OUTSTANDING YOUNG FARMER - 2009

Century Farm Awardees | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005

To be eligible for the Outstanding Young Farmer award, applicants need to be age 37 or younger and receive at least 2/3 of their income from farming. Any agricultural enterprise is eligible and the applicant can either be the farm owner or an operator involved in the business. Each applicant was evaluated on the progress in their agricultural career, soil and water conservation practices they implement, as well as their involvement in community activities. Receiving the 2009 Young Farmer Awards were:

PETER ARNOLD - EDGAR
Peter Arnold was awarded the 2009 Outstanding Young Farmer. He grew up on a dairy farm in Switzerland and began dairying here in Edgar in June of 1999. The farm has expanded to 257 acres and 150 cows. The cows and youngstock graze about seven months out of the year. Eighty percent of the cows calf in the spring within a six week window of mid April-May. He has a nutrient management plan and has raised traffic lanes for cattle traffic. He is also a member of Central Wisconsin River Grazers and the local Dairy Discussion Group.

Peter plans to learn and possibly implement a renewable energy source such as the utilization of solar for hot water purposes. He is continually looking at the efficiency of the operation to make the best improvements that would benefit the operation in the long run. The Arnold farm has been open for pasture walks and is always open to help others start a grazing practice. In the future he would like to investigate the practice of share milking or some way of turning the farm over to another interested grazer.

Peter Arnold will represent Marathon County at the State Competition for 2010.

DAN CIHLAR - MOSINEE
Dan Cihlar grew up on the family operation in Mosinee. He worked for a neighbor operating a tree harvester but found his passion was in farming. The farm milks over 200 cows, three times a day in a 17 stall rotary parlor. Most of the feed stock is grown on the farm. Crop rotation is managed along with nutrient application according to a certified nutrient management plan. All fields that are highly erodible are rotated into legumes every two years and the rest of the fields are seeded down every five to six years. Dan is involved in his church as an usher and on the Outreach Board. He is also a Farm Bureau member.

BRUCE & JOLENE GUMZ - DORCHESTER
Bruce and Jolene Gumz farm outside of Dorchester milking 65-75 cows. Bruce’s sister Beth also is a part of the operation. They crop farm 650 acres and have many improvements to the farm over the years including putting in a larger mixer and adding cow mats and alley mats. They are in the process of updating their current nutrient management plan. A few years ago they enrolled some land into CREP with over 14 acres planted into trees. Both Bruce and Jolene are active members of their church. Bruce is a council member. They enjoy being members of the Midnight Riders snowmobile club and Bruce is currently the trail captain.

TYLER & RENEE LIEDBERG - COLBY
Tyler and Renee Liedberg farm outside of Colby. They purchased the farm from Renee’s parents. Both of them grew up on farms. They are now milking a full barn of 43 cows and have a second barn of heifers and dry cows. Tyler manages the farm breeding of all the cows. They have 180 acres of cropland. They rotate the crops to help provide good growing seasons. Future plans include purchasing more land and raising their children on the family farm. The farm also has 65 acres of woods. They let people come and make firewood.

ANTHONY TOTZKE - EDGAR
Anthony Totzke farms 700 acres near Edgar. They have about 380 head of cattle. The farm is owned is a partnership with his dad and uncle. He has many goals for the operation. His main goal for the farm is to increase profitability through good management. He keeps nutrient management records and took a class to complete it himself. He helps manage the 180 acres of woodland to promote healthy tree growth with select cutting in areas every 4-5 years. Anthony is a member of the Edgar FFA Alumni and the Marathon County Holstein Association.

CENTURY FARM AWARDS - 2009

Farm families honored in 2009 for maintaining 100 years of continuous farm ownership were:

BERAN FARM - ATHENS
Frank B. Beran and wife Anna bought the farm near Athens in July of 1908 after coming to America from Czechoslovakia. They later sold their farm to Frank J. Beran, their only living son in 1929. Frank died in 1948 leaving his wife Ethel, four young children and a farm to work. Their oldest child named Frank L. was 14 at the time. He, along with other family members were able to keep the farm going. He married Caroline Schug in 1954. Frank and Caroline built a new silo and barn to house 130 head of cattle in 1969. Frank did custom spraying, sold seed corn, had honey bees and tapped trees for maple syrup along with working the dairy farm. Frank and Caroline’s second son Norman married Sharon Schreiner in 1977 purchased the farm in 1997. They tapped as many as 1450 trees. The 60 cows they milked were sold in November of 2008. Currently Norman and Sharon have 500 acres of land and rent 67. They crop farm 265 acres and have 260 acres in woodland. Norman also does logging and raises some cattle. A special event marked the 100th anniversary of the family farm was the wedding of their daughter Tammy that took in the backyard of the home.

CHRISTIAN FARMS - MERRILL
Emil Christian purchased the farm by Merrill consisting of 73 acres, from his brother William Jr. in 1909. Gene found milk statements from August 1909 when the milk was shipped to Tagesville Cheese Factory. The milk checks amounted to $16-$20 a month. Emil’s son, Franklin starting farming in the 1940’s and purchased the farm in 1950. Records show that he purchased the first tractor in 1945, an Allis Chalmers C for $715 at an auction. The milk price was about $2.50 to 2.90 per hundred weight. Slowly, more tractors were purchased and the horses were fazed out. In 1950 Franklin purchased another farm consisting of 100 acres for $7,700. At that time, he raised peas for a cash crop. In 1974 Gene and his wife Joyce purchased the farm on a land contract. The herd consists of 50 cows. They have discontinued the hogs, chickens and sheep. Beginning in 1988 they put in a manure pit, upgraded machinery and built silos. In 2004 Gene sold the personal property to his son Scott. He formed a partnership with Joyce and is now Christian Farms, LLP. At the present time they are milking cows and raising all the bull calves for steers.

DUVALL FARM - COLBY
Frederick and Augusta Witte settled the land near Colby in 1878. They had nine children born in their house. One died as a youngster, another in war. Six of the children settled on farms within two miles of each other. William Witte purchased the farm and passed it onto his brother Otto, and wife Minnie Witte in 1946. Their daughter Madeline married Melvin Duvall and purchased the farm in 1963. When Melvin died, his son Allen bought the farm in 1976. He also purchased 80 acres one mile away. Their son Tim purchased the front 40 acres in 1991. Tim raises steers and has a few horses. He farms all 80 acres along with 80 acres across the road and another 80 one mile away.

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