Caledonia Argus

Dairy days are good days

Posted: 6/22/04

By David Heiller
Argus News Editor

Allen and Jody Krueger were battling water in more ways than one when I stopped in for a visit on June 11.

Allen, 39, emerged from the depths of his home on County Road 3 showing the effects of a wet basement, with plenty of mud and grime for everyone.

He was disgusted about it too ñ itís the first time their home has had any water in its eight-year history. But it didnít spoil a fine visit that took place after he washed up and joined his family and me in their dining room.

If ever there was a year for water in the basement, itís this one. And water woes are even worse for farmers. Record rainfall has kept them from making hay, and is putting a strain on crop quality.

The corn wonít grow deep roots because of all the moisture, Jody explained as we sat around their table. Her three kids flitted in and out of the room.

ìItís got to dry out,î Allen said a few minutes later when he joined us. Heís a good-natured man, and had temporarily forgotten his basement travails. ìI see the cornís turning yellow.î

Tractors get stuck cutting hay, he said.

ìEven hauling manure,î Jody added.

ìWeíve gone from one extreme to the other,î Allen said, referring to last yearís dry conditions.

The weather always seems to be a topic of conversation with farmers, but this year itís a legitimate concern.

I interviewed the Kruegers for this dairy edition because they were named the Houston County 2004 Farm Family of the Year by the county extension committee.

(See sidebar with this article for a report on the Krueger farm from the extension committee.)

Family ñ an extended one ñ seems to be the key word with the Kruegers. Allen and Jody live next door to Allenís parents, Elton and Kathy Krueger. Their farm is in section one of Mayville township on County Road 3 (just east of Crazy Corners Road).

Allen and Jody live in the new house with all the flowers that Jody likes to plant, when she can find time and the ground dries out.

That was definitely not the case Memorial Day weekend. She came home from her job as an inventory management associate at Home Depot in La Crosse with her arms full of flower sets.

She went to check in with Allen. ìHe said, ëGet on the rakeí,î Jody recalled.

Allen had cut hay the day before, with the weatherman predicting a dry spell. But when that forecast changed Friday morning, the Kruegers did what all farmers are famous for ñ they made hay while the sun (and moon) shined. Allen cut and Jody raked, and his brother Paul drove out from Caledonia to chop with Elton, and by 2 a.m. Saturday morning, they managed to get it all done. They filled one silo, and then it rained for a week.

ìWhen it gets to be haying time, everybody pitches in,î Allen said.

When things get hectic like that, the children know not to get too close to the machinery, Allen said, speaking both to me and the three pairs of listening ears belonging to Caitlyn, 11, Carlie, nine, and Chayce, seven.

ìTheyíve really been good about staying away,î Allen said. ìThey always like to go to Grandmaís for cookies.î

ìWhen you grow up on a farm, thatís life,î Jody said.

ìWeíre never bored here, are we guys,î Allen said. He received smiles for answers, something the Krueger household has in abundance.

He wonít tell his kids to farm

But Allen is blunt about the future of farming with his kids. He isnít grooming any of them to take over. There have been too many years of milk at $10 a hundred weight. Yes, that price has doubled in the past year, and that is good news. But itís just as likely to fluctuate in a southerly direction again. That thereís the high price of gasoline and feed.

ìYouíve got that extra money coming in from the milk, but you need it,î Allen said.

ìIím not going to tell my kids to farm,î he added. ìNot dairy.î

Jody put it this way: She wouldnít feel bad if the kids decided they didnít want to farm. But the farm will always be there for them.

The kids are learning the ropes though. Caitlyn can bring in the cows and wash them. Chayce was right there to open the gate for his grandfather who was driving the Bobcat during chores later that night. And Carlie is practically famous ñ she was named 2004 Houston County Little Miss Squirt in a contest sponsored by the American Dairy Association. They all break calves for the Houston County Fair competitions.

The Kruegers are also not planning a major expansion as many dairy farmers are doing. Allen said that his family and his parents have just the right size farm to support them and still leave time for those hobbies like hunting and gardening.

