DAIRY

Northwest Iowa Farm Serves Up 12 Days of Ice Cream for the Holidays

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 18:51:39 GMT

Stensland Family Farms, dates back over a hundred years. Jason Stensland says his great great grandfather homesteaded the farm near the Northwest Iowa town of Larchwood.

The Stensland’s are grain farmers, and they ran a dairy operation for 20 years. However, in 2015 they started their own creamery, which currently involves 10 family members. Jason says they added the creamery by necessity. “Our story is trying to survive on the farm and vertically integrate ourselves so then we can keep the the heritage going and our family farm going and providing for our families.”

The ice cream production is done right on the farm and is overseen by Jason’s twin brother, Justin. “We’ll make about 1,400 quarts today and we do that two to three times a week roughly.” The family produces 70,000 to 80,000 quarts of premium ice cream annually using a small batch process. Justin says it starts with their base ice cream mix. “You dump that into an ice cream machine and then depending on the flavor you’re making and then you add your ingredients. You mix it all up and it takes about 10 minutes to make a batch and it comes out like soft serve.” He says it then goes into the freezer for 18 to 24 hours at -25° to harden.”

Stenland’s originally offered a long list of dairy products when their father Dave kick started the creamery ten years ago. However, with their flare for ice cream it quickly became their focus. Jason says their ice cream is a premium product. “It’s a fuller fat and we really focus on good quality ingredients and it’s a lactose free base. So then as long as you stick to the simple ice creams, you’ll kind of you can tolerate the ice cream with the lactose free situation.”

Stensland’s make over 80 flavors of ice cream and while their Mom is the GOAT of new flavors everyone in the family plays a role. This time of year they expand their flavor offerings to include some holiday favorites like eggnog, cinnamon stick, ginger snap and white chocolate peppermint. These and other flavors are sold at their retail store in Sioux Falls as part of their 12 days of Ice Cream Christmas promotion says Jason, “So, it’ll be 12 different flavors and somebody can come in and have a different flavor throughout their 12 days of Christmas.”

Justin says they also feature holiday shakes and other novelties. “We also do different pies like cheesecake pies. We’ll do so we’ll do like a white chocolate peppermint cheesecake pie. Then we’ll do a pumpkin cheesecake pie also.”

Plus, Stenland’s incorporate their cheeses, curds and products produced on local farms to create holiday gift offerings. They assemble corporate gift boxes, and anything for individuals.

And Jason says at Christmas and all year long they pride themselves in producing local products fresh from the farm.
“We take passion and pride in what we do and if we can do that uh as a family and also give people the ice cream like that and serve that to them it’s it’s just it’s rewarding.”
and

Monarch's MK-V Dairy Tractor Rolls Out Autonomous Feed Pushing

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 15:28:37 GMT

Monarch Tractor announces its first-in-class, fully-autonomous Autodrive feature is now commercially available on its MK-V driver-optional dairy tractor (EV or diesel) , according to a press release from the startup.

“Autonomous feed pushing offers value to dairy farmers by improving efficiency and increasing milk production,” says Praveen Penmetsa, CEO and co-founder of Monarch Tractor. “It allows the dairy farmers to focus on what matters most – the health and well-being of their animals.”

Autonomous feed pushing helps dairy farmers manage through labor shortages, and the ability to monitor feed pushing remotely while tending to other critical tasks ensures cows can be consistently fed every hour.

Additionally, the “smart tractor” is armed with Monarch’s Wingspan Ag Intelligence and WingspanAI technology stack , which tracks performance data while 360-degree cameras record video footage for real-time and historical insights. The MK-V Dairy is also a mobile power bank with 12v, 110v, and 220v plugs.

Monarch is hosting an in-person Autodrive demonstration at a working dairy on February 12, at 3 p.m. in Tulare, California, during World Ag Expo. Monarch reps and engineers will be on hand to talk to attendees and give them the opportunity to engage with the tractor. Reservations for the demonstration can be made here.

If you can’t make it to California next week, Monarch says dairy farmers can reach out and set up a demonstration at their farm.

