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Gajewski’s dairy farm destroyed in tornado

JJune 8, 2024

“All dairy, all the time”™

Volume 26, No. 8

Gone in 60 seconds

By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

EDGAR, Wis. — Jeff Gajewski spent his life building his dairy farm, but in a matter of seconds, it was all destroyed when a tornado ripped through the Marathon County farm May 21. “Forty-six years, gone,” Gajewski said. “All the years spent building this place, making it what it was, all gone. At least I have pictures of the place.” The National Weather Service conrmed that an EF1 tornado with maximum

DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR

The remains of the dairy barn lie in Jeﬀ Gajewski’s yard May 25 a�er an EF1 tornado destroyed his farmsite located near Edgar, Wisconsin. A�er the May 21 storm, Gajewski worked with family, friends and neighbors through the night to free his herd of dairy cows.

wind speeds of 90 mph traveled 3.57 miles. In its path was the Gajewski dairy farm near Edgar.

Prior to the storm, Gajewski milked 32 cows in the barn he rebuilt after he purchased the farm in the late

1970s. “I had planned to sell the cows here in a couple of months, but I didn’t want to

go this way,” Gajewski said. “My sons had planned to use the buildings for their beef cattle.” Gajewski’s barn and two silos took a direct hit from the tornado. Gajewski was emotional talking about it. “The cows were trapped in the barn, the beams were on top of them,” Gajewski said. Two cows were killed when the barn collapsed and four additional cows were put down that night, due to the severity of their injuries. The remaining cows were sent to Premier Livestock & Auctions LLC the next morning. “The guys that hauled them said they looked great when they got to Premier,” Gajewski said. “They didn’t limp or stumble or anything getting off the trailers. That is really quite remarkable.” Turn to GAJEWSKI | Page 2

Sharing their success

Heim family to host Kewaunee County Breakfast on the Farm By Stacey Smart

stacey.s@dairystar.com

PHOTO SUBMITTED

The Heim family — Kiley (front from le�), Joyce, Lloyd and Carrie; (back, from le�) Sam, Jeremy, Ben, Sco� and Rod — milk 825 cows and farm 1,800 acres at Heim’s Hillcrest Dairy near Algoma, Wisconsin. The family also owns Heim Brothers Custom, providing chopping, baling, merging, manure hauling, spill cleanup and excava�on services.

ALGOMA, Wis. — At Heim’s Hillcrest Dairy, the Heim family strives to be a good neighbor and transparent member of the community. “I tell our employees the farm has to be tour-ready every minute of every day,” Jeremy Heim said. In line with this philosophy, the Heim family is inviting all their neighbors to join them on their dairy June 16 for the Kewaunee County Breakfast on the Farm. “I’m excited to invite the community in to see what we do and how we do it,” Heim said. “I want them to see the care that we put into our ladies.” Heim and his family milk

825 cows three times a day in a double-12 parallel parlor and farm 1,800 acres near Algoma. Heim and his brothers, Scott and Rod, farm with their parents, Lloyd and Joyce. Scott’s wife, Carrie, is the herd manager. The fourth generation is represented by Heim’s daughter, Kiley, and his son, Ben, and Rod’s son, Sam. Heim’s Hillcrest Dairy is a familyoriented operation, employing many extended family members as well for a total of 36 employees. In 2015, the Heims started Heim Brothers Custom and provide chopping, baling, merging, manure hauling, spill cleanup and excavation services. The Heims cover 28,000 acres for approximately 15 customers within a 20-mile radius. Turn to HEIMS | Page 6