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BY JILL [email protected]

new generation of dairy farmers is emerging in Kenosha County, headstrong, educated and passionate

about keeping the industry and the small family farm solvent.

The young farmers range in age from 17 to 38, know full well what they are get-ting into and wouldn’t trade their trusty pickup for an Escalade. The individu-als who will be featured in the Kenosha News this week represent only a handful of the new crop.

“There is a new face of dairy farming in Kenosha County,” Rachael (Herda) Crane, 28, said. “We are all working to-gether and are all getting more involved in promoting the industry.”

It’s a good thing too, as there are many

more who are ready to retire. Some have already bought into the family farm while others are working their way toward the goal.

The number of dairy farms has steadi-ly decreased in Kenosha County since the late 1980s. There are 31 dairy farms, down from 42 in 2002. Those who are hanging on have held the number of cows in the county steady, at about 3,300. Those cows produce more than $12 million in annual sales of milk and dairy products.

“It keeps diminishing,” Crane said of

the number of dairy farms. “It seems we lose a couple each year.”

Data culled from various sources by the Wisconsin Farm Center shows at least 40 percent of Wisconsin’s farmers are age 55 or older. Farm Center director Paul Dietmann said if you apply USDA estimates to Wisconsin’s farmer num-bers, about 20,000 farmers will retire dur-ing the next decade and will be replaced by a new generation of 14,000.

The new Kenosha County farmers stand ready to take over at a time of com-plex and rapid change in the industry due to technological innovations, trade and other government policies, a grow-ing world population, and urban pres-sures on agricultural lands, as well as conservation issues and environmental concerns.

Seeing the fall - and rise? - of dairy farmingDairy Farm Decline

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KENOSHA NEWS

in Kenosha County A Timing is right for young people to get into dairy farming. Page A7.

Six-part series begins

Advice B7Books E3Business B8,9Celebrations E1,2Classifi eds Section DDeaths A4Entertainment B10,11Local Section ALottery A8More D1Nation/World B3-5Opinion B6,7Records A5Region D2Sports Section CSpotlight A5Travel E4TV Listings B12Weather B12You B1,2

Debbi Molinaro, 52, of Kenosha, died Friday at Woodstock Health and Rehabilitation Center. Piasecki-Althaus ............A6

James A. Linderman, 62, died Wednesday. Schaff Funeral Home, West Allis .................... A6

Victor A. Cotto, 50, of Kenosha, died Monday at his residence. Bruch Funeral Home ...............A6

William Eubanks, 26, of Kenosha, died Monday at Kenosha Medical Center. Kenosha Funeral Services ...................... A6

Dorsey C. LeCompte, 69, died June 28. Bruch ......A6

Tammy Meyer, 51, formerly of Kenosha, late of New Port Richey, Fla., died May 22. ...................... A6

Valerie Rose Meyer, 82, formerly of Racine, late of New Port Richey, Fla., died March 1. ..................... A6

Marilyn Schiller is 80 today. She enjoys play-ing bridge and pinochle, reading, traveling and spending time with family and friends.

Celebrity birthdays:Nelson Mandela, former South African president, 92.

Marilyn Schiller

A noble lady

KENOSHA NEWS PHOTO BY BRIAN PASSINO

Me and my mummyJeff Kulesus of Gurnee, Ill., paints a hand-made replica of an Egyptian mummiform coffi n of Queen Nesikhonsu, a noble lady of the 21st dynasty from the Third Inter-mediate Period, during a presentation at the Kenosha Public Museum Saturday. It

was part of the “Arts of Ancient Egypt” exhibition, featuring amateur Egyptolo-gists Peter Chiappori and Kulesus and a display of replicas of ancient Egyptian art work and artifacts.

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Who has the right to dance at Auschwitz, to make light of the Holocaust, to shoot videos set amid cattle cars and gas chambers?

A home video that has gone viral on the Internet showing a Holocaust survi-vor dancing at Auschwitz and other Holocaust sites to the disco classic “I Will Sur-vive” with his daughter and grandchildren has brought such questions to the fore.

To some, images of Adolek Kohn and his family shuf-fl ing off-beat at such hal-lowed places is an insult to those who perished; to others a defi ant celebration of survival. The incongruous juxtapositions have struck many viewers as funny and chilling at the same time.

Whether the comedic ef-fects were intentional or not, they bring a new dimension to questions about how far taboos can be tested in an age

when comedians like Larry David and Sacha Baron Co-hen fi nd rich fodder for their jokes in the Holocaust.

The fact that the video only gained massive attention when neo-Nazi groups spread it online further complicates the question.

“If the humor is meant to cheapen, then it’s bad,” said Raul Teitelbaum, 79, who survived the Nazi camp at Bergen-Belsen. “But if the humor is simply a human

reaction to tragedy, it’s all right. It’s complicated to do it, but a successful humorist can pull it off.”

Making light of Nazi cru-elty goes back at least as far as Charlie Chaplin’s biting 1940 parody of Adolf Hitler and anti-Semitism in “The Great Dictator.” But it takes on new implications in the age of Facebook and You-Tube, when amateur videos like Kohn’s can quickly reach millions of people worldwide

— and when it can be hard to distinguish between sincere acts of remembrance and publicity stunts.

One thing is clear even 65 years after World War II: a playful approach to Holocaust memory is always bound to offend someone, and it’s really only accept-able coming from survivors or other Jews intending no offense.