Discover How Innovation Transforms at Grotegut Dairy

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 14:45:57 GMT

In the heart of Wisconsin’s Dairyland lies Grotegut Dairy Farm, a prime example of how tradition can seamlessly blend with modern technology to create a cutting-edge operation. With deep roots and a commitment to innovation and sustainability, Grotegut Dairy has become synonymous with excellence in dairy production. Housing an impressive herd of 3,500 milking cows, the farm demonstrates how contemporary solutions can be integrated into age-old practices. As a testament to their success, they have been named the 2025 Innovative Dairy Farmer of the Year by the International Dairy Foods Association.

The Dawn of Tech
The farm’s journey into the technological age began in an unexpected way. Doug Grotegut, the current owner, fondly recalls how his mother won an Apple computer in the late 1980s. This new gadget not only allowed her to play games but also transitioned the farm’s bookkeeping from a traditional notebook to a decidedly modern desktop. “We teased that she was a ‘gamer,’ but it made her life easier,” Doug shares with a smile, reflecting on how the sooner his mother finished her work, the sooner she could enjoy playing games on the computer.

Navigating Transition and Loss
Since its establishment in 1965, Grotegut Dairy Farm has gone through significant transitions. Doug’s parents laid the foundation and paved the way for future growth and success. However, Doug shared that the last seven years have been particularly transformative and challenging. During this period, he experienced the devastating loss of his brother and both parents. These personal losses have profoundly impacted Doug and the trajectory of the family farm. “We have a strong work ethic,” he shares on what keeps them going. “We go out every day and make sure the cows are taken care of, also take care of the employees that take care of the cows, and everything else falls in line. And we give thanks to the good Lord, too.” Despite the hardships that have unfolded, Grotegut Dairy Farm remains under family management. Today, Doug runs the farm alongside his nephew, Eric, and Eric’s wife, Rosario. Both of Doug’s sons, Kip, 26, and Gavin, 22, are also intricately involved in the day-to-day operations. This Wisconsin dairy farm stands as a beacon of resilience and innovation, blending the comforts of tradition with the promises of technology. Together, this family continues to honor the legacy of those that are no longer with them, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in dairy farming.

State-of-the-Art Dairy Management
After touring North Florida Holsteins in the 90s, the Groteguts were one of the first parlors that had digital readouts and individual cow reports. “That data could help us better manage the cows. It also was the first form of automated heat detection,” Doug says, noting that both his late parents were ahead of their times and leaned into anything that could make their life on the dairy easier. Today, one visit to the Newton, Wis., farm and it is visible to see how they have seamlessly integrated data-driven technologies to ensure optimal efficiency and minimal environmental impact. Key systems include Ever.Ag’s Feed King and Cainthus, which collectively help in streamlining feed management and monitoring animal welfare through advanced imaging technology. By leveraging these tools, the farm optimally balances nutrition and health for their herd. Grotegut Dairy has also adopted the Maternity Warden, a sophisticated tool that assists in managing and monitoring the maternity phase, ensuring each milestone is tracked and attended to with precision. “The newest cameras watch for cows raising their tails,” Doug explains, which indicates calving is beginning to happen. Eric and Rosario work with their team of 50-plus employees to oversee the cameras and understand what the data is telling them. With My Dairy Dashboard, Grotegut Dairy receives unparalleled visibility into the health and productivity of the herd. This platform provides a comprehensive overview, presenting stakeholders with the data necessary to make informed decisions that drive both productivity and sustainability. “Eric and Rosario and the team monitor these reports,” Doug notes, sharing that incorporating these kinds of technologies is all about being more consistent day in and day out at Grotegut Dairy. “Cows like routine,” he says. “As soon as a piece of the puzzle is lost, like if feeds not pushed up at the right time is a loss in milk production.”

