Women in Dairy: Arlisa Clements

Tell us about your family and farm. I am married to Cody Clements, and we have five boys: Mason, Carson, Clayson, Charlie and Carlton. We dairy farm, milking in a double-8 parlor. We also do custom work, farming 350 acres of corn, hay and soybeans. We milk Holsteins with a few crossbreeds and one Jersey.

What is a typical day like for you on the dairy? My typical day has me up between 5:15 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. to start milking. By 6:45 a.m., we are nearly finished with milking, and I’m off to get the boys on the bus and drive one to the bus stop. I’ll come back and start feeding our calves; we currently have 11. Then, we’ll move to feeding the smaller heifers and the steers, which are my son’s fair projects. At that point, Cody is usually done washing down the parlor. We will mix feed for the dry cows and bred heifers, as well as the milking cows. Next, we’ll head to the house for breakfast, and the rest of the day is filled with errands, parts runs and helping Cody move from field to field. By 5 p.m., you will find the boys and me — and sometimes Cody if he’s not busy with field work — doing the night milking. Then, it’s off to the house to make supper and get everyone to bed by 8:45 p.m.

What decision have you made in the last year that has benefited your farm? We bought the farm from my in-laws in August 2025.

Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. Watching my boys grow up just as I did and working alongside my husband. I also got to work alongside my father-in-law before he passed away.

What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? I enjoy raising all our youngstock and watching them grow into milking cows. Also, I have helped with dairy breakfasts and show animals at the fair, district shows and the state fair. I was in 4-H and the junior Holstein association.

What is your biggest accomplishment in your dairy career? One of our biggest accomplishments was having one of our cows win the grade champion.

What are things you do to promote your farm or the dairy industry? We host 4-H dairy judging and the Mason 4-H club. By doing that, we can show the kids how we have fun on our farm, and they get to experience milking and feeding calves.

What advice would you give another woman in the dairy industry? Give yourself grace and give it all to God.

What is a challenge in the dairy industry you have faced, and how did you overcome it? The milk price being so low was a challenge this last winter. We really had to watch spending and only bought the necessary things.

When you get a spare moment, what do you do? When I get a spare moment, I like to get pedicures with my mom and go grocery shopping. I may squeeze a nap in or see my friends and get coffee. There are a lot of times when I just like to hang out with my family.