Video of man dancing at Auschwitz called funny, chilling

MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERSWASHINGTON — Step

by step, President Barack Obama is building a record of major legislation that’s sure to make a mark on history.

The most sweeping fi nancial regulation since

the Great Depression. A vast expan-sion of health care, which Democrats had wanted for more than six decades. An $862 bil-lion stimulus package that

locked in long-sought Demo-cratic priorities.

Yet his job-approval rating remains low. Why doesn’t he get any credit?

First, the economy remains shaky. Second, he went further with a big-government, big-defi cit approach than some voters wanted, notably inde-pendents, who’ve turned against him. Third, he broke some of his own vows in the process — such as becoming a backroom deal-making politician to get health care — alienating young ideal-ists.

There’s still plenty of time for Obama to recover before the 2012 presidential election, particularly if the economy rebounds, the un-employed head back to work and people start feeling the benefi ts of his achievements in their lives.

For now, however, he’s

still trying to convince Americans beyond the beltway that his success in Congress will pay off for them. His fellow Democrats are worried that any even-tual payoff won’t come in time for their congressional elections this fall.

“I don’t think he gets any credit on the economy. I don’t think he gets any cred-it for passing the bailouts or his budgets or health care,” said Brad Coker, a pollster with Mason-Dixon Polling &Research.

“I don’t think he gets credit until things start to work. If they work, he’ll get credit. They have to start working by summer or early fall of 2012 for him. But I don’t know that there’stime for any of it to work by this fall.”

So far, Americans give the president middling grades.

Just 44 percent approve of his performance in offi ce, according to the latest Gal-lup Poll on Friday, while 48 percent disapprove.

They lean against him is-sue by issue, according to a new Bloomberg News poll:

■ On the economy, 44 per-cent approve and 52 percent disapprove.

■ On addressing prob-lems on Wall Street, 42 per-cent approve and 50 percent disapprove.

■ On health care, 46 per-cent approve and 51 percent disapprove.

■ On the federal budget defi cit, 37 percent approve and 59 percent disapprove.

Low scores for Obama

PresidentObama

Legislative victories not enough to keep rating up

See DANCE, Back page

Local KENOSHA NEWS | SUNDAY, JULY 18, 2010 | A7


Milk prices are low and gasoline prices are high, but Wisconsin Farm Center Director Paul Diet-mann said the timing is right for

young dairy farmers who want to buy into or take ownership of the family farm.

“Right now is a great time for someone to get started in dairy farming,” Dietmann said. “Feed prices are coming down and that is the single largest operating expense.”

Asset values are also declining. A producer was able to transfer twice as many cows in January 2009 under the annual gift limits than they could have in January 2008.

“You can gift a certain amount every year without declaring it for tax purposes,” Dietmann said. “Cows are quite a bit cheaper than they were even two years ago. At one time it cost between $2,000 and $2,500 a head for milking cows. Now the price is more like $1,200.”

Strong support networkDietmann said there is also a strong

support network in place in the state for beginning farmers and a great loan program available to them. The Beginning Farmer

Downpayment Loan Program allows farmers to get a loan for up to 45 percent of the value of the farm at a 1.5 percent interest rate, locked in for 20 years.

Still, Dietmann said few are taking advan-tage of the opportunities. The state is not seeing the increase in the number of new farmers it would like given the favorable business climate, he said.

“People tend to focus on the milk price,” he said. “Even though there have been better op-portunities over the last year and a half than in the last fi ve years to begin dairy farming,

we haven’t really seen a big increase in the humber of people interested in getting into it.”

Fewer childrenFarmers who are approaching retirement

represent a generation with fewer children. Those children have had the benefi t of other life choices, perhaps more than any previous generation in history. Fortunately, in Kenosha County, some farm families have seen children go off to college, study agriculture and fi nance, and return to the farm ready to take the reins.

“We learned ways to improve milk produc-tion and increase crop yields,” said Rachael Crane, whose husband Ryan co-owns Crane Dairy in Brighton. “We intended to come back to the farm with fresh ideas.”

Deitmann said, however, fewer farm fami-lies statewide have children who want to or are able to take over the family farm. Many young couples today have at least one spouse who wants to pursue a career other than farming or who want to have a lifestyle as comfortable as their urban counterparts.

“Younger farmers are increasingly seekingsome assurance that there will be adequate money to support living expenses on a day-to-day basis,” Dietmann said. “Increasingly, younger farmers are seeking some of the things previous generations did not have — time off to get away from the farm, and money for vacations, fun activities, and homeimprovements.”

Transfer of the family farm includes major decisions involving career choices, lifestyle changes, retirement considerations, and as-sumption of debt, he points out. But, if both generations work together to make sure the needs of the retiring farmer and the begin-ning farmer are being met, transferring a farm to a new generation can be rewarding.

The time is

right

Sunday: In the midst of a decline indairy farming, it’s a good time to get into it.Monday: Ben Herda adds fourth generation to 100-year-old farm.Tuesday: Justin Daniels loves the animals he cares for as much as his family’s farm heritage.Wednesday: Ryan and Rachael Crane return to farm bearing college degrees.Thursday: Kasey Lois knew he needed to be on the farm in kindergarten.Friday: Despite going it alone, Joe Zinser is proud to follow in his father’s footsteps.