Logistics and Partnerships
In 2008, Grotegut Dairy put in a methane anaerobic digester, which decomposes the manure into a gaseous biogas product. “At that time, we were able to sell that electricity back on the grid, which worked well,” Doug shared. In 2010, they expanded their dairy and put in a second digester, which continued to produce electricity for another five years. The Groteguts then had the opportunity to partner with DTE Biomass Energy, which is a Detroit-based energy company, and Rev LNG, LLC, which is a pioneer in the liquid natural gas solutions market. There was a carbon credit offset when the gas produced from the methane digester was used in a methane engine/generator. The digester was taking methane out of the atmosphere, but it still resulted in an emission in the form of exhaust. The new way is even more sustainable. By doing it this way, the gas goes into a pipeline, and for instance, that molecule of gas can go all the way to California to fuel vehicles like a compressed natural gas (CNG) semi-truck. “This method is actually pulling a diesel semi off the road in favor of a CNG semi,” Doug said. “As a result, the offset is worth about ten times as much as a regular carbon offset - depending on the market - because we’re pulling diesel fuel emissions off the road and replacing them with vehicles running renewable energy.” The process works well for Grotegut Dairy, so they’re able to concentrate on their area of expertise, and their partners can work on their area of interest. “It is about sustainability and the environment, too,” Doug adds. “We are trying to do right for the community that we live in.”

Community Commitment
Beyond technology, Grotegut Dairy is dedicated to enriching the dairy industry by actively being a community leader. Their initiatives aim to create more inclusive opportunities and educate future generations about sustainable farming practices. They partner with Wisconsin Discovery Center opening their farm to the public, like when they hosted Breakfast on the Farm in 2022. “It is good to show the community what we do and why,” he says, sharing that the farm is in the process of donating some land to build a new firehouse for the community. “It is all about treating people the way you want to be treated,” he says. “It is important to show respect to your community and those volunteering, like the fire department. The guys are volunteering their time to help the community.” Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin CEO, Chad Vincet, gives credit to Doug and all that Grotegut Dairy has done to connect with their community. “His commitment to transparency is evident through the farm’s partnership with the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center,” he says. “Each year, the farm hosts tours with individuals from across the globe. Doug Grotegut’s dedication to his community and Wisconsin dairy is exemplary.” Indeed, Grotegut Dairy Farm stands out not only for its scale but for its visionary approach to dairy farming. By integrating cutting-edge technology with traditional farming values, they ensure sustainable practices that protect and enhance both the environment and their community—truly embodying a forward-thinking commitment to the future of dairy production.

Your Next Read:
Four Key Insights from the 2024 Farm Journal State of the Dairy Industry Report

The Ultimate Gift: Dairy Farmer Becomes Lifesaving Hero by Donating Both His Liver and Kidney

Tue, 24 Dec 2024 14:51:44 GMT

When one thinks of a dairy farmer, the image often conjured is that of a hardworking individual, dedicated to the care of their cattle and land. Brian Forrest, who leads with a kind-hearted and giving spirit at his family farm, Maple Ridge Dairy near Stratford, Wisconsin, epitomizes this image and so much more.

Forrest works tirelessly alongside his wife, Elaine, and their five children, tending to roughly 2,000 cows and farming 4,000 acres. Although farming is undeniably a demanding job, Forrest thrives on the mixture of hard work and familial teamwork it entails.

Leadership Beyond Farming
Away from the hustle and bustle of farming, Forrest dedicates his time in boardrooms and volunteering on various committees and organizations. His contributions as a leader have not gone unnoticed as he was awarded the Dean Strauss Leadership Award at the Professional Dairy Producers (PDP) Annual Meeting earlier this year.

“Ask anyone who knows Brian and they’ll tell you he’d give you the shirt off his back without blinking, as his track record clearly shows,” Shelly Mayer, Executive Director of PDP, shares. “I’ve had the opportunity to work directly with Brian for several years and I can say firsthand that he is one of the most thoughtful, compassionate people one could ever hope to work with.”

Maple Ridge has earned recognition on state and national levels, including Focus on Energy’s 2022 Energy Efficiency Excellence Award and platinum-level recognition in 2020 from the National Mastitis Council for the dairy’s consistently low Somatic Cell Count. Forrest was also named a 2021 Wisconsin Agriculturist Master Agriculturist. Forrest serves as Board Chair of Dairy’s Foundation and also served on the PDP board of directors for six years, acting as treasurer for three years. He’s an FFA alumnus and regularly supports the FFA.

