A day in the life of the Elsbernds

RIDGEWAY, Iowa — Aug. 12 brought a rare occurrence to the Elsbernd family as two vacations occurred simultaneously, leaving the matriarch of the farm, Patty Elsbernd, taking care of the farm and being what she describes as “large and in charge.”

The Elsbernds — Jay and his wife, Leslie, and their four children — farm with Jay’s parents, Steve and Patty, near Ridgeway. The Elsbernds milk approximately 160 Holstein and Jersey cows and farm 600 acres between three farm acreages.

Jay and his family were on a 5-day vacation in Minnesota to the Twin Cities and Duluth.

“I am so glad (Jay) went,” Patty said. “You need to get away.”

Steve was on a 3-day tractor drive near Viroqua, Wisconsin.

“I like driving around Wisconsin,” Steve said. “It’s a really interesting state, and it’s fun talking to people who come from farther away and see how the crops are.”

On a normal day at the dairy, Jay would be out milking cows and overall managing the dairy. Jay is also a hoof trimmer and was formerly a veterinarian in Wisconsin. Steve focuses on feeding and crops, while Patty milks and feeds calves. Part-time employees fill in the gaps.

On Aug. 12, Patty started her day as she normally would, milking cows at 4 a.m. in the parlor. Working beside her was Mary Conway, a new employee for the Elsbernds who likes to get hours in early before her job at a local bank. Conway is saving for college.

“She has a goal of making so much cash, and I have a goal of having my son and husband go on a little vacation,” Patty said. “(It’s) a win-win situation.”

By 6 a.m., Patty was doing her first stint of calf feeding, taking bucket milk out to the calf hutches while Conway continued milking.

“I like being around the young people,” Patty said. “They’ve got energy and enthusiasm, and they’re good people. … If I’m around people my age, I’m not as (energetic).”

By 7:30 Pattie and Conway had wrapped up milking and Conway left to get ready for her other job while Patty cleaned up the parlor.

Over in Viroqua, Steve’s day began with a driver’s meeting for the Rivers and Bluffs Classic Tractor Club’s drive. By 7:30, 41 tractors were getting on the road.

Steve was driving his 49-year-old International Harvester Hydro 100.

“I don’t really consider that an antique, but there are quite a few tractors that were built in the ‘50s that are on the ride,” Steve said. “They keep … that series of tractors alive.”

Back on the farm, Jason Malven had arrived to feed heifers and cows. Malven will have been a part-time employee for 10 years in September. He grew up on a dairy farm, helps his parents on their former dairy farm, and farms 170 rented acres for himself.

That morning Malven and his dad had started their chores early so Malven could go out earlier to the Elsbernd farm. He spent part of his morning feeding heifers, bedding, and mixing and running off total mixed ration.

When Patty was done with chores, it was back to the house for breakfast and a shower.

At 10 a.m., out on a separate property, Aaron Malven, Jason’s brother, was rolling fence to give the heifers their daily section of pasture. Jay likes to do rotational grazing when he can. Aaron would also be Patty’s milking helper one of the evenings Jay was on vacation.

Out on the tractor drive, Steve was on a cheese and ice cream break at an Amish-owned rural store and creamery.

Over the course of the day, the drive went through a large Amish community.

“It was really interesting,” Steve said.

There were close to 60 people on the drive. Some of the tractors had wide enough seats for a couple to sit side by side. Others had a bucket seat mounted on the 3-point hitch where one or two people could sit. Steve said none of the tractors had cabs, but some had umbrellas or canopies.

At noon, the drivers stopped in Rockton, Wisconsin, and ate at a local restaurant.

Steve goes on several tractor drives each year and makes the club’s multi-day August drive every year.

Back in Iowa, Patty spent several hours at noon at the salon getting her hair touched up for her niece’s wedding that weekend. Her niece had spent many days out on the farm while Patty watched her and her siblings.

Patty continues to help with childcare by taking Jay and Leslie’s kids to swimming lessons or going to their T-ball games.

“I have a few (aches and pains), but they’re not as important as a swim lesson,” Patty said. “You get your energy from young people.”

In the afternoon Patty blanched and froze three canners’ worth of sweet corn. Right before chores, a new washing machine for the milking towels was delivered.

At 3:30 p.m., Patty started evening chores. This time, her milking helpers were an area youth, Mackenzi Maxwell, and her dairy farming cousin from Minnesota.

“One good thing about what I do is I get to work with young people,” Patty said. “Any young person who milks, there’s something a little special about them.”

By 8 p.m., Patty was wrapping up chores. She spent time petting the dog before going to bed early.

Steve was done with the first day of the tractor drive around 5 p.m. The evening was spent going to a local restaurant before heading to bed to get rest for the 82-mile ride the next day and the 58-mile ride the following day.

“It was really nice to get away,” Steve said.