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2 DAIRY ST 5R C E L E B R A T I N G
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Y E A R S
July 8, 2023
“All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 25, No. 10
One friendship, one dream Goodhue graduates return to dairy farm By Amy Kyllo
amy.k@star-pub.com
GOODHUE, Minn. – Ever since fth grade, Justin Buck has been begging his parents to let him drop out of school and dairy farm. Now, as a 2023 high school graduate, his wish to farm is coming true. “Ever since I was young, I dreamed of running the family farm someday,” he said. Buck is not alone in his dream to farm. His good friend and close neighbor, JJ O’Reilly, is following the same path. Both are joining their respective dairy operations immediately out of high school. Growing up just a mile apart with parents who are friends, the two have known each other their whole lives.
AMY KYLLO/DAIRY STAR
JusƟn Buck (leŌ) and JJ O’Reilly smile June 12 on O’Reilly’s parents’ farm near Goodhue, Minnesota. The two friends are joining their families’ respecƟve dairy operaƟons immediately out of high school.
Yet, each came to the decision to farm independently from the other. Both knew in middle school that they want-
ed to dairy farm and planned to do so regardless of what their friend decided. The young men grew up
on similar farms. Buck’s organic farm milks around 130 cows with 500 acres while
O’Reilly’s organic farm has about 161 cows and 600 acres. Both farms have sandbedded free stalls, but Buck’s farm has a robotic milking system while O’Reilly’s has a double-16 parallel parlor. Buck will be joining his dad, Dennis, and older brother, Austin, and O’Reilly will be joining his dad, Chris, and uncle, Tony. They both understand that dairy farmers play a key role in society and want to be part of that. “Only 1% of the world is feeding 100% of the world,” O’Reilly said. “That 1%, I just kind of want to be part of that.” Buck agreed. “It feels good to know that you are helping the world out big-time getting food,” he said. “You’re helping people.”
Turn to GOODHUE GRADS | Page 6
5-mile journey to summer pasture Three dairymen keep herds together using two sites By Jan Lefebvre jan.l@star-pub.com
MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
Jill and Lanny Salmen stand in the milking parlor June 15 at their farm near Wolf Lake, Minnesota. The herd milked there is a combinaƟon of three herds, each with a separate owner.
WOLF LAKE, Minn. – On May 16, after wintering at Duane and Tyyni Salmen’s farm near Wolf Lake, about 100 cows from three separate herds were ready for their biannual migration. 100 acres of pasture awaited them ve miles away at a second site where the Salmens’ son and daughter-in-law, Lanny and Jill Salmen, live with their four children. Another partner in the operation, Scott Makela, was on hand to help load and transport the cows. Using two trucks and cattle trailers, the process of moving
the cows was set to begin about 9 a.m. and end by 3:30 p.m. After moving back and forth each fall and spring for 17 years, the Salmens said the cows know their routine and seem to enjoy it, especially the return to summer pasture. “We will milk a little early on moving day,” Lanny said. “Then Dad and Scott will each grab a truck and trailer and start moving cows while I give the parlor a really good washing and make sure it is all nice and clean. Then we start hauling equipment.” The wash panel, pulsator control box and main control panel all move back and forth from barn to barn. The milkers and takeoffs move too. Only
bulk tanks come in duplicate, one at each site. The herd is a combination of three individually-owned herds, each herd having a certain color of ear tag. Lanny’s 60 cows wear yellow, Scott’s 42 wear green and Duane’s 12 wear white. The cows are Holsteinbased crosses with Brown Swiss, Montbéliarde, Fleckvieh, Normande, Swedish Red and a little Jersey. “Our cows don’t look like the neighbors’ cows,” Duane said. At Duane’s site, with its enclosed freestall barn and certied manure pit, the cows are milked during winter in a swing-7 parlor. At feeding time, baleage bales are unrolled and a TMR feed mix made up of corn silage, grain, Turn to SALMEN-MAKELA | Page 8