Lifelong investment in youth honored
Sheehan wins grand prize for Culver’s Thank
You Farmers Project
By Amy Kyllo amy.k@star-pub.com
ROCHESTER,
Minn. —
When Jaelyn Holz opened up an email from Culver’s detailing their Thank You Farmers Project and how to nominate recipients, Jaelyn knew exactly who she wanted to recommend: her dairy mentor, Jeannette Sheehan.
Sheehan milks 55 cows alongside her husband, Robert, on their dairy, Sheeknoll Farms, near Rochester. The Sheehans also collaborate to crop farm 900 acres alongside other family partners and milk an additional 250 cows on another Sheehan farm.
Holz, who lives on the southeast side of the Twin Cities metro, has been leasing dairy cattle each of the past four summers from Sheehan. Jaelyn, her three siblings and 13 other youth, mostly from the Twin Cities and Northeld, lease cattle from Sheehan.
“She has done so much for
agriculture and the industry by volunteering her time to everything that she possibly can for the future generation,” Jaelyn said. “But she expects literally nothing in return. She’s doing this for the future.”
Jaelyn enlisted the enthusiastic help of her dad, Chris, to nominate Sheehan. They kept the nomination a surprise, collaborating with Sheehan’s family members, including Sheehan’s sister, Libby Montreuil, who is the 4-H club leader for the Holz family, to get the information they needed.
“Jeannette has been so willing to allow these 4-H members, all pretty much from the city, to get a taste of agriculture,” Chris said. “She’s seless. … It’s unreal what she’s done. She’s just a strong advocate for kids learning and the youth of 4-H getting involved and knowing what agriculture is.”
Thanks to the Holz family’s efforts, Sheehan learned in January that she had won the grand prize.
“I’m shocked, I’m humbled, I’m honored,” Sheehan said.
Sheehan received a $5,000 cash prize for herself and $5,000 to donate to the FFA chapter of her choice.
“It’s really nice that Culver’s recognizes our hard work (as farmers),” Sheehan said.
Jeanne e Sheehan stands in a calf barn Jan. 28 at Sheeknoll Farms
Sheehan won the grand prize for the Culver’s Thank You Farmers Project.
“They appreciate where their food comes from. Part of my loving to be a dairy farmer is supplying the most nutritious food that I can to all the people in the world.”
Sheehan has been leasing cattle and mentoring youth for decades. Last year, 19 Sheeknoll cattle attended the
Dakota County Fair and 17 cattle attended the Olmsted County Fair. Besides the 4-H members from Dakota County, the Sheehans also lease to seven of their grandchildren and two extended family members.
Sheehan said youth are the future.
“These kids are going to be
running companies,” she said. “They’re going to be farming, they are going to be making laws and rules for us for the future. You just want to make sure that they have this experience to see the whole picture.”
Turn to SHEEHAN | Page 4
AMY KYLLO/DAIRY STAR
near Rochester, Minnesota.
WEEKLY SCHEDULE
SUNDAY 12-7 p.m. Receiving hours
MONDAY 6:30 a.m. Receiving Hours
8 a.m. Cattle, Hogs, Sheep & Goats Auction
TUESDAY 12-7 p.m. Receiving Hours
WEDNESDAY 6:30 a.m. Receiving Hours
10 a.m. Cattle, Hogs, Sheep and Goats Auction
THURSDAY 12 p.m. Hay Auction
Youth who lease from Sheehan learn how to care for their animal by themselves, give a vaccination and how to milk a cow if they are showing a lactating animal. Many of the students have also been present for a live birth.
“People are really concerned about where their food comes from, and this is a chance for them to have that experience rsthand Sheehan said.
One of the questions on the nomination form was about the nominee’s impact on agriculture. As part of their response, the Holz family shared about how Jaelyn has been impacted by Sheehan.
“I want to go into agriculture now,” Jaelyn said. “Getting this prize would give back for all that she’s done: giving her expertise on teaching us how to properly show our animals and all the good things she has done for us.”
Chris said he has seen the impact Sheehan has made on Jaelyn.
“Going into agriculture was a possibility for Jaelyn when considering a college major, … (but) something just clicked as she spent more time with Jeannette,” he said. “As a dad, I’m so thankful and grateful for Jeannette because of the passion that I’ve seen in Jaelyn ever since we met Jeannette has been amazing. … We owe a lot.”
Sheehan decided to give the $5,000
FFA cash prize to the Holz family’s FFA chapter in Northeld, which was ofcially chartered last year.
“I get chills right now talking about it, that a new FFA chapter is helped because of the Culver’s donation,” Sheehan said.
The Holz family was surprised and touched by the gesture.
“We didn’t even expect that,” Jaelyn said. “We just wanted her to get something, but she wanted to give back to us too and to our FFA.”
Sheehan believes agriculture education and experiences are important for youth.
“Ag is your basics,” she said. “It’s your food. It’s your housing. It’s taking care of your basic needs.”
As part of the nomination, the Holzes also shared about the background and specics of the Sheeknoll Farms and their World Dairy Expo-winning cattle as well as Sheehan’s extensive volunteering work.
Jaelyn and Chris said they were excited Sheehan won the contest.
“It was just happiness,” Chris said. “We wanted to at least take a shot to show one little piece of our appreciation on behalf of everyone that she’s helped out. … (For her to win) it was amazing. It was almost like we won the lottery.”
AMY KYLLO/DAIRY STAR
Jaelyn Holz places the milker on a cow July 12, 2024, at Robert and Jeanne e Sheehan’s farm near Rochester, Minnesota. Holz and her father, Chris, nominated Jeanne e Sheehan for the Culver’s Thank You Farmers Project.
Area Hay Auction Results
The “Mielke” Market Weekly
Milk production stronger than expected
U.S. milk production is slowly recovering, though it remained below a year ago for the second month in a row in December, primarily due to the impact of bird u in California.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest preliminary data put December output at 18.7 billion pounds, down 0.5% from December 2023, following a 0.4% drop in November. December output in the top 24 states totaled 18.0 billion pounds, down 0.4%, after slipping 0.3% in November.
November output was revised up a hefty 110 million pounds from last month’s estimate, resulting in a 0.4% decline instead of the 1% drop originally reported. Revisions added 89 million pounds to the 24-state count, resulting in November output being down 0.3% instead of a 0.8% decline.
December cow numbers fell to 9.351 million, down 9,000 head from November, though the November count was lowered 5,000. The December herd was only up 3,000 from a year ago and was 28,000 more than in January. The 24-state December count, at 8.91 million, was down 8,000 from November, which was revised 4,000 head lower, but numbered 17,000 more than a year ago.
December output per cow in the 50 states averaged 2,005 pounds, down 10 pounds or 0.5% from a year ago. The November average was revised up 12 pounds. The 24-state December average, at 2,020 pounds, was down 11 pounds or 0.5% from a year ago. The November average was revised up 11 pounds from last month’s report.
Preliminary data for the 50 states for all of 2024 showed milk output at 225.854 billion pounds, down 0.2% from 2023, in line with USDA’s latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report, and was the second year in a row to fall short of the previous year. Cows numbered 9.339 million head in 2024, down 47,000 from 2023. Output per cow averaged 24,184 pounds, up 67 pounds. The 2025 forecast is for 227.2 billion pounds, which would be a 1.3-billion-pound increase, or 0.6%, from 2024.