New generation on dairy farms

KENOSHA NEWS FILE PHOTO

Young dairy farmers can fi nd lower prices for

feed, cows

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Six generationsSix generations of the Reinart family gathered on May 17. Pictured, back row, from left, are great-great-grand-mother Bev Peters, great-grandmother Pat Carroll and

grandmother Dawn Gibney Hitz; front row, from left, great-great-great-grandmother Doris Reinart, and father Michael Gibney holding Hunter B. Daniel Gibney.

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Local KENOSHA NEWS | MONDAY, JULY 19, 2010 | A2

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Vol. 116 l July 19, 2010 l No. 272

EVENTS

Sudoku: Answer to today’s puzzle, seen on page A6.

Learn to train your dragon Wednesday

SALEM — “How to Train Your Dragon — A Viking Workshop” is set for Wednesday at Com-munity Library, 24615 89th St., Salem.

For ages 6-11, the event will be 1 to 3 p.m., cele-brating the Cressida Cow-ell books and movie and featuring games, crafts and other activities.

Registration is required by calling 843-3348.

Powerpoint lesson at library Wednesday

KENOSHA — An introduction to Microsoft Powerpoint is set for Wednesday at Southwest Library, 7979 38th Ave.

The free workshop is 1:30 to 3 p.m. and will cover the basics of creat-ing and editing a slide.

Seating is limited. Reg-istration is required. Call 564-6130 to register.

WiiFun activities at libraries this week

KENOSHA — WiiFun is slated for Wednesday and Friday at Kenosha Public Library branches.

Hours are 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at Northside Library, 1500 27th Ave. and 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Friday at Southwest Library, 7979 38th Ave.

Ages 8-12 can play a va-riety of games, including Mario Kart, Wii Play, Wii Sports and Guitar Hero World Tour.

Ages 9 and younger must be accompanied by an adult. For more infor-mation, call 564-6150.

Relay for Lifecaptains to meet

KENOSHA — There will be a Relay For Life of Kenosha Team Captains’ Meeting on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at The Madri-grano Auditorium of Gate-way Technical College, 3520 30th Ave.

Anyone interested in learning more about Relay For Life can attend.

Relay For Life is an American Cancer Society event to help fi ght cancer.

For more information, call Chris at 551-8629.

To have an event listed in the briefs, complete the form at www.kenoshanews.com/interact/events or e-mail the information to [email protected]. For more information, call Dave Walter at 656-6279.

Dairy Farm Locations

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Herda Farm

Lois Farm

Zinser Farm

Daniels Farm

KENOSHA NEWS

Herda farm

Address: 4602 Highway 83Year founded: 1908Acres: 140 owned, 360 rentedSize of herd: 45 milkingCrops: Corn, soybeans, alfalfa, wheatHistory: Founded by Bernard Herda, succeeded by Martin in 1947, and John in 1977. John’s sons, John and Ben, joined the operation in 2005. Ben became the prin-cipal owner in a partnership with his mother and father in 2007.




WHEATLAND — Ben Herda’s burning desire to carry the family farm into the fourth generation could not be snuffed by the fact there were only 12 cows left when he took over the operation two

years ago.To put the dire straits of the farm into perspective, consider

that Herda’s great-grandfather, Bernard, whom he is named after, founded the farm on Highway 83, north of Highway 50, 102 years ago with little more.

“At one point, when I was in high school, we were milking 120,” said Ben, who is 30.

Following high school, Ben took work off the farm. He worked for excavation and pre-cast concrete companies. His father and older brother, both named John, mainly operated the farm, though Ben helped.

“We couldn’t afford for both of us to be there,” Ben said of he and his brother. “It wasn’t large enough to support three families. I never really quit entirely. When you grow up farming, you never really leave the farm.”

In 2007, Ben’s father and brother decided to call it quits. His father was ready to retire and his brother’s construction business had grown into a full-time endeavor. His sister, Rachael, married

into another Kenosha County dairy family. Ben formed a partnership with his parents to transition its ownership.

A living tributeFor Ben, keeping the family farm in operation is a way to

honor the hard work of his late relatives and to keep their dreams alive.

Ben’s brother, William, was killed 12 years ago, at age 14, in a tractor accident. Ben was 18 at the time.

“Our plan was to stay in business together,” he said. “There are certain things I do every day on the farm that remind me of him. When we pull the equipment out in the spring . . . he was always my sidekick. William would put air in the wagon tires and man the grease gun. Then there are jobs I wish he was here to do because I don’t like to.”

He senses William’s spirit on the farm, as well as his grandpa Martin’s. The thistle he found on his tractor seat recently was the same kind his grandpa Martin would put there as a joke in the hopes one of the young whippersnappers would sit on it.

“Usually we were in the way, but he would never tell us that,” Ben said of his grandfather.

A way of lifeBen said overcoming the hardships that come with dairy

farming is part of what makes it so rewarding.“You have a lot of assets, the least of which is money,”

he said. “You are fi ghting the market. You are fi ghting the weather. There is an incredible amount of work that needs to get done. It’s a way of life. It’s a good life.”

It wasn’t a way of life for his wife Shannon, though. Ben said he knows he asked a lot when he asked her to accept the path he was taking; she took to it like grits to grease.

“My wife didn’t grow up on a farm,” he said. “I couldn’t peel her away from it now.”

