastrophe, we found solace in the kindness of others. Supported by the grace of God and the benevolence of our community, we navigated through this overwhelming adversity. Their unwavering support illuminated the fact that even during our darkest hours, there are compassionate souls ready to extend a helping hand. We are eternally grateful to our local community, proving that neighbors truly do stand up for each other.

Generations Learning to Overcome Adversity
One of the brightest beacons in this challenging journey has been watching my children rise with determination and assume leadership roles. Despite the uncertainty etched on the faces of older generations, their resolve was unshaken. This newfound tenacity drove them to go beyond, wholly investing in preserving our livelihood.

Rebuilding was no simple endeavor. While insurance aided the reconstruction of the commodity barn, the heifer barn posed a greater challenge. It wasn’t a priority before the fire, but priorities swiftly shifted when we lost our space for more than 200 heifers and faced additional costs to support them off-site.

Countless discussions around our kitchen table shaped our plans, focusing on securing finances and defining long-term goals. Was it time just to hang it up? With the younger generation interested, we forged ahead. Then, just as we began making progress, the COVID-19 pandemic brought everything to an abrupt halt, forcing us to exercise patience as our building permits were delayed.

Adapting to a Changing Landscape
By October 2020, we welcomed our heifers back into a newly built barn. A year ago, we marked another milestone with the completion of a maternity and dry cow barn. As I recently toured the farm with my husband, I marveled at how our landscape and perspectives have transformed over the past six years.

Beyond physical changes, we have deepened our commitment to our farm and family. Three generations continue working side by side, nurturing our Jerseys and demonstrating that, in spite of adversity, farmers like my husband, Scott, remain committed to providing nutritious products.

Our children’s dedication this summer has been unrivaled. Tyler, our eldest, is approaching the end of his college education and is poised to return to the family farm, taking charge of herd health and cattle management. Meanwhile, Cassie, our daughter, manages significant aspects of our crop business while preparing for her sophomore year at Iowa State. Our youngest son, Jacob, is feeding a handful of beef-on-dairy calves in between football practice and weightlifting.

The Strength of the American Farm Family
While farmers cannot entirely evade challenges, they can certainly overcome them. This truth echoes through our farm repeatedly, and every day as I survey our land, I am reminded of the enduring strength of the American farm family. Through trials and triumphs, our resolve to thrive in adversity continues to grow, fueling our passion to sustain and innovate within our cherished community. I hope as many of you lace up your boots and head to the barns and fields this summer to put in long days, you can look up and take in the God-like view that can propel you forward during challenging times. Stories of resilience and renewal are a testament to the spirit of family farms across the nation.

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A Great, Big Sustainable Conversation with America’s Dairy Farmers

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 11:59:02 GMT

The U.S. dairy industry is not just a cornerstone of rural America’s economy; it is a microcosm of sustainability efforts that blend environmental stewardship with economic viability. While many discussions on sustainability focus first on environmental impact, profitability and efficiency are equally critical for the long-term viability of dairy farms. At the 2025 Dairy Sustainability Alliance Spring Meeting in Rosemont, Ill., four prominent dairy farmers from various parts of the U.S. offered a window into their daily practices and the challenges they face.

On her Virginia dairy, Joanna Shipp treats her cows like athletes, improving output with proper care and nutrition.

(Joanna Shipp)

Voices from the Field
Joanna Shipp, a seventh-generation dairy farmer from Virginia, who owns and operates Bowmont Dairy emphasizes the importance of efficiency and cow genetics. With 225 cows on her 1,000-acre farm, Shipp has learned to maximize her resources.

“We had to focus on cow comfort and throughput to increase milk production,” she says. By investing in advancements in cow genetics, Shipp transformed her cows into high-performing athletes, optimizing milk yield and farm efficiency even without expanding livestock numbers.

“The dairy cow really is an elite athlete,” she says. “She shows more performance as we enhance her diet and care.”

Adam Graft faces the opposite of drought on his Georgia farm. The overabundance of water has led him to build remote locations to strategically store it.

(Adam Graft)

Adam Graft, owns and operates Leatherbrook Holsteins LLC., a large dairy in Georgia; he previously practiced veterinary medicine on large dairies in central California for several years. He discusses the environmental benefits derived from increasing milk production per cow.

“Higher producing cows are better environmentally,” he says. “We save resources by getting more milk from fewer cows.”

Graft highlights the necessity of removing stress factors, such as heat and humidity, from the cows’ environment to ensure optimal production.

In Wisconsin, Katy Schultz returned to her family’s 400-cow dairy farm, Tri-Fecta Farms Inc., after working in the dairy industry for seven years to own and operate the family operation with her brother and sister.

Katy Schultz and her siblings have made community involvement a foundation of the Wisconsin family dairy —whether through a farm market or local events.

(Katy Schultz)

“Growing healthy crops to feed to our healthy animals has been key on our farm " Schultz explains. Her family has significantly improved crop efficiency, reducing the amount of land needed to feed their cows from 50% to 36%. She believes that by focusing on overall health, from the soil to the animals to the environment, while managing resources wisely, has made their farm more profitable and sustainable.

Jim Werkhoven, operating Werkhoven Dairy near Seattle, Wash., underscores the role of energy innovation in sustainability. His farm collaborates within the Sno/Sky Ag Alliance to operate an anaerobic digester co-processing cow manure and pre-consumer food waste.