HighGround Dairy said that 2024 saw the most signicant annual decrease since 2001, and, “It has been over 50 years since milk production fell for two consecutive years. However, the tide seems to be turning as milk cow numbers improve versus the prior year. Further, component levels will most likely not be down annually, and those are the most important when making dairy products.”
California fared a little better than thought in November and December, considering its ongoing battle with bird u.
November output, while down a hefty 259 million pounds from a year ago, was revised up 42 million from last month’s report and resulted in a 7.9% drop
for the Golden State, instead of the 9.2% reported.
December output was down 233 million pounds or 6.8% from a year ago. That was due to a 135-pound drop per cow while cow numbers were down 1,000 head. Output per cow was down 150 pounds in November.
Wisconsin’s December output hit 2.69 billion pounds, up 2 million or 0.1% from a year ago, on 5,000 fewer cows, and output per cow was up 10 pounds.
Idaho was up 3.5%, thanks to 17,000 more cows and a 20-pound gain per cow. Michigan was up 1.4% on a 25-pound gain per cow and 1,000 more cows milked.
Minnesota was off 0.7%, due to a loss of 10,000 cows, though output per cow was up 30 pounds. New Mexico was down 3.3%, on 10,000 fewer cows. Output per cow was up 15 pounds.
New York was up 0.7% on a 15-pound increase per cow. Cow numbers were unchanged. Oregon showed the biggest percentage decline in the country, down 8.2% on 9,000 fewer cows, and a 15-pound drop per cow.
Pennsylvania was unchanged across the board. South Dakota was up 6.4% on a 45-pound gain per cow and 8,000 more cows. Texas again had the biggest gain in the U.S., up 7.5% thanks to 40,000 more cows and 25 pounds more per cow.
Vermont was down 0.5%, on 3,000 fewer cows, although output per cow was up 40 pounds. Washington State was down 2.1%, on a 30-pound drop per cow, and 2,000 fewer cows. The report is considered mostly neutral to the market.
StoneX said December milk components were strong, “partly due to lapping over some weakness in the previous year. So even with headline production down 0.4%, component adjusted production would be up about 1.5% for the month.”
Dairy culling rose above year ago levels the week ending January 18, rst time since September 2023. The USDA reported 58,000 dairy cows went to slaughter, up 2,600 from the previous week, and 6,900 or 13.5% above a year ago. Year to date, 157,500 head had been culled, up 1,900 or 1.2% from a year ago.
Culling data for 2024 shows just 2.7 million dairy cows were sent to slaughter, down 367,400 head or 11.9% from 2023, and lowest since 2008.
Meanwhile, butter and cheese stocks grew December. The USDA’s latest cold storage report showed Dec. 31 butter holdings climbed to 222.4 million pounds, up 8.7 million pounds or 4.1% from November, and up 22.8 million or 11.4% from December 2023. Butter stocks mirrored those a year ago in November.
American type stocks grew to 772.6 million pounds, up 7.1 million or 0.9% from November’s lev-
el, but were down 65.1 million pounds or 7.8% from a year ago.
The “other” cheese holdings climbed to just under 559 million pounds, up 15.8 million or 2.9% from November, but down 24.7 million or 4.2% from a year ago.
Total cheese stocks grew for the rst time in nine consecutive months, with the Dec. 31 inventory at 1.355 billion pounds, up 23 million pounds or 1.7% from November. Stocks were down 87.1 million pounds or 6.0% from a year ago, however. The report is viewed as somewhat bearish to the market.
Dairy processors met this week in San Antonio, Texas, for the International Dairy Foods Association’s annual Dairy Forum. One of the key take-aways of the forum was the strong demand for high value whey protein, according to StoneX broker Dave Kurzawski in the February 3 “Dairy Radio Now” broadcast.
The bearish side is fat and butter, he said, and while not widely spoken about at the forum, the downside risk is for the butter market. He blamed the shortfall in U.S. milk output to California’s battle with bird u, where milk production was down 6.8%, while output elsewhere in the country was up about 1%.
He also reported that organic milk is extremely tight right now. One of the reasons may be a switch by consumers away from plant-based beverages to animal-based milk in the past 12 months, particularly to organic product, he said.
USDA’s latest uid milk sales data showed organic sales were up 7.7% in November and up 6.9% year to date and represented 7.1% of total sales.
The quest to meet the rising demand won’t come quickly. Kurzawski explained that few conventional farmers want to make the switch to organic, and even if they did, it could take several years to do so. He said he thinks consumers will embrace conventional milk again, which he believes is just as healthy and satisfying as organic. “It’s a rst step in the right direction,” he said.
As I have written in the past, consumers need to read the ingredients on the labels of plant-based products and ask themselves if that is what they want to put into their bodies, when compared to natural, nutrient-laden milk from the cow.
Chicago Mercantile Exchange block Cheddar climbed to $1.9350 per pound Thursday, highest since Jan. 6, but it closed the last Friday of January at $1.8775 per pound, still 4.50 cents higher on the week, but 3.50 cents below its Jan. 2 closing, and 22.75 cents above a year ago when it jumped 11.25 cents to $1.65.
Turn to MIELKE
The barrels hit $1.8650 Tuesday, highest since Jan. 17, but closed Friday at $1.81, down a penny on the week, down 1.50 cents from the Jan. 2 post, 26 cents above a year ago, and a wider than normal 6.75 cents below the blocks.
Block sales totaled 17 loads for the week and 67 for the month of January, up from 47 in December. There were 13 sales of barrel on the week and 36 for the month, down from 49 in December.
Dairy Market News reported that cheese demand, for the most part, continues to be bullish, according to a number of Midwest cheesemakers. Many who had some availability in December are now saying they’re not able to offer any on the spot market. Italian style cheesemakers say demand, except for mozzarella, is markedly strong. Barrel makers said early demand needs are setting a positive tone for 2025 so far. Milk availability remains in balance. Mid-week spot milk prices were reported as low as $1-under up to at Class. Late last week and early this week, cheesemakers were relaying bottlers to continue to pull milk from planned cheese manufacturing. Cheese markets are steady to slightly bullish.
Western cheese production is steady to strong. Milk production is generally strengthening in the region, but bottling demand is strong as well, creating some tug of war between Class I bottling and Class III cheese manufacturing. Milk demand from cheese manufacturers is strong. Cheese demand is steady, while spot demand is more mixed. A few cheesemakers indicate their stocks for spot purchases are very snug, according to DMN.
Cash butter felt the pressure of heavier cream supplies this week and fell to a Friday nish at $1.4325 per pound, lowest since June 27, 2023, down 9.75 cents on the week, down 11.25 cents on the month, and 31.25 cents below a year ago. CME sales totaled 20 for the week and 97 for January, up from 94 in December.
Central butter makers continue to say demand is progressing and meeting seasonal expectations. Demand is not robust, but not slower than normal during the rst month of the year. Cream remains widely abundant. Cream handlers say the Upper Midwest was one of the most cream-laden areas in the country this week. Cream multiples were reported as low as .90. Butter demand is seasonally quiet, but churns are running heavy amounts of cream as plants build inventories for upcoming seasonal needs, according to DMN.