Future plansIn two years, Ben has more than tripled the number of cows

he is milking, from 12 to 45.“We’d like to milk right around 100 cows,” he said. “We’d

Building on102 years

Ben Herda honors forefathers with his own hard work

on the family farm

KENOSHA NEWS PHOTOS BY BILL SIELKenosha county dairy farmer Ben Herda milks his herd. Herda, 30, fi nds the chal-lenges of farm work rewarding. “You are fi ghting the market. You are fi ghting the weather. There is an incredible amount of work that needs to get done. It’s a way of life. It’s a good life,” he says.

like to be milking that many in four to fi ve years.”

Other plans are to expand the free-stall barn and possibly make the switch to a milk-ing parlor.

The farm is located on 500 acres — 140 owned and the rest leased. They grow a mix

of crops including corn, soybeans, alfalfa, and some wheat. About 60 percent of it is used to feed the cows and about 40 percent is cash crop.

“That’s enough for one guy to try and get done,” he said, adding he does get help from family and neighbors.

Shannon Herda pets one of the farm’s calves after feeding it. Ben Herda says that feeding calves requires more patience than he’s got, but his wife re-ally enjoys it.

KENOSHA NEWS STAFFA variety of summer camp

programs are offered for children this summer at the Kenosha Public Museums.

Topics in July and Au-gust range from science to dinosaurs and art. Camps are aimed at different age groups, from preschooler to teenagers. All camps require advance registration.

■ Camps for children ages 2-3 are offered from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays, Wednes-days and Thursdays. One adult is required to accompa-ny every one to two children. Cost is $33 per class or $28 for Friends of the Museums.

Classes include: Junior Scientist with instructor Sarah Brennan July 20-22; World of Birds taught by Brennan July 27-29; Dino Tots taught by Marybeth Zuhlke at the Dinosaur Discovery Museum Aug.

3-5, and Fur, Feathers & Scales taught by Zuhlke Aug. 10-12.

■ Camps for ages 4-6 are offered from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Cost of each three-day camp is $33 or $28 for Friends of the Museums.

Classes include: Digging Dinosaurs taught by Nancy Mathews at the Dinosaur Discovery Museum July 20-22; Discovering Deserts taught by Sandy Branch July 27-29; All Things Wild & Wonderful taught by Mary Leys Aug. 3-5, and Paint, Pa-per, Playdough and Puppets taught by Leys Aug. 10-12.

■ Camps for ages 7-10 take place from 1 to 4 p.m. Mondays through Thurs-days. Cost of each camp is $70 or $65 for Friends of the Museums.

Classes include: Design-A-Dino taught by Keith Miller

July 26-29; Spy Science taught by Zuhlke Aug. 2-5, and Kitchen Science taught by Zuhlke Aug. 9-12.

■ Classes for ages 11-15 take place from 1 to 4 p.m. Mondays through Thurs-days. Cost of each camp is $70 or $65 for Friends of the Museums.

Classes include: Ani-mals Alive taught by Sean Murphy July 19-22; Behind-the-Scenes of the Museums taught by museum staff July 26-29, and Make A Master-piece taught by Ellen Wilson Aug. 9-12.

■ Cartooning Classes for ages 7-16 are 1 to 4 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays with instructor Bob Ander-son. Cost of each camp is $70 or $65 for Friends of the Museums. Classes include: Cartooning: Cats & Dogs July 19-22, and Video Game Art Aug. 2-5.

Kenosha Public Museums offering summer camp programs for kids

Kenosha County meetings for the week of July 18, all in the county Administration Building, 1010 56th St., unless other-wise noted:

■ Administration Com-mittee, 6:30 p.m. today. Resolution to approve la-bor agreement with Local 990 clerical workers.

■ Legislative Commit-tee, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Resolution to place a public transit funding ref-erendum on the November election ballot.

■ County Board, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Resolutions to approve a county debt policy and a labor agree-ment with the Local 168 maintenance and custo-dial workers.

■ County Board chair-man/committee chairmen meeting, 7 p.m. Wednes-day, County Center, highways 45 and 50.

COUNTY MEETINGS

Local KENOSHA NEWS | TUESDAY, JULY 20, 2010 | A5


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Herda Farm

Lois Farm

Zinser Farm

Daniels Farm

KENOSHA NEWS




Justin Daniels, a fourth-generation farmer, cares about the cows he tends

to in the barn as much as he cares about continuing his family’s dairy farming heritage.

“My passion is the ani-mals,” Justin said. “Some people like driving the trac-tors. I like taking care of the cows and the new calves.”

He said calves are born on the farm all the time and he most enjoys helping with the deliveries.

“There is just something about helping bring a new life into the world that is re-ally amazing,” he said.

Young partnerJustin, 26, co-owns the

dairy farm with his father, Dale, and uncle, Tom. As such, he is one of the youngest dairy owners in the county. At some point he may be the sole owner. Another brother, Jordan, 20, helps on the farm and is still thinking about his future.

The partners milk 170 cows on the farm founded by his grandfather Robert at the intersection of Highways 142 and 75. They also grow 130 acres of hay and 350 aces of corn. Justin said he doesn’t foresee those numbers growing.

“I think it will stay about the same,” he said. “It’s manageable and you can make a living with this amount of land, labor and investment. We usually have extra (crop) to go around.”

Like many farmers in the area, he would like a free stall barn with a milking parlor. He also worries about milk prices, sustainability and profi tability. As the youngest partner, Justin supplements his income as a dairy cattle hoof trimmer. He travels to farms throughout southeastern Wisconsin doing this chore for other farmers.

