The Great Christmas “GRAND” PRIZE
GIVEAWAY
See pages 24 and 25 of this section for details!
DAIRY ST R
November 28, 2020
“All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 22, No. 19
“It is nice knowing the building is structurally sound.” – Brent Ziegler
A barn to stand up to Minnesota winters
Ziegler rebuilds freestall after excessive snow in 2019 causes roof to weaken By Krista Kuzma
krista.k@dairystar.com
GREEN ISLE, Minn. – As winter arrives in Minnesota, Brent Ziegler feels condent his cows will be safe and comfortable in his dairy’s freestall barn, even if there are snowstorms with high winds and several inches of snow. “It is nice knowing the building is structurally sound,” Ziegler said. “We don’t have to worry about it.” This will be the second winter Ziegler will go through with a newly-built freestall barn on his 280-cow dairy near
KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
Brent Ziegler stands in front of the freestall barn he rebuilt a�er the previous barn’s roof was weakened during a snowstorm in March 2019. Ziegler milks 280 cows on his dairy near Green Isle, Minnesota.
Green Isle. His previous facility buckled March 10, 2019 from the weight of the snow on the roof after multiple winter storms. “It didn’t fall down,” Ziegler said. “We caught it just in time. But we had to completely rebuild the building because it was structurally unsound. We were lucky. We didn’t lose any cows.” The dimensions of the 62by-171 barn stayed the same as did the stalls, bedding, headlocks, bunk and waterers, because many of them had been replaced in the past ve years; however, Ziegler was able to rebuild the structure around it. “The posts were cut off right at the bottom of the truss, and they rebuilt it,” Ziegler said. “The posts are original, but everything up (above) is brand new.” The process allowed Turn to ZIEGLER | Page 7
Farm, family fit together
Rosenhammers receive Brown County award By Krista Kuzma
krista.k@dairystar.com
SLEEPY EYE, Minn. – Having their dairy be a family farm is the No. 1 goal for the Rosenhammers. “When I started out, I just felt lucky I could be part of the farm,” John Rosenhammer said. “It was a privilege. It was always a goal of mine to have the kids involved.” Now three generations of Rosenhammers take on different roles at the 200-cow dairy near Sleepy Eye. This family aspect of their operation is what earned the Rosenhammers the 2020 Brown County Farm Family of the Year Award. After Dennis and Mildred Rosenhammer were married in 1959, they started the dairy with seven cows, three of which were a wedding present from Mildred’s dad. “She liked the cows and Dad liked
the land so they kept growing it and growing it bit by bit,” John said. “And then the kids came along.” While John learned to love and appreciate bovines from working together with his family, he also grew his appreciation for dairy through 4-H and the friends or acquaintances he met because of it. “But as hard as I worked and tried, I only got to state fair two times,” John said of his 4-H dairy projects. After graduating from South Dakota State University in 1982, John joined his parents on the farm while his brother, Greg, started farming after graduating from high school in 1993. Dennis and Mildred, now in their 80s, take care of the landscaping, lawn mowing, errand running and other odd jobs that need to be done. John focuses on the livestock while Greg manages the crops and eldwork. John’s wife, Patty, works off the farm but lls in whenever she is needed on the dairy. John feels fortunate to have found a wife who also grew up on a dairy, and knew the ins and outs of the life-
KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
Laura Scholtz and her dad, John Rosenhammer, reminisce about a cow in a picture in their barn office on their 200-cow dairy near Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. The Rosenhammer family is the 2020 Brown County Farm Family of the Year. style. “I wanted to raise our children on the farm to teach them responsibility, values, morals and everything that goes with it,” John said. “I’ve al-
ways thought chores will teach them responsibility and everything else will follow.” Turn to ROSENHAMMERS | Page 5