THE GREAT
See pages 24 and 25 of this section for details!
Volume 26, No. 18
November 9, 2024
“All dairy, all the time”™
Fine-tuning the bedding process Thompson transitions from sand to pressed manure solids
“I was so tired of seeing sand in the eld and just haulamy.k@star-pub.com ing out sand and your manure tank is full of sand,” ThompLEWISTON, Minn. — son said. When drought in the summer Thompson Dairy, located of 2023 revealed an almost 30- near Lewiston, milks 680 cows year build-up of sand at two locations. in Mitch Thompson’s Thompson farms elds, he decided to alongside his dad, change the bedding Cliff, and 18 fullprotocol at Thompson time employees as Dairy. well as his wife, Hil“Trying to betary, who helps with ter everything, that’s the bookwork, and why we were like, his three children ‘OK, this is a deciThompson aged 14, 11 and 8. sion we need to look Mitch Dairy farmer at further,’” Thompson said. In April, Thompson Dairy started using a manure press Turn to THOMPSON system to bed with manure sol| Page 8 ids rather than sand.
By Amy Kyllo
AMY KYLLO/DAIRY STAR
The manure press pushes out solids Oct. 30 at Thompson Dairy near Lewiston, Minnesota. Mitch Thompson said adjustments to the press must be made slowly because it takes a while for changes to show.
Milking cows, serving his naƟon Dairy farmer Vande Weerd has almost 25 years in military By Emily Breth
emily.b@star-pub.com
EMILY BRETH/DAIRY STAR
Nick Vande Weerd stands Oct. 15 in one of the freestall barns at Pleasant Dutch Dairy near Willow Lake, South Dakota. He is a major in the South Dakota Air NaƟonal Guard and will reach 25 years of service in January.
WILLOW LAKE, S.D. — Major Nick Vande Weerd has followed in his dad, John’s, footsteps in more ways than one. John is former Navy Seabee. Vande Weerd serves his country and has a passion for dairy farming. “My dad was always building something,” Vande Weerd said. “He was in a construction battalion in the military. (Because of this) we did a lot of our own building projects. I remember distinctly when we transitioned from the stanchions to a parlor.” Vande Weerd and his parents, John and Linda, and brothers, Alan and Mike, milk approximately 2,200 cows in a double-32 parallel parlor on their
farm, Pleasant Dutch Dairy, near Willow Lake. “This farm serves as a testament to a generation of hard work and commitment,” Vande Weerd said. Alongside running the dairy, Vande Weerd balances between spending time with his wife, Nicole, and two daughters, and the South Dakota Air National Guard in Sioux Falls where he now serves as director of personnel and training. Military service began when Vande Weerd was a senior in high school and joined the South Dakota Air National Guard. Initially, he was trained in radio maintenance before moving to force support. “We installed and repaired every radio not attached to an aircraft,” Vande Weerd said.
Turn to VANDE WEERD | Page 2