Educated and involvedJustin prefers to talk about the animals and, like most

farmers, is humble to the point he doesn’t like to talk about himself. After a little persuading he’ll let you know he is as

A passion for animals

Justin Daniels enjoys bringing new life

into the world

Justin Daniels feeds a newborn bull, born two hours earlier, its fi rst meal of milk from its mother. “It’s the most important meal of his life,” said Daniels, refer-ring to the nutritious and immunity-strength-ening qualities of the milk.

KENOSHA NEWS PHOTOS BY BILL SIEL

Justin Daniels,

26, trims hooves at the Crane

Dairy farm. He travels

to farms throughout southeast-

ern Wiscon-sin doing

this chore for other farmers.

educated and involved as they come.He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Farm and

Industries short course, a two-year program that runs from November through March.

“It enables farmers to start after the fall fi eld work is done and be back on the farm before the spring fi eld work,” he said. “In today’s dairy world you need to know about all the new technology, techniques and practices. Farming now is noth-ing like it was years ago.”

He said the relationships and network of farmers estab-lished through the program is key to the success of the in-dustry statewide. He, Dale and Tom are all members of the Kenosha County Farm Bureau and the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin, which provides ongoing education at a conference each spring. Justin is also the president of the Kenosha County Dairy Promotion Committee, which many of the beginning farmers have taken an active role on.

What it takes“If you want to be on top of your game you should know as

much as you can about the industry and do what you can to support it,” he said.

Tom said he is glad to see such a committed group of young farmers in the county.

“It’s great to see and I think it’s real important they get involved,” he said. “You have to be committed. It’s a lifestyle, not just a job.”

While it may be a good time to buy cows, it is a diffi cult time to turn a profi t with any kind of debt load, he said. Dairy cows were going for about $1,100 at a farm auction in Racine County last week. But milk prices are low.

“Even for a (top) dairy farmer it’s break even at best right now,” he said. “It is a tough fi nancial situation right now.”

Dairy farming is an 80- to 90-hour-a-week business, Tom said.“That’s what it takes to make it,” he said.

Daniels Dairy Farm

Address: 1166 240th Ave.Year founded: More than 100 years agoNumber of acres: 550 total, 280 ownedSize of herd: 170 milk-ingTypes of crops: 130 acres of hay, 350 acres of cornHistory: Farm was founded by Emil Daniels, Robert Daniels took over in 1940, Tom joined as a partner in 1974 and brothers Jerry and Dale entered the partnership in 1979. Partnership transferred to Dale, Tom, Jason (Tom’s son) and Justin (Dale’s son) in 2004. Justin left in 2005.

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Local KENOSHA NEWS | WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 2010 | A2












Vol. 116 l July 21, 2010 l No. 274EVENTS

Sudoku: Answer to today’s puzzle, seen on Page A6.

Outdoor movie to be held in Twin Lakes

TWIN LAKES — The village of Twin Lakes will host its fi rst outdoor movie Thursday at Lance Park.

The movie, “Free Willy: Escape from Pirate’s Cove” will begin at dusk. The screen will be on the Aquanuts stage, facing the newly reno-vated seating area.

There is no admission. Families are encouraged to bring their own refresh-ments. No alcohol is allowed.

Relay for Life fundraiser is Friday

KENOSHA — Friends Res-taurant and Deli is hosting a Relay for Life fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday.

In addition to 15 percent of all sales to be donated to Relay for Life, there will be prizes and giveaways.

The restaurant is located at 7127 120th Ave.. The Relay for Life event is Aug. 6 and 7 at Bullen Middle School.

NAMI’s fundraiser setfor this weekend

KENOSHA — The Kenosha County chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness will hold its annual fundraiser this weekend at Tenuta’s Deli-catessen and Liquor, 3203 52nd St.

Donations will be accepted beginning at 4 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday.

NAMI Kenosha County is celebrating its 27th year of volunteer service for those affected with serious and persistent mental illness.

Local author to sign book on Saturday

KENOSHA — Local author Daniel L. Stika will be at Biggby Coffee, 7180 75th St., Suite 100, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.

He will sign his new book “When Lincoln met Wiscon-sin’s Nightingale.”

The public is invited to chat with the author.

Fundraising car wash Saturday at First Step

KENOSHA — A fundrais-ing car wash is slated for Saturday.

The even is 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at First Step Services, 1017 63rd St. The cost is $5. Wash and wax is $8.

All proceeds will go to the First Step Services day shelter.

Washes are planned the second and fourth Satur-days of each month through September.

For more information, call 605-8859.


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KENOSHA NEWS




BRIGHTON — Rachael and Ryan Crane have done everything possible to ensure the Crane dairy farm in Brighton will continue long into the future.

Ryan, 28, graduated from the Dairy Herd Man-agement program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2002. In addition to the experience he has from working on the farm, Ryan has the knowl-edge of the newest tools, practices and ideas out there regarding dairy farming. In 2006, Ryan and his brother Rob, 37, who also graduated from the UW program, bought the farm from their father, Bob Crane.

Rachael, 28, completed her degree in marketing at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 2003. That, combined with her experience in banking, bring a strong business and fi nancial background to the operation.

