From the parlor to the parts counter

ST. ROSA, Minn. — LaShana Tschida is a parts-woman at Dairyland Supply six days a week and a farmer seven days a week.

“It gets to be long days, but having the appreciation for dairy farmers and what they do every day makes me get up every morning and do what I do with a smile on my face,” Tschida said.

Tschida works full time at Dairyland Supply, a farm equipment dealership in Sauk Centre. Tschida also farms full time with her husband, Chris. The couple milks 275 cows in a double-8 parlor near St. Rosa.

Tschida begins each day by getting up at 6:30 a.m. to go to the barn with Chris. She brings in the first batch of cows to be milked, scrapes the free stalls, puts lime in the stalls and pushes up feed until it is time for her to get ready to go to work. She works at Dairyland Supply from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. until noon.

As soon as she gets home from work, Tschida goes back out to the barn and does the evening milking and cleaning and usually gets in the house around 11 p.m. On Sundays, Tschida helps Chris with the morning milking, and she does the evening milking.

“I like the farm because of knowing you are doing something to feed America and I like taking care of the cows,” Tschida said. “I just know what needs to be done.”

Tschida did not grow up on a dairy farm, however, she has been working on her husband’s family farm since they started dating.

“We were high school sweethearts,” Tschida said.

Chris is the third generation on the family farm the couple took over from his parents three years ago. Tschida’s in-laws helped on the farm until her father-in-law died in 2022. Now, the Tschidas’s 12-year-old son, Carter, helps on the farm every day. The family built the parlor in 2017 and added onto the freestall barn in 2020.

“You get a different perspective of farming when you live on the farm every day versus just hearing about it,” Tschida said. “It’s a different mindset.”

Having first-hand farm knowledge comes in handy while at work, Tschida said.

“When customers come in and explain what happened, I can tell what they need because farmers call the same piece different names,” she said. “Getting to know the farmers and sharing the same language is huge. Farmers don’t get out a lot, so being someone they can trust is important to me.”

Tschida sells parts to farmers and also voices the radio advertisements for Dairyland Supply.

“Customers come in with different issues every day and I like being able to help them have a better day,” Tschida said. “Usually when they come in, something broke down, so they are not having a good day. I like being able to help them so they can have a better day.”

Dairyland Supply supplies parts to both local dairy farmers and those all over the country.

“Downtime is crucial to farmers and being down for 2-3 hours versus 2-3 days is a big difference when it comes to waiting on a part,” Tschida said.

Being a parts woman, farmer and mom is a lot to keep track of Tschida said, but she manages all three.

“The 17 years I have been at Dairyland Supply have been a blessing with being on the farm and working here,” Tschida said. “If I am running behind at home or need to leave early to help cut hay or something they are very understanding.”