Jim Werkhoven works with Washington Native American Tribes on conservation efforts.

(Jim Werkhoven)

“Capturing methane is proving to be potentially more profitable than milk,” he says, highlighting this technology’s impact on environmental preservation and economic sustainability. This partnership with local Native American tribes and conservation groups underscores the importance of community collaboration in sustainable agriculture.

Community Engagement at Its Core
Schultz discusses the transformative shift in farming mentality with the next generation taking over. When Schultz and her siblings returned to their family farm, they made a conscious decision to alter the narrative from isolation to integration. Their primary goal was to become an active part of their community, breaking down barriers by opening their farm doors to neighbors, schools and local conservation efforts. This intentional community integration manifested through events such as farm tours, 5K races and open markets. By fostering direct communication with their customers, Schultz emphasizes transparency, promising never to lie to them and encouraging open dialogue, even on challenging topics.

“I’m not going to sugarcoat it; it was a lot of work,” she says, “but when we opened our own farm market, we knew that this was going to be our ticket, to be able to have a reason to talk to people.”

At Schultz’s farm, a unique sense of identity is established by ensuring all events and projects remain local. Hosting a Wisconsin farm-to-table dinner, where all food is sourced within a 30-mile radius, is just one example of how the farm aims to connect local farmers with community members. Schultz underscores the importance of community involvement, suggesting if a farm were removed from the community without anyone noticing, it signifies a lack of sufficient engagement.

Shipp supports Schultz’s perspective, stressing the importance of farmers’ voices in community matters. Through her involvement in the national dairy check-off program, she highlights the significance of sharing local stories nationwide, strengthening the sense of community within the agricultural industry.

“It’s critical to be local, but we have to amplify those local stories across our whole country and around the world,” Shipp says.

Water Management: A Paramount Concern for Farmers
Water availability and quality present challenges across the country, significantly impacting farming operations. In the southeast, Graft faces an abundance of water, which requires strategic management to ensure efficient usage. By storing water and applying it as needed, he aims to enhance crop yields and minimize costs.

“We generate a lot of water, and one of our new things going forward is we’re trying to build a lot of remote locations and actually store that water for when the crop needs it,” he shares.

In contrast, Schultz, in Wisconsin, acknowledges that while water quality is not an immediate issue, ensuring clean water sources remains a priority. She actively participates in discussions on keeping lakes and rivers pristine, emphasizing the recreational value for residents.

“Really just being able to be at the table and have those conversations of keeping our water sources clean is just as important,” she says.

Werkhoven, from the Pacific Northwest, highlights the role of water quality in maintaining a sustainable ecosystem. His farm’s collaboration with a local tribe on a digester project exemplifies the successful relationships formed through mutual environmental goals. The partnership underscores the importance of interpersonal relationships, emphasizing collaboration over individual agendas.

“Water quality is really important, which means you have to apply fertilizer at agronomical rates at the right time,” he says.

Legacy and Stewardship: A Farmer’s Responsibility
For Shipp, whose farm dates back to 1839, farming transcends property ownership, embodying the responsibility of land stewardship. Her commitment to making informed decisions ensures the preservation of their land for future generations. This is something all farmers feel: a deep commitment to how to better care for their land, cattle and community, to have an opportunity for the next generation to take over and sustain it for the next generation.

In an era where transparency and community engagement are vital, these farmers demonstrate the importance of integration, environmental consciousness and legacy. Through active participation, open dialogue and innovative practices, they strive to build stronger communities and protect the land for future generations.

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5 Options to Consider During Farmland Transitions

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 16:30:00 GMT

Transitions are hard. It doesn’t matter what the transition involves, the nature of moving from one thing to the next is complicated. Farmland may be one of the toughest, says Steve Bohr of Farm Financial Strategies in Lisbon, Iowa.

“Farmers often believe that what differentiates him or her is their ability to own the land,” Bohr explains. “And by God, you’re not taking it away from them. A lot of times, land ownership doesn’t transfer until death, and I’m OK with that. But we’ve got to drill down and figure out how that land is going to transition from one generation to the next.”

Over the years, he’s discovered there are three fundamental areas of concern in an estate and farm transition plan that each family should independently address — cost of administration, creditor protection, and transition plans for land and operating assets.

He shares five options to consider for the transition of land assets.

1. Give the land to the farmer.
The first option is to get the land transitioned to those who are farming it or have an affinity to own it, Bohr says. Each generation cannot afford to take a step back in equity and expect to compete in today’s marketplace.

“The clear problem with that is, how are we fair to the ones who aren’t interested in farming? Every family is different,” he says.

If your family is expecting to farm the same (or more) acres with a land base that has been divided across siblings, each generation will be in a weaker position to complete. How many times will your family have to pay for the same land? Which generation will eventually lose it due to no fault of their own (other than choosing to carry on the legacy)?

2. Divide the land equally.
An undivided ownership in real estate can cause great anxiety for the owners of the land who want to farm it or who want to continue to own it, he explains. There is a greater chance of peace if you divide the land, but also a greater chance it gets away from the family.

“Most people believe this is the answer,” Bohr says. “I don’t believe that, because the problem with dividing the land is that it’s a recipe for the land to get away from us. Whether it’s divorce, bankruptcy or poor planning.”