Plenty of cream is available in the West and multiples were comfortably below at market in the nal week of January. Manufacturers said that more than ample amounts of cream are nding their way to churns. Butter production is generally strong. Unsalted butter spot loads are tighter than salted, but both are comfortably available in the region. Butter demand varies from moderate to strong, according to DMN, but sentiment is mostly bearish or neutral.
Grade A nonfat dry milk closed Friday at $1.3450 per pound, down a quarter-cent on the week, lowest since Sept. 3, 2024, 2.50 cents lower on the month, but 12 cents above a year ago. Powder sales for the week amounted to nine lots and 60 for the month, down from 81 in December.
Dry whey closed the week and the month at 64 cents per pound, down 5.75 cents on the week, lowest since Nov. 20, 2024, 11 cents below its Jan. 2 posting, but still 13.25 cents above a year ago. CME sales totaled two for the week and 17 for the month of January, down from 29 in December.
StoneX warned in its Jan. 28 “Early Morning Update,” “The market is expecting more whey to show up in second quarter with cheese production increasing but we can’t deny the strength of high protein demand which has kept whey production and invento-
ries at bay.”
Tuesday’s Global Dairy Trade Pulse saw 4.3 million pounds of product sold, down from 4.4 million in the Jan. 14 Pulse. The total sold represents 96.9% of what was offered. Prices on both skim milk powder and whole milk powder were up from the last Pulse.
In other global dairy news, President Trump stated in an informal press conference Thursday that he will impose 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico beginning Feb. 1. He had threatened to do so previously because both countries had not done more to secure their borders from the ow of undocumented migrants, illegal drugs and large trade decits.
StoneX warned in its Jan. 31 “Early Morning Update” that “If the tariffs are implemented, Mexico is planning to respond with their own tariffs which
includes cheese. It was something that loomed over the market since (Trump) was elected but did little to deter dairy futures prices up until Thursday. On Wednesday, Mexico’s president mentioned that she believed these tariffs would be unlikely and that they could come to an agreement.”
“There’s likely still time to negotiate but the market is now being more precautious,” StoneX said Friday morning. “When the news broke, the Mexican peso weakened from 20.40 to about 20.70 and was holding steady at those levels. Class III and cheese sold off as well and were holding those prices, down 40-50 cents in nearby months. Although nonfat dry milk was not included in Mexico’s tariffs on the U.S., it did not take the news lightly either and traded lower,” StoneX said.
OBERHOLTZER AUCTIONS
Special Feeder and Dairy Cattle Auction
THURSDAY, February 13th
Dairy Cows
(6) Holstein tie stall cows. 1st to 3rd lactation, all fresh less than 45 days. 68-104 lbs. 3.7-5.6F, 2.9-3.5P, 19-230 scc. Reputation seller!!
Jeryl Martin, Ashland.
(2) Holstein Cows. Both Recently fresh and milking well. Consigned by Cleon Weaver, Colby.
Beef cows and Feeders
2 Hereford, 1 Sim/Ang. Due spring to registered Hereford bull 70 Angus strs & hfrs. Weaned early December, 2x vacc. Corn silage and dry hay fed. Exceptional quality from a reputation seller!! Weller Farms.
We accept unadvertised drive-in cattle on sale morning!! If you call us in advance we’d love to advertise your cattle free of charge.
‘21 Bobcat S76, SJC, 1,500 hrs.
‘22 Bobcat S64, 4,100 hrs.
‘21 Bobcat T76, SJC, 600 hrs.
‘21 Bobcat T76, 689 hrs.
Bobcat T76, 882 hrs.
‘22 Bobcat S64, SJC, 4,100 hrs.
‘21 Bobcat S64, Foot, 2,900 hrs.
‘20 Bobcat S64, SJC, 2,600 hrs
‘23 Bobcat S64, CAH, 3,400 hrs.
‘16 Bobcat T770, 2,100 hrs.
‘23 Bobcat T770, 1,500 hrs. ‘20 Bobcat T770, SJC, 300 hrs.
‘18 Bobcat T770, A91, highflow, SJC, 2,000 hrs. ‘18 Bobcat T650, OROPS, SJC, 2,300 hrs.
Bob at T630, CAH, SJC, 1,500 hrs.
S570,
S570,
‘15 Bobcat T550, ACS, Open Station, 1,855 hrs.
‘08 Bobcat S185, 3,000 hrs.
‘02 Bobcat S300, 4,200 hrs.
‘04 Bobcat T300, CAH, 4,300 hrs.
‘15 Gehl R190, 1,900 hrs. ‘23 NH L320, 1,486 hrs. ‘23 NH L318, 1,400 hrs.
‘17 Deere 324E, CAH, 5,200 hrs.
‘20 Deere 325G, tracks, ISO 2 spd., 882 hrs.
‘06 Bobcat S300, CAH, 2 spd., 4,300 hrs.
‘13 NH L215, C/H, IOS, 1,200 hrs.
‘23 Bobcat TL619, CAH, 500 hrs.
‘16 Bobcat T770, SJC roller, 2,100 hrs.
Dairying in time of war Israeli dairy industry perseveres through attacks
By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
ALON HAGALIL, Israel
The nation of Israel is considered a global dairy industry leader. It touts one of the most advanced systems and, with cows that produce more than 26,000 pounds of milk annually on average based on 2023 data, Isreal leads the world in per-cow production.
O
president of Amilk, working with the company’s worldwide commercial operations.
“All our farms are very modern, from small to big,” Langer said. “All have computers, sensors and other advanced systems.”
er Langer owns the Israeli Dairy School, which he created to share his passion for driving success for dairy farmers globally, who have traveled from around the world to learn from the efciencies in place in Israel. The school is based in Alon HaGalil in northern Israel.
Robotic milking systems are not common in Israel, Langer said, but many farms use automated feed mixing systems.
“The Israeli Dairy School is my dream,” Langer said. “I have found many people have the lack of know-how and many people would like to learn from Israel how we do it. My idea is simple: to work very openly and share the way we are doing dairy farming in Israel. We don’t claim to do it better; we do it in a unique way.”
Before launching IDS 15 years ago, Langer was a vice
“Some farms are making their own total mixed ration while others receive feed from a centralized feeding station, which distributes it to dairy farms using specialized vehicles,” Langer said. “It is like a buffet service. The feeding center usually makes a few types of feed and they send it to the farms.”
Israel is a small country.
About the size of New Jersey, it is about 290 miles from north to south and 85 miles from east to west at the widest point and nine miles across at the narrowest point near Tel Aviv. For a country of its size, the climate varies widely, Langer said.
“We have different environments and temperatures, but we learn how to do it,” Langer
said. “Some are very hot and dry. Near the Mediterranean it is very humid. (In) some (areas) it is very cold and snows in the winter.”
Because of the climate, alfalfa is not grown in Israel nor do cows graze. Corn and wheat silages serve as primary components in Israeli rations.
Langer said Israel uses a quota system to regulate milk production, although the country will soon be moving away from quotas — just one of the many challenges he sees facing Israeli dairy farmers.
“We have between 600-650 dairy farms,” Langer said. “The young generation is not ready to take over. They prefer to go to the city, and we see less and less small farms.”
With the current quota system, as small farms exit, their quota is typically purchased by other dairies, with larger farms continuing to increase in size, Langer said.
