The Great Christmas “GRAND” PRIZE
GIVEAWAY
See pages 24 and 25 of this section for details!
DAIRY ST R “All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 22, No. 19
November 28, 2020
A new home for youngstock Schleis family rebuilds after re claims calf barn By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
KEWAUNEE, Wis. – The Schleis family never expected to build a new calf barn six years after building their previous facility. But on a bitterly cold January night in 2019, the farm met disaster head on. Their calf barn built in 2013 burnt to the ground from unknown causes. The blaze spared nothing, leaving the structure in ruins and taking the lives of 130 calves. “It was 20 degrees below zero that night with a 30 to 40 mph wind, and the smoke was blowing bad,” said Steve Schleis. Steve farms with his brother, Marvin, his son, Ryan, and his daughterin-law, Tasha. Marvin’s 16-year-old daughter, Taylor, also works on the farm. Steve’s wife, Denise, works at the local post ofce, and Marvin’s wife, Julie, works for a company that manufactures stainless steel hydraulic lines. Turn to SCHLEIS | Page 6
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
The Schleis family – (front, from leŌ) Cadence and assistant calf manager Chelsea Nichols; (back, from leŌ) Marvin, Steve, Tasha and Ryan – stands in their new calf barn on their 440-cow farm near Kewaunee, Wisconsin.
Cooking, food are her love language
Hanke enjoys sharing meals with others in need By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Melissa Hanke, pictured with her family – husband, Michael, and children, (front) Manning; (back, from leŌ) Maverick, Madison and Marvin – makes meals for those in needs, especially at Thanksgiving. The Hankes operate a 90cow dairy where they also raise and direct-market beef with Hanke’s parents.
MARSHFIELD, Wis. – Sharing her talents and the bounty life has given her helps Melissa Hanke show gratitude each year during Thanksgiving. For the past several years, Hanke has provided meals both at Thanksgiving time and others when a need arises. “Food is my love,” Hanke said. “I love to cook and provide meals for people. When I was pregnant with my second child, a group of women whom I got to know provided a meal train for my family, so I could spend more time with them then cooking. It was wonderful.” Since that time, Hanke has pro-
vided hundreds of meals to families experiencing a time of need and distress. This year alone, she has provided at least 25 meals to families, not including those she will give during the upcoming holiday season. “I have provided meals to families who have had someone pass, babies being born, people having surgeries, a family that had their house burn down; people in need,” Hanke said. “I am also currently providing a meal each month to a family that is doing foster care, so that they can focus more on their family than spending time cooking.” Hanke is a proponent of participating in online meal trains for people to help families in need. She rst learned of the concept while involved in a mother-of-preschoolers group. “People can sign up from all over, and the receiving family isn’t overwhelmed with a ton of meals at once,” Turn to HANKE | Page 5