At some point in time, the more people involved, and the more independence those people have, the land’s going to get away from you. If it doesn’t, then it has to be divided again at the next generation. By the time you divide a farm two generations, the grandkids don’t have enough to be able to farm.

“We are dividing ourselves right out of the plat book,” Bohr says.

3. Deed land into a family trust.
Leaving the land in trust after death may be a wise option for families who cannot afford to get the land to one heir and who do not want to divide their land. There are solid reasons to leave the land in trust for management, including if one or more children have marital, money or addiction issues or if one or more children are independently wealthy.

Oftentimes, leaving land in trust gives a false sense of security that may be deferring the problem to the future.

“When we leave it in trust, we’re asking for big problems. Whenever that land comes out of trust, it can be very inflexible,” Bohr says.

4. Create a family land entity.
A land entity like a Limited Liability Company (LLC) or Family Limited Partnership (FLP) has become popular for a family where the first three options do not fit.

“I call this the boomerang plan because the rules in the operating agreement of the entity always bring the land back to the family,” he says.

Those entities will have rules, and within the entities, those rules will talk about lease options and purchase options at family pricing and terms, whatever that looks like. A vast majority of them are special use paid over a 30 -year contract so they can guarantee opportunity and affordability for family members.

5. Develop a hybrid plan.
There is not one plan that fits all families. That’s why a combination of multiple options sometimes works best for most families. A hybrid plan gives everybody an opportunity.

“Right now in succession planning, I think we have to give a huge amount of understanding to what will or won’t cash flow,” Bohr says. “What are the tax ramifications? What is the timing of the transition? And are we going to give an adequate opportunity to those who are going to be that next generation in our communities, paying taxes, going to churches, going to schools?”

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Questions to Ask Yourself When it Comes to Evaluating Mental Well-Being

Thu, 29 May 2025 17:44:23 GMT

Avoiding self-judgment, recognizing individual differences, focusing on personal needs and being proactive about mental health management are important for the agriculture industry to continue making progress in addressing well being and health.

Ted Matthews, director of Minnesota Rural Mental Health , has been helping farmers and farm families for more than 30 years. As a recent guest on “AgriTalk,” Matthews shared that when it comes to mental health people need to realize everyone is different, their needs are different and how they take care of their mental health will look different. The importance is understanding what that looks like for each individual.

“Because we are all different, we have to look at how we handle things personally, and not what we should do based on what other people do,” Matthews says. “We need to focus on what our mind needs, and then, as a family member, what are the family members’ needs, not what they should be. I think that’s a huge part of understanding mental health.”

Matthews says a positive step is that people are starting to understand that mental health is a huge part of physical health too.

“People need to [realize] that how you take care of yourself is by being nice to yourself,” he says. “Don’t beat yourself up for all the things you do wrong. Make sure that, if you’re going to keep score, you also score the things that you do right and the positive things you do and are.”

Based on Matthews’ advice, here are some self-evaluating questions farmers and ranchers could ask:

Self-Awareness

Am I being too judgmental toward myself?
What do I need to feel better?
Am I comparing myself unfairly to others?

Stress Management

How am I handling stress?
Are my stress levels impacting my physical health?
What specific strategies help me manage my mental well-being?

Personal Needs

What are my unique mental health needs?
How do I take care of myself differently from others?
Am I acknowledging both my challenges and my strengths?

Emotional Check-In

Am I giving myself credit for what I do right?
How am I processing difficult emotions?
Am I being kind to myself?

Support and Communication

Do I have people I can talk to about my mental health?
Am I comfortable discussing my feelings?
Would talking to a professional help me?

Check out the rest of the conversation where Matthews shares about parenting adolescents during this time of growth and development, and what people can do to navigate social media that helps protect their mental health.

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The Unexpected Joys of Motherhood on the Farm

Thu, 08 May 2025 12:16:06 GMT

When envisioning Mother’s Day, images of breakfast in bed, relaxing spa days or simply time to oneself often come to mind. However, when a friend asked me about my Mother’s Day plans, my reply was somewhat unexpected: “Honestly, it’s day-by-day here.”

Farm life, especially around spring field work, is unpredictable and demands constant attention. With the rye field teasingly close to being ready for harvest and rain looming, plans are perpetually in a state of “wait and see.”

Life on the Farm

Outside my Illinois farmhouse windows, the rye field awaits. Its imminent chopping necessitates a team effort, perhaps even falling on Mother’s Day. Farming is an all-hands-on-deck lifestyle, 24/7. It requires sacrifices not only from the farmers but from their families, including the wives holding the fort and the children who contribute their own labor.

Farming families experience a unique kind of limbo. While the cliched spa days and breakfasts might be absent this Mother’s Day, the gift I cherish is far more rewarding. Watching my children work alongside older generations on our family Jersey dairy farm fills my heart. They absorb values of hard work, trust, commitment and sacrifice — tools that will serve them well into adulthood.

Glimmering Moments of Pride

These small, shining moments make my heart swell with pride; like when my oldest son, Tyler, uncomplainingly rose very early before our herd appraisal day, ensuring the cows looked their best. Or when my daughter, Cassie, seamlessly transitioned from college life to tractor work as if no time had passed. Even my youngest, Jacob, beamed as he commandeered his father’s pickup truck, with me riding shotgun, to deliver seed to the fields. There are so many moments on the farm in which I’ve witnessed my kids lending a helping hand.