Ryan Crane and Rachael Herda married in 2004, joining two longstanding Kenosha County dairy fami-lies. Their son, 4-month-old Adam Ryan, is the fi rst boy of the fourth generation born in the Crane family. His name says it all — it means Little King of the Earth. And he has already taken to riding in tractors.

Match made at the fairRachael and Ryan met at the Kenosha County Fair

while showing beef cattle. They attended the next 4-H meeting together and started dating in September 1999. Both knew they had a passion for dairy farming, but also wanted to go to college.

“When he decided to go to Madison, I decided not to,” Rachael said from the kitchen of their newly remodeled farmhouse, Adam on her hip. “We both wanted our own college experience.”

Neither got right into farming upon graduation. Rachael took a position in banking and was work-ing 50 to 60 hours a week. Ryan worked for a custom harvesting crew driving tractors and semi-tractor trailers.

“His dad encouraged him to get experience off the farm as well,” Rachael said.

But Ryan knew he wanted to farm full time.“I tried other jobs, but they were all ag-related,”

Ryan said. “I just always kept coming back. I really

From farmto college and backCrane family looks to the future with

dairy operation

Four-month-old Adam Crane sits in a stroller as his parents, Ryan and Rachael Crane, feed calves.

KENOSHA NEWS PHOTOSBY BILL SIEL

Ryan Crane uses a tractor to compress a fresh 400-ton crop of haylage at Crane Dairy. The farm feeds 4,000 pounds

of haylage per day to its herd.

enjoy putting in a crop and watching it grow. I like the challenge.”

Upon his return he was able to implement some of what he had learned at school, such as how to store feed

See more on this story, includ-ing video clips, in the Weekday Report. Visit kenoshanews.com and click on Weekday Report button.

Crane Dairy

in a way that makes feeding more effi cient. However, he said, he is just one person in the partnership, which requires a give and take of ideas.

Accounting and accountabilityRachael has reduced her hours at the bank and is working

with Ryan’s stepmother Sue to learn how to handle the farm fi nancials. Together, they run monthly reports, spreadsheets and income statements.

“Traditionally, farmers just did that at the end of the year,” Rachael said. “We have a clearer picture of our fi nances now.”

In addition to there being more fi nancial accountability, Rachael said dairy farmers are also expected nowadays to show how the practices they are using are environmentally and animal friendly. Crane Dairy is part of the Foremost Farms co-operative, for example, which requires its dairy farmers be part of the Farmers Assuring Responsible Management program.

“You are held accountable for what you do on the farm,” Rachael said. “You must have written procedures and protocols for what you do, for example, if an animal is sick or having a calf.”

It is part of the contract Crane Dairy has with Foremost that locks in a price per pound of milk. Having a guaranteed price helps the brothers with long-term planning.

While those plans do include growth, Ryan said bigger is not always better.

“You don’t have to be huge to make it,” he said.

Location: 29320 31st St., BurlingtonYear founded: 1948Number of acres: 700Size of herd: 220 milkingTypes of crops: Corn, soybeans, wheat, oats, peas, alfalfa and grass hayHistory: Founded by Walter Crane. Bob Crane (Walter’s son) took over in the late

1960s and Rob and Ryan Crane (Bob’s sons) bought into the family business in 2006. They have increased the herd size from 10 to 220 and have made signifi -cant changes as to how they store feed. The upright silos have been replaced by bunker silos and plastic bags. Also, Rob and Ryan went to the University of Wis-consin-Madison for agriculture education.

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Bright finish pewter baby cups,

porringers and utensils…

always treasured. We engrave, too!

Keepsake Gifts for Baby

2401 60th St. • 657-7732 M-F 9-6 • Sat 9-5 • Sun 11-3

Local KENOSHA NEWS | THURSDAY, JULY 22, 2010 | A6




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Lois Bros. FarmAddress: 7601 368th Ave.

Year founded: 1955

Acres: 430 owned, 900 worked

Size of herd: 100 milking

Crops: Corn, soybeans and wheat

History: Founded by Andy and Lucille Lois in 1955, Andy Jr. and Gary Lois took over operation in 1973, a third brother Larry joined them in 1981


WHEATLAND — Kasey Lois knew from the time he started kindergarten that he wanted to be a dairy farmer

when he grew up.“I came home from my fi rst day of

school and said I didn’t need to go back because I wanted to work on the farm,” said Lois, now 17.

Typical distractions of youth and abundant choices available to this gen-eration of young adults haven’t changed his mind.

“I’d rather be farming,” he said. “It’s all I really know how to do.”

He said most of his friends are also farmers. Some are going to college to study agriculture business.

“I’m just going to jump right in,” he said. “My family has had this farm for 152 years. I want to keep it in the family name for at least 200 years.”

All in the familyKasey will have plenty of help and a

strong foundation to get him started. The farm, originally 80 acres, dates

back to Sept. 9, 1855. When purchased by Kasey’s parents, Andy and Lucille

Lois, the farm had 39 dairy cows. Kasey’s broth-ers Andy Jr. and Gary Lois took over operation of the farm in 1973. A third brother, Larry, joined them in 1981.

The partners now own roughly 430 acres and work about 900 acres in

Wheatland and Randall. They grow about 220 acres of soybeans, 80 acres of wheat and 150 acres of corn, while milking about 100 cows. For seven years they have sold their milk to Oberweis, a milk processing company, which donated all of the milk for the dairy breakfast.