There are two types of farms in Israel, the large collective Kibbutz and the Moshav, which are family-owned herds.
According to Langer, small farms can have as few as 150 cows, while the largest farms have 1,000-2,000 cows.
The country produces over 422 million gallons of milk annually, which is regulated by the Israeli Dairy Board, comprised of government ofcials, the major processing companies and dairy farmers. Milk is typically processed and consumed by Israeli consumers as uid milk and cheese.
Turn to ISRAEL | Page 9
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more at Hotsy.com/soap
PHOTO COURTESY OF OFIER LANGER/ISRAELI DAIRY SCHOOL
Students of the Israeli Dairy School watch as cows eat total mixed ra on on a dairy farm in Israel. The school welcomes dairy farmers from around the world to learn from the Israeli dairy farming model.
Ofier Langer
“Because we are eating kosher, most of the milk is going to local markets,” Langer said. “We are drinking milk and eating a lot of white cheese. When you go to the store, the variety is huge. People like dairy.”
The Israeli dairy industry faced grievous injury in the attacks Oct. 7, 2023, Langer said.
“They attacked more than 10 kibbutzim — they killed dairy farmers, took hostages, killed cows, destroyed everything,” Langer said. “For more than three days, cows stayed without food, without milking. We had volunteers from all over the country going to these places near the battles to take care of the cows. In some cases, entire farms were destroyed. The dairy community worked together to rebuild those farms from scratch, ensuring that dairy farmers could continue their work despite the devastation.”
In the northern region of Israel where Langer lives near Nazareth, the population is approximately half Jewish and half Muslim.
“We are living well together; we are good friends,” Langer said. “The problem is in Gaza and the West Bank. Here we live our lives peacefully. We had hopes for the future, then in a single day we found ourselves in the midst of a brutal war.”
The attacks Oct. 7 took place on a Saturday — Shabbat, the Jewish holy day of rest.
“During Shabbat it is usually foreign employees or Muslim people, our friends, who are milking the cows,” Langer said. “They captured and killed Thai workers and Israeli Muslim people working.”
While the war has waged, Langer said life has gone on under fear of further attacks.
“Every Israeli has an application on our phone that give us alarms when we have to take shelter when someone is bombing,” Langer said. “It tells us what kind of bomb — a missile, a rocket — and how much time we have to take shelter.”
Langer said the alerts have happened as frequently as 20 or more times a day.
“You have to stop everything and go fast,” Langer said. “Dairy farms have shelters; some homes have security rooms. Old houses don’t have security rooms so we go to community shelters. If there are many attacks at night we sleep in those shelters. (If) you are driving and hear an alarm — you have to stop the car, get out and lay on the ground with your hands over your head.”
Israel’s missile defense system defeats most of incoming attacks, but damage and death still occur.
“You hear the noise; it’s like reworks in the sky,” Langer said. “In a neighbor village, a missile hit a dairy farm and killed 10 cows, destroyed buildings and houses. People died.”
With the ceasere, life has started to return to normal in Israel, a state Langer hopes to continue. He said he is looking forward to soon being able to welcome visitors and share Israel’s dairy industry again.
“I hope we’ll have better times soon — we are all aiming for peace,” Langer said. “We are happy now with the good relationship with America. Every Israeli is thankful for the support we got through these difcult times. Despite the challenges, the Israeli Dairy School remains committed to sharing knowledge with international dairy farmers.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF OFIER LANGER/ISRAELI DAIRY SCHOOL Dairy professionals listen to a speaker at the Israeli Dairy School in Alon HaGalil, Israel. The school brings together dairy farmers and industry professionals from around the globe to share ideas.
DIPPING INTO
Dairy History
A dairy industry revolution
Surge bucket takes milking by storm
By Stacey Smart stacey.s@dairystar.com
Last year, an icon in dairy farming celebrated its 100th birthday. When the product was launched in 1924, it provided a reprieve from milking cows by hand while also surpassing primitive means of automation available at the time.
Many farmers were attracted to the new milking method that enhanced efciency and productivity on the farm. Farmers could extract more milk from each cow in less time and with less sweat. Various qualities made the Surge bucket milker, which eventually owned three-quarters of the market, a superior milking device of its time.
“With its smooth steel spun pail, the Surge bucket milker was the rst easy-toclean milker,” said Robin Matthayasack of GEA Farm Technologies. “It had the rst truly dependable pneumatic pulsator mounted only a few inches from the udder, with the rst one-piece ination and shell assembly that could be taken apart in seconds.”
Matthayasack is director of marketing and communication for North America at GEA Farm Technologies, the company that acquired the Surge brand years ago.
Originally invented by Herbert McCornack in 1922, the bucket was dismissed by many companies as impractical before nding a home with Babson Bros. Co. of Chicago, Illinois. The Babson brothers saw its potential and spent two years rening the product before launching it in the marketplace. Fred Babson’s Four Pine Farm near Hinsdale, Illinois — which became famous for its elite registered Guernsey herd — was the site of extensive testing on the Surge bucket.
What made McCornack’s invention unique was that it utilized teat cups featuring short, easy-to-clean tubes attached directly to a bucket that hung underneath the cow. The one-point suspension of the bucket, hung using a strap or surcingle as it became known, generated a strong milking or surging action as the milker moved backward and forward while milking.
“The tug and pull movement of the milker was similar to the tugging and pulling of a sucking calf,” Matthayasack said. “That surging back and forth action is how the name Surge came to life.”
With 8 inches from the teat to the pail and only four pieces of rubber to wash, the Surge bucket milker was a milking innovation that altered the course of the dairy industry.
The short milk tubes, which took milk from the cow to the bucket, were a solution to the many sanitation problems
tubes,
/DAIRY STAR
Brothe
Originally invented by Herbert McCornack in 1922, the Surge bucket was dismissed by many companies as impractical before finding a home with Babson Bros. Co. of Chicago. The short milk
PHOTO SUBMITTED
A Surge dealer visits a farm to perform service on Surge milking equipment. The Babson Bros. Co. backed its Surge bucket milker with a program that promised a visit from a dealer who would provide parts and service at least once per year.
Made from nned steel, this 1926 Surge bucket milker was
rst version of the Surge bucket to be released. The Surge bucket evolved throughout the decades as tweaks in size, materials and features made the milker more robust.
AG
Rodney “Rod” Mark Fluegge of Mora, Minnesota, age 71, passed away peacefully Jan. 17.
Rod was born Nov. 26, 1953, to Ludwig and Delores Fluegge. He grew up on the family dairy farm in Kroschel, Minnesota.
He attended elementary classes in a 1-room schoolhouse in Kroschel, going on to high school in Hinckley and graduating in 1971.
Shortly after graduation, Rod enlisted in the National Guard and served his country for eight years.
Rod enjoyed taking family and friends to the North Shore, stopping at Gooseberry Falls. Many fond memories were made on these annual trips.
He proudly worked with his parents at Fluegge’s Badger in Brunswick. Eventually, he took over the family business, now known as Fluegge’s Ag, and moved it to its current location in Mora.
Up until his last days, you could nd him at the shop, ready with a cup of coffee and a witty sense of humor. His strong work ethic and commitment to his customers and the business community continue today with the help of his faithful colleagues and family.
