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October 26, 2024

“All dairy, all the time”™

Volume 26, No. 17

Finding his own way to help Franke assists with chopping using motorized wheelchair, coaster wagon By Amy Kyllo

amy.k@star-pub.com

KELLOGG, Minn. — On Oct. 6, Evers Dairy got help with hauling corn silage. With the sun shining in the sky, one of the dairy’s CLAAS self-propelled choppers loaded a Radio Flyer coaster wagon pulled by a John Deere 4440-themed wheelchair. Driving was 9-year-old Memphis Franke. His parents, Kevin and Tracy, were on hand to video the scene. “He had a huge smile,” Tracy said. “He felt like he was truly helping.” Memphis, who wants to be a dairy farmer when he grows up, has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which

causes muscle degeneration over time. According to the National Library of Medicine, DMD is one of the most severe forms of inherited muscular dystrophy. He was diagnosed at the age of 3, and, in 2021, he lost his ability to walk and started using a wheelchair. “We have to make the best of it,” Tracy said. “We got two options. We can either be sad or we can help him have the best life he can have. He’s happy when he gets to farm, and if allowed, he would skip school every day to farm.” Memphis had mentioned earlier in the year that he would like to help chop. Turn to FRANKE | Page 2

AMY KYLLO/DAIRY STAR

Memphis Franke (front), (back, from leŌ) Wayne Evers, Cory Henry, Tracy Franke and Kevin Franke smile Oct. 15 at Evers Dairy near Kellogg, Minnesota. Memphis Franke, who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, likes to help on the dairy.

Ensuring their farms’ future Four farmers share transition experiences By Stacey Smart

stacey.s@dairystar.com

MADISON, Wis. — Transferring a farm from one generation to the next is a process that takes time, planning and commitment from both sides. This was the topic of a panel Oct. 3 at World Dairy Expo in Madison entitled, “Securing the Future: Lessons in Dairy Farm Transitions.” Four dairy farmers shared experiences. Moderated by Bruce Vande Steeg of Bridgeforth LLP, panelists included Ben Smith of Cool Lawn Farm

STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR

Dairy farmers Steve Ohlde (from leŌ), Hannah Lansing, Myron Czech and Ben Smith along with moderator Bruce Vande Steeg, discuss farm transiƟons Oct. 3 at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. Each panelist spoke about their experience with farm transiƟon as either a transferer, transferee or both.

in Virginia; Myron Czech of New Heights Dairy LLC in Minnesota; Hannah Lansing of J & K Dairy LLC in Washington; and Steve Ohlde of Ohlde Family Farms in Kansas. Smith’s family milks 780 cows and farms 3,000 acres. The Ohlde family milks more than 4,000 cows on six sites

in two states and farms 5,000 acres. The Czechs milk 550 cows and farm 1,200 acres. Czech’s rst transition occurred 18 years ago when he brought his son into the operation. The two remain partners and purchased another farm over the past 18 months. Ohlde and his wife transi-

tioned the farm to two of their sons in 2007 and to another son a few years later. Both Czech and Ohlde once were transferees. Ohlde was in his early 20s when he went into partnership with his dad. “My dad was really good about turning a lot of things over to me,” Ohlde said. “As

I started bringing my boys in, I saw that as a benet. It made it easier to step away from some of those roles.” Czech said he learned a good way to keep an employee is to let them choose their specialty. “That prepped me for when my son was ready to enter,” he said. “We let him navigate his way into what he liked to do.” Czech stepped away from day-to-day management, and his workload changed a lot. “I gave up the thing early on that I loved the most, which was the genetics,” Czech said. “I realized then I could probably give up other things too and still be happy.” Czech does agronomy and accounting work for the farm. Turn to TRANSITION PANEL | Page 7