Trials and Triumphs

Life as a farm mom isn’t filled with picture-perfect memories alone. It requires resilience to handle the myriad tasks of cooking, farm bookkeeping, vaccinating cattle, writing stories for my day job, running errands and more.

Despite the demands, being a farm mom is a deeply fulfilling job. It’s a job that makes my heart burst as I watch my kids learn some of life’s best lessons living and working on our family farm.

I’m OK with not waking up to breakfast in bed, receiving store-bought flowers this Sunday or having a hot-stone massage. Witnessing my children learn vital life lessons of hard work, sacrifice and dedication is the gift I treasure most.

These aren’t lessons confined to a single day but are affirmations of a life richly lived — a gift any mother cherishes year-round, not just on Mother’s Day.

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Bridging the Gap: How Land O’Lakes Supports Veterans Transitioning to Civilian Career

Wed, 07 May 2025 13:36:12 GMT

Every year, many U.S. service members face the challenge of transitioning from military to civilian life. The life-altering change can be intimidating as they integrate into society and carve new career paths.

Among them is Col. Patrick Schlichenmeyer, who completed a 34-year career with the U.S. Air Force in 2023 and found himself facing a future he hadn’t initially focused on during his service years.

A Lifetime of Service

Schlichenmeyer’s journey began when he entered the Air Force Academy in 1989 at age 18. During his career he served as a pilot, participated in staff assignments and held command positions in combat. By summer 2022, as his mandatory service time came to an end, he started contemplating life outside the military.

“When I entered the military, I wanted to serve where my country needed me,” Schlichenmeyer says. “I served as long as I could, and then I had to transition to civilian life. I didn’t start thinking about my future until about a year before.”

Schlichenmeyer was certain about one thing: a desire to permanently return to Minnesota’s Twin Cities, where his wife resided in a suburb of St. Paul. While eager to reunite, the change also brought an element of uncertainty.

“I entered the academy at 18, so that was all I knew,” he says. “I had some idea of civilian culture through my spouse, but there were many unknowns.”

Discovering SkillBridge

Schlichenmeyer wouldn’t forge a new path alone. With a transition focused on the Twin Cities, he began exploring the SkillBridge program, which helps service members explore new career fields and gain experience. Land O’Lakes, which participates in the program, emerged as a potential destination for Schlichenmeyer’s skills.

SkillBridge offers a support system to help military personnel find civilian workforce opportunities. The program connects service members with corporate partners across the country and provides up to 180 days of “permissive duty” for them to get on-the-job training as interns for a company, with the goal of providing full-time job opportunities. SkillBridge helped nearly 8,500 service members find work with around 5,000 companies nationwide in the third quarter of 2024, according to the program website.

Once connected with someone at Land O’Lakes, Schlichenmeyer explored job openings and assessed if the company’s culture matched his aspirations.

“From there, I started looking at the employee website and was extremely surprised at how open Land O’Lakes is about their people, their mission, what the executive leadership team believes in,” he says. “The more that I read and understood what the company stood for, that’s something that I felt would be a good fit. I was surprised at how open Land O’Lakes is about their mission and values. The more I learned, the more it felt like a good fit.”

Embracing a New Role

Schlichenmeyer joined Land O’Lakes in February 2023 as a SkillBridge intern. He now serves as operational excellence manager at the company’s Melrose, Minn., dairy plant and was recently appointed as an expert project manager at headquarters.

Schlichenmeyer’s story is one example of the many benefits of SkillBridge. Julie Sexton, senior vice president and chief human resources officer at Land O’Lakes, emphasizes the value veterans bring.

“It’s about recruiting broadly across diverse talent pools,” she says. “Post-COVID, we expanded our recruitment strategies.”

Sexton describes the partnership with SkillBridge as both successful and fulfilling, reflecting Land O’Lakes’ mission to support those who have served.

“It’s rewarding to help service members transition to the next phase of life,” she says. “It’s a way of giving back to valuable community members.”

Land O’Lakes’ involvement with the SkillBridge program has yielded numerous success stories, with 13 current interns and 25 veterans completing internships — seven of whom secured full-time roles.

“I was looking for some place where I could go to work with good people who care about each other that are doing something important for this country,” Schlichenmeyer says. “That’s Land O’Lakes.”

His journey from a seasoned Air Force colonel to a leadership role in the civilian sector not only demonstrates the adaptability and impact of programs like SkillBridge, it serves as inspiration for other veterans embarking on their own transitions.

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Embracing a Legacy: A Lifelong Journey of Values and Community

Fri, 02 May 2025 13:04:02 GMT

Growing up, I always felt a magnetic pull toward agriculture, a connection to community, and the values they represent. These interests, combined with my teenage involvement in the Future Farmers of America (FFA), have had lasting impacts on my life. Among many memories, one experience in particular stands out and continues to resonate with me through the years.

Reciting the FFA Creed
At 17, I found myself in my hometown, with my hair carefully French-braided and proudly wearing our iconic blue and gold corduroy jacket. I was preparing to recite the FFA Creed, a momentous rite of passage and a significant source of pride for any FFA member. The words of the creed, rich with history and meaning, rolled off my tongue after hours of dedicated memorization and practice. Despite this, at the time, I lacked a full understanding of the profound impact those words were meant to convey.