Dairy Princess candidates sought
The Winona County Dairy Association is looking for eligible candidates for our Winona County Dairy Princess Program. To be eligible, ladies must be at least a 2025 senior in high school. Ladies must live on a dairy farm or work on a dairy farm, have a parent who works on a dairy farm, or they own or lease dairy cattle. If you want more information please attend our Princess Tea on Feb. 16 at noon. Location has not been set yet. If you are interested and need more information please call Cortney at 507-421-6402 or Laurie at 507-523-2430.
Applications now open for sesquicentennial farm recognition
Applications are now open for the Minnesota Farm Bureau Sesquicentennial Farm program, honoring Minnesota families that have owned their farms for at least 150 years. The deadline to apply is March 3.
To qualify, the farm must:
Central Plains Dairy Foundation launches new scholarships
The Central Plains Dairy Foundation continues to invest in the Central Plains dairy industry by introducing new scholarships. CPDF will award three $5,000 scholarships to college or university (two- or four-year program) students, who have completed at least one semester of post-secondary education and are pursuing a degree in agriculture, with an emphasis in the dairy industry. Preference will be given to applicants in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
To learn more about the new CPDF scholarships, go to the Central Plains Dairy Expo’s website under their foundation tab. You may also download the application via that link. Applications are due March 7.
CPDF scholarship applicants must write an essay about why they are pursuing an education in the dairy industry and why they are deserving of the scholarship. Additionally, they must provide two letters of recommendation and submit their college, university or technical school transcript.
Scholarship Applications are now open for the Wisconsin Rural Opportunities Foundation Inc. Premier Scholarship Awards Program Application to the WROF Inc. Premier Scholarship Award Program is now open to rural Wisconsin high school seniors. The WROF Inc. will present $3,000 scholarship awards to ve outstanding high school students. The awards will help cover the tuition and educational expenses of post-secondary education. Scholarship requirements include the following: High school seniors must have lived in rural Wisconsin for at least two years, currently attend school in Wisconsin and plan to return to their rural roots upon graduation. The WROF Inc. will accept applications online until 11:59 p.m. March 7. Please visit www. wrof.org for more information on the scholarship requirements, to access the Premier Scholarship application, and to learn about the WROF Inc.
Ralph Keeling Leadership Awards presented
The Iowa State Dairy Association presented the Ralph Keeling Leadership Award at the association’s annual meeting earlier this month in Ames.
Be at least 150 years old this year (2025) according to the abstract of title, land patent, original deed, county land records, court le in registration proceedings or other authentic land records. Please do not send originals or copies of records.
Demonstrate ownership by the applying family for 150 years or more. “Family” is dened as parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, rst cousins and direct in-laws (father, mother, brother, sister, daughter, son-in-law).
Have continuous ownership. Continuous residence on farm is not required.
Consist of 50 or more acres and currently be involved in agricultural production.
A commemorative certicate signed by the governor of Minnesota, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the president of the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation will be awarded to qualifying families, along with an outdoor sign. Recipients will be announced in April.
Applications are available at www. fbmn.org. For more information, contact Pam Debele at pam.debele@fbmn.org or 651-768-2111.
Century Farm program applications are also open. Information is available online at mnstatefair.org or by calling 651-288-4417. Applications are due by March 3. Recipients will be announced in the spring. Previously recognized families should not reapply.
The award is presented annually to two Iowans who have shown outstanding leadership in Iowa’s dairy industry. This award is in honor of the late Ralph Keeling. Keeling operated a successful dairy farm and business, devoting much of his time and talents to progressing Iowa’s dairy industry.
The rst recipient was Molly Pelzer of Tipton, who was recognized for her leadership in the dairy checkoff. She began her work as a program director working with schools and health care professionals to eventually being named CEO of Midwest Dairy in 2019. Through her leadership, Midwest Dairy focused on maximizing the dairy farmers’ investment in the dairy checkoff by strategic collaboration with targeted retailers, foodservice, wellness and industry partners, as well as focusing on research that leads to the development of solutions for industry and consumer needs. Pelzer retired from Midwest Dairy in the spring 2024. During her tenure, she played a critical role in building trust and demand for the dairy industry and enjoyed working closely with the farmer-led boards.
The second recipient was Tom Simon of Farley. Simon farms in a multi-family partnership where they milk 560 Holsteins and operate over 500 acres of corn and alfalfa. In 2021, they built a robot barn to expand the herd. Simon has implemented an extensive in vitro fertilization program to amplify the best genetics in his herd. Not only has his passion for genetics impacted his herd, but he helped
Con nued from UDDER STUFF| Page 12
improve the genetic progress of the Holstein breed, creating leading bulls that improve overall efciency and protability. Simon has been heavily involved in progressing the dairy industry in Iowa through years of progressive breeding as well as the leadership of the various boards and committees he’s been a part of. He served as president of the Iowa Holstein Association, has been involved in local milk and sire cooperative boards and gives numerous tours every year to local community members as well as international visitors to help showcase the state’s dairy industry.
Upper Midwest Dairy Industry Association scholarship open
To recognize individuals pursuing post-secondary education in a eld that will enhance the quality and safety of dairy and food products, UMDIA will be awarding $1,000 scholarships in 2025 to qualied applicants.
Minimum eligibility for UMDIA scholarship applications:
— Pursuing a degree in animal science with emphasis in dairy, dairy science, food animal veterinary medicine, dairy manufacturing, dairy technology or dairy food science. (Other degree programs may be considered if there is strong evidence
of commitment and contribution to the dairy industry.)
— Applications from freshmen and sophomore students will only be considered in the absence of qualifying junior or senior applicants.
— Completed at least one semester with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
— Plans to complete their degree program with the intent to come back and serve the Upper Midwest dairy industry.
— Reference letter (from a faculty member or dairy industry leader, not a family member).
The application deadline is April 1. Completed scholarship application form and letter of reference should be submitted electronically to: UMDIA Scholarship Committee at umdiamanager@gmail.com.
Couple with Wisconsin ties contributes $100,000 to Dairy Shrine for dairy youth scholarships
Dairy Shrine recently received a $100,000 contribution from Dr. Robert and Rebecca Ruehlow of Maysville, Missouri, to support college scholarships for students pursuing careers in the dairy industry.
This major gift honors the memory of Robert’s parents,
the late August and Doris Ruehlow, who were dairy farmers and agricultural leaders in Green County, Wisconsin. The elder Ruehlows were involved with Rural Telephone Cooperative, Green County Farm Bureau, the Green County Fair and several cooperative cheese factories in the area.
“My parents placed high value on hard work and education. We selected Dairy Shrine to honor them for the lessons they taught me and others on how to be successful in life,” says Robert Ruehlow. “Dairy Shrine has a wonderful system in place to gather applications and determine the most deserving students to receive scholarships.”
In 2024, 38 dairy students from universities and technical schools received a total of $45,000 in scholarships from Dairy Shrine. In its 75-year history, the organization has awarded more than 1,000 scholarships to future dairy leaders, with amounts totaling more than $1 million.
“We are so grateful for the generous commitment from Robert and Rebecca Ruehlow to honor the legacy of August and Doris Ruehlow, while helping today’s dairy industry youth pursue their career dreams,” said Mike Opperman, Dairy Shrine executive director.