A Selfless Donor
Forrest’s generosity extends beyond his time and expertise. In July 2019, he served as a living liver donor for his cousin Richard Gillette, who was battling end-stage liver disease.

“Richard is one of five brothers who I had always looked up to when I was a kid,” Forrest fondly recalls. “When they were young, all five of them came up from Illinois during the summer to help out on my dad’s farm in Stratford.”

Two of the five brothers died in their 50s - and Forrest didn’t want to see a third Gillette brother die before his time. And, as sick as Richard was in the spring of 2019, he was unlikely to receive a new liver from a deceased donor in time to save his life. Too many patients were ahead of him on the transplant list - and most of them were even sicker. Forrest offered to see if he could be a match.

“I thought maybe I could be a donor. I’m older, but I have O-negative blood.” After discussing it with his wife and giving it careful thought, he decided to go through with the donation.

A football fan at heart, Forrest knows that when it’s game day, rivalries don’t matter. Or least this was the case for the fourth-generation dairy farmer.

“He’s a Bears fan. I’m a Packer fan. But we were united the morning that we both met with our incredible surgeons,” Forrest remembers back to the day of live transplant at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Medical Hospital. We joked together right before the surgery that after he gets part of my liver, he very well may come out a Packers fan! He beamingly shares that his cousin recovered well. “It was a tough road for a while, but it was all worthwhile.”

Four years later, Forrest donated a kidney to an anonymous recipient, demonstrating his willingness to help those in need yet again.

The kidney he donated went to a person in Virginia. The surgeon showed Forrest a picture of his kidney functioning perfectly inside the recipient the evening after his surgery.

“It was pink inside the recipient and doing its job,” Forrest shared emotionally. “It is all so remarkable.”

Both surgeries required others to pick up the ‘slack’ from Forrest back at the dairy. He proudly shares that he is lucky to have such a great village that could help out while he took 6-8 weeks to fully recover from both surgeries.

“I would do this again in a heartbeat,” he shares. “There is no price tag for giving someone life and the whole experience brought my family closer together.”

A Farmer’s Faith
Forrest says the feeling of helping someone else is hard to describe but incredibly fulfilling.

“I know God is driving the way,” he says. “I’m not sure what direction we are heading, but I know he is in the driver’s seat and I’m in the backseat.”

When it comes to farming, Forrest—like most farmers—believes in a better tomorrow. Before his surgeries, Forrest had to undergo a mental health evaluation, ensuring he was prepared for all eventualities, even the possibility of the surgery not resulting in success.

“I go back to the highs and lows of farming. With milk prices and Mother Nature, you must be okay with not being in control,” he says.

Forrest’s mindset of focusing on what can go right instead of what could go wrong is just his natural way of thinking. This positive attitude has helped foster a healthy and positive culture at Maple Ridge Dairy, where 34 full-time employees work in harmony.

“Our mission and values are communicated, and we all work towards the same goal,” he shares.

In an industry full of challenges and unpredictability, this Wisconsin dairy farmer stands out not just for his farming practices but for his exemplary character and unwavering optimism. Whether on the farm, in the operating room, or during acts of heroism, Forrest truly embodies a spirit of selflessness and resilience.

“I try to make more deposits than withdrawals,” he says. “There are good days and bad days, but we really need to focus on the good. My hopes are that others who hear my story also consider organ donation. UW Madison is an incredible resource and I’d be happy to talk to anyone whose heart has tugged on them regarding organ donation. I have no regrets.”

How a Wisconsin Dairy Farmer Built a Social Media Following By Connecting Ag to Consumers

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 21:33:56 GMT

As row crop producers continue to struggle with low commodity prices and rising input costs, life in the dairy world is taking a turn for the better. As co-host Tyne Morgan states on the latest episode of the Unscripted podcast , “Dairy is back, baby!” The episode is the first live production of the podcast, which was done at this week’s MILK Business Conference at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas.