“Everyone wants to see another gen-eration of farmers stay in business here,” Lois said of the support he is getting in making this decision. “They have all worked so hard their whole lives to make it better for the next generation. It gives you goosebumps just thinking about it.”

Kasey already owns a couple of his own cows and upon graduation in May 2011 he will buy into the partnership with his three brothers.

A typical dayLois said he is fortunate to come

from a big family, which allows the work to be spread around and for people to get a break now and then. A typical day on the Lois farm begins a little after 5 a.m. when the cows are brought in to feed. Milking starts a little after 6 a.m. and takes about an hour and a half.

Born to farm

Kasey Lois proud to join

family business

“We milk between 340 and 350 cows,” he said.Kasey said it is his responsibility to chop the

hay and corn and to make the feed after school. He works on the farm until about 10 p.m. In the spring, he tills the land while most people are fast asleep.

“I just love it,” he said. “I love the work. I love the cows. I really like driving a tractor.”

His favorite part of the day is when he is doing his nightly chores.

“I fi nd it peaceful when I’m in the barn by

myself, the work is done and the cows are quiet,” he said.

Plans for the futureBy 2012 or 2013, Lois hopes to have built a

new barn with a free-stall milking parlor.“It’s not going to be a top-of-the-line robotic

thing,” he said. “But it will be a lot easier than what we have now (a tie-stall barn in which a milking unit is carried to the animals).”

Taking on a huge debt load is not a good idea when it comes to dairy farming, he said.

Lois doesn’t see farming as a risky business.“Money worries everyone, not just farmers,”

he said. “Anyone could go broke.”He believes consumers are taking more of

an interest in where their food products are coming from, which makes this an exciting time to be a farmer. Instead of it being a dirty job no one wants to do, it is a job that instills a sense of pride and accomplishment, he said.

KENOSHA NEWS PHOTOS BY BILL SIELKenosha County dairy farmer Kasey Lois, 17, carries bales of straw out of barn storage.

Kasey Lois will make dairy farming his career after two more years of high school. “I just love it,” he says. “I love the work. I love the cows. I really like driving a tractor.”

See more on this story, including video clips, in the Weekday Report. Visit kenoshanews.com and click on Weekday Report button.

KENOSHA NEWS STAFF

Bradford 1941The Bradford class of 1941

is having a 69-year reunion July 31. The event begins at noon at Bombay Louie’s, 2227 60th St. The deadline to regis-ter was July 15, but for more information, call Betty Bruno at 652-6639 or Elmer Schmidt at 654-4525.

Bradford 1952The Bradford class of

1952 is planning an informal reunion for Aug. 6. The event, for both January and June graduates, begins at 5 p.m. at the Brat Stop, 12304 75th St.

For more information, call Earlene Girman at 552-9764.

Bradford 1968-72A multi-year class reunion

for former Bradford students is being planned.

The reunion, for those graduating 1968-72, will be Aug. 6 at Ashling on the Lough, 125 56th St. The cost

is $10 at the door. No reserva-tions are necessary.

For more information, contact Darlene Pitts Gretz-inger at 551-8706, [email protected]; Rhonda Rizzo at 694-1026, [email protected]; or Jeff Schenning at 818-7729, [email protected]; or go to kenoshabradfordalumni.com.

Bradford 1975The Bradford class of 1975

is having a 35-year reunion July 24. The event will be 5 to 10 p.m. at 262.Ultra Lounge, 5722 Third Ave. Dinner is $15 if desired; otherwise admis-sion is free.

Details can be found at www.bradford75.com or contact Rocco LaMacchia at 262-551-9892.

Tremper 1980The Tremper class of 1980

is having an informal reunion on July 31. For more details, go to www.tremperalumni.com or contact Candy at 456-2513.

UPCOMING REUNIONS

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6,500 Sq Ft of Clothing • Furniture • Books • Toys • Glassware and more Mon. thru Sat., 9:30 to 6 • 262.857.2130 823673

Start your weekend with a “Friday Golf & Dine” at beautiful Maplecrest Country Club.

Relax after a round with a beverage by our outdoor fire pit, then enjoy our

Icelandic Cod fish fry or our open-faced Angus ribeye steak sandwich

9401 18th Street, Kenosha, WI • 262.859.2887

18 Holes of Golf, Cart and Fish Fry

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9 Holes of Golf, Cart and Fish Fry

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Dining 4:30 to 8 p.m. Walk-in diners are welcome. For information or reservations (recommended),

call 262-859-2887.

Ten minutes from Kenosha at Hwys. H & L in Somers












Vol. 116 l July 23, 2010 l No. 276

Carthage to hostearly childhood expert

KENOSHA — The Center for Children’s Literature at Carthage College will host early childhood expert Profes-sor Harlan Hansen on July 30.

Hansen will speak on how parents and caregivers can help children develop crucial skills for school success.

The adults-only presenta-tion is at 10 a.m. in Hedberg Library’s Niemann Media Theatre. There is no charge. Refreshments will be served.

Hansen is a professor emeritus of early childhood education and elementary school classroom manage-ment and discipline at the University of Minnesota.

He and his wife, Ruth, wrote the book “Lessons for Literacy: Promoting Preschool Success.” He will advise parents, caregivers and professionals who work with young children.

For more information, call John Stewig, director of the Center for Children’s Litera-ture, at 262-552-5480.

Invasive species workday is Saturday

BRISTOL — Pringle Nature Center, 9800 160th Ave., Bristol is holding an Invasive Species Workday from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday.

