WEBVTT 00:00:10.220 --> 00:00:14.039 Creeping across the pasture land. Got dirt on 00:00:14.039 --> 00:00:18.719 the boots and a working hand. From the milk house 00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:24.000 home to the auction call. These are the folks 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:59.740 standing strong and tall. Yeah, this is... Welcome 00:00:59.740 --> 00:01:01.719 back to the Bullvine Podcast, where we cut through 00:01:01.719 --> 00:01:03.679 dairy industry noise to get you the insights 00:01:03.679 --> 00:01:06.620 that actually matter for your operation. Today, 00:01:06.680 --> 00:01:07.939 we're doing something a little different. We're 00:01:07.939 --> 00:01:10.200 diving into a profile piece about a Minnesota 00:01:10.200 --> 00:01:13.340 woman named Michelle Schroeder who sold her family's 00:01:13.340 --> 00:01:16.579 dairy herd and found an unexpected and, frankly, 00:01:16.680 --> 00:01:19.799 essential way to stay deeply embedded in the 00:01:19.799 --> 00:01:22.060 industry. Her name is Michelle Schroeder, and 00:01:22.060 --> 00:01:25.560 this story has just some deep layers that will 00:01:25.560 --> 00:01:29.269 resonate with anyone who's ever faced that. brutal 00:01:29.269 --> 00:01:32.129 question of what exactly comes after the cows 00:01:32.129 --> 00:01:34.709 leave. It absolutely does. And I think we need 00:01:34.709 --> 00:01:36.670 to set the emotional context right up front because 00:01:36.670 --> 00:01:39.129 this is where the story, you know, it just hits 00:01:39.129 --> 00:01:41.489 home for so many people listening. Yeah. When 00:01:41.489 --> 00:01:44.049 we talk about a farm transition and specifically 00:01:44.049 --> 00:01:46.870 one where the herd is sold and leaves the property, 00:01:47.010 --> 00:01:49.569 it is never just a business decision made on 00:01:49.569 --> 00:01:51.390 a balance sheet. Oh, not at all. It's an identity 00:01:51.390 --> 00:01:54.730 crisis. It's rolled into profound loss, grief, 00:01:54.829 --> 00:01:58.120 and often this This quiet resentment that you 00:01:58.120 --> 00:02:00.200 don't even talk about. That identity struggle 00:02:00.200 --> 00:02:03.140 is as real as the 4 a .m. alarm, isn't it? It 00:02:03.140 --> 00:02:05.400 really is. I mean, farming isn't a job you clock 00:02:05.400 --> 00:02:07.920 out of. It's the structure. It's the purpose. 00:02:08.120 --> 00:02:10.819 And fundamentally, it's who you are. So when 00:02:10.819 --> 00:02:13.080 that structure is yanked away or those gates 00:02:13.080 --> 00:02:16.259 close for the last time, it leaves this huge 00:02:16.259 --> 00:02:19.960 echoing cavern in that family's life. Michelle 00:02:19.960 --> 00:02:21.539 Schroeder's journey matters right now because 00:02:21.539 --> 00:02:24.719 she walked through that loss, that silence, and 00:02:24.719 --> 00:02:26.620 found something that didn't just replace the 00:02:26.620 --> 00:02:29.960 labor. But it actually amplified her value and 00:02:29.960 --> 00:02:32.400 her knowledge within the industry. And her discovery 00:02:32.400 --> 00:02:35.639 isn't happening in a vacuum. Her decision to 00:02:35.639 --> 00:02:38.460 pivot into professional relief milking and her 00:02:38.460 --> 00:02:41.439 subsequent success are framed by three massive 00:02:41.439 --> 00:02:43.819 pressures facing dairy producers across North 00:02:43.819 --> 00:02:46.319 America right now. For sure. First and foremost, 00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:47.759 we're talking about the chronic labor crisis. 00:02:48.099 --> 00:02:51.039 Exactly. The turnover rate in dairy labor is 00:02:51.039 --> 00:02:54.120 just staggering. We consistently see reports 00:02:54.120 --> 00:02:57.680 citing turnover near 40 % annually in many regions. 00:02:57.840 --> 00:03:00.039 40 %? Think about that. You spend time training 00:03:00.039 --> 00:03:02.259 three people and one of them is gone before you 00:03:02.259 --> 00:03:04.319 can even finish the training cycle. That means 00:03:04.319 --> 00:03:07.460 finding reliable, qualified, professional help 00:03:07.460 --> 00:03:10.439 is not just difficult, it's often nearly impossible. 00:03:10.919 --> 00:03:14.139 And when reliable labor vanishes, that leads 00:03:14.139 --> 00:03:17.229 us directly to the second massive stake. The 00:03:17.229 --> 00:03:19.469 mental health toll on the farm family. It has 00:03:19.469 --> 00:03:21.710 to. When you can't find labor or you can't trust 00:03:21.710 --> 00:03:24.710 the labor you find, guess who covers the 24 -7 00:03:24.710 --> 00:03:27.990 workload? The farmer and their spouse every single 00:03:27.990 --> 00:03:30.509 time. It leads to relentless chronic burnout 00:03:30.509 --> 00:03:33.689 that jeopardizes health, relationships, and eventually 00:03:33.689 --> 00:03:36.389 the viability of the whole farm. That's the critical 00:03:36.389 --> 00:03:39.069 structural gap Michelle stepped into. She didn't 00:03:39.069 --> 00:03:42.150 just find a side gig. She found an industry necessity. 00:03:42.710 --> 00:03:44.969 Absolutely. So our mission today is to explore 00:03:44.969 --> 00:03:47.419 Michelle's journey. From selling the family herd 00:03:47.419 --> 00:03:50.379 and experiencing that deep loss to gaining a 00:03:50.379 --> 00:03:52.780 critical new purpose as an indispensable relief 00:03:52.780 --> 00:03:55.280 milker. Yeah, let's dig in. We're going to trace 00:03:55.280 --> 00:03:58.379 her path from that quiet, early identity as a 00:03:58.379 --> 00:04:00.979 4 -H kid to becoming this incredible industry 00:04:00.979 --> 00:04:03.460 resource. And here's the kicker we need to preview 00:04:03.460 --> 00:04:05.780 for you. This is the part I love. Her children, 00:04:06.039 --> 00:04:09.159 Alex, Aiden, and April, are now winning major 00:04:09.159 --> 00:04:11.919 dairy awards and building phenomenal agricultural 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:15.110 resumes. But they're doing this not through milking 00:04:15.110 --> 00:04:17.089 their own cows daily, but through what we're 00:04:17.089 --> 00:04:19.410 calling the unconventional classroom, learning 00:04:19.410 --> 00:04:22.250 the ins and outs of dozens of different farms, 00:04:22.370 --> 00:04:24.930 parlors, and management styles across the state. 00:04:25.149 --> 00:04:27.610 That adaptability is the unexpected inheritance 00:04:27.610 --> 00:04:30.149 we're going to unpack. It's a powerful lesson 00:04:30.149 --> 00:04:32.870 in how to manage change. Okay, let's unpack this 00:04:32.870 --> 00:04:35.129 by starting at the very beginning of her agricultural 00:04:35.129 --> 00:04:38.490 identity. So Michelle Damon grew up west of the 00:04:38.490 --> 00:04:41.170 Twin Cities in Minnesota on relatively small 00:04:41.170 --> 00:04:44.519 40 -cow dairy. She was the oldest of four. And 00:04:44.519 --> 00:04:46.660 interestingly, she described her younger self 00:04:46.660 --> 00:04:50.199 as painfully shy. It's a common paradox we see 00:04:50.199 --> 00:04:52.139 in farm life, isn't it? I mean, the barn, the 00:04:52.139 --> 00:04:54.259 animals, the rhythmic routine. It can be the 00:04:54.259 --> 00:04:56.060 most nurturing yet demanding environment for 00:04:56.060 --> 00:04:58.560 a shy kid to find their confidence. Right. The 00:04:58.560 --> 00:05:00.720 cows don't judge you, but they require absolute 00:05:00.720 --> 00:05:03.220 attention and discipline. For Michelle, that 00:05:03.220 --> 00:05:05.180 transformation started in fifth grade around 00:05:05.180 --> 00:05:08.519 1988 when she joined 4 -H. And this detail is 00:05:08.519 --> 00:05:10.899 important. She was a first generation 4 -H member. 