The FFA Creed, deeply rooted in ideals and principles, is much more than a mere set of lines to learn by heart. It’s a commitment to a lifestyle, a dedication to community, hard work and resilience. Looking back now, I see how the creed instilled core values that have shaped my life views and aspirations. What I once memorized begrudgingly became a silent compass guiding my years ahead.

A Vision for the Next Generation
Thinking about the future, it becomes evident how rare it is for the next generation to take over the family farm. It requires more than just resilience and hard work. Sustaining the farm’s legacy demands collaboration, innovation and a willingness to think beyond traditional methods. It involves integrating business concepts and perhaps a touch of luck to carry the farm into the next generation’s hands.

When I see my children, two of whom are in college studying dairy science, I challenge them to embrace internships and boldly seize opportunities that broaden their perspectives. I encourage them to build a skill set they can bring back to our family farm, ideally propelling it forward in new and exciting ways.

Enduring Lessons of the Creed
The FFA Creed connected me to a wider community and a shared vision emphasizing perseverance and the continuing pursuit of agricultural knowledge and beyond. Although at 17, I couldn’t fully comprehend the weight each phrase carried, its echoes have lingered long after, providing guidance and insights throughout various life stages.

I hope that as the FFA Creed pulses through the veins of the next generation, it reminds them of the leadership traits vital for success — not only in their careers but in life. These lessons, passed down through the ages, remain a powerful force that can inspire and shape future endeavors, ensuring the values and legacy of agriculture persist through generations to come.

Dairy's Moment in the Spotlight: The Rise of Nutritional Value and Sustainable Practices

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 14:23:46 GMT

In a world increasingly driven by plant-based alternatives, the dairy industry finds itself at a pivotal moment. According to Barb O’Brien, president and CEO of Dairy Management Inc. (DMI), it’s an exciting time for dairy, as consumers circle back toward appreciating genuine nutritional value.

“This is dairy’s time to shine,” O’Brien says.

Food as Medicine
For years, the market experienced a surge in plant-based and alternative beverages; however, O’Brien points out a notable shift.

“I think the consumers have gotten smart. They want food that contributes to their health,” she says, underscoring checkoff-led research that reveals a renewed consumer interest in foods that offer authentic nutritional value.

American sales of dairy milk increased 2% overall in 2024 to $17.1 billion, according to research firm Circana. There was also an increase in the amount of whole milk being consumed and a decrease in plant-based dairy alternative consumption. Whole milk consumption rose 3.2% while non-dairy consumption fell 5.9%.

The concept of food as medicine is gaining traction, a sentiment shared by Paul Ziemnisky, leader for nutrition research, product science and innovation at DMI, at the 2025 Western Dairy Management Conference in Reno, Nev. O’Brien also supports this notion, highlighting the transformative nature of this perspective. She emphasizes that innovation starts at both ends of the spectrum, from farmers’ investments in science to the industry’s commitment to delivering health benefits.

“It starts with the farmers’ investment in science, which has been such a privilege,” she said, noting that the farmer-board oversees DMI and gives them the ability to invest in the now, but also in the next.

The Power of Farmers’ Voices
Under O’Brien’s leadership, DMI has intensified its focus on nutrition research, collaborating with esteemed partners such as the Mayo Clinic. Such partnerships enhance credibility and affirm the dairy industry’s commitment to health. O’Brien believes farmers are naturally the most credible voices in the industry, and their involvement is crucial.

“We need the voices of farmers because of the credibility and authenticity that they bring to the category,” O’Brien asserts.

Engaging farmers in consumer events has proven game-changing, adding authenticity to dairy’s narrative. Events such as Expo West have allowed farmers to directly interact with brands and consumers, effectively promoting the benefits of dairy products.

Sustainability: A Core Commitment
O’Brien addresses sustainability’s importance, both environmentally and economically. She believes that without economic sustainability, efforts to maintain the environment lack feasibility. She acknowledges that for dairy farmers, their dedication to animals, land, and natural resources is integral to providing nutrition worldwide.

“Dairy Farmers wake up every day to feed people, and their care of the animals, the lands and the natural resources is so fundamental to their ability to deliver nutrition to people that it’s innate,” she says.

Shared Responsibility for Growth
Looking ahead, with more than $8 billion in upcoming dairy processing, O’Brien recognizes the need for shared responsibility in driving demand for dairy domestically and internationally. Highlighting the challenges posed by the current tariff situation, she emphasizes the necessity for agility in navigating these waters.

“As we set growth goals for the next three years, it’s a shared responsibility,” she says. “I will say the current tariff situation does require a level of nimbleness.”

Industry Commitment and Future Outlook
To ensure continuous progression, O’Brien assures U.S. dairy farmers that DMI is closely observing the changes at the farm level and appreciates their investments in alternative revenue streams, such as on-farm processing, beef-on-dairy and the use of renewable energy. Plans are in place for DMI staff to visit more farms to better understand farmers’ needs and to enhance their understanding of checkoff investments and expectations.

With the combined voice of leadership, scientific research and the farmers themselves, dairy is not only poised for a comeback but is ready to redefine its place in the global market.

