Lifelong investment in youth honored

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 Northfield, 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 selfless. … 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. “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.”

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 firsthand 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 Northfield, which was officially 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 specifics 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.”