00:05:11.240 --> 00:05:13.740 Ah, okay. Her family hadn't been involved before, 00:05:13.879 --> 00:05:16.319 so she didn't have that built -in foundation, 00:05:16.519 --> 00:05:18.519 you know, that generational knowledge of how 00:05:18.519 --> 00:05:21.120 to enter the show ring or complete the projects. 00:05:21.420 --> 00:05:23.779 She had to build that initiative and discipline 00:05:23.779 --> 00:05:27.019 entirely on her own. That takes a specific kind 00:05:27.019 --> 00:05:29.300 of drive. So she starts showing a registered 00:05:29.300 --> 00:05:32.319 Holstein fall calf, and the impact, as you said, 00:05:32.439 --> 00:05:34.689 was just immediate and profound. It really was. 00:05:34.850 --> 00:05:37.389 It wasn't just a slight change. She went from 00:05:37.389 --> 00:05:40.529 being quiet and reserved to outgoing, focused, 00:05:40.629 --> 00:05:42.970 and dedicating herself entirely to agriculture. 00:05:43.569 --> 00:05:46.689 That shift from painful shyness to public confidence 00:05:46.689 --> 00:05:49.089 is a testament to the structure that showing 00:05:49.089 --> 00:05:52.069 and responsibility provide. And that focus solidified 00:05:52.069 --> 00:05:55.149 rapidly through her involvement in FFA, the Minnesota 00:05:55.149 --> 00:05:57.649 Junior Holstein Association. And it led her directly 00:05:57.649 --> 00:06:00.230 into higher education, culminating in a dairy 00:06:00.230 --> 00:06:02.089 science degree from the University of Minnesota 00:06:02.089 --> 00:06:04.689 Twin Cities. A great program. And this is where 00:06:04.689 --> 00:06:06.769 we see the validation of her expertise. To make 00:06:06.769 --> 00:06:10.110 the highly competitive 1997 U of M dairy judging 00:06:10.110 --> 00:06:12.769 team, that is a serious, serious achievement. 00:06:12.769 --> 00:06:15.470 It is. It means you don't just know how to milk 00:06:15.470 --> 00:06:18.389 a cow. You possess the knowledge, the eye for 00:06:18.389 --> 00:06:21.189 confirmation, the genetic understanding, and 00:06:21.189 --> 00:06:23.089 the ability to articulate your reasoning under 00:06:23.089 --> 00:06:26.269 pressure to a panel of experts. That's professional 00:06:26.269 --> 00:06:28.670 validation at the highest level. That judgment 00:06:28.670 --> 00:06:31.170 training, the ability to walk into any barn, 00:06:31.269 --> 00:06:33.079 quickly assess the cattle, and determine their 00:06:33.079 --> 00:06:36.120 value, we need to file that away because it's 00:06:36.120 --> 00:06:37.980 going to be so crucial to her current success. 00:06:38.339 --> 00:06:40.540 She was a professional long before she was an 00:06:40.540 --> 00:06:42.319 owner. And she had already dipped her toe into 00:06:42.319 --> 00:06:45.040 relief work years before, even while she was 00:06:45.040 --> 00:06:47.139 still figuring out her formal path. Right, she 00:06:47.139 --> 00:06:50.040 started relief milking way back in 1992, the 00:06:50.040 --> 00:06:51.980 summer between her first and second years of 00:06:51.980 --> 00:06:55.670 high school. Think about the era, 1992. No cell 00:06:55.670 --> 00:06:59.829 phones, no instant communication, no GPS. Just 00:06:59.829 --> 00:07:02.889 pure trust. Just a landline and a promise. Exactly. 00:07:03.110 --> 00:07:05.449 A farmer had to hand a high school kid the keys, 00:07:05.550 --> 00:07:07.949 explain the routine, and just trust that she 00:07:07.949 --> 00:07:10.329 would show up in the dark, manage potentially 00:07:10.329 --> 00:07:12.990 volatile animals, and get the job done right. 00:07:13.149 --> 00:07:15.490 That reliance speaks volumes about the early 00:07:15.490 --> 00:07:17.730 trust and responsibility she earned and maintained. 00:07:18.370 --> 00:07:20.769 She also points out that she loved routine, the 00:07:20.769 --> 00:07:23.449 rhythm, and the twice -daily check on every single 00:07:23.449 --> 00:07:26.610 animal. But she also notes a key practical benefit 00:07:26.610 --> 00:07:30.389 that shows her professional mindset. She treated 00:07:30.389 --> 00:07:33.230 these relief jobs as, like, professional development. 00:07:33.490 --> 00:07:35.649 She was already thinking that way. She said, 00:07:35.790 --> 00:07:38.310 and I'm paraphrasing, I was part of the dairy 00:07:38.310 --> 00:07:46.019 industry. That's critical. She wasn't just filling 00:07:46.019 --> 00:07:48.500 a labor slot for minimum wage. She was gathering 00:07:48.500 --> 00:07:51.220 knowledge from multiple operations. Every new 00:07:51.220 --> 00:07:53.860 barn was a case study in efficiency, genetics, 00:07:54.079 --> 00:07:57.040 and management style. That early adaptability 00:07:57.040 --> 00:07:59.300 and appetite for diverse knowledge is precisely 00:07:59.300 --> 00:08:02.060 why she can perform her current jobs so well. 00:08:02.199 --> 00:08:04.420 She was trained by the industry, not just by 00:08:04.420 --> 00:08:06.879 one family farm. That adaptability, however, 00:08:06.980 --> 00:08:09.209 was put on the back burner. she married Jason 00:08:09.209 --> 00:08:12.029 Schroeder. And this is where the weight of legacy 00:08:12.029 --> 00:08:14.990 truly comes into focus. Jason had spent three 00:08:14.990 --> 00:08:18.370 decades, 30 years, milking in the family barn. 00:08:18.670 --> 00:08:21.129 That's a multi -generational history. And when 00:08:21.129 --> 00:08:23.410 you marry into that, you take on that weight 00:08:23.410 --> 00:08:26.009 of expectation and routine. It's an overwhelming 00:08:26.009 --> 00:08:28.670 inheritance. So Michelle naturally stopped the 00:08:28.670 --> 00:08:31.250 relief milking to focus entirely on building 00:08:31.250 --> 00:08:33.250 their operation and raising their three children, 00:08:33.470 --> 00:08:36.799 Alex, Aiden, and April. And the reality of the 00:08:36.799 --> 00:08:39.299 modern farm economy set in quickly. Even with 00:08:39.299 --> 00:08:41.659 that generational foundation, they needed off 00:08:41.659 --> 00:08:44.960 -farm income. Michelle worked as a rural property 00:08:44.960 --> 00:08:48.990 appraiser from 2011 up until 2021. And that off 00:08:48.990 --> 00:08:51.129 -farm hustle, combined with the on -farm commitment, 00:08:51.269 --> 00:08:54.250 created that classic, exhausting farm juggle. 00:08:54.409 --> 00:08:56.549 I mean, she'd leave her appraisal job at 5 p 00:08:56.549 --> 00:08:58.750 .m. sharp to pick up the kids while Jason was 00:08:58.750 --> 00:09:01.210 still finishing the evening milking, often not 00:09:01.210 --> 00:09:04.049 wrapping up until 7 .15 p .m. That schedule is 00:09:04.049 --> 00:09:05.970 the definition of passing ships in the night. 00:09:06.240 --> 00:09:08.799 It's just they're both dedicated to the farm 00:09:08.799 --> 00:09:10.679 and the family, but they're constantly running 00:09:10.679 --> 00:09:13.279 a relay race where one parent is always absent 00:09:13.279 --> 00:09:14.980 from the dinner table or the bedtime routine. 