For more information visit Dairyshrine.org.
featuring short, easy-to-clean tubes a ached directly to a bucket that hung underneath the cow.
of
oor-type machines used at the time, Matthayasack said. These older machines included long hoses that were difcult to keep clean and affected milk quality. Instead of 8 feet of hose used on pail units, the Surge bucket milker had only 8 inches of rubber in the ination. Furthermore, the Surge milker prevented falling teat
At the peak of its popularity in 1955, the Surge bucket milker had a 76% market share in the U.S.
cups from sucking up debris, and the adjustable positioning of the unit under the cow promised faster, safer milking.
“It simply milked cows faster than anything else because of the superior vacuum stability in the unit,” Matthayasack said.
The Surge bucket evolved throughout the decades as tweaks in size, materials and features made the milker more robust. The rst Surge bucket was made from tinned steel. Next, came the aluminum bucket and nally, the stainless-steel bucket in 1936. In 1947, the rst 18/8 seamless stainless-steel Surge bucket milker came off the production line. A lookingglass nish, inside and out, was introduced in 1958.
The size of the bucket grew to accommodate milk production increases. The 1936 bucket milker held 41.5 pounds of milk; the 1948 model held 45.6 pounds; and the 1958 model had capacity for 50.75 pounds of milk.
Babson Bros. backed its Surge milker with a service program that promised a visit from a dealer who would provide parts and service at least once per year to maintain peak operating efciency.
By 1930, the company had 10 locations in the U.S. and Canada to support its growing dealer network. The Surge bucket came with a 3-year warranty and rustproof guarantee.
For a brief period during WWII, when steel was reserved for the war and metals were hard to obtain, Babson Bros. tried to make the bucket out of plastic. But, the plastics of the time did not hold up, so these buckets
were reserved for tradeshows and demonstrations.
At the peak of its popularity in 1955, the Surge bucket milker had a 76% market share in the U.S. When its patent ran out that same year, others tried to copy its success.
Babson Bros. continued to make improvements to their product, and in 1962, an adjustable electric pulsator was added to the Surge bucket milker. This gave dairymen a choice of three different pulsator speeds and a 50-50 or a 60-40 milking-rest ratio.
The quarter-take-off was designed during the 1960s as well, a feature that helped avoid overmilking by automatically detaching individual cups as each quarter nished.
Sales of the SURGE bucket reached well over one million units. When the one-millionth bucket came off the line in the 1950s, the company gold-plat-
A man pours milk from a Surge bucket into a milk transfer system. Many farmers were a racted to the Surge bucket because it enhanced produc vity on the farm and was easy to clean.
ed it, and the lid resides in the Surge museum at GEA Farm Technologies.
After years of ruling the market, the Surge bucket faced its biggest competitor during the 1960s that would ultimately lead to its demise. At that point in history, pipeline milking systems became the preferred way to milk cows in North America Starting in 1975, sales of the Surge bucket milker began to decline, and in 1999, production ended.
However, the legacy of the Surge bucket lives on with milkers still in use on smaller operations and hobby farms. From its unique design to its reliable functionality, the Surge bucket milker is known for revolutionizing the dairy industry as it paved the way for today’s milking innovations.
The 1936 Surge bucket milker could hold 41.5 pounds of milk; the 1948 model held 45.6 pounds, and the 1958 model had capacity for 50.75 pounds of milk.
Sales of the Surge bucket reached well over one million units. When the one-millionth bucket came off the line in the 1950s, the company goldplated it, and the lid resides in the Surge museum at GEA Farm Technologies.
PHOTO SUBMITTED
PHOTO SUBMITTED
A girl milks a cow with a Surge bucket milker. The unique inven on u lized teat cups
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Just for fun turns into a business
Thomas family dabbles with goat venture
By Emily Breth emily.b@star-pub.com
LAKEVILLE, Minn. — Matt and Jackie Thomas started a new venture when they added goats to their existing herd of dairy cows.
“The rst one showed up in 2018, and they kind of became like potato chips — you just can’t have one — so it blossomed quite a bit,” Matt said.
The Thomas family now averages over 75 goats on their farm, milking 8-15 goats and 50 cows at the farm owned by Matt’s parents, Clayton and Cheryl. They milk their herd of Holsteins, Jerseys, Milking Shorthorns and Ayrshires in a tiestall barn.
The milking goats are kept in the back of the same barn as the cows. A two-bucket milker is used to milk the goats on a small milking stand. The non-
milking goats are on pasture at the couple’s house down the road. The Thomas family started with meat goats and have slowly transitioned into production breeds.
The goat milk is used for different goods including soap, body butter, lotion, lip balm, shampoo and conditioner, laundry soap and liquid soap. Jackie is in charge of the goat milk products which led to the start of Jax Soap Company. Any extra milk is fed to the calves. Their products are sold online and at vendor markets and stores.
The Thomas family also farms 450-500 acres for feed and cash crops, raise laying hens and do custom baling. This is done with the help of their children, Calvin and Miranda.
“A lot of kids have a great life that isn’t in agriculture but it’s one way to create a pretty successful life,” Matt said. “Some days are going to be a good adventure and some days not so much, but there is always something to do.”
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At Stockman’s Supply in Zumbrota we have a large selection of Marweld Goat and Sheep products, ranging from Gates, Pens and Feeders to Treating Chutes and Spin Chutes. Stop by or call and speak with Dave in Zumbrota. We also ship to Albany, MN area. Charges apply.
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EMILY BRETH/DAIRY STAR
The Thomas family — Calvin (front, from le ) and Miranda; (back, from le ) Ma and Jackie — stand in front of their baler Dec. 2, 2024, at their farm near Lakeville, Minnesota. The Thomas family milks an average of 50-55 cows and 8-15 goats.
A goat stands in the bedding pack Dec. 2, 2024, at Ma and Jackie Thomas’ farm near Lakeville, Minnesota. The goat milk is made into goods such as soap, body bu er, lo on, lip balm, shampoo and condi oner, laundry soap and liquid soap.
The couple likes to see the responsibility and life lessons their children learn from living on the farm.
“It is pretty cool to see that Calvin can change a tire (in seventh grade) and take apart a four-wheeler and he learned all that here,” Jackie said. “(Miranda) is a very hard worker and it’s nice to see that. It’s pretty cool to see them enjoying the farm life.”
Both of the children have animals on the farm they are excited to work with. Calvin enjoys the chickens and the chance to experiment with pricing the eggs to ensure he covers the cost of feed. He also enjoys how many different breeds there are. Miranda, who is in fourth grade, likes the goats because she can play with and show them.
The family is new to 4-H, with the summer of 2024 being the rst time Miranda showed at the Dakota County Fair. Next year, Calvin plans to show goats as well.
“(Miranda) did really well, and what I liked about it was that it was our own show stock,” Matt said. “We didn’t have to go out and buy one or anything like that. It’s just fun that we have potential to grow into showing.”
They did not intend to show goats initially, Jackie said. Now however, they have purchased a few animals to improve their herd genetics. Previously,
the family had a wide variety of breeds in the herd including Toggenburg, Alpine, Saanen, Nubian, Lamancha, Savanna, Boer, Kiko and Myotonic. Once they chose which breeds to focus on, they began looking for a buck to improve their production and type.
The family started raising goats for something fun to do. As they got used to them however, the goat herd has continued to grow and started to create income for the farm.