Newly released USDA data shows in 2023 America’s dairy consumption returned to 1950s levels at 661 lb. per person. Record-breaking cheese consumption and increases in butter, cottage cheese and yogurt sales have all helped add to domestic demand, putting smiles on the faces of dairy producers.

“Cottage cheese is having a moment,” guest Annaliese Wegner tells Morgan and co-host Clinton Griffiths on the podcast. Better known on social media as Modern Day Farm Chick, Wegner and her husband, Tom, attended the conference and made time for a special appearance on Unscripted. With 63,000 followers on Instagram and 148,000 on Facebook, Wegner is a leading social media influencer for the agriculture industry. While humor is a big part of her appeal, she was inspired more by anger to begin posting online, initially through a blog.

“More and more of my friends on Facebook were sharing things about agriculture that weren’t true and it made my blood boil,” she recalls. “When I first started, my goal was to bust myths and share facts, to talk about what modern day farming is.” She soon realized that a softer approach was a better way to achieve her goal. Shifting her focus to posts about daily life on the family farm as well as about her hobbies, interests and raising twins, she found a growing audience. “You build connections,” she says. “You build trust. So when I do talk about farming, they believe what I say.”

Bridging the gap between ag producers and consumers remains a cornerstone of her social media efforts. As for the often humorous tone of her posts, she says it comes naturally. “Life is funny,” she says. “Farming is funny. Do we want to get angry about it and let it ruin our day or do we want to laugh about it and move on?”

For ag producers interested in creating their own social media presence, Wegner advises, “Don’t overthink it. Don’t try to make it the perfect post. People just want to see you and what you do in your life and on your farm. They just want to relate to another person.”

Watch the episode of Unscripted

Leap of Faith As Farmer Miraculously Escapes Burning Chopper

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 21:30:06 GMT

Burn in fire or die by electrocution? Stranded on the catwalk of a corn chopper engulfed in flames and wrapped in the deafening hum of 140,000 volts, J.P. Koop leaped into a crackling halo of current. Crashing into a smoking row of freshly cut stalks on super-heated ground, Koop’s body went to jelly on impact, electricity surging through his limbs. On hands and knees, the Michigan farmer made the crawl of his life—a bid to escape a deathtrap.

His incredible survival has no room for chance, Koop insists. Five hours prior, his crew sought protection: “We prayed for safety. We asked God to watch over us with full expectation that He’d meet our genuine need. That’s exactly what happened and I’m here to bear witness because there is no other explanation.”

Walk The Wire

On a Thursday morning, Sept. 12, 2024, Lucky 7 Dairy, helmed by Koop, approached harvest kickoff: corn was ready. Featuring 3,000 acres of light, fertile soil and 2,000 Holsteins set in the hilly topography of upper Michigan’s Missaukee County, Lucky 7 prepared for an ideal day of fieldwork: bright and breezy, low humidity, and a high expected in the upper 70s.

Just before tucking into a homemade breakfast, roughly 14 members of the harvest team—truck and tractor operators—gathered beside the Lucky 7 shop for a safety meeting and final emphasis on awareness. At the conclusion, Koop asked neighboring farmer Mike Bosscher to lead a safety prayer.

At the touch of chute to power line, 140,000 volts welded metal on metal and ignited a hail of sparks.

(Photo by Lucky 7 Dairy)

“We bowed our heads and Mike prayed in a sincere manner for God’s hand to be over all of us,” Koop recalls. “We asked in full expectation and we meant every word.”

A relative newcomer (six years) to the dairy industry after a lifetime spent around machinery as a long-hauling veteran and a 130-truck business carrying produce between California and Michigan, Koop had never experienced a major accident. He was about to walk a wire.

Ride Lightning

In work boots and Wranglers, Koop, 58, climbed the ladder of a forage harvester crowned by a distinctive, arched chute, and drove toward 80 acres of green corn to start the field opening process and cut enough space to ensure loading trucks had room to receive silage.

