The Next Generation
/With a calling to feed the world, dairy farmers don’t take this mission lightly, and just as the industry continues to grow and evolve, so do the hands that make it.
In their little boots, jeans, hats and jackets, the next generation of dairy farmers and agriculture advocates are learning values and life lessons that can only be taught on the farm. They’re growing up alongside the calves that also represent the farm’s future, and absorbing family traditions of care, passion, hard work and responsibility passed down from the moment they can toddle around the farm.
A bright future
Meet the Folkemas and Windemullers, two dairy farm families invested in their family farms — and their children’s futures.
For Paul and Brittany Windemuller of Dream Winds Dairy in Coopersville, Mich., providing a home to their five children (and one on the way!) rooted in love for their land, animals and one another has been the dream.
“I always wanted my kids to learn how to work, handle and care for animals and the land,” Paul says. “It’s a great opportunity for them to understand a cause and industry bigger than themselves.”
From leading cows out to the pasture to helping feed calves to equipment cleaning and farm upkeep, Paul and Brittany’s two oldest sons, Paxton, 9, and Judah, 7, are learning each day what it takes to be responsible stewards of the land and their animals. Home-schooled by their parents, Paxton and Judah have a front-row seat to life’s greatest lessons. In fact, one of their most recent math projects was to create a budget for raising a calf.
“We don’t expect our kids to take over the farm, but we do want to instill in them the principles of what it takes to be a good farmer,” Paul says. “These farm-taught values shape good citizens, business owners and professionals, and provide qualities and skills that will be useful in every aspect of their lives.”
Values that matter
For Kyle and Jessica Folkema of Country Folk Dairy in Fremont, Mich., it’s important to empower their children to follow their passions and take educated risks, just like they see their parents doing on the farm every day. Their three children, Anders, 7; Ellis, 4; and Henning, 2, love to visit the farm, where they make connections with the employees and build relationships with the cows.
“Our kids know that on a farm, you work until the job is done,” Jessica says. “They see that our cows depend on us for their health and well-being, and that we always put animal care first.”
As the dairy and agriculture industries continue to grow and evolve, the Folkemas recognize the responsibility of sharing their passion for agriculture with their children — and the world.
“It’s a powerful thing for kids to understand agriculture and know where their food comes from,” Jessica says. “I hope that kids like ours help carry a positive message into the world about what our industry is and why what we do is so important.”