“We have seen potential for growing them,” Jackie said. “It’s been good to see what they all can do. It is nice to have additional income with the goats.”
A challenge they have faced is how to treat and vaccinate the goats because they have heard conicting advice from veterinary professionals. Another struggle is fencing. The couple’s next project for the goats is building a strong paddock system so they can rotate the goats more efciently.
For the future, Jackie would like to open a small shop on the farm so people can have the opportunity to see the goats and connect with agriculture.
“It is a great experience that the kids have,” Matt said. “If you look at the statistics it is less than 2% of the population is in (farming) and we are one of them.”
EMILY BRETH/DAIRY STAR
2024 Quality Leaders
To keep or not to keep: Dairy welfare and protability considerations webinar. Whether or not to keep a dairy animal is a multi-faceted decision. Each week of this webinar series experts will address different considerations in making that decision. Webinars are held at noon on Tuesdays now through March 4. Registration is free but required thanks to the generosity of our sponsors. Recording links will be available at the completion of the series.
— Feb. 11: Calf and heifer welfare at culling presented by Margaret Quaassdorff, M.S., Cornell Cooperative Extension.
— Feb. 18: Cow welfare at culling presented by Dr. Julia Herman, Veterinarian, National Beef Cattle Association and Lindsay Ferlito, Cornell PRO-DAIRY.
— Feb. 25: Managing euthanasia presented Dr. Jennifer Walker, Veterinarian, Kinder Ground and Dr. Kaitlyn Lutz, Veterinarian, CCE Dairy Management Specialist.
— March 4: Maximizing harvest value presented Dr. Julia Herman, Veterinarian, National Beef Cattle Association.
The Women in Ag Conference will be 8:45 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Feb. 11, at The Park Event Center, Waite Park, Minnesota. In an industry where every farm and role are unique, nding your place means discovering the balance that works best for you, your farm, your family, and your goals. This conference will help farmers and ranchers explore and dene what agriculture means to each person, nding ways to navigate both the family and the operation, as well as making your distinct mark in agriculture. Whether you’re a beginner, future, mid-career or seasoned farmer, industry professional, or agriculture enthusiast, this conference is for you. All people are welcome.
“Farming Your Way, Creating Balance” is the theme for the 2025 Extension Women in Ag Conference, hosted by the University
of Minnesota Women in Ag Network, in partnership with the Minnesota Farm Service Agency.
The Minnesota Dairy Initiative and the University of Minnesota Extension are excited to announce the upcoming Women in Dairy event. The Women in Dairy: Farming with Family event is planned for Feb. 13 from 6:30-9 p.m. at the Crow River Winery in Hutchinson, Minnesota. The event’s purpose is to inspire attendees with ties to the dairy industry through networking, education and empowerment.
This year’s program will feature Katy Schulz from Fox Lake, Wisconsin. Katy owns Tri-Fecta Farms with her siblings and best friends— Kari and Nick.
The Women in Dairy event will run from 6:30 - 9 p.m., beginning with registration and social gathering, followed by dinner and presentation starting at 7 p.m. Pre-registration is required. For tickets, please visit with an event sponsor or contact the McLeod County Extension ofce at 320-484-4302 to purchase a ticket today.
The daylong Carver County Dairy and Beef Expo is known for its educational programming, trade show and networking opportunities. Each year is a reunion for the industry to gather, learn and network. Join us Feb. 17, at Central High School in Norwood Young America.
The Carver County Dairy and Beef Expo trade show opens at 9 a.m., with the Beef Quality Assurance Certication training offered at 9:45 a.m. The expo educational sessions begin with a great line-up of speakers at 10:30 a.m.
The annual Dairy Days will be held at four eastern Iowa locations and one northwest Iowa location during February and March. With slightly differing agendas, the
programs will primarily focus on crop and forage management, HPAI updates, dairy market andindustry updates, as well as a listening session with producer and industry participation.
Presenters are nationally-recognized experts in their elds with seminars offering time for questions and networking.
— Feb. 18 – Elma Community Complex; 319 Oak Street, Elma, IA — Feb. 20 – Johnson’s Restaurant; 916 N High St. NE, Elkader, IA — Feb. 25 – Chamber of Commerce; 514 B Avenue, Kalona, IA — Feb. 27 – Community Center; 1951 Church Street, New Vienna, IA — March 5 – Dordt College - Stewardship Center; 700 7th Street NE, Sioux Center, IA.
The Minnesota Dairy Initiative presents Dairy Farm Financial Workshop. The event will be held Feb. 19, from 1-3 p.m. at the Pipestone County Government Center in Pipestone. The purpose of the workshop is to connect dairy producers with a certied bookkeeping consultant who specializes in farm nances. The workshop will focus on the basics of good bookkeeping, QuickBooks, assembling cash ow and balance sheets, how to enter in milk checks and other common transactions, what lenders are looking for and year-end tax preparations. The event will be interactive, and questions and topics producers want covered will be discussed. Mary T. Faber of Mary Faber Solutions LLC will be presenting the information and answering questions.
The workshop is free for dairy producers to attend. An option to join via Zoom is also available. To RSVP, please contact MDI Southwest Coordinator Brittany Moorse at 507-530-4415 or brittany.moorse@pcmn.us.
The UW-Madison Division of Ex-
tension is hosting “Dairy Feeding School” winter workshops across Wisconsin. Local meetings will be from late February to early April. These sessions will share the latest research and industry info on topics like feed safety, feed management, transition cow health and the economics of feeding. The workshops are for dairy owners, managers, feed mixers, consultants, service providers, educators, farm organizations and industry leaders. Sessions will be in English and Spanish.
Sessions will be held at the following dates and locations.
— Feb. 20: Lafayette County Multipurpose Building, Darlington — March 5: Brown County STEM Innovation Center, Green Bay — March 19: Dane County Extension Building, Madison — March 26: Fond du Lac County Highway Department, Fond du Lac
University of Minnesota Extension will provide full-day workshops and two-day multi-generational retreats across Minnesota on farm transition and estate planning.
These full-day workshops and two-day multi-generational retreats are all free and include meals. The workshops and retreats cover farm goal setting; business structures; farm operation and management succession ideas; as well as estate planning and retirement; family communicating and additional farm transition educational resources. Estate planning is a crucial part of the transition process. The workshop also includes a discussion of wills and trusts, life insurance, power-of-attorney, long-term health care issues and more.
Full-day workshops and multi-generational retreats are scheduled on the following
Turn to CALENDAR | Page 21
Mankato — March 7 – 8, Multi-generational retreat St. Cloud — March 10, Farm transition & estate planning workshop, Austin — March 20, Farm transition & estate planning workshop, Hawley — March 21 – 22, Multi-generational retreat, Rochester For educational resources on farm transition and estate planning visit University of Minnesota Extension website. For questions or comments contact Nathan Hulinsky at huli0013@umn.edu or 218-828-2680.
The Iowa State University Extension is hosting a Farm Couple Getaway to discuss farm and family issues Feb. 21-22 at the Best Western Plus in Dubuque. The event will be open to the rst 10 couples who sign up. For questions or to sign up contact Larry Tranel at 563-580-6635 or at tranel@iastate.edu or Jennifer at 563-382-2949 or at jbent-
ley@istate.edu.