On its northern side, the field was rimmed by a main road and parallel power line suspended roughly 14’ high. “Every field is different,” Koop says, “but most everyone deals with frequent power poles and power lines, whether on the side or even in the middle of a field. You’ve got to stay alert to exactly where they’re at, but on this day, I reacted too late.”

“There was no rotating or getting away,” describes Koop. “I spun around and saw the chute sparking, and the heat just made it stick to the wire even more.”

(Photo by Lucky 7 Dairy)

Rolling at 5 miles per hour, Koop completed an outer pass of the field, and began a second revolution, with the power line directly to his left, and operator Denny Kamphouse driving a tractor and wagon to his right.

Koop’s two-way crackled: “Hey, you’re getting close to that line,” Kamphouse warned.

At roughly 16’ in the air alongside the low-lying power line, Koop’s chute bobbed like a crow’s nest. He tried to adjust. Too late.

Time to ride lightning.

Volts or Flames?

Supernova. At the touch of chute to power line, 140,000 volts welded metal on metal and ignited a hail of sparks, blowing the chute’s hydraulic cylinder and igniting the chopper tires.

“I should have died,” emphasizes Koop. “Cracking. Popping. Booming. Buzzing. The chopper was gone, burnt up.”

(Photo by Lucky 7 Dairy)

“There was no rotating or getting away. I spun around and saw the chute sparking, and the heat just made it stick to the wire even more.”

Koop shut off the chopper and took stock, his ears drowning under an overwhelming hum of surging electricity.

Seconds. Flashes. Family. Decisions. Calculations. Questions. Risk a step onto the steel catwalk? Dare to remain in the cab? Descend the ladder? Wait for the power line to short out?

As the back tires blew and the chopper rocked, Koop opened the cab door to his left and scrambled onto the platform, enveloped by smoke and the heat of expanding flames. “I didn’t know where to go or what to do, but I knew once those back rims were touching the ground, I’d be electrocuted. Think. Think. Think. Seconds were going by as I stood there and tried to gather my options. It was a major power line so it had no breaker and wasn’t going out. Also, I couldn’t go down the steps because sparks were flying out of them.”

Remains of a flames—Koop’s burnt-out YETI cup.

(Photo by Lucky 7 Dairy)

Looking down, Koop stared at cut corn rows belching smoke from pulsing current. Looking behind, Koop eyeballed a silage harvester in meltdown. Volts to the front; flames to the back.

Koop made his choice. He didn’t want to burn.

Dead Man Walking

In a frozen moment beyond the incessant buzzing and mounting heat, Koop found clarity. “Images were flashing across my mind and heart, but all of a sudden, in the middle of all that chaos, I hung on one clear thought. If I died, and no matter how I died, I knew where I was going because Jesus saved me from my sins and had given me the grace to stand before God.”

“That split second recognition came in a freeze frame that settled everything and took away my fear. I’ll jump. I’ll push out as far as my body will let me and maybe get far enough away from the current’s ripple effect to survive.”

“I’m blessed with my wife, Suzanne, who took such good care of me,” says Koop. “I have seven wonderful kids. I have a story to tell about how God protected me.”

(Photo by Lucky 7 Dairy)

Koop climbed on the handrail, balanced on the metal bar almost 10’ high, bent his legs, and pushed off with the kick of every muscle fiber in his 58-year-old body.

“I hit the ground, fell forward, and felt my body getting electrified. I couldn’t stand up or control my legs, but I could move on 100% adrenaline and I started crawling, trying to get out of the ripple effect before it killed me. It was such a weird sensation to feel the current blowing through me. I could feel it especially in my hands and knees, but it wasn’t painful.”

Roughly 20’ later, Koop crawled out of the ripples to safety. He stood up, ran around the chopper to get away from the power lines, and collapsed in an adjacent ditch, from where he was carried by Lucky 7 crew members to a neighbor’s yard.

