Welcome! Please use the navigational links to explore our website.
PartsASAP LogoCompany Logo Auction Link (800) 853-2651

Shop Now

   Allis Chalmers Case Farmall IH Ford 8N,9N,2N Ford
   Ferguson John Deere Massey Ferguson Minn. Moline Oliver

Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

A long time Nebraska dairy closing-selling herd

Welcome Guest, Log in or Register
Author 
jubilee johnny

10-12-2006 05:40:29




Report to Moderator

For those who know about it, the Platte Valley Academy dairy near Shelton, NE is selling its herd of 350 plus holstiens. I believe they started milking in about 1924 and had a state of the art dairy. Now I'm told they would have to double their herd to 700 to make it so they are selling. A sad day for central Nebraska agriculture.




[Log in to Reply]   [No Email]
Shawnspeed3

10-12-2006 09:32:48




Report to Moderator
 Re: A long time Nebraska dairy closing-selling her in reply to jubilee johnny, 10-12-2006 05:40:29  
In the thumb of Michigan we have had an influx of Dutch farmers coming in and setting up shop with 600 head then 1200 head and now I hear their is a 3600 head facility being built now....the locals were not happy until they started selling feed to them and then they saw it as a new market for their crops. They also employ people for milking , 3 shifts 24-7. now we will see how long they can keep it going. Myself, I bought a cow-share from a local small dairy that is certifed organic,and uses heritage breeds of cows(dutch belted). The milk is raw, un-pasturized, un-homaganized, and simply wonderful. Even though I have cows, I don't milk them because of my work schedule won't allow it, so the 10 percent of the cow fee (one time) and the weekly boarding fee of$12.50 (2.5 gal)is worth it to the wife and I. hopefully more farms will find ways to direct market and diversify, so they can continue for the next generation...

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Glenn FitzGerald

10-12-2006 09:20:03




Report to Moderator
 Re: A long time Nebraska dairy closing-selling her in reply to jubilee johnny, 10-12-2006 05:40:29  
Very sad to hear that. I attended Wisconsin Academy, in Columbus, WI in the 70's. Their dairy closed down about 25 years ago.

Glenn F.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
jubilee johnny

10-12-2006 07:24:31




Report to Moderator
 Re: A long time Nebraska dairy closing-selling her in reply to jubilee johnny, 10-12-2006 05:40:29  
This dairy provided jobs for high school age students at a school. Everyone worked a part of each day, kind of a work/study program. It also taught a lot of "city" kids about agriculture. The atmosphere was one of a small farm.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
barnrat

10-12-2006 07:19:39




Report to Moderator
 Re: A long time Nebraska dairy closing-selling her in reply to jubilee johnny, 10-12-2006 05:40:29  
I'm a proud small dairy farmer(40 cows) and I can't wait for more big dairy farms to fall. They are so inefficient and wasteful. Round here big farm(over 200 cows) have been dropping like flys. I don't complain about $12 milk. The Chicago Mercantile Exchange has been screwing up the dairy price for years and I doubt that'll ever change. Small grass based farms with colored breed cows are the future of dairy. Too many farmers back in the 70's and 80's bought into the idea of get big or get out. That ideas sure did make allot of money for bankers and made allot more ex dairy farmers. The problem with dairy farming today is that there isn't enough people with enthusiasm and fresh ideas to take the industry forward.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Dave from MN

10-12-2006 08:21:28




Report to Moderator
 Re: A long time Nebraska dairy closing-selling her in reply to barnrat, 10-12-2006 07:19:39  
I help some freinds that have a herd of Brown Swiss, milking about 30 or more. They are coming back from a registered herd sell out in the late 90's. They saved their heifers and are not buying any so the herd is growing. Lot of potential for the farm dairy income. Just need to look at getting alot of the labor out of the daily chores, hard to find cheap teen labor. I and my wife would like to get into it with them and try to turn the dairy portion of it around and maybe some day buy it, but how do you bring that up to the owners? I smile everytime I see some one reopening that old boarded up barn and a year later you see a herd of milk cowns in that weed over grown cow yard. Big or small good future for all ag

