From our side of the fence

Molly Norling (pictured with her husband, Ted, and their children, Ava, Grace and Will)

Beresford,

South

Dakota

Lincoln County

100 cows

What are you thankful for, farm wise and family wise? I’m thankful to raise our kids on a small dairy farm, where they can have all the experiences like helping with chores, driving a tractor, riding dirt bikes, playing in the hay loft, calving cows and picking eggs.

On a daily basis from the farm, what are you thankful for? I’m thankful for all the little things I hope I never take for granted: the smell of fresh total mixed ration, the sound of cows chewing cud, frost on the barbed wire fence, a new calf and listening to my kids tell a “farm-life” story.

What are some lessons that your parents taught you that you are thankful for? Both of my parents taught me a hard work ethic and patience. They are both still working, now in their 70s, and I am thankful for all the lessons they taught me on and off the farm.

In your career as a dairy farmer, what is one decision you are grateful to have made? My husband is the dairy farmer, and the best decision I made was to become the dairy farmer's wife.

What three essentials can you find on your Thanksgiving plate? Only three? All of it, especially the turkey, potatoes and stuffing. And, of course, there has to be cranberries, corn casserole, green beans, dinner rolls and all the pie.

Tell us about your farm. My husband, Ted, and his dad and brother together milk 100 cows, raise youngstock and farm 600 acres. Ted and I have three children: Grace, a freshman at Montana State University; Ava, a junior in high school; and Will, in eighth grade.

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Robert Christofferson (pictured with his wife, Lori)

CB Dairy LLC

Kimball, Minnesota

Meeker County

60 cows

What are you thankful for, farm wise and family wise? I am thankful for the land my grandfather purchased in 1920, as well as for my grandfather and dad purchasing more land and continuing to farm the land and milk cows. I am thankful for my daughter and her family continuing on with farming and milking.

On a daily basis from the farm, what are you thankful for? I am thankful for semi-retirement, leaving the day-to-day of milking cows to the next generation. I enjoy helping them out with fieldwork when asked.

What are some lessons your parents taught you that you are thankful for? Work hard and repair and fix things as much as you can.

In your career as a dairy farmer, what is one decision you are grateful to have made? To stay at home and farm with my dad and, later, with my brother. We made additions to the farm, like adding more cow stalls, building silos for feed, improving our feedlot and buying a total mixed ration mixer.

What three essentials can you find on your Thanksgiving plate? Turkey, stuffing and green bean casserole.

Tell us about your farm. We are a fourth-generation dairy farm, located in Kingston Township in Meeker County, Minnesota. After my brother’s death in 2023, we changed from a partnership to an LLC. My sister-in-law, Sue Christofferson, my daughter, Amy, and I are members of the LLC. My wife, Lori, does the bookwork and gives moral support when needed. Amy’s husband, Justin Blunt, is also involved in the operation. My grandchildren, Alexis and Jonathan, the fifth generation, are working and learning how to farm.

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David and Joni Smude

Green LineFarms LLC

Lastrup, Minnesota

Morrison County

73 cows

What are you thankful for, farm wise and family wise? Farm wise, we are thankful to be able to continue farming the land which has been in the Smude family name for over 100 years.

Family wise, we are working alongside our kids every day, spending time with them and teaching them hard work and responsibility. We are also thankful for our parents who live close by, so we get to spend a lot of time around them and enjoy being with them, learning many life lessons.

On a daily basis from the farm, what are you thankful for? We are thankful for our kids getting up before school, doing chores after school and helping wherever they can. We are very proud of everything they can do around the farm.

What are some lessons your parents taught you that you are thankful for? There have been so many lessons over the years. Both of our parents set the bar high with their strong work ethic. Some of our favorite sayings are: Work always comes before play, don't let your parents outwork you and, like it or not, the work has to get done.

In your career as a dairy farmer, what is one decision you are grateful to have made? Being able to stay home and farm the land has been rewarding.

What three essentials can you find on your Thanksgiving plate? Pumpkin pie, ham and stuffing.

Tell us about your farm. We milk 73 cows, raise 50 beef cows and plant 300 acres of corn, 150 acres of beans, 100 acres of alfalfa-grass hay and 50 acres of small grains.

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Becky Friese (pictured with her husbad, David, and grandson, Harvey)

Wanamingo, Minnesota

Goodhue County

80 cows

What are you thankful for, farm wise and family wise? I am thankful for being able to stay as a small family farm in this world where they seem to be trying to push us out of business. Not too many of us are left, and I am thankful the Lord is providing for us to carry it on to the next generation. I am thankful our family enjoys working together every day in good days and in bad days, no matter how long the “everything that can go bad day” lasts.

On a daily basis from the farm, what are you thankful for? To be able to work as a family on our farm we all love so passionately. I love watching a baby heifer develop into a beautiful cow and be able to carry on the generations of good quality cattle we have raised.