No wounds or burns from electricity or flames. Miraculous, Koop insists. “I should have died. Cracking. Popping. Booming. Buzzing. The chopper was gone, burnt up. All the liquids superheated. All the aluminum melted and pooled on the ground. The cab exploded and blew glass everywhere. Tires gone. Steel was the only thing left behind.”

With a heart rate pumping off the charts and a heel sore from the jump impact, Koop was taken to a hospital. “The power company guys wanted to meet me before we left. They said they’d never seen anyone walk away from this kind of accident.”

“We prayed for safety,” says Koop. “We asked God to watch over us with full expectation that He’d meet our genuine need.”

(Photo by Lucky 7 Dairy)

Four hours after arriving, Koop was released from the hospital. He used the next day to rest and ease muscles sore from intense flexing during voltage conductivity. Two days after tapping 140,000 volts, he was back in a chopper (Thursday to Saturday).

Lucky 7 notwithstanding, Koop does not believe in luck. “There was nothing random about my survival. If chance was involved, I’d be a dead man right now.”

The Witness

Koop’s near-death accident has elevated safety concerns to the top rung of daily farm activity. “See something, speak up, and question it, regardless of your role. We all feel the fragility of life on a farm, and my mistake has increased our awareness to the highest level where it has to stay. I can say it simply, ‘I now know where all power lines are at all times.’”

Koop attributes his survival to Providence: “I’m here to bear witness because there is no other explanation.”

(Photo by Lucky 7 Dairy)

Why was Koop spared?

“I only know I’m supposed to bear witness. For the rest of my life, I’ll use this to talk about God’s Providence,” he adds. “I’m blessed with my wife, Suzanne, who took such good care of me. I have seven wonderful kids. I have a story to tell about how God protected me.”

For more from Chris Bennett (@ChrisBennettMS or cbennett@farmjournal.com or 662-592-1106), see:

Corn and Cocaine: Roger Reaves and the Most Incredible Farm Story Never Told

Cottonmouth Farmer: The Insane Tale of a Buck-Wild Scheme to Corner the Snake Venom Market

Bagging the Tomato King: The Insane Hunt for Agriculture’s Wildest Con Man

Ghost in the House: A Forgotten American Farming Tragedy

Priceless Pistol Found After Decades Lost in Farmhouse Attic

Bizarre Mystery of Mummified Coon Dog Solved After 40 Years

American Gothic: Farm Couple Nailed In Massive $9M Crop Insurance Fraud

Evil Grain: The Wild Tale of History’s Biggest Crop Insurance Scam

Fleecing the Farm: How a Fake Crop Fueled a Bizarre $25 Million Ag Scam

The Arrowhead Whisperer: Stunning Indian Artifact Collection Found on Farmland

Skeleton In the Walls: Mysterious Arkansas Farmhouse Hides Civil War History

Sharing Knowledge and Technology Access Support a Resilient Dairy in Kenya

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 19:10:00 GMT

By Willy Kirwa: Eldoret, Kenya

When I saw milk in the desert, I knew I had to become a better dairy farmer.

I journeyed to Israel, a dry but rich and productive land, that would seem to have no business producing as much milk as it does.

Yet Israel’s milk production is quite high, thanks to the hard work and innovation of its farmers.

Seeing their success made me want to do better on my own farm in Kenya. I had started just a few years earlier, in 2005, raising a single cow plus planting maize and wheat. The example of the Israelis taught me that if I improved my practices, I could grow my herd and improve its productivity and profitability—and become one of the best dairy farmers in my region.

Today, I own 53 cows, employ four people, and run a training center. Today I still plant maize for silage and wheat for selling, but dairy farming is my main occupation. We deliver our milk to schools, hotels, and banks.

I’ve learned about starting small and dreaming big—and I’ve also learned about the importance of resilience, sharing ideas, and access to technology.

My parents were free-range farmers. Growing up, I was reluctant to follow them into agriculture. Production was low and I didn’t see a future in it. As I observed other farms, however, I began to understand that I had choices, and that different approaches might lead to better results.

Dairy farming held a special appeal because a farmer can milk cows in the morning and in the afternoon and get paid each day, upon delivery of fresh milk. I preferred this to crop farming, which requires waiting through a whole season before payment.