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Finding Strength in Adversity: A Wisconsin Farm Girl’s Inspiring Journey

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 13:13:51 GMT

Growing up on a Wisconsin dairy farm, Sydni Mell was no stranger to hard work. Like most farm kids, she had chores before and after school, and often fed calves on her family’s 200-cow dairy in Waunakee, Wis. Little did she know the resilience and courage ingrained in her upbringing would become vital tools in facing unwelcome adversities that awaited her after high school.

A Dramatic Turn
After graduating from high school, Mell moved to Madison to study dairy science at the University of Wisconsin. Even during school breaks, she would return home to help on the farm. One day in 2022 during Easter break, while dealing with the farm chores alongside her brother, Sam, tragedy struck. While uncovering plastic in the silage bunker, Mell slipped on a concrete sidewall, causing her to fall into another bunker that was empty. With his older sister unconscious, Sam, only 16 at the time, called for help as his sister lay motionless.

A Diagnosis That Changed Everything
Mell was rushed to UW-Madison hospital, where she stayed for a week and received the diagnosis of a complete injury, leaving her unable to move her legs. Unyielding in spirit, Mell advocated to be transferred to Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago, renowned for rehabilitation, where she began her new journey of adjusting to life with paralysis.

“I wanted to learn to walk again,” she says, noting that with a complete injury diagnosis the plan quickly changed to helping her readjust to life in a chair, which frustrated her as other patients were learning to walk again.

“I went from having a lot of hope to feeling frustrated that they didn’t have hope for me,” she shares.

Returning Home
Indeed, her resolve was tested, yet Mell remained determined to return to her studies and not lose her academic momentum.

“I didn’t want to fall behind,” she says, and she eagerly awaited to be reunited with her friends from the Association of Women in Agriculture at UW-Madison, which she says became her lifeline, providing essential support and acceptance.

“If I didn’t have the friends that I made that first semester and a half at school, I would have not gone back,” she says. “People look at you differently when you are in a chair, but I never got that feeling from my girls.”

Adapting to New Challenges
Thanks to workers’ compensation, Mell received a high-powered wheelchair, enabling her to navigate the campus effectively, although she notes not every area of the campus is accessible. Despite the challenges, she looks forward to graduating with a degree in dairy science this spring, while contemplating her future. Returning to the farm to continue feeding calves and lending a helping hand or assisting other dairy farms in a tech role were exciting prospects. Mell smiles big and says she’d love to do both.

“I find being outside and on farms very therapeutic,” she says.

A Therapeutic Bond with Animals
The fresh air, the smell of the farms, working with family — many would concur with Mell that farms are indeed therapeutic places. With genuine warmth, she adds that animals treated her no differently, unbothered by her being in a chair.

“Calves don’t look at me differently,” she says. “They are used to me being in a chair.”

Although she openly shares that independence remains a constant struggle for her. Tasks such as lifting milk replacer bags now require help, which causes her frustration.

“I’m an independent woman,” she says. “I don’t like asking for help.”

To better accommodate Mell’s wheelchair, the farm is constructing a new calf room, aiming to enhance her ability to perform tasks independently. The spirited 20-something’s attitude remains undeterred, accepting that she cannot change the past yet is hopeful about the future.

Finding Strength in Faith
Mell recently received the prestigious Socrates Award from the Brennan Rehabilitation Foundation; an annual $1,000 lifetime grant. These funds will financially assist in alternative therapies such as acupuncture and massage therapy, which she believes will benefit her still-strong legs.

Despite the setback, she holds firm to the belief that medical advancements could one day allow her to walk again.

“The medical world is changing and finding new things every day,” she says.

Mell’s grounding faith, nurtured long before her accident, bolsters her resilience daily.

“I read the Bible every day and that gives me the strength in the morning to just get up,” she shares.

Family plays a critical role in Mell’s life, with her brother Sam emerging as one of her greatest supporters. From carrying her upstairs to providing emotional strength, their bond is unwavering. Weekly, Mell’s father and brother assist her in staying active using a treadmill where she is harnessed in and they help her move her legs, showing a shared commitment to her rehabilitation.

“Even on the hard days, having family that worships together and being there for one another has been one of the greatest blessings,” she says.

Having a strong faith has allowed Mell’s mental health to remain strong through it all. She says she focuses on the now and doesn’t think what the future may look like.

“I can only control what’s happening in the moment,” she says. “I have to keep hope alive — that is what keeps me going.”

Sydni Mell’s journey is one of hope, faith and remarkable resilience. Her ability to focus on the present and keep hope alive underlines her story as an inspiration. While significant barriers remain, her unwavering spirit and the love of those around her continue to guide her through the ups and downs, making her journey a testament to overcoming adversity.

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Lessons from the Farm: Responsibility, Hard Work and Fresh Air

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 13:08:19 GMT

At the heart of rural America lies a way of life that instills values often hard to find in the hustle and bustle of city living.

This past fall, my youngest son, Jacob, 14, and a couple of his friends became part of this tradition when I made an agreement with them: I would cover the initial cost of purchasing beef-on-dairy crossbred calves from our dairy, and they would handle the day-to-day care. Once the calves were sold, they would repay me.