00:09:15.120 --> 00:09:17.259 Because they're either at the off -farm job or 00:09:17.259 --> 00:09:19.620 trapped in the barn routine. It's emotionally 00:09:19.620 --> 00:09:22.159 and physically exhausting just tracking that 00:09:22.159 --> 00:09:24.559 timeline. Absolutely. And you realize that schedule 00:09:24.559 --> 00:09:26.960 is unsustainable, especially when the economics 00:09:26.960 --> 00:09:29.259 of dairy start to put the squeeze on. The question 00:09:29.259 --> 00:09:32.059 isn't if something will break, but when. And 00:09:32.059 --> 00:09:34.100 that squeeze, combined with aging infrastructure, 00:09:34.440 --> 00:09:36.919 eventually led to the toughest decision. So by 00:09:36.919 --> 00:09:39.600 2017, Michelle and Jason were trying to navigate 00:09:39.600 --> 00:09:43.320 this impossible situation. Milk prices were at 00:09:43.320 --> 00:09:45.500 rock bottom, and they knew they couldn't continue 00:09:45.500 --> 00:09:47.720 the status quo without making a serious strategic 00:09:47.720 --> 00:09:50.179 shift. What's important here is that they didn't 00:09:50.179 --> 00:09:52.700 immediately surrender. They tried to pivot strategically. 00:09:52.980 --> 00:09:55.440 Their initial plan was actually quite insightful. 00:09:55.639 --> 00:09:59.059 What was it? They planned to build a 3 ,000 headhog 00:09:59.059 --> 00:10:02.659 finishing barn that would provide a crucial steady 00:10:02.659 --> 00:10:05.899 income stream to offset the brutal volatility 00:10:05.899 --> 00:10:08.779 of dairy prices. Okay. And they would keep just 00:10:08.779 --> 00:10:13.759 25 milk cows, a small manageable herd, specifically 00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:16.139 to teach the kids the heritage and the daily 00:10:16.139 --> 00:10:18.700 routine. That sounds like a brilliant balanced 00:10:18.700 --> 00:10:21.879 compromise. It stabilizes the finances with a 00:10:21.879 --> 00:10:24.559 guaranteed market in the hog operation, and it 00:10:24.559 --> 00:10:27.799 honors the dairy legacy by maintaining the educational 00:10:27.799 --> 00:10:30.600 component for the next generation. It was a perfect 00:10:30.600 --> 00:10:33.039 plan. It was a perfect hybrid model for survival. 00:10:33.909 --> 00:10:36.909 But the reality of 2018 just crushed it. The 00:10:36.909 --> 00:10:39.490 market wouldn't cooperate. And milk prices stayed 00:10:39.490 --> 00:10:42.769 miserably low. The futures look absolutely bleak. 00:10:42.769 --> 00:10:45.110 And critical farm infrastructure was crying out 00:10:45.110 --> 00:10:47.549 for major unaffordable investment. That's always 00:10:47.549 --> 00:10:50.029 the tipping point. What were the specific infrastructure 00:10:50.029 --> 00:10:53.110 issues? Because that's so often the final blow. 00:10:53.419 --> 00:10:55.820 Michelle specifically cited two things that needed 00:10:55.820 --> 00:10:58.539 immediate attention. The bulk tank needed to 00:10:58.539 --> 00:11:01.019 be replaced, a huge capital expenditure that 00:11:01.019 --> 00:11:03.519 is non -negotiable for a dairy operation, and 00:11:03.519 --> 00:11:06.340 at least one silo needed to be fixed or replaced. 00:11:06.840 --> 00:11:09.259 When you run the numbers on those critical repairs 00:11:09.259 --> 00:11:11.679 against the backdrop of sustained low prices, 00:11:11.919 --> 00:11:14.679 that capital expenditure just becomes the straw 00:11:14.679 --> 00:11:17.299 that breaks the camel's back. That is the silent 00:11:17.299 --> 00:11:19.799 killer of so many small to medium -sized operations. 00:11:20.649 --> 00:11:23.169 You can grit your teeth and survive low commodity 00:11:23.169 --> 00:11:25.470 prices for a few years if your equipment holds 00:11:25.470 --> 00:11:27.990 up. For a while, yeah. But when a necessary piece 00:11:27.990 --> 00:11:30.710 of equipment fails or reaches end of life like 00:11:30.710 --> 00:11:33.370 a bulk tank or a silo and the market shows no 00:11:33.370 --> 00:11:36.110 sign of recovery, that loan payment is simply 00:11:36.110 --> 00:11:39.389 too big to justify. And as Michelle put it, the 00:11:39.389 --> 00:11:41.330 writing was on the wall. Once you acknowledge 00:11:41.330 --> 00:11:44.269 that writing, you start the grueling, quiet process 00:11:44.269 --> 00:11:47.049 of the emotional exit. This happened in November 00:11:47.049 --> 00:11:49.929 of 2018. And the sources paint such a vivid, 00:11:50.090 --> 00:11:52.549 almost unbearable picture of the final days. 00:11:52.970 --> 00:11:56.850 The cows left in stages. Initially, eight went 00:11:56.850 --> 00:11:59.149 onto a cattle jockey's trailer destined for who 00:11:59.149 --> 00:12:02.070 knows where. Then the main herd, requiring two 00:12:02.070 --> 00:12:04.909 gooseneck loads on consecutive brisk, quiet days, 00:12:05.149 --> 00:12:07.409 was shipped off to a registered Holstein operation 00:12:07.409 --> 00:12:09.710 in South Dakota. Bypassing the local market. 00:12:10.039 --> 00:12:11.679 trying to ensure they went to a place where they 00:12:11.679 --> 00:12:13.779 would still be valued. For nearly two weeks leading 00:12:13.779 --> 00:12:15.799 up to the end, they only milked the final ten 00:12:15.799 --> 00:12:18.580 cows, and she recalls the barn feeling profoundly 00:12:18.580 --> 00:12:21.340 wrong, too quiet, the routine suddenly halting. 00:12:21.519 --> 00:12:24.299 And the night before the very last cows left, 00:12:24.500 --> 00:12:29.200 the entire family, Michelle, Jason, Alex, Aiden, 00:12:29.200 --> 00:12:31.720 and April, gathered in the barn and milked together 00:12:31.720 --> 00:12:34.399 for the final time. That is just an immensely 00:12:34.399 --> 00:12:37.460 powerful image of an ending ritual. The weight 00:12:37.460 --> 00:12:39.519 of that moment is incredible. Michelle admitted 00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:41.659 there were tears, some of us more than others. 00:12:41.860 --> 00:12:45.139 And she had this insightful, almost paradoxical 00:12:45.139 --> 00:12:47.940 observation about why they were crying. I want 00:12:47.940 --> 00:12:49.899 us to linger on this quote because it captures 00:12:49.899 --> 00:12:51.860 the true emotional contradiction of farming. 00:12:52.250 --> 00:12:54.570 It really does, she said. Who would have thought 00:12:54.570 --> 00:12:56.649 that years of working every day without a break, 00:12:56.690 --> 00:12:58.570 the stress of paying bills, dealing with bitter 00:12:58.570 --> 00:13:01.710 cold and extreme heat day in and day out would 00:13:01.710 --> 00:13:04.580 result in tears at the end. Funny, but it did. 00:13:04.860 --> 00:13:08.159 Man, that hits me hard. That single line perfectly 00:13:08.159 --> 00:13:11.379 encapsulates the unspoken emotional toll. You 00:13:11.379 --> 00:13:13.759 spend years wishing for a day off, wishing for 00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:16.279 the stress to end, focusing entirely on the grind. 