My visit to Israel was a revelation. It also demonstrated the value of knowledge transfer—the idea that when farmers learn from other farmers, they can borrow and adapt methods and concepts and improve their own performance.

Today, that often means the adoption of new technologies, which help farmers save time, boost production, and improve profitability.

On our farm, we use a milking machine, which can milk four cows at once and finish the job in seven minutes. That means we are saving time and reducing labor costs. That is a savings that we can pass on to consumers even as it helps our own bottom line.

Technology also allows us to use the heat of the sun to keep our milk cold for up to 5 days. The source of this delightful paradox is one of my favorite tools on the farm: a solar-powered milk cooler . I got the idea from the United States—another example of international knowledge transfer—and I’m grateful for it each time I see my electricity bill, which is much lower than it would be without this device.

Other technologies on the farm include machinery, such as a forage harvester that cuts corn to the right size as we prepare silage, and a feed mixer that rations food for dairy cows in a way that increases their milk production. We also use artificial insemination for breeding, which is more efficient than bringing a bull to the farm and leads to higher-quality cows. We sell our heifers to fellow farmers in Kenya and also export them to neighboring countries.

The government of Kenya has been supportive as it tries to spread technology through education delivered by its county governments and extension programs at colleges and universities that demonstrate the latest technologies. Kenya has slowly accepted GM crop technology, but it should embrace them more swiftly so that farmers can grow more food with the best seeds, which are readily available in much of the developed world.

Another source of income is our Willens Practical Training Center, where we share our expertise with other farmers as they work hard to improve their productivity and profits.

As we teach, I’m reminded of my own experience in Israel. Yet I’ve also discovered that I can gain as much from my students as they can gain from me. These visitors to my farm sometimes see something that I haven’t noticed and suggest an improvement that makes me a better farmer.

That’s one of the joys of knowledge transfer: It often flows both ways.

The basics of farming are not hard—but agriculture nevertheless is full of challenges, from beating pests and diseases to confronting climate change. It also requires a good work ethic.

When farmers enjoy both access to technology and the ability to exchange ideas, however, they can work wonders, and even produce milk in a desert.

Willy Kirwa is a dairy farmer in Eldoret, Kenya, focused on sharing his knowledge with other farmers through the Willens PDTC (Practical Dairy Training Center). Willens Dairy welcomes visitors from schools, extension, researchers and government officials. Willy Kriwa is a member of the Global Farmer Network. www.globalfarmernetwork.org

Keep Milk Warm Before You Feed It

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 20:33:11 GMT

In winter, it’s important—even critical—to keep milk at 100 to 105°F when feeding it to young calves to maintain their body temperatures and conserve energy, says Ann Hoskins, a calf products coordinator for Vita Plus.

“Consistency is also important, and if you live in an area where the temperature constantly fluctuates, you must adjust your protocols accordingly,” she says.

Also consider where you store milk replacer. If it’s in an unheated room, simply adding cold milk replacer powder to water can drastically reduce the temperature of the mix. Ditto for mixing and feeding equipment.

She offers these 7 tips to keep milk and milk replacer warm before calves consume it:

• Use an insulated tank to store prepared milk replacer as you transport it and disburse it to calves.

• Wrap the tank and/or bottles in a sleeping bag prior to distribution.

• Use spray foam on the distribution tank to insulate it.

• If you are feeding a lot of calves, mix multiple batches.

• Use lids on pails to retain heat.

• If feeding in bottles, build an insulated storage box out of Styrofoam or wood while transporting the milk to calves.

• Consider placing bottles in a warm water bath during transport, although this can be wet and uncomfortable for calf feeders as they distribute bottles.

Finally, Hoskins recommends taking temperatures during the mixing and feeding process to ensure temps stay within range. “Make sure the last calf’s milk temperature still falls between 100 and 105°F,” she says. “Always feed youngest to oldest to make sure the youngest calves get the warmest milk.”

For more on keeping milk warm, click here .