Small dairy, big impact

MELROSE, Wis. — Jason Weihrouch spent his youth in the barns at the Jackson County Fairbut after aging out of the 4-H program, he and his wife, Shelby, spend less time each year at the fairgrounds in Black River Falls.

However, this summer, the Weihrouchs found themselves at the fair once again after receiving a special invitation. The couple was invited to attend a banquet at which they were awarded the 2026 Jackson County Outstanding Farm Family of the Year.

“This being such a small dairy, I was surprised we were even nominated,” Shelby said.

The Weihrouchs milk 39 cows in a 44-stall tiestall barn outside of Melrose and farm 220 acres. The farm, Eachibon Swiss, was previously owned by Jason’s parents, Charles and Yvonne. Shelby moved to Melrose from Cannon Falls, Minnesota, where she grew up on Mahoney Holsteins, operated by her parents, Keith and Kay Mahoney.

The Weihrouchs said the scale of the farm helps them be efficient in their practices and continue to farm in a more traditional style.

“We enjoy farming this way,” Shelby said. “The smaller farm is easier for us to handle. We don’t have to worry about help.”

Jason echoed his wife’s sentiments.

“There’s been a lot of ideas that you need to get bigger, but unless the barn needs major repair, there’s nothing we can’t do here that anyone else can do,” Jason said. “Maybe other farms can get more milk, or feed a total mixed ration, but the way we can do things, it’s what we’ve always done and it works well for us.”

The techniques and size of the dairy set the Weihrouch farm apart, and their overall attitude of farming efficiently and profitably helps move the farm forward.

“My parents taught me to do my own thing and not worry about what the neighbor thinks,” Jason said. “My dad did things his own way. They didn’t leave the farm much and that’s just how they handled things. We’ve had others who talk to us about expanding or getting bigger, but that doesn’t add up for us.”

Pulling from experiences on his parents’ farm, Jason continued those traditional practices after the farm became his and Shelby’s. Because of those time-honored methods, Jason and Shelby have had other farmers in the area reach out about working their land.

“We farm 220 acres, and we have 30 acres that we farm organically,” Jason said. “For this award, I think the principles we farm with were recognized and have even helped us rent more acres.”

Another farmer approached the Weihrouchs about renting acres after seeing how they farm their land — from doing moldboard plowing to limiting the amount of chemicals they use.

“It’s a different way of farming,” Jason said. “I was raised in it and it’s what I’ve been used to.”

Jason said he values this experience as he and Shelby continue to lead the family dairy farm into the future, using principles of the past and embracing some of the technological changes for the future.

“We started using CowManager a few years ago,” Shelby said. “It’s helped us a lot with breeding. It catches heats quicker and has made us more efficient in our breeding strategies.”

The size of their operation is ideal for the land they own, as they do not have to rely on rented ground annually to produce what they need to feed their herd. They even have extra crops to sell.

“If we lost rented ground, we could still keep doing what we’re doing,” Jason said. “If you get more rented ground, you could get bigger, but right now what we have will suffice.”

Amidst an ever-changing industry, the Weihrouchs have found success on their self-sufficient path.

“We know we farm a little differently than others, but that’s one of the reasons why we like farming how we do,” Jason said. “It’s how we’ve done it for a long time, and we’re doing what we enjoy.”