00:13:16.440 --> 00:13:18.379 Yeah. And when the stress finally lifts, the 00:13:18.379 --> 00:13:20.299 loss of the routine, the loss of the purpose, 00:13:20.399 --> 00:13:22.259 and the loss of that animal connection is so 00:13:22.259 --> 00:13:24.299 overwhelming it brings you to tears. It's the 00:13:24.299 --> 00:13:26.720 grief of losing the life you fought so desperately 00:13:26.720 --> 00:13:29.259 to keep, even if that life was literally killing 00:13:29.259 --> 00:13:32.980 you with exhaustion. It's a complex, shared grief, 00:13:33.179 --> 00:13:36.679 and the children felt it deeply, too. Alex, who 00:13:36.679 --> 00:13:38.700 was nine at the time, took it the hardest. He 00:13:38.700 --> 00:13:40.980 had grown up fully immersed in the herd. And 00:13:40.980 --> 00:13:43.899 April, who was just five, still had that profound 00:13:43.899 --> 00:13:47.220 sense of ritual. She insisted on having one last 00:13:47.220 --> 00:13:49.299 picture taken with the cows before she went to 00:13:49.299 --> 00:13:52.659 school that morning. Wow. Then Jason walked through 00:13:52.659 --> 00:13:56.820 the newly empty barn. He described it as eerie 00:13:56.820 --> 00:14:01.080 cold. Only the cats, confused by the sudden silence 00:14:01.080 --> 00:14:03.980 and lack of activity, remained. You realize you've 00:14:03.980 --> 00:14:06.399 been living in a constant state of warmth, animal 00:14:06.399 --> 00:14:09.259 noise, and purposeful routine, and when that 00:14:09.259 --> 00:14:12.259 silence hits, it is deafening. It is. It's a 00:14:12.259 --> 00:14:14.559 moment that validates the experience of every 00:14:14.559 --> 00:14:16.320 farmer listening who has had to make a similar 00:14:16.320 --> 00:14:18.899 choice, or who is currently lying awake at night 00:14:18.899 --> 00:14:21.039 struggling with the decision to sell. We frame 00:14:21.039 --> 00:14:23.539 this entire story as validation for that struggle. 00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:26.379 Michelle's experience validates the pain, the 00:14:26.379 --> 00:14:28.879 regret, and the tears. But what makes her story 00:14:28.879 --> 00:14:32.019 so instructive is what she did next, proving 00:14:32.019 --> 00:14:34.200 that the knowledge, the passion, and the discipline 00:14:34.200 --> 00:14:37.500 don't just vanish when the milk truck stops coming. 00:14:38.000 --> 00:14:40.720 The transition from despair to purpose begins 00:14:40.720 --> 00:14:42.799 just a few months later, and it starts with a 00:14:42.799 --> 00:14:45.500 simple invitation. The turning point happened 00:14:45.500 --> 00:14:48.360 in April 2019, just five months after the cows 00:14:48.360 --> 00:14:52.539 left. Michelle was attending the Holstein's dispersal 00:14:52.539 --> 00:14:55.269 sale. So she's standing there watching another 00:14:55.269 --> 00:14:57.809 family go through the dismantling of their life's 00:14:57.809 --> 00:15:00.309 work, another scene of genetics scattering across 00:15:00.309 --> 00:15:02.370 the region. And I think standing there watching 00:15:02.370 --> 00:15:05.269 that process, it must have solidified her sense 00:15:05.269 --> 00:15:07.649 of identity as a dairy professional, even if 00:15:07.649 --> 00:15:09.809 she wasn't an owner anymore. Right. She's still 00:15:09.809 --> 00:15:11.889 connected, still grieving with the community. 00:15:12.029 --> 00:15:14.230 And that's when Jackie Rickerman approached her 00:15:14.230 --> 00:15:16.549 and asked a simple question. Would Michelle cover 00:15:16.549 --> 00:15:18.610 their milking that July? They needed a break. 00:15:18.850 --> 00:15:21.600 And this wasn't an easy commitment. The Rickerman's 00:15:21.600 --> 00:15:24.759 farm was a 45 -minute drive away. Michelle immediately 00:15:24.759 --> 00:15:28.620 agreed, but logistics were complicated. Her husband, 00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:30.820 Jason, was going to be away for a work trip, 00:15:30.919 --> 00:15:33.279 so she had to negotiate staying at the Rickerman's 00:15:33.279 --> 00:15:35.379 house and bringing her three children with her. 00:15:35.559 --> 00:15:38.120 That's the definition of dedication. Driving 00:15:38.120 --> 00:15:40.600 45 minutes to work someone else's shift, bringing 00:15:40.600 --> 00:15:43.320 your kids, sleeping in a strange bed all, to 00:15:43.320 --> 00:15:46.019 milk someone else's cows. Jackie Rickerman later 00:15:46.019 --> 00:15:48.470 expressed surprise. Questioning why Michelle, 00:15:48.789 --> 00:15:50.850 a former farm owner who just got out of the daily 00:15:50.850 --> 00:15:53.789 grind, would travel 45 minutes to milk someone 00:15:53.789 --> 00:15:56.610 else's herd. That question highlights how unusual 00:15:56.610 --> 00:15:59.330 this level of commitment was. It wasn't about 00:15:59.330 --> 00:16:02.110 convenience or the easiest paycheck. It was about 00:16:02.110 --> 00:16:05.330 loving the work, wanting to stay connected, and, 00:16:05.409 --> 00:16:08.309 most importantly, demonstrating an unparalleled 00:16:08.309 --> 00:16:10.870 level of reliability that the industry desperately 00:16:10.870 --> 00:16:13.450 needed. And that July job at the Rickerman farm 00:16:13.450 --> 00:16:16.490 was a full -on baptism by fire. She jumps back 00:16:16.490 --> 00:16:18.750 into relief milking, and the farm is in high 00:16:18.750 --> 00:16:21.470 gear. Right. She noted a new calf was born almost 00:16:21.470 --> 00:16:23.570 every day she was there, including a set of twins 00:16:23.570 --> 00:16:26.070 on the final day of her shift. It was intense, 00:16:26.389 --> 00:16:29.509 busy, and demanding. Imagine stepping into that 00:16:29.509 --> 00:16:33.210 situation cold. But this is where the kid's unconventional 00:16:33.210 --> 00:16:36.559 education starts instantly. Alex, who was 10, 00:16:36.799 --> 00:16:39.259 was immediately learning skills that many kids 00:16:39.259 --> 00:16:41.639 don't master until they're teens. What was he 00:16:41.639 --> 00:16:44.379 doing? He was tasked with drawing up and administering 00:16:44.379 --> 00:16:47.179 oxytocin injections right there in the milk vein. 00:16:47.379 --> 00:16:50.740 At 10 years old? At 10. And Aiden, who was six 00:16:50.740 --> 00:16:53.179 and a half, was helping move the fresh kais into 00:16:53.179 --> 00:16:55.639 position. They weren't just observing, they were 00:16:55.639 --> 00:16:58.480 a working crew. And Michelle shared one fantastic 00:16:58.480 --> 00:17:01.539 piece of comic relief from that week. Alex saw 00:17:01.539 --> 00:17:04.160 watering the flowers at the Rickomen farm meant 00:17:04.160 --> 00:17:06.660 watering about five flower pots. I love this 00:17:06.660 --> 00:17:08.720 part. He was apparently very surprised by the 00:17:08.720 --> 00:17:11.140 extensive flower watering required for the farmstead. 00:17:11.470 --> 00:17:14.309 It breaks the tension, but also shows their immediate 00:17:14.309 --> 00:17:16.650 immersion into every aspect of farm management. 00:17:16.809 --> 00:17:19.049 Beyond just the cows. Okay, let's zoom out now 00:17:19.049 --> 00:17:20.710 and analyze this from an industry perspective. 00:17:21.069 --> 00:17:23.329 Because Michelle is not just a dedicated mother 00:17:23.329 --> 00:17:25.869 finding side work, she is filling a critical 00:17:25.869 --> 00:17:29.170 structural void. The labor crisis is multifaceted. 00:17:29.789 --> 00:17:32.250 Beyond the sheer shortage of bodies, there is 00:17:32.250 --> 00:17:35.490 a profound lack of trusted, qualified coverage. 