Early Mornings and Teamwork
Every day Jacob’s alarm clock rang at 5:45 a.m. He quickly dressed and joined his two 16-year-old friends who drove from town to our farm. Together, the trio fed the calves before school; after, they returned home to bottle-feed them again.

I was skeptical initially, thinking it didn’t really take three teenagers to feed just seven calves. But they did it every morning and every evening. They were committed — working together, sharing the labor and dividing the chores.

Fueling the Day
After their morning chores, I had a hot breakfast waiting for Jacob and his friends. There were often snacks ready for them after the evening tasks. It became a ritual, a simple gesture that matched the rhythm of their day, but it was also a recognition of the mood they set. They brought with them a spirit — a sense of camaraderie and responsibility that was infectious.

The work was monotonous, yet it was rewarding. The cold, fresh air touched their faces as they worked, providing a unique experience of caring for something beyond themselves; a lesson that not everyone gets to experience, especially not at the farm level.

Facing Challenges Together
The boys always showed up no matter the weather, be it warm or snowy. They fed the calves, no matter how early the morning or how cold the day. Even when I suggested that they could stay home if their parents were uncomfortable with them driving in adverse conditions, they insisted on persisting. “It’s our responsibility,” they said, unwavering.

With morning and afternoon football weight conditioning now in full swing, the boys have adapted. They’ve figured out a schedule that allows them to balance their commitments by dividing chores based on who needs to be where and when.

Through this experience, they’ve learned invaluable lessons: reliability, teamwork and the importance of maintaining commitments. These aren’t just lessons for the farm; they’re lessons for life.

Watching these boys grow through their commitment to the calves reminded me that sometimes the simplest activities, like feeding livestock, can have the most profound impact. They teach resilience, responsibility and the timeless value of hard work — values so many of us strive to pass on, but few get to learn firsthand in such a tangible way.

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From Farm to 'Shark Tank:' One East Coast Dairy’s Eco-Friendly Pitch

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 13:51:43 GMT

In an unconventional yet charming spectacle, Amanda Freund, a Connecticut dairy farmer, packed her innovative spirit and two crucial items — a shovel and an inflatable cow costume — before heading west to make her vision a reality. Her destination: “Shark Tank,” where she aims to propel her creation, CowPots, into the mainstream.

Canaan View Dairy: The Beating Heart of Sustainability
Freund’s Farm, a diversified farm, with three farming enterprises, is not your average farm. Located on the bustling East Coast, their operation thrives on cutting-edge sustainability practices. Currently decked with 1,200 solar panels, the farm matches its own electricity needs through renewable energy. In fact, it boasts the longest continuously running methane digester in the country, turning biogas into another source of eco-friendly power.

(Amanda Freund)

Beyond merely generating power, manure from Canaan View Dairy serves multiple roles including transforming into fresh cow bedding and nutrient-rich fertilizer to sustainably grow crops. Perhaps its most innovative transformation, however, is into CowPots, biodegradable, plantable pots crafted from digested and composted manure, forming the backbone of Freund’s “Shark Tank” pitch.

A Revolution in Planting: The CowPots Story
CowPots emerged as a significant leap forward in eco-friendly innovation. These biodegradable staples are designed to turn composted manure into a planter for flowers and produce. This innovation ensures a sustainable cycle that supports the farm’s operations and enriches the community.

“We have been marketing CowPots for 18 years now, so we’re not a startup or new business like a lot of the entrepreneurs on the show,” she shares with Dairy Herd Management. “But as a small business, we have relied heavily on grassroots marketing. There have been a few exciting opportunities over the years, including features on “Dirty Jobs” with Mike Rowe and a spotlight on the “Martha Stewart Show.” As with any product and all marketing, it’s an ongoing and continuous endeavor to have our product in front of prospective customers.”

(Amanda Freund)

Not just stopping at innovation, the CowPots are employed at Freund’s family retail store, Freund’s Farm Market & Bakery, where they foster the produce and flowers enjoyed by both the family farm and surrounding community through the vibrant summer months. This synergy embodies the sustainability ethos propelling Freund’s pitch on the national stage.

All Eyes on “Shark Tank”
Freund’s journey culminates on an episode of “Shark Tank” airing Friday, April 4, at 8 p.m. on ABC. The Sharks, renowned for offering entrepreneurial hopefuls like Freund an avenue to exponential growth, wield the power to elevate CowPots into a household name.

Believing strongly in her family’s dedication to environmentally sound farming, Freund steps into the tank with an unwavering goal: to secure a deal that could transform her family’s sustainable dream into national success. Freund shares that nothing was guaranteed from initial casting to filming, and whether her pitch would make it on the air was uncertain, but the potential of getting on that stage in the “Shark Tank” was an exciting new opportunity to showcase their products.

“In the two months leading up to filming, it was very time-consuming providing all the required details, financials, graphics and pitches needed for the show,” she shares. “And so, now that I’ve done all the work, and on April 4, all I have to do is sit back and watch as everyone else gets to see whether or not I made a deal. I’m really excited about that. I’m proud to be able to showcase the ingenuity and sustainability of dairy farms on a national stage.”

(Amanda Freund)

As Freund takes center stage on “Shark Tank,” her journey underscores the transformative power of ingenuity and farming rooted in sustainability. CowPots are more than a pitch, they are a testament to what the future of farming could embody. As this Connecticut dairy farmer makes her case, viewers nationwide will bear witness to an inspiring eco-friendly narrative unfurling in front of the Sharks. And who knows, perhaps by the end of the episode, they too will become part of this sustainable story.

