VISIT US AT
WORLD DAIRY EXPO! BOOTH EH 3806
Volume 26, No. 15
Passion for bovines
September 28, 2024
“All dairy, all the time”™
Engaging in democracy Pagel family hosts trio of Minnesota senators By Amy Kyllo
amy.k@star-pub.com
TIFFANY KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
Deb Heuer holds a photo of her late husband, Steve, Sept. 17 at her farm, Desthaven Holsteins, near Litcheld, Minnesota. Heuer milks 35 cows.
Heuer continues to raise quality cattle after husband’s passing By Tiffany Klaphake
PHOTO SUMITTED
Jeff Pagel (le�) visits with Sens. Erin Murphy and Aric Putnam Sept. 10 on the Pagel family dairy farm near Eyota, Minnesota. Putnam has visited 90 farms since becoming the chair of the Senate Agriculture, Broadband, and Rural Development Commi�ee.
EYOTA, Minn. — The Pagel family hosted a tour of their dairy farm Sept. 10 for three Minnesota senators. The Pagels — parents, Ron and Lori, and their adult children, Tim and his wife, Ellie, and Jeff and his wife, Chandra, and their families — milk 130 cows and farm 350 acres near Eyota. Jeff Pagel served as the tour guide. “The biggest thing we just tried to focus on is what we do on our farm,” Pagel said. “(I explained) why we do it, and how we do things to be the best farmers we can be, to utilize the resources and technology that we have.” Turn to PAGELS | Page 7
Thankful to be spared his life
Koop survives chopper becoming LITCHFIELD, Minn. — Every time Deb Heuer steps foot in her milk- electried in power line tiffany.k@dairystar.com
house, she sees a picture of her late husband, Steve, holding his favorite cow. The picture is a poignant reminder of her husband’s livelihood and passion before his unexpected death in December 2022. “The hardest part about Steve being gone is not being able to run ideas past him,” Deb said. “If I make a decision, I am left wondering if it is the best decision.” Steve was a professional cattle tter until the couple purchased a dairy farm near Litcheld. He then became a truck driver to nancially support their family. “That was his passion, the tting and showing,” Deb said. “He worked for 11 years for Richard Green, a Red & White breeder. Steve headed (Green’s) World Dairy Expo show string. He did that for a few other farmers as well. You have to know how to make each cow look their best, and Steve just always knew.” At Deb’s farm, Desthaven Holsteins, she continues to raise registered Holsteins despite having lost the support of her husband.
Turn to HEUER | Page 6
By Sarah Middendorf sarah.m@star-pub.com
MCBAIN, Mich — JP Koop of Lucky 7 Dairy recognizes he is a lucky man to be living past the rst day of corn silage harvest this year. The day started normally enough. But when his chopper spout touched a low-hanging power line, the day went south as both he and the chopper became electried. Koop, his wife, Suzanne, and one of his seven children, Gavin, milk 1,800 cows in a double-25 parlor and freestall barn and farm around 3,400 acres near McBain. Koop is a newcomer to the dairy industry. He purchased his rst dairy farm six years ago. Ironically, Lucky 7 Dairy kicked off the corn silage harvest Sept. 12 with a meeting to go over safety concerns and pray for a safe harvest. Turn to LUCKY 7 | Page 2
PHOTO SUBMITTED
The remains of a burned-out CLAAS chopper sits in the eld Sept. 20 at Lucky 7 Dairy near McBain, Michigan. There were roughly 180,000 wa�s of electricity in the power line in which the chopper became entangled.