Iowa State Bank

POTLOADS OF PIGS AND SERVING HOT FOOD: BEYER’S DO IT TOGETHER

By Bob Fitch

Whether it’s pigs or pork chops, Jeff and Melissa Beyer are in it together for life.

The Beyer’s live south of Boyden on the family farm started by Jeff’s great-grandfather. They have a traditional farrow-to-finish hog operation. “We’re one of the few that still do farrow-to-finish. You try to be as bio-secure as you can, but sometimes the bugs still get in somehow,” Jeff said. “We try to do everything ourselves. We grind our own feed. It keeps us busy,” he said. In addition, they also grow corn and soybeans. Jeff grew up working pigs with his parents, John and Karen Beyer. “When I got out of high school, I rented a neighbor’s farm and finished some pigs there.” He also farmed in partnership with some neighbors for several years before he returned home to farm with his dad. His parents are retired now, but that doesn’t stop his dad from working at the farm nearly every day. “We just loaded a potload this morning and John was out there with us,” said Melissa.

She is also happy to help load pigs just as Jeff actively helps Melissa in her business, Beyer Catering, which prepares meals for one person up to 300 people. Before going into business, she worked feeding farmers in the café at the sale barn in Sheldon one day a week. Eventually, she was asked to run the café at Tri-State Livestock in Sioux Center, too.