00:17:35.849 --> 00:17:38.970 That's the key word. Trust it. Relief milking 00:17:38.970 --> 00:17:41.650 fills that essential void where farmers desperately 00:17:41.650 --> 00:17:44.349 need professional help to take a break, attend 00:17:44.349 --> 00:17:46.789 vital family events like a daughter's wedding, 00:17:46.970 --> 00:17:49.869 or manage true emergencies like illness, injury, 00:17:50.130 --> 00:17:52.990 or harvest overload. But why does Michelle's 00:17:52.990 --> 00:17:55.710 professional service succeed where, say, calling 00:17:55.710 --> 00:17:59.009 a neighbor often fails? It comes down to professionalism 00:17:59.009 --> 00:18:01.369 and breadth of experience. A neighbor might help 00:18:01.369 --> 00:18:03.549 in a pinch, but they often don't have the time, 00:18:03.650 --> 00:18:05.890 the diverse knowledge of multiple parlor systems, 00:18:05.930 --> 00:18:08.309 or the sustained commitment to quality control 00:18:08.309 --> 00:18:10.609 that Michelle brings. So she's selling reliability 00:18:10.609 --> 00:18:13.569 and expertise. That's it. And the trust factor 00:18:13.569 --> 00:18:16.309 here cannot be overstated. When a farmer hands 00:18:16.309 --> 00:18:18.349 over their barn keys, they are handing over their 00:18:18.349 --> 00:18:20.250 livelihood. They are trusting this individual 00:18:20.250 --> 00:18:22.089 with their genetics, their financial stability, 00:18:22.410 --> 00:18:24.809 the health of their animals. Everything. Everything. 00:18:25.150 --> 00:18:27.529 The Shell's entire business model is built entirely 00:18:27.529 --> 00:18:29.849 on earning and maintaining that trust across 00:18:29.849 --> 00:18:33.730 multiple clients. And let's not ignore the very 00:18:33.730 --> 00:18:37.619 real practical economic motivation. She was very 00:18:37.619 --> 00:18:40.400 open about using the money earned to support 00:18:40.400 --> 00:18:42.880 her family's transition and personal goals. Right. 00:18:42.940 --> 00:18:45.319 For example, she milked nearly every Friday and 00:18:45.319 --> 00:18:47.440 Saturday night during their kitchen remodel in 00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:50.779 the fall of 2020. That paid for the kitchen remodel, 00:18:50.839 --> 00:18:53.599 a family project that created a sense of permanence 00:18:53.599 --> 00:18:56.200 and moving forward after the sale. And she also 00:18:56.200 --> 00:18:59.059 used the money to buy Jason a father's ring for 00:18:59.059 --> 00:19:01.529 Christmas. It was more than just pocket money. 00:19:01.609 --> 00:19:04.309 It was converting her deep, specialized expertise 00:19:04.309 --> 00:19:07.690 into immediate, practical results for her family's 00:19:07.690 --> 00:19:10.029 future and emotional well -being. Yeah, turning 00:19:10.029 --> 00:19:11.869 a professional skill into a family resource. 00:19:12.250 --> 00:19:14.329 But here's the most powerful anecdote about the 00:19:14.329 --> 00:19:17.230 true human impact of her work. The shit and cost 00:19:17.230 --> 00:19:20.109 of no breaks. She shared a story about a neighbor 00:19:20.109 --> 00:19:22.470 whose father was dying of pancreatic cancer. 00:19:22.809 --> 00:19:24.930 This is where relief milking transitions from 00:19:24.930 --> 00:19:28.559 labor coverage to profound human necessity. Michelle 00:19:28.559 --> 00:19:30.920 was covering milking shifts, allowing the family 00:19:30.920 --> 00:19:32.980 to continue with harvest and manage the daily 00:19:32.980 --> 00:19:35.539 chores. But she didn't know the reason why the 00:19:35.539 --> 00:19:37.740 coverage was so critically important at the time. 00:19:37.839 --> 00:19:40.900 She only learned the true, devastating context 00:19:40.900 --> 00:19:44.480 at the funeral. So she realized her presence, 00:19:44.599 --> 00:19:47.720 her reliability in the barn, allowed that family 00:19:47.720 --> 00:19:50.339 to spend precious, uninterrupted time with their 00:19:50.339 --> 00:19:53.259 dying father without the stress of abandoning 00:19:53.259 --> 00:19:55.200 the farm during harvest. They didn't have to 00:19:55.200 --> 00:19:57.200 choose between their father's final days and 00:19:57.200 --> 00:19:59.660 their livelihood. That is an impact that goes 00:19:59.660 --> 00:20:02.240 so far beyond the milk check or the per cow rate. 00:20:02.400 --> 00:20:05.480 It underscores the vital role of this service 00:20:05.480 --> 00:20:08.359 in providing essential human space during a crisis. 00:20:08.839 --> 00:20:11.279 It absolutely does. And it underscores Michelle's 00:20:11.279 --> 00:20:13.759 deep insistence that farmers need breaks for 00:20:13.759 --> 00:20:15.420 their mental health. When you hear a story like 00:20:15.420 --> 00:20:17.920 that, it just drives that point home. Let's talk 00:20:17.920 --> 00:20:20.339 about Jason's perspective on mental health post 00:20:20.339 --> 00:20:22.660 -dairy. Michelle mentioned that one of the things 00:20:22.660 --> 00:20:25.059 that helped Jason immensely was when he joined 00:20:25.059 --> 00:20:27.339 the township board. He needed that mental break 00:20:27.339 --> 00:20:30.339 from the relentless daily stress of dairy farming. 00:20:30.539 --> 00:20:33.460 The routine of milking twice a day for 30 years 00:20:33.460 --> 00:20:35.420 means the stress doesn't just vanish when the 00:20:35.420 --> 00:20:38.980 last cow leaves. Having a separate outlet, A 00:20:38.980 --> 00:20:41.900 non -cow related purpose like civic engagement 00:20:41.900 --> 00:20:44.880 is crucial for recovery. So the role Michelle 00:20:44.880 --> 00:20:47.680 plays isn't just about labor efficiency, it's 00:20:47.680 --> 00:20:50.000 about life efficiency for the community. It's 00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:52.549 a crucial safety net. She's the ultimate resource. 00:20:52.769 --> 00:20:55.309 And what's truly fascinating is how she's leveraged 00:20:55.309 --> 00:20:58.390 this service model into a completely new, incredibly 00:20:58.390 --> 00:21:01.410 effective model for educating the next generation 00:21:01.410 --> 00:21:03.730 of dairy professionals. Okay, here's where it 00:21:03.730 --> 00:21:06.009 gets really interesting and analytically rich. 00:21:06.369 --> 00:21:09.150 Michelle took the closure of their own farm and 00:21:09.150 --> 00:21:11.390 turned it into arguably the most comprehensive, 00:21:11.829 --> 00:21:15.329 diverse, practical dairy education imaginable 00:21:15.329 --> 00:21:17.940 for her children. No single farm, no matter how 00:21:17.940 --> 00:21:19.980 good, could have provided this breadth of experience. 00:21:20.339 --> 00:21:23.180 It's the ultimate multi -farm education model. 