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
barnrat

10-12-2006 09:48:19




Report to Moderator
 Re: A long time Nebraska dairy closing-selling her in reply to Dave from MN, 10-12-2006 08:21:28  
I started buying calves back in 1998, Bought mostly crosses and jerseys cause they were cheap. kept them at my families farm. In 2000 I had enough milking animals that I found a barn to lease and started miling about 30. In 2004 I moved to western NY with 40 milkers and young stock and bought my father in laws farm. We completly renovated the old 36 stall barn and added another 38 stalls, plus a pipeline, new siding and a roof. Around here most neighbors will help if you need it. I can't get teenagers to work and the ones that do are a liability.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
the tractor vet

10-12-2006 06:32:32




Report to Moderator
 Re: A long time Nebraska dairy closing-selling her in reply to jubilee johnny, 10-12-2006 05:40:29  
Well they have been tryen to get dairy farms to get bigger then the next thing is they end up having trouble with the EPA and yuppy neighbors or get to big that they can not manage it wright and aquire to much debt to service with the income at hand, Seen this tomany times . THe family farm that fed several people the way it was then goes and listens to the experts about doublen the size and before long ya see the signs and ad's in the paper for the sale of all assets , but the littel guy with his 30-60 cow operation is still there after the dust settels from across the way of the 150 plus operation . Before long the sayen will no longer be GOT MILK i is going to be WHO's GOT MILK???? Ya got to remember that it was not the MEGA farms that put that gallon of milk on the table it was the family farm where Ma And PA and the kids did the work with there small herd with the neat as a pin place and had strong values that made it thru . Now to day they want us to think BIG and IS BIG better ???? myself i think not , Just set down and take a good long look around and go out and set down under a tree away from everyone and do some seirous thinking > Are we better off???

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
MN Bob

10-12-2006 06:02:32




Report to Moderator
 Re: A long time Nebraska dairy closing-selling her in reply to jubilee johnny, 10-12-2006 05:40:29  
Sad day for Ag industry. Many states a trying to lure dairy industry. The following is from the Red River Farm Network.
Wanted: Dairy Farms -- Georgia and New York were among the newest additions to the list of states at World Dairy Expo selling themselves as dairy states. North Dakota has been at the show for four years with the same message. Livestock Development Specialist Bobbi Talmadge says it is worth the effort. "Every cow that we can bring to North Dakota is economic growth in a community; dairy has the largest multiplier effect on our economy." Gary Hoffman of the North Dakota Dairy Coalition says more can be done to lure dairies to the state. "We tried passing legislation last time around which would give animal agriculture the same benefits that factories or a manufacturing organization would recieve if it moved to the state; I think we'll make another run at it." The whole community looses when one goes out of business. Bob

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Dave from MN

10-12-2006 05:55:05




Report to Moderator
 Re: A long time Nebraska dairy closing-selling her in reply to jubilee johnny, 10-12-2006 05:40:29  
Sad. Price of milk dont seem to have gone down in stores. Except walmart. The low cost supply demander. I really makes you wonder what vwill happen will all the smaller dairies are shut down, we have only 3000+ herd dairies, and then they get hit with some new "waste law" that makes it impossible to manage the manure. Will the big dairies be shutting down also in the years to come? Most freinds I have are milking between 40-100+ cows and they seem to be doing OK, they really need to see the price come up though. Good luck to all the dairy farmers out there.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
[Options]  [Printer Friendly]  [Posting Help]  [Return to Forum]   [Log in to Reply]

Hop to:


TRACTOR PARTS TRACTOR MANUALS
We sell tractor parts!  We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]

Home  |  Forums


Copyright © 1997-2023 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy

TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters

Website Accessibility Policy