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From Classroom to Cows: A Kansas Dairy Farmer's Heartfelt Return to Her Roots

Fri, 28 Mar 2025 14:18:15 GMT

Stacy Rethman, the eldest of four children, always found solace on her family’s farm, nestled in the heart of Seneca, Kansas. Even as a child assisting her father with Sunday afternoon milkings, Rethman found a sense of purpose and connection to her heritage. Even if she did not know it at the time.

“I was too short to really help, so my father would duct tape a post dipper to a walking cane and after the cows were milked, I would go up and down the aisle, post dipping cows,” she recalls.

Although Rethman admits saying that growing up she felt like her life calling was to be a teacher instead of a farmer. She loved the classroom, craved learning and the connection of community that teaching brought. She also felt like the life-balance that profession could bring would marry well with her future self.

Stacy Rethman

(Dairy Farmers of America)

A Teacher at Heart
As Rottinghaus Holstein Farm grew from 280 cows to 500 cows, so did Rethman’s life. College took her away from Seneca, an hour-plus south to Washburn University, but her summers still revolved around the rhythms of farm life—feeding calves and taking care of chores.

Returning to Seneca, Kansas, after college, Rethman taught middle school math and science, finding creative ways to make lessons relatable for students with and without farm backgrounds. Her dual experiences enriched her teaching, providing a bridge to the community’s agricultural roots.

“I tried to make my lessons relatable to these kids because a lot of them had a farm background and for those that didn’t, they lived in a community where they knew someone that did,” she said.

Reconnecting with the Land
Despite her passion for teaching, the call of the farm remained strong. Regular visits to her family’s dairy rekindled her love for the cattle and land. She helped her mother feed calves on the weekend and when the world pandemic stirred reflections about life priorities, her father’s suggestion to join the farm full-time resonated deeply.

“I loved being outside when I would help on the farm and felt like I was contributing and helping out when I was there part-ime,” she shares, noting that before the world pandemic hit, she started thinking maybe this was the life for her after all. “Then one day, my dad said, ‘You know you can quit teaching and come work for me full-time.’”

Stacy Rethman

(Dairy Farmers of America)

Embracing Technological Advancement
The second half of the year 2020 marked a pivotal turning point for Rethman. The allure of being a part of the advancing technology and the chance to play a vital role in her family’s tradition of dairy farming spurred her decision to return to the farm full-time. This wasn’t just a return to old roots; it was an embrace of a new approach to dairy farming. The farm once milked all their cows conventionally and in 2019 added four robots and milked cows both in a parlor and via robot. Then in 2023, the farm added four additional robots and now all cows are milked robotically. This is an area that Rethman helps oversee. The transition to robots was smooth and it also brought unforeseen benefits—flexibility around her schedule and more time with her children.

“If I needed to run to an appointment, I easily could,” she says.

Cultivating a Heritage
But really Rethman ‘s return to farming offered her two small children a glimpse into a life rarely experienced by their many other schoolkids—understanding where food comes from and the legacy their family has cultivated. While Rethman didn’t initially envision herself back on the family farm, she now sees it as her life’s setting, planting valuable lessons in her children about hard work, patience, and the rewards of farming.

“They get to witness the life that we’ve built and generations before us have built,” she shares. “It’s a place where they belong and they’ll have the option to come back someday, if they wish.”

Stacy and Cody Rethman

(Dairy Farmers of America)

Rethman wholeheartedly believes that whether her children return to the farm or not, values are being planted.

“Farm life teaches patience and truly understanding that the reward comes after the work is done,” she says. “Life isn’t all instant gratification. For example, we have to patiently wait two years before a calf hits the ground.”

Education, Refashioned
Rethman’s passion for education hasn’t waned; instead, it’s found a new form. Through initiatives with Midwest Dairy and Dairy Farmers of America, she continues to educate others about farming, using data from the farm’s robots to demonstrate the intersection of technology, agriculture and health.

“The idea of making a connection about dairy with people who have never stepped foot on the farm is pretty impactful,” she says.

Rethman shares that the data robots collect is incredibly valuable.

“We can do so much, like see signs of illness in the data before we physically see signs of sickness in a cow through how many minutes a cow is ruminating, how many pounds of milk they are giving per milking, see if a case of mastitis might be happening, again, before the cow is showing signs of being sick,” she shares. “All that data helps us prevent illness just as much as it does to catch it.”

Rethman says all that data wows her as a former math and science teacher, saying: “If I was teaching right now, I’d create some cool lessons plans.”

(Stacy Rethman)

A Journey Back to Her Heart
Reflecting on the roads traveled, Rethman points out that growing up on her family dairy farm, she was taught that gender was no barrier to success.

“I was never made to feel like farming was a man’s job or a women’s job. It was something that we had to do as a family to care for our cows and create a wholesome product,” she shares.

Indeed, this young Kansas dairy farmer’s life has come to embody a balance between the passion for teaching and the fulfillment found in working with the cattle. As she nurtures both her family and the community, Rethman finds herself precisely where she belongs—rooted in the farm that raised her and now raising the next generation.

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