00:21:23.380 --> 00:21:25.160 They aren't just learning one set of equipment 00:21:25.160 --> 00:21:27.599 or one specific routine. They're learning how 00:21:27.599 --> 00:21:29.740 to adapt instantly. And she breaks down exactly 00:21:29.740 --> 00:21:31.720 what they learn in each different setting, and 00:21:31.720 --> 00:21:33.900 it's brilliant. Yeah. She says they learn that 00:21:33.900 --> 00:21:36.400 tie stalls, for example, require intense patience 00:21:36.400 --> 00:21:39.160 and attention to individual animal needs. You 00:21:39.160 --> 00:21:41.619 can't rush the routine there. Then they switch 00:21:41.619 --> 00:21:44.180 to a herringbone parlor. and suddenly they have 00:21:44.180 --> 00:21:46.579 to master rhythm, efficiency, and consistency 00:21:46.579 --> 00:21:49.940 across a line of cows. And then maybe they jump 00:21:49.940 --> 00:21:52.380 to a modern parallel parlor, and that requires 00:21:52.380 --> 00:21:55.460 speed, rapid indexing, and total control over 00:21:55.460 --> 00:21:58.480 a quick routine. Or they might work in a 200 00:21:58.480 --> 00:22:01.319 -cow operation, where they are learning efficiency 00:22:01.319 --> 00:22:04.460 and scale management. Why is that diversity so 00:22:04.460 --> 00:22:07.420 crucial? from a farmer's perspective. Because 00:22:07.420 --> 00:22:09.599 a kid who grows up only in a parallel parlor 00:22:09.599 --> 00:22:12.119 might never appreciate the discipline and patience 00:22:12.119 --> 00:22:14.460 required in a ties -full barn or vice versa. 00:22:14.799 --> 00:22:17.220 Michelle's kids get it all. So they learn that 00:22:17.220 --> 00:22:19.119 there isn't just one right way to milk a cow. 00:22:19.299 --> 00:22:21.900 Exactly. There are dozens of right ways, and 00:22:21.900 --> 00:22:24.140 the best dairy professionals can move seamlessly 00:22:24.140 --> 00:22:27.000 between them. That adaptability is the currency 00:22:27.000 --> 00:22:29.839 of the future in agriculture. And while she's 00:22:29.839 --> 00:22:32.180 managing these different systems, she's keeping 00:22:32.180 --> 00:22:34.500 herself and her children grounded in the broader 00:22:34.500 --> 00:22:37.539 industry context. She makes a point of noting 00:22:37.539 --> 00:22:41.519 that she listens to KNUJ AM 860 Farm News and 00:22:41.519 --> 00:22:44.519 Markets from New Ulm while she's milking. Headphones 00:22:44.519 --> 00:22:47.259 on 95 % of the time. That's more than background 00:22:47.259 --> 00:22:50.039 noise. Oh, for sure. She's physically doing the 00:22:50.039 --> 00:22:53.000 work in someone else's barn. But mentally, she's 00:22:53.000 --> 00:22:56.019 still analyzing commodity markets, understanding 00:22:56.019 --> 00:22:58.720 the milk futures and connecting the daily grind 00:22:58.720 --> 00:23:01.200 to the economic forces shaping the industry. 00:23:01.380 --> 00:23:04.279 She's modeling for her kids that a true dairy 00:23:04.279 --> 00:23:07.700 professional is always learning, always analyzing, 00:23:07.779 --> 00:23:10.650 not just executing the physical task. And the 00:23:10.650 --> 00:23:13.369 lessons learned are profoundly practical, often 00:23:13.369 --> 00:23:15.470 demanding initiative and high -level problem 00:23:15.470 --> 00:23:17.809 solving. We have this great anecdote about Alex. 00:23:17.970 --> 00:23:20.869 The scraper story. Yes. At one job, Alex noticed 00:23:20.869 --> 00:23:23.049 that the alley scraper hadn't broken for months. 00:23:23.109 --> 00:23:25.329 It was a chronic problem the farm had just learned 00:23:25.329 --> 00:23:27.309 to live with. And Alex didn't ask permission, 00:23:27.529 --> 00:23:30.170 didn't wait for someone else? Nope. He just grabbed 00:23:30.170 --> 00:23:33.009 a welder and fixed it himself. That is pure professional 00:23:33.009 --> 00:23:35.910 initiative. This is not just relief milking. 00:23:35.950 --> 00:23:39.190 This is recognizing a longstanding business deficiency 00:23:39.190 --> 00:23:42.769 and applying a specific high -level trade skill 00:23:42.769 --> 00:23:45.769 welding to solve a problem that impacts efficiency 00:23:45.769 --> 00:23:49.029 and hygiene. Right. And we hear about Alex, even 00:23:49.029 --> 00:23:51.470 before he was licensed, driving the tractor to 00:23:51.470 --> 00:23:54.019 a relief job. That shows a level of confidence 00:23:54.019 --> 00:23:56.440 and responsibility that is often only built when 00:23:56.440 --> 00:23:58.539 you realize that someone else's operation depends 00:23:58.539 --> 00:24:01.019 entirely on you showing up and solving problems. 00:24:01.380 --> 00:24:03.539 The unexpected lessons are always the most memorable. 00:24:03.660 --> 00:24:06.039 I love this story about Aiden in the parlor. 00:24:06.119 --> 00:24:08.859 Me too. He was six and a half, helping prep cows, 00:24:09.039 --> 00:24:11.880 and he spots a bull in the parlor. And he asks 00:24:11.880 --> 00:24:14.640 his mother, with total seriousness, what's that 00:24:14.640 --> 00:24:16.920 pink thing that keeps coming out under his stomach? 00:24:17.140 --> 00:24:19.319 And Michelle, without skipping a beat, gave him 00:24:19.319 --> 00:24:22.650 the correct anatomical term straight. No sugarcoating, 00:24:22.690 --> 00:24:25.269 no awkward parent explanation. And he just paused. 00:24:25.430 --> 00:24:27.970 His eyes probably widened. And then he went right 00:24:27.970 --> 00:24:31.410 back to prepping cows. That's the real unvarnished 00:24:31.410 --> 00:24:34.009 farm kid education right there. They learn differently 00:24:34.009 --> 00:24:35.970 because the classroom doesn't allow for ambiguity 00:24:35.970 --> 00:24:39.569 or embarrassment. It demands knowledge. And that 00:24:39.569 --> 00:24:42.349 confidence and knowledge gained from varied experience 00:24:42.349 --> 00:24:45.650 doesn't stay confined to the relief barn. No, 00:24:45.750 --> 00:24:47.569 Aiden actually took that initiative and taught 00:24:47.569 --> 00:24:50.130 his friend Jackson how to prep cows in Jackson's 00:24:50.130 --> 00:24:53.210 own family parlor. Wait, in his friend's barn? 00:24:53.369 --> 00:24:56.549 Yes. He was emphasizing that a son should know 00:24:56.549 --> 00:24:59.269 how to do chores on his own farm, demonstrating 00:24:59.269 --> 00:25:01.750 a sense of ownership over the skills he had acquired. 00:25:02.069 --> 00:25:03.869 This is where we have to fundamentally challenge 00:25:03.869 --> 00:25:06.710 the assumption that a child must grow up exclusively 00:25:06.710 --> 00:25:09.329 on their family farm to succeed in agriculture. 00:25:09.880 --> 00:25:12.720 The awards are the hard proof of this unconventional 00:25:12.720 --> 00:25:15.940 classroom success. Both Alex and Aiden have won 00:25:15.940 --> 00:25:18.740 the Nicollet County Holstein Association Outstanding 00:25:18.740 --> 00:25:22.059 Junior Boy Award. Winning that award is a massive 00:25:22.059 --> 00:25:24.539 achievement for any child in a prominent farming 00:25:24.539 --> 00:25:27.539 family, showing leadership, commitment, and skill. 00:25:27.759 --> 00:25:30.140 But to win it when you don't milk your own cows 00:25:30.140 --> 00:25:33.809 daily, that absolutely defies tradition. It proves 00:25:33.809 --> 00:25:36.009 that the quality of education, the exposure, 00:25:36.210 --> 00:25:38.690 the professional responsibility, the constant 00:25:38.690 --> 00:25:41.130 handling of many different types of cattle trumps, 00:25:41.230 --> 00:25:43.869 the quantity of time spent in a single family 00:25:43.869 --> 00:25:46.849 -owned barn. They have built exceptional diversified 00:25:46.849 --> 00:25:49.750 resumes using borrowed infrastructure and their 00:25:49.750 --> 00:25:52.250 mother's network. And this commitment leads to 00:25:52.250 --> 00:25:55.089 incredibly stressful yet illustrative moments. 