What are some lessons your parents taught you that you are thankful for? Our parents taught us to work hard for the dairy farm we want to continue on for generations, to treat others with respect and honesty and to welcome others to your barn and home like Christ did.

In your career as a dairy farmer, what is one decision you are grateful to have made? We decided to build a new tiestall barn in 2006 and just drew on paper what we all wanted in it. We saw many things we liked in other friends’ barns and put together what we thought would be the ideal barn: tunnel ventilation, wide stall for larger cows, the ability to drive a skid loader down every lane, vinyl interior like a car wash to be able to pressure wash off all walls and the ceiling, cow mats for comfort, mats under where we walk for our legs and backs and a glass window from the office looking into the milking barn, thanks to Elmer Howe.

What three essentials can you find on your Thanksgiving plate? Stuffing, green bean casserole and pumpkin pie.

Tell us about your farm. Rodash-View Holsteins is run by my husband, David, me, and two of our sons, Josh and Marshall. We farm about 500 acres of corn, soybeans and alfalfa and milk 80 registered Holsteins and a few Jerseys. We ship our milk to Plainview Milk Products Cooperative and do custom hay baling and wrapping. We also raise about 16 registered Boer goats.

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Philip and Stacey Rotz

Pelican Rapids, Minnesota

Ottertail County

68 cows

What are you thankful for, farm wise and family wise? Farm wise, we are thankful for the weather we had this past year; we got rain when we needed it, and it made for a very good crop season. Family wise, we are thankful for our four wonderful children — William, Wesley, Molly and Walter — and that everyone is happy and healthy.

On a daily basis from the farm, what are you thankful for? We are thankful for many things: working with our family, working with nature, healthy animals and the independence and variety of work that comes with farming.

What are some lessons that your parents taught you that you are thankful for? A person is never done learning. There is always something more to learn, whether it is new technology, how to do things better or more efficiently or simply make life easier. My dad has always told us to focus on being better before getting bigger. Too many farms get bigger and should be just focusing on doing a good job with what they already have.

In your career as a dairy farmer, what is one decision you are grateful to have made? Switching to balage instead of dry hay. We used to spend most of the summer baling hay —small squares and round bales. We would bale late at night or early in the morning, trying to make good hay. Now, you can cut it one day and bale it the next day and wrap it, and you have good, high-quality feed every time.

What three essentials can you find on your Thanksgiving plate? Philip: Turkey, stuffing and sweet potatoes. Stacey: Turkey-dark meat, mashed potatoes with gravy and lefse.

Tell us about your farm. Our farm was started in 1972 by Philip’s parents, Les and Nancy Rotz. We also farm with Philip’s brother, Paul, and his wife, Carolin, and their four children. We milk 68 organic cows with one DeLaval robot. We farm 500 acres of organic farmland consisting of corn alfalfa, soybeans, rye and oats.

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Catherine Johnson (pictured with her family, Easton (front, from left) and Holt; (back) Hans holding Colbie)

Star Prairie,

Wisconsin

Polk County

300 cows

What are you thankful for, farm wise and family wise? I am thankful for the ability to raise my kids on a dairy farm and to have a great support system and family to work with. I am also thankful for our health, especially after my husband battled cancer about 10 years ago and is now cancer free.

On a daily basis from the farm, what are you thankful for? On a daily basis, I am thankful for hardworking employees and co-workers who are very dependable and willing to help with anything, especially so we can take turns attending our kids' events and being present with our family. I am also thankful for the opportunity to enjoy the weather and work outside every day. I am grateful to have many friends close by who are also dairy farmers, who understand the lifestyle and are always there for support.

What are some lessons that your parents taught you that you are thankful for? I am thankful my parents and my in-laws taught us family values, patience, understanding and respect for the animals and the land.

In your career as a dairy farmer, what is one decision you are grateful to have made? In my career as a dairy farmer, I am grateful my husband and I took the leap of faith in expanding into the custom harvesting business to help us diversify our business and allow our family to have different avenues of income.

What three essentials can you find on your Thanksgiving plate? Three essentials on my Thanksgiving plate are squash, corn and sherbet ice cream in the punch.

Tell us about your farm. My husband, Hans, and I, along with our three kids — Easton, Holt and Colbie — farm with my in-laws, Ted and Gretchen Johnson, who welcomed me to the farm and have allowed me to be a part of the team. We operate a 300-cow dairy with a double-10 parallel parlor and great employees who are essential to allow us the opportunity to have more family time and time in the fields with our custom harvesting business, Creeks Edge Farm.

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Janet Hetke

Ladysmith,

Wisconsin

Rusk County

60 cows

What are you thankful for, farm wise and family wise? I am most thankful that I was able to raise my kids on our family dairy farm.