They and their kids are also very active in 4-H. ìItís our hobby, our vacation time,î Jody said. ìThatís where we spend a lot of our time, at the fair.î

Allen handles most of the milking chores on the farm. Elton, 63, does most of the feeding and field work. Paul, Allenís brother, does a lot of their mechanical work. He is a diesel mechanic for Caledonia Haulers.

A match made in Waseca

Allen and Jody (Ackerman) met while attending the University of Minnesota/Waseca in the early 1980s. Jody, who grew up on a dairy farm in Cosmos, Minnesota, graduated from Waseca in 1984 with a two-year degree in animal science, dairy emphasis. Allen graduated a year later. (The campus has since been eliminated.)

They were married in 1987. Taking over the farm seemed like the natural thing to do. It took some getting used to for Jody, coming from the flat and fertile farmland on the edge of the prairie, where her family milked registered brown Swiss cows. She said she still doesnít think in acres here, but rather in strips.

Allen and Jody made some changes after they started farming. They did a free stall renovation to the barn for 60 cows. They quit raising pigs. They put automatic take-offs on the milkers, which allowed Allen to milk alone so that his mother could watch the kids.

ìI like farming around here,î Allen said. ìItís beautiful country. The huntingís good.î

ìThatís probably why he stays at 50 cows,î Jody said, ìso he can go hunting.î

He even managed an elk hunting trip out west last fall. Jody milked at night, and Paul milked in the morning.

Itís ìwonderfulî being next door

When I finished at Allen and Jodyís, I stopped to see what Elton and Kathy thought of having them next door. Kathy said itís been wonderful. She did a lot of babysitting when they were younger, but now the kids can take care of themselves more.

Elton said he was happy to be passing the farm down to his son. ìThe way times are, they wouldnít be able to start on their own,î he said.

The farm economy is better, but it needs to last, he said, echoing the words of his son. ìIf a fellow could just hit a happy medium.î

Farmers donít need a lot, he added. ìJust a good living.î

A good living, in more ways than one, seems to be taking place at the extended Krueger family farm.

Elton and Kathy have two other children, Bennet, who lives in Monroe, Louisiana; and Linda Michalewicz, who lives in Edgar, Wisconsin.

Sidebar:
Kruegers named Houston County Farm Family of the Year

The Houston County Extension Committee has selected the Allen and Jody Krueger family as the 2004 Houston County Farm Family.

The award is based on their leadership and outstanding contributions to agriculture. They will be recognized at the University of Minnesota Farm Family Recognition ceremony during FarmFest on Wednesday, August 4 at Gilfillan Estate, near Redwood Falls, MN.

Here is a biography of the Kruegerís from the extension committee:

The Krueger Farm is a fourth generation farm, being in the family for almost 100 years. Allen farms with his father Elton. Jody has employment off the farm but helps out whenever possible. They have three children, Caitlyn, 11; Carlie, 9; and Chayce, 7. The farm is primarily a 50-cow dairy farm and finishes out Holstein dairy steers.

Two hundred acres are farm land along with 60 acres of woodland. Crops grown are corn, alfalfa, soybeans, and oats.

Crops are planted in alternating contour strips to control erosion; the biggest field is 10 acres. Crops are rotated to cut fertilizer costs. Every acre get manure and no corn insecticide or anhydrous ammonia is used. Corn is no-tilled into sod. Minimum tillage is used whenever possible, and one pass in the spring is the goal to cut fuel costs.

The family is involved in the Mayville Blue Ribbon Strivers 4-H Club with Allen and Jody as dairy project leaders and Jody is a co-leader of the club. Caitlyn, Carlie, and Chayce show dairy animals along with numerous other projects at the Houston County Fair. Allen is dairy superintendent and Jody is a board member for the Houston County Fair.

Allen and Jody are also Southeast Minnesota Jr. Dairy Show committee members. Along with being members of the Houston County Holstein Club in which offices were held.

The Houston County Extension Service Committee consists of Franklin Hahn (Chair), Dean Myhre, Barb Bennett, Karen Voight, Millie Frie (Secretary), Linda Johnson, Londa Johnson (Youth Rep), Alison Johnston (Youth Rep), Shorty Montgomery (Vice-Chair), and Larry Graf and David Corcoran (Commissioners). The staff is Rebecca Price (4-H Program Coordinator) and Jean Meiners (Support Staff).

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