00:25:55.410 --> 00:25:59.299 Think about World Dairy Expo in 2025. Alex is 00:25:59.299 --> 00:26:02.119 competing in Madison 300 miles away, showing 00:26:02.119 --> 00:26:04.460 his air shirt cow. And Michelle, however, is 00:26:04.460 --> 00:26:07.160 relief, milking in a stranger's barn, unable 00:26:07.160 --> 00:26:09.940 to attend. The image of the modern dairy mom. 00:26:10.480 --> 00:26:12.759 Standing in the living room of her client's farmhouse, 00:26:12.940 --> 00:26:14.839 watching the live stream of the show, balancing 00:26:14.839 --> 00:26:17.000 the milking schedule with her son's high -stakes 00:26:17.000 --> 00:26:19.039 competition. And she couldn't help but coach 00:26:19.039 --> 00:26:21.769 him from afar. Standing on the coffee table yelling 00:26:21.769 --> 00:26:25.029 at the TV, she recounts screaming, stop overworking 00:26:25.029 --> 00:26:27.150 her. I can just picture it. That is the perfect 00:26:27.150 --> 00:26:29.950 visceral image of a dairy mom. Even when she's 00:26:29.950 --> 00:26:32.470 not physically present, she's emotionally, analytically, 00:26:32.549 --> 00:26:35.190 and physically invested in that moment. And when 00:26:35.190 --> 00:26:37.890 Alex placed 12th, competing against the eventual 00:26:37.890 --> 00:26:40.890 grand champion, Michelle's reaction was classic 00:26:40.890 --> 00:26:44.170 farmer relief. I'm glad I wasn't there. It was 00:26:44.170 --> 00:26:46.089 done. I didn't have a long drive back home, and 00:26:46.089 --> 00:26:48.490 I saw what I needed to see. She got the satisfaction 00:26:48.490 --> 00:26:51.390 of the competitive outcome without the high stress 00:26:51.390 --> 00:26:53.990 of the travel and the intense show ring atmosphere. 00:26:54.329 --> 00:26:56.849 Yeah. And we should note the scope of their ownership. 00:26:57.509 --> 00:27:00.329 The three children collectively own 15 animals, 00:27:00.470 --> 00:27:02.710 plus Alex's independent three -in -one partnership. 00:27:03.210 --> 00:27:06.069 The family operation may have sold, but the passion 00:27:06.069 --> 00:27:08.410 and the genetics are being kept alive. Their 00:27:08.410 --> 00:27:10.690 classroom may be unconventional, their barn may 00:27:10.690 --> 00:27:13.369 be temporary, but the results are undeniable. 00:27:13.549 --> 00:27:15.769 Their learning discipline, initiative, advanced 00:27:15.769 --> 00:27:18.450 animal science, and business management all wrapped 00:27:18.450 --> 00:27:21.089 into one traveling education. That adaptability 00:27:21.089 --> 00:27:23.710 is the ultimate legacy. This brings us to the 00:27:23.710 --> 00:27:26.630 evolution of the farmer role itself. Michelle 00:27:26.630 --> 00:27:29.369 Schroeder embodies a new, critical figure in 00:27:29.369 --> 00:27:32.529 modern agriculture, the professional, non -milking 00:27:32.529 --> 00:27:35.369 dairy farmer. She is selling time and expertise, 00:27:35.509 --> 00:27:38.650 not a commodity. She's there for the ordinary 00:27:38.650 --> 00:27:40.769 emergencies, as she calls them. The daughter's 00:27:40.769 --> 00:27:43.309 wedding, the late harvest, the funerals, the 00:27:43.309 --> 00:27:45.890 mental health breaks. She proves that sometimes 00:27:45.890 --> 00:27:48.150 the most important figures supporting the dairy 00:27:48.150 --> 00:27:50.569 community are the ones who provide the essential, 00:27:50.670 --> 00:27:53.150 highly specialized service that keeps the cow 00:27:53.150 --> 00:27:56.410 owners afloat and sane. And we need to look at 00:27:56.410 --> 00:27:59.470 Jason's parallel transition. After 30 years in 00:27:59.470 --> 00:28:01.849 the family barn, grinding away at the routine, 00:28:02.509 --> 00:28:04.829 He was ready to be done when the last cow left. 00:28:05.089 --> 00:28:07.329 And while Michelle jumped back in via relief 00:28:07.329 --> 00:28:10.509 work, Jason needed a clean break from the daily 00:28:10.509 --> 00:28:13.549 labor. That's a common and completely understandable 00:28:13.549 --> 00:28:16.109 reaction for a family that's endured that three 00:28:16.109 --> 00:28:18.109 -decade grind of ownership and responsibility. 00:28:18.470 --> 00:28:21.009 He channeled his deep practical experience not 00:28:21.009 --> 00:28:23.650 into physical labor, but into pedagogy. Right. 00:28:23.690 --> 00:28:25.390 He became a farm business management instructor 00:28:25.390 --> 00:28:27.970 at South Central College. So the knowledge is 00:28:27.970 --> 00:28:30.069 still being passed on, but through a different 00:28:30.069 --> 00:28:32.660 institutional channel. He is now teaching the 00:28:32.660 --> 00:28:34.640 next generation how to run the numbers, how to 00:28:34.640 --> 00:28:37.400 pivot, and how to survive the economic realities 00:28:37.400 --> 00:28:39.940 that ultimately forced their own hand. It's a 00:28:39.940 --> 00:28:42.559 fantastic way to honor his experience without 00:28:42.559 --> 00:28:45.920 returning to the 7 .15 p .m. finish time. And 00:28:45.920 --> 00:28:48.539 the family legacy is adapting rather than ending. 00:28:48.740 --> 00:28:51.619 They are still tied deeply to the land. They're 00:28:51.619 --> 00:28:54.039 planning the sesquicentennial celebration of 00:28:54.039 --> 00:28:58.400 their farm set for around 2030. That's 150 years 00:28:58.400 --> 00:29:01.460 since the land entered the family. Yes. They're 00:29:01.460 --> 00:29:03.380 even planning a breakfast on the farm celebration. 00:29:03.740 --> 00:29:06.319 That is a profound commitment to heritage and 00:29:06.319 --> 00:29:09.279 community identity. It proves that legacy isn't 00:29:09.279 --> 00:29:11.400 strictly defined by the contents of the bulk 00:29:11.400 --> 00:29:14.299 tank, but by the connection to the land and the 00:29:14.299 --> 00:29:16.579 community that sustained them. Exactly. They 00:29:16.579 --> 00:29:19.839 can celebrate 150 years of family farming, even 00:29:19.839 --> 00:29:22.579 if the cows left a few years shy of that milestone. 00:29:22.940 --> 00:29:24.900 And the kids are looking forward with incredible 00:29:24.900 --> 00:29:28.099 clarity about their professional dreams. April 00:29:28.099 --> 00:29:30.460 dreams of veterinary medicine. Alex is talking 00:29:30.460 --> 00:29:33.000 about starting a cattle boarding business, utilizing 00:29:33.000 --> 00:29:35.299 that diversity of barn experience he's gained. 00:29:35.519 --> 00:29:38.420 And Aiden, smartly, watches his options carefully. 00:29:38.799 --> 00:29:41.279 Michelle's conviction about their future is powerful. 00:29:41.859 --> 00:29:45.210 The sky's the limit for these kids. She believes 00:29:45.210 --> 00:29:47.109 this because they started building their professional 00:29:47.109 --> 00:29:49.950 resumes early, working both on their home farm 00:29:49.950 --> 00:29:52.829 and critically on dozens of others. They are 00:29:52.829 --> 00:29:54.829 not waiting for college to define them. They 00:29:54.829 --> 00:29:57.170 are actively preparing for dynamic, specialized 00:29:57.170 --> 00:30:00.410 agricultural careers that require broad knowledge. 00:30:00.769 --> 00:30:03.789 But as with Michelle's life, change is constant. 00:30:04.250 --> 00:30:08.210 In February 2025, she actually accepted a significant 00:30:08.210 --> 00:30:11.029 new part -time position as the district outreach 00:30:11.029 --> 00:30:13.150 representative for Congressman Brad Finstadt. 