The 2025 Nebraska Dairy Convention will be held at the Nielsen Community Center in West Point on Feb. 25. Join us for a breakout sessions, keynote speaker and networking starting at 9 a.m.
The Midwest Manure Summit will provide a unique platform for collaboration, innovation and knowledge sharing Feb. 26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Attendees will leave with actionable insights to optimize manure management practices while supporting environmental and economic sustainability. This one-day conference will bring together experts, farmers, researchers and industry leaders to discuss cuttingedge developments in manure processing, nutrient management and emerging technologies.
Dairy farmers, consultants, students and service providers are invited to attend an innovative conference on
Automatic Milking Systems technology. This event will feature expert presentations from the University of Wisconsin, the University of Minnesota, and the University of California – Davis, focusing on the protability, labor efciency and herd health impacts of AMS. The conference is offered at two locations to better serve and connect with farmers across Wisconsin and Minnesota.
— Minnesota: Feb. 26, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Shady’s Bar and Grill Railside, 28603 W Hwy 55, Paynesville, MN 56362.
—Wisconsin: Feb. 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Eau Claire Library, 400 Eau Claire St, Eau Claire, WI 54701.
Attendees will gain valuable insights into the benets and challenges of AMS technology, learn strategies for maximizing protability and efciency, and hear rsthand experiences from dairy farmers who have implemented robotic systems. This conference is an excellent opportunity for networking with industry experts and peers.
What’s cookin’?
I saw something the other day that made me giggle. “Welcome to adulthood, where you will have to decide every night what to make for supper.” I used to never think twice about what was for supper. Mom always had something good to eat on the table, every night. Of course, this responsibility seems to fall on just one person of a certain generational age, and I am my mother’s daughter. Fortunately times have changed. All my boys are good cooks and can help decide and make what’s for supper. This one pan creamy garlic chicken is so easy make and fancy enough to impress. Serve it with some of Joelle’s bread on the side. She makes baking bread look so easy using her Dutch oven. She’s looking to sell more loaves of bread this summer with her cut ower business. It isn’t winter season without a couple of bowls of sh pickling. Eric keeps me supplied with his extra northerns. I don’t know which I enjoy eating more, pickled sh or pickled vegetables? It is quite a process but worth the effort.
One pan creamy garlic chicken
2 large chicken breasts (about 24 ounces)
2 tablespoons our
1 teaspoon each salt, garlic powder, onion powder
1/2 teaspoon each pepper, paprika
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
10 garlic cloves (smash 5 cloves with blunt edge of the back of a knife and peel; peel remaining whole cloves)
1 shallot, chopped
1 ½ cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup heavy cream (or evaporated milk mixed with 1 ½ teaspoons
cornstarch)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
1 teaspoon each dried parsley, dried basil
1/2 teaspoon each dried oregano, dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon red pepper akes
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
Slice chicken breasts in half through the equator to create 4 llets. Cover with plastic wrap and pound to an even thickness (use a meat mallet or side of a can) Pat dry. Whisk our and all seasonings together in a shallow dish. Dredge each cutlet in mixture; shake off any excess then transfer to a dry surface. Melt butter in oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add chicken and sear each side for 4-5 minutes (depending upon thickness) until golden and cooked to 160 degrees. If the drippings are starting to burn, turn down the heat. Transfer chicken to a plate; don’t wipe out the skillet. Reduce heat to medium. Add a drizzle of oil if needed to chicken drippings. Add chopped shallot and smashed and whole garlic cloves. Sauté while scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan until shallots are softened and garlic is caramelized, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream. Mix chicken broth with cornstarch and add to the skillet followed by Worcestershire, Dijon, bouillon and all the sauce seasonings. Bring sauce to a simmer while scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan; simmer until sauce thickens almost to desired consistency (it will continue to thicken once you add Parmesan
and chicken), stirring often. Whisk in Parmesan and stir until melted, followed by lemon juice. Add chicken back to pan and spoon some sauce over top. Gently simmer for one minute for the chicken to soak in the sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve with mashed potatoes, noodles, rice or steamed vegetables and Joelle’s bread. Extra tips: Add any chopped vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, zucchini, green beans or bell peppers and sauté them after you’ve cooked the garlic for a few minutes. If using frozen peas, thaw and stir in with the Parmesan to warm through. Consider pan frying sliced baby Bella mushrooms, removing from the skillet then adding back to the sauce at the end of cooking. Add one pint halved cherry tomatoes to the skillet with the garlic. Try extra Parmesan cheese to the sauce or layer the chicken with sliced Gouda, mozzarella, provolone, Swiss or Gruyere, cover and turn the skillet to low until the cheese melts.
Joelle’s bread recipe Fields of Plenty 3 cups bread our 1 3/4 cups warm water 1 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
In a large mixing bowl, mix together warm water and yeast; add salt and our. Mix until dough is moist but not sticky. Add extra our or water as needed to reach right consistency. Once mixed, place our sack towel over bowl and let rise 2-14 hours. When ready to bake, turn on oven to 450 degrees. Place Dutch oven with lid in oven to warm up. On a oured surface, dump dough. Fold and stretch to make a loaf to t Dutch oven. Place dough on parchment paper. Remove Dutch oven from oven. Place parchment paper and loaf in pan; put on lid. Return to oven to bake for 30 minutes. Then remove lid and continue baking for another 15 minutes. Remove bread from oven and let cool for several hours on wire rack. This will make slicing much easier. Based on humidity, loaf can last from 2-6 days but hers never lasts more than two days because it is always eaten by then.
Pickled sh (takes 2 weeks to make)
Fish (I like northern pike slabs)
Salt Water
Vinegar
1 red onion, thinly sliced 1 carrot, thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic, peeled Sliced fresh ginger (about size of quarter)
Freeze sh llets/slabs for 48 hours before pickling. Thaw sh and cut into 1-inch chunks. In a non-metal bowl or container, place
sh chunks. For every quart of sh, in a separate bowl combine ¾ cup plain salt with about 2 cups of white vinegar. Mix well and pour over sh. Cover container and set in refrigerator or in a cold area. Stir every day for ve days. After ve days, rinse sh in cold water and soak for 30 minutes. Do this step twice, soaking for 30 minutes each time.
Pickling solution
2 cups vinegar
1-1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup white wine or water
1-2 tablespoons pickling spices (2 teaspoons whole allspice, 2 teaspoons whole mustard seed, 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, 4 whole cloves, 3 bay leaves)
Bring solution to a boil for ve minutes, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and cool completely. In wide mouth Mason jars, lay a layer of sh, topped with sliced veggies. Repeat until jar is full. Pour enough cool brine in jar to cover sh and veggies. Place lids on jars. Refrigerate for seven days. It is so worth the wait. If you have extra veggies and brine, place them in a jar and pickle without the sh. This is so good on cheese boards, with burgers or just by itself.
As their four children pursue dairy careers off the family farm, Natalie and Mark Schmitt started an adventure of milking registered Holsteins just because they like good cows on their farm north of Rice, Minnesota.
Food columnist, Natalie Schmitt
NuAge Builders, a commercial general contractor based in South Dakota, was founded in 2017. Since then, they have worked in Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska, lowa, Michigan, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri, Wisconsin, Texas, and South Dakota. NuAge Builders has consistently been one of the top 100 metal building contractors in the United States.
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