On a daily basis from the farm, what are you thankful for? I am thankful that, as a dairy farmer, I do not have to drive somewhere to work for someone else every day.

What are some lessons your parents taught you that you are thankful for? I am thankful that my parents raised me in the love and salvation of Jesus Christ.

In your career as a dairy farmer, what is one decision you are grateful to have made? I believe one of the best decisions we have made was to buy a herd of Ayrshires in 1999.

What three essentials can you find on your Thanksgiving plate? We always have turkey, cheesy hashbrowns, broccoli casserole and pie.

Tell us about your farm. My husband, Paul, and I bought my grandparents’ farm in 1989, and I was able to raise my kids in the house my dad was raised in. It has been a blessing to teach them how deep family roots can go.

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Ashley Votis (pictured with her husband, Andrew)

Coleman, Wisconsin

Marinette County

70 cows

What are you thankful for, farm wise and family wise? I am thankful for all the renovations we have made to our 100-year-old farm. From 2016-2022, we renovated the tiestall barn, built a manure pit and added a 42-cow freestall barn. We are looking forward to our future improvements here. I am thankful to raise our five children on the family farm. Our kids, aged 3, 3, 7, 9 and 10, all play an important role in the daily accomplishments. They are the caretakers of our calves and chickens. I love watching them play and ride their bikes in between all their chores.

On a daily basis from the farm, what are you thankful for? We try to keep things simple on our farm. I love grazing our cattle six months out of the year. This year, we got Gallagher virtual fence collars for our youngstock. The virtual collars were simple to set up and put on. My husband enjoys managing the heifers from his phone, and I enjoy watching him do that.

What are some lessons your parents taught you that you are thankful for? I am thankful to have such a strong work ethic. As farmers, we know the work is never done, but checking things off the list sure does feel good.

In your career as a dairy farmer, what is one decision you are grateful to have made? We work closely with the National Resources Conservation Service to secure and implement cost-sharing initiatives, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and Conservation Stewardship Program, resulting in improved manure storage and optimized rotational grazing practices that enhance sustainability and environmental compliance.

What three essentials can you find on your Thanksgiving plate? My Thanksgiving plate is usually overflowing. My three favorites are mashed potatoes with lots of butter, sweet potatoes and turkey. The kids raised four turkeys this year, weighing about 30 pounds each.

Tell us about your farm. We are a 70-cow, 200-acre grazing dairy farm in northeast Wisconsin. Co-managed with my husband, Andrew, we built our beautiful farm from the ground up, starting with the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship in Athens, Wisconsin, from 2012-2014. After the DGA, we moved to a rental farm where we grew the herd to 40 cows. In 2018, we moved the cattle and our growing family to our ancestral farm, which we renovated.

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Jordan Laabs (pictured with his wife, Jenna, and children, Jack and Elsie)

Morrison, Wisconsin

Brown County

65 cows

What are you thankful for, farm wise and family wise? Family wise, I am thankful for my wonderful family — my wife, Jenna, and our kids, Elsie, 18 months, and Jack, 1 month — and the help and support they provide for our passion for farming. I am also thankful for my mother and father and for being able to farm alongside them every day. Farm wise, I am thankful God blessed us with a wonderful growing season this year. I am thankful to be able to wake up every morning and go to the barn to do what I love every single day, whether it be with the cows or in the fields. I am also thankful we can raise our kids on the farm, as I was raised.

On a daily basis from the farm, what are you thankful for? I am thankful for the equipment we have — the skid steer, specifically, because of how much time it saves us (and because it’s my daughter’s favorite). I am also thankful to be able to work alongside our family, friends and neighbors.

What are some lessons your parents taught you that you are thankful for? My parents taught me to take pride in my work, whether it be hauling manure, cleaning around the farm, working the land or anything in between. I’m thankful for the values they instilled in me to be able to be a steward of what God has provided us and to be thankful for what we have.

In your career as a dairy farmer, what is one decision you are grateful to have made? One of the decisions I am grateful for was made from the start, and that was to raise all our cows and replacements on one farm. It saves on costs and is more efficient as far as the labor that is needed.

What three essentials can you find on your Thanksgiving plate? I am a meat and potatoes guy, so I will always have mashed potatoes and gravy, ham and turkey with a big glass of milk.

Tell us about your farm. My parents and I farm side by side every day and milk 65 cows in a tiestall barn. Weather permitting, we like to get the cows out on pasture as often as possible. We do all our own field work with the exception of some big baling and combining, putting most of our feed in upright silos and a few bags. We raise our calves in hutches and move them to a cover-all building after weaning, which we have had very good luck with. I do all the breeding on the farm using only conventional semen, breeding for longevity, components, milk, Net Merit and Genomic Type Production Index. We are fortunate to always have an abundance of heifer replacements to be able to sell springing heifers to a local farmer.