00:30:13.410 --> 00:30:15.930 That's a huge pivot again, demonstrating that 00:30:15.930 --> 00:30:18.529 her core skill set, her ability to connect with 00:30:18.529 --> 00:30:20.849 farmers, her reliability, and her deep, intimate 00:30:20.849 --> 00:30:22.990 knowledge of the agricultural community's struggles 00:30:22.990 --> 00:30:26.089 is transferable directly into the political and 00:30:26.089 --> 00:30:28.190 policy sphere. She knows the pressure points 00:30:28.190 --> 00:30:29.869 of the dairy industry because she lives them 00:30:29.869 --> 00:30:32.619 every time she steps into a client's barn. So 00:30:32.619 --> 00:30:34.640 we have to wonder how this new role influences 00:30:34.640 --> 00:30:37.359 her availability. It definitely forces limitations. 00:30:37.680 --> 00:30:40.160 She's had to limit her availability for new relief 00:30:40.160 --> 00:30:42.119 milking clients, so she's wisely keeping those 00:30:42.119 --> 00:30:44.119 relationships strong with her longtime clients. 00:30:44.339 --> 00:30:46.299 She knows where her roots are. And that her professional 00:30:46.299 --> 00:30:49.319 credibility rests on maintaining those vital 00:30:49.319 --> 00:30:52.079 connections to the people she represents. It's 00:30:52.079 --> 00:30:55.359 a perfect symbiosis. Her policy work informs 00:30:55.359 --> 00:30:58.279 her milking. Her milking informs her policy work. 00:30:58.890 --> 00:31:01.509 Before we move to our final takeaways, we have 00:31:01.509 --> 00:31:04.190 to share Michelle's final wisdom for those facing 00:31:04.190 --> 00:31:07.170 the exact path she just walked, the family that 00:31:07.170 --> 00:31:09.650 just sold their herd and feels utterly lost. 00:31:09.970 --> 00:31:12.589 She has two incredibly important pieces of advice. 00:31:12.789 --> 00:31:15.109 The first one is pure heart, and it's often ignored 00:31:15.109 --> 00:31:17.420 by those in transition. Oops, sorry. She says, 00:31:17.559 --> 00:31:19.440 take some time to reconnect with your spouse 00:31:19.440 --> 00:31:22.299 and family. You've just spent years milking cows 00:31:22.299 --> 00:31:25.420 twice a day, every single day. The cows are gone, 00:31:25.480 --> 00:31:27.400 but the people who stood by you are still there. 00:31:27.779 --> 00:31:29.740 There's no better way to thank them than the 00:31:29.740 --> 00:31:32.299 gift of your time. That is such crucial advice. 00:31:32.779 --> 00:31:35.400 When you sell, the last thing you want is for 00:31:35.400 --> 00:31:37.480 the farm closure to turn into a family crisis 00:31:37.480 --> 00:31:39.640 because you're still running on that high -stress 00:31:39.640 --> 00:31:42.519 treadmill. emotionally unavailable you need to 00:31:42.519 --> 00:31:44.599 reset the clock and then she gives the harder 00:31:44.599 --> 00:31:46.680 more practical truth which shows her forward 00:31:46.680 --> 00:31:49.920 thinking professional mindset have a plan right 00:31:49.920 --> 00:31:52.980 saying i'm resting after selling the cows can 00:31:52.980 --> 00:31:56.819 only be done for so long everyone needs something 00:31:56.819 --> 00:31:59.859 to do in life a purpose an activity a plan you 00:31:59.859 --> 00:32:03.339 can't replace the 4 50 a .m alarm the cows and 00:32:03.339 --> 00:32:06.579 the 7 15 p .m finish time with nothing that void 00:32:06.579 --> 00:32:09.400 will consume you you need structure and purpose 00:32:09.400 --> 00:32:13.339 and michelle found hers in serving the very industry 00:32:13.339 --> 00:32:16.279 she thought she had left she truly embodies the 00:32:16.279 --> 00:32:18.539 evolution of the dedicated dairy professional 00:32:18.539 --> 00:32:21.779 she's there often in capris old tennis shoes 00:32:21.779 --> 00:32:24.440 and a heart rock cafe visor in the dark hours 00:32:24.440 --> 00:32:26.000 of the morning keeping other people's dreams 00:32:26.000 --> 00:32:29.369 alive that is the definition of quiet essential 00:32:29.369 --> 00:32:31.869 impact on the modern farm landscape. All right, 00:32:31.869 --> 00:32:33.369 so someone's listening to this on their way to 00:32:33.369 --> 00:32:35.529 evening milking. Maybe they're feeling that exhaustion 00:32:35.529 --> 00:32:37.750 deep in their bones or they're struggling with 00:32:37.750 --> 00:32:40.130 the pressure of a tough decision. What should 00:32:40.130 --> 00:32:42.309 stick with them immediately from Michelle's incredible 00:32:42.309 --> 00:32:45.549 story? My first takeaway is an immediate reflection 00:32:45.549 --> 00:32:48.170 point, and it relates directly to mental health 00:32:48.170 --> 00:32:50.150 and the future of your operation. When's the 00:32:50.150 --> 00:32:51.789 last time you took a real guilt -free break? 00:32:52.240 --> 00:32:54.880 Not an hour, not a single morning, but a genuine 00:32:54.880 --> 00:32:59.339 48 or 72 hour period of rest. If you don't have 00:32:59.339 --> 00:33:02.240 an answer, you need to stop viewing relief milking 00:33:02.240 --> 00:33:05.359 as an extravagant luxury and recognize it as 00:33:05.359 --> 00:33:07.660 a core necessity for the sustainability of your 00:33:07.660 --> 00:33:09.559 farm and your family's mental health. It's a 00:33:09.559 --> 00:33:13.900 necessity, not a luxury. That's excellent. My 00:33:13.900 --> 00:33:16.059 second takeaway is for anyone who has already 00:33:16.059 --> 00:33:18.880 transitioned out or is considering it, the medium 00:33:18.880 --> 00:33:21.759 term lesson. If you're a former dairy farmer, 00:33:22.059 --> 00:33:24.359 or transitioning out of ownership, could your 00:33:24.359 --> 00:33:27.640 deep specialized skills fill a vital labor gap 00:33:27.640 --> 00:33:29.720 like Michelle's in your local community? Yeah. 00:33:29.839 --> 00:33:32.400 That expertise in animal care, milking protocol, 00:33:32.599 --> 00:33:35.359 and diverse parlor systems is incredibly valuable. 00:33:35.539 --> 00:33:37.599 It doesn't die when you sell the cows. Exactly. 00:33:37.759 --> 00:33:40.579 Yeah. You are uniquely positioned to professionalize 00:33:40.579 --> 00:33:42.960 this service and solve the labor crisis for your 00:33:42.960 --> 00:33:45.400 neighbors while finding purpose after the herd 00:33:45.400 --> 00:33:47.519 is gone. Absolutely. And the long -term lesson 00:33:47.519 --> 00:33:49.420 for those raising the next generation is about 00:33:49.420 --> 00:34:14.619 preparation and the unconventional class. Adeptibility 00:34:14.619 --> 00:34:17.300 is the key word. Michelle Schroeder's life is 00:34:17.300 --> 00:34:20.039 a masterclass in adaptation, showing us that 00:34:20.039 --> 00:34:22.119 the end of one chapter is simply the beginning 00:34:22.119 --> 00:34:24.599 of a far more essential one. Her story proves 00:34:24.599 --> 00:34:27.139 there's life after dairy cows, and sometimes 00:34:27.139 --> 00:34:28.980 it keeps you closer to the industry than you'd 00:34:28.980 --> 00:34:31.300 expect. This has been another Bullvine Podcast. 00:34:31.800 --> 00:34:33.679 For the full feature article with photos of the 00:34:33.679 --> 00:34:36.059 Schroeder family in action, including Alex on 00:34:36.059 --> 00:34:38.739 the show floor and Aiden helping prep cows, head 00:34:38.739 --> 00:34:42.320 to www .thebullvine .com. Subscribe wherever 00:34:42.320 --> 00:34:44.940 you get podcasts. We're out with new deep dives 00:34:44.940 --> 00:34:47.489 regularly. Until next time, take care of those 00:34:47.489 --> 00:34:49.809 cows, and most importantly, take care of yourselves.