Everyone is invited to help combat European Buckthorn, Multi-Flora Rose, and many more invasive plants.

Bring your own work gloves; tools will be provided.

Bookmobile to be at HarborMarket

KENOSHA — The Kenosha Public Library Bookmobile will make a Kid Stop at Har-borMarket from 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday.

The Bookmobile will be parked near the Kenosha Pub-lic Museum.

Join Children’s Services and the Bookmobile for fun summer activities during HarborMarket.

Bookmobile will be at Har-borMarket on Saturdays until Aug. 28 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Pulera to host Relay fundraiser Saturday

KENOSHA – Pulera Cancer Fighters are having their fourth annual car wash, bake, craft and raffl e sale from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Southport Financial Center, 7027 Green Bay Road. All proceeds benefi t Kenosha Relay for Life.

Birdbath activity at Bong Saturday

BRIGHTON — Bong Rec-reation Area sponsors two programs Saturday:

■ 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.: “Baths for Birds.” Make a leaf con-crete bird bath using a sand casting technique. Pre-regis-ter and pay the $15 fee by call-ing 262-878-5600 or stopping at the Entrance Station. Meet at the Visitor Center.

■ 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., “Scales & Slime.” Stomp in the swamp to discover reptiles and amphibians. Be prepared to drive. Meet at the Visitor Center.

Rummage sale benefi ts Komen walk

RACINE — A team of walkers for the 60-mile Su-san G. Komen Walk for the Cure is holding a rummage sale from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.

All proceeds from the sale will go to fi ght breast cancer.

The is at 5526 Windward Drive in Racine, south of 16th Street east of Highway 31.

Local KENOSHA NEWS | FRIDAY, JULY 23, 2010 | A2

EVENTS

Sudoku: Answer to today’s puzzle, seen on page A6.


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KENOSHA NEWS

Zinser FarmAddress: 1581 240th Ave.Founded: Late 1940sAcres: 230

Herd size: 44History: Founded by John Zinser, ownership tran-ferred to Ernest in 1965, in transition to Joe Zinser.

See more on this story, including video clips, in the Weekday Report. Visit kenoshanews.com and click on Weekday Report button.


BRIGHTON — Joe Zinser said he is proud to be able to follow in his father Ernest’s muddy footprints

on the family dairy farm.“This is all I’ve ever done,” Zin-

ser, 38, said. “Once my dad realized I could reach the (equipment), I started milking. I don’t know what else I’d do.”

Zinser said he likes the idea of be-ing his own boss and his father Er-nest, 71, is ready to retire. So, Zinser is leasing the land and machinery from his parents and has purchased the dairy cattle with the goal of tak-ing over the operation started by his grandfather John in the late ’40s on 60 acres near highways 142 and 75.

Worth the riskErnest grew the farm from 18

cows to 44 cows and added on to the barn in the ’60s.

“I would like to get a little big-ger,” Joe said.

However, he has no brothers with which to share the workload and getting much bigger would require employees. It also means he is tied to the farm 24/7, 365 days a year. Be-cause he will be the sole farmer, he does not have time to take another job to create supplemental income.

“It’s not the easiest thing to do in the world,” he said of farming. “But you’re going to have doubts no matter what kind of business you start. Sometimes it gets frustrat-ing because there is a lot that is out of your control. Everyone has good days and bad days on the job, though.”

On the farm, those bad days in-volve trouble with feed conveyors, broken hoses, fl at tires, broken belts and bad weather, for example.

“It’s usually when you think it’s all lined up and ready to go,” he said. “Mother Nature can destroy you.”

The toll farming can take on a body and how long he will be able to keep it up weigh on his mind. But, even with these stressers, Zinser said farming is worth the trouble. There is also a benefi t to being the sole owner. When a partnership is formed, it can be diffi cult to get everyone to agree, he said.

Dad likes decisionThere was a time when area

farmers discouraged their chil-

Like father,

like sonJoe Zinser readyto take over for

retiring dad

KENOSHA NEWS PHOTOS BY BILL SIEL

Joe Zinser pets Lizzie, an Australian Shepherd/Brittany Spaniel mix, while mixing food for the dairy herd at the Brighton farm he works with his father, Ernest.

dren from farming and said they wouldn’t wish a farmers life on anyone. But Ernest said he never regretted being a farmer and is pleased his son wants to continue the heritage.

“I’m glad he would like to be farmer,” Ernest said. “It’s hard, but it’s still a nice lifestyle.”

He said he will do what he can to help with the transition.

“My advice is, don’t go too deep into debt to start with,” he said. “Farming is uncertain and prices vary.”

The younger generation realizes the farm is also the retiring generations bread and butter — their retirement account — and is appre-

ciative of the sweat equity that went into it. Part of the reason the older generation did without certain luxuries was to ensure there was something to leave behind. Zinser said it is important to him that his parents’ needs are met through this process.

“If it wasn’t for their hard work there would be no farm to carry on,” he said.

Joe Zinser, a fourth-generation Brighton dairy farmer, takes a quick break during the morning milking. “It’s not the easiest thing to do in the world,” he said of farm-ing. “But you’re going to have doubts no matter what kind of business you start. Sometimes it gets frustrating because there is a lot that is out of your control. Everyone has good days and bad days on the job, though.”



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Rozell #16 Feature Series

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