Country Acres - September 4

Friday, September 4, 2020 - Country Acres • Page 19

A new farming venture Udermanns see uptick in demand for locally grown beef BY DIANE LEUKAM | STAFF WRITER

SARTELL – When customers drive up a scenic gravel road near Sartell, they might notice the trees and meadows. Driving into the yard, they see a century farm sign, along with a neatly groomed lawn and landscaping. And, they see the friendly faces of Alex and Kirsten Udermann. The young couple dairy farm with Alex’s parents, John and Mary Lou, and Alex’s younger brother, Jake. Customers come to purchase ground beef, roasts and steaks in a transaction that brings the beef from farm to table. In the last several months, these transactions are occurring much more often around the countryside, nationally, as a way to connect customers and growers. The Udermanns believe it can be very beneficial for consumers to find a local farmer selling meat to the public. PHOTOS BY DIANE LEUKAM “We have been selling meat off the farm for years to family and friends, and then this spring I threw Alex and Kirsten Udermann, with baby Kallie, are pictured Aug. 26 at the Udermann farm near Sartell. The Udermanns some on Facebook, and it took off,” Alex said Aug. farm with Alex’s parents, John and Mary Lou, and Alex’s younger brother, Jake. 26 at the farm. oats and grass hay. Alex’s wife, Kirsten, and 4-month-old daughter, “We buy bedding here and there on a bad year, but Kallie, sat in on the conversation. The couple has been we are pretty self-sufficient on feed,” Alex said. married three years and lives in the large farmhouse In addition to the dairy cattle, the Udermanns bewith John and Mary Lou. They are the fifth genera- gan custom solid manure hauling this spring and feed tion on the farm that was first purchased by Alex’s out about between 100 and 150 head of steers each great-great-grandfather. The story goes, he owned year. Those steers have become a catalyst for their a brewery in St. Cloud and before the Volstead Act, meat-selling endeavor. Each year, this portion of the known as the National Prohibition Act, was signed in operation has grown from their start years ago selling 1919, he sold it and purchased a farm for each of his the meat from three to four steers a year. Since the four sons. beginning of the coronavirus this past spring, business Originally, the milking barn was equipped with has been on the uptick. about 40 stanchions, but was replaced in 1981 with Once a week, cattle are butchered and packaged at a tie stall barn holding 80 stalls. The Udermanns still Beef steers eat a meal of grass hay and ground corn, Aug. milk 80 cows, and have grown to 1,200 acres of crop26 at the Udermann farm near Sartell. Udermanns page 20 land on which they grow corn, soybeans, alfalfa, rye,

CORN SILAGE SEASON

Excelerator® XT 8010

Bring 3-5 stalks into Buckman anytime for Corn silage moisture checks.

MOWER BLOWOUT Sale REPAIR

Hwy 25 • Pierz • 468-2168

SAVE UP TO $800 on these models!

Ariens LM21 push mowers was $348 ....... Now Ariens self-propelled LM22 was $458 ....... Now Honda HRX 217 self-propelled was $800 .... Now Stihl 460V w/battery & charger, was $665 .. Now Stihl 510 unit only, was $320....................... Now

299 399 $ 650 $ 599 $ 299 $ $

Ariens Ikon XD 60” - SALE $3,674 99

XTend Your Vertical Tillage

Gravely Pro Turn 472 - SALE $11,399 99

The KUHN Krause Excelerator® XT 8010 features the proven Excalibur® VT (vertical tillage) blades configured in a combination spacing (7” front and 8” rear) to meet the challenges of heavy GMO residue. New mid-mount tines control and redistribute residue followed by the exclusive Star Wheel™ treaders providing soil and residue mixing, clod size reduction and residue anchoring. Heavy-duty 24/7® conditioning reels provide that superior seedbed you have come to expect from the Excelerator.

Competitive Pricing on Grain Hauling & Bulk Feed!

8’•9’•10’ AG-BAG RENTALS 7 units Available

ATTACHMENTS

Ag Bags, Twine, Net Wrap & A Bunker Covers In stock

WATERERS

CALL OR VISIT US TODAY TO FIND OUT MORE.

Forage Inoculants

LITTLE ROCK, MN 320-584-5147

PIERZ, MN 320-468-2168

LASTRUP, MN 320-468-2543

BUCKMAN, MN 320-468-6433

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK!