Brewer Farms, Dallas Center

Since 1875, Brewer Farms has farmed outside of Dallas Center for five generations. Dan Brewer, the fourth generation to farm this land, has continued the family legacy of farming full-time with son Joe. Brewer Farms’ cattle operation has 125 cow/calf pairs, including spring and fall calvers. They finish gilts with a contract with Iowa Select and raise corn, hay, soybeans and a variety of cover crops for cattle feed. 4-H and FFA are important as all family members are currently involved with the Dallas County Fair on some level and help local youth show cattle at the county and state fairs.

Brewer Farms provides locally grown, family-raised beef and pork products to customers across Iowa and the nation.  They’ve had holiday open houses, offer farm tours and sell their products to Food Hubs, which work with Iowa schools and food banks.

Brewer Farms has diversified over the years to keep current with the ever-changing landscape of Iowa agriculture. The Brewers are committed to educating others about what they get to do every single day and giving back to those who have supported their family farm is very important to them.

Secor Family, Fort Dodge

The Secor family of Fort Dodge has a rich farming history spanning two generations. From a 40-year hog operation to a current wine-making operation, the family has successfully managed grape production along with corn and soybean farming. The Secor family and Soldier Creek Winery’s first vintage wine debuted in 2014, marking the winery’s grand opening.

Winery operations include grapevine and pest management, wine fining and bottling, marketing, government label approval and event management. The family’s dedication ensures everything runs smoothly, from the fields to the vineyards to the wine bottles. Bill and Tammi Secor manage the vineyard, along with their children and their spouses: Robert and Megan Secor, Anne and Brandon Zwink and Amanda and Chris Warren.

The family looks to the future of their winery by staying informed of the best farming practices, vineyard management and winemaking. They stay involved with community organizations and take continuing education courses to keep current with best practices.

Whitman Family, Grand Mound

The Whitman family has farmed in Clinton County for over 110 years, spanning six generations. The farm initially focused on crops to feed cattle and pigs and has expanded their operation with technology. Livestock production evolved from hogs and feeder calves to a cow-calf herd, and meat goats were recently introduced. The family uses research to ensure maximum crop yields while preserving the land.

David and Linda Whitman run the diversified farm with their sons Peter and Bryan, overseeing 1,100 acres of corn and soybeans. The Simmental crossbred herd includes steers that are shown in 4-H and FFA carcass shows as well as non-show steers that are butchered and sold locally. The family also bales hay and corn stalks to reduce feed costs and to assist their neighbors. Engaging in open dialogue, being an agriculture advocate and participating in local, state and national organizations is important to the family. Dave and Linda helped introduce farm safety education in schools in the 1980s, son Peter and his wife Lydia share farming insights nationwide and son Bryan helps farmers incorporate Precision Ag into their practices. The family is committed to agriculture advocacy to help future farming generations.

Smith Family, Pine Grove Farms

Pine Grove Farms of Bondurant was established in 2012 by Shaymus and Kirsten Smith. Shaymus and Kirsten were both raised on farms and continued the farming tradition by purchasing their first acreage and a small herd of registered Herefords when their children began showing livestock through 4-H.

Pine Grove Farms currently includes a cow/calf operation of 100+ head of cattle, Berkshire hogs, hens, broilers and bee hives. The family does direct-to-consumer sales for their beef, pork, eggs and honey from their farm store and through bulk meat sales.

Shaymus and Kirsten’s two oldest children, Ethan and Estella, work on the farm, overseeing most of the day-to-day operations with their dad. Kirsten runs the farm store and sales, social media and website, and their younger children, Evelyn and Everett, help with washing eggs and enjoying farm life.

The Smiths serve as ambassadors to the agriculture community through their local county fair and farm associations, farmers market, 4-H and farm tours for daycares and schools. They have sponsored interns from Bondurant-Farrar High School, led exit interviews for graduating high school seniors and have been guest speakers in local FFA and ag classrooms.

Their farming operation has influenced their family by helping teach their children to maintain responsibilities, work hard and put the farm and family first. They understand that they are stewards of the land and animals and it is a duty to be taken seriously. The Smiths work hard to educate consumers and to “Bring Back Local” since many consumers are removed from the food chain and they want to bring them back to local producers.

Recker Farms, Dyersville

A third-generation family farm, the Recker family of Dyersville enjoys teaching younger generations about agriculture. Charlie and Ann Recker bought the farm in the 1960s, and their family operation has continued with their son Craig and his son Joe. Their life revolves around the farm as well as the opportunities that come with it.

There’s been a little bit of everything, from dairy, beef cattle and pigs, to sheep and chickens. They are also raising the next generations of farmers on the family farm – son Joe and his wife Cara’s children. Even the youngest has their own responsibilities and chores.

The Recker family takes pride in raising their own cattle and lambs and have recently introduced pork into their operation. The meat is processed, packed, sold and distributed by Recker Farms. Corn and hay are also produced on the farm. From GPS tracking to programmed feeding for the livestock, crop seed and fertilizer schedules, modern technology helps them bring the best beef, lamb and pork from the farm to the table.

Kerns Family

The Jim and Jody Kerns family has been farming since 1986, later purchasing the farm that Jody grew up on in Manchester. The family raises corn and soybeans and a cow-calf herd. They also implement conservation practices, including tree plantings, conservation reserve programs, prairie and pasture.

The Kerns’ goal is to raise high-quality woodlands while managing the land for multi-use as well as providing educational opportunities for others. They actively manage 300 acres in the tree farm program and enjoy managing prairie. One section of 9.5 acres is the original native prairie that the Kerns have been actively restoring. Over the years, the Kerns estimate they have hand-planted over 1 million trees by either seedlings or seed.

Jim and Jody, along with their children, are active in community organizations and volunteer activities. Two of their six children, Baili Maurer and Payson Kerns, recently became third-generation owners/operators of the family business.

Raising their children on the farm has been a gift. The Kerns have been involved in 4-H and teach conservation classes. Farm life has given the Kerns the opportunity to teach their children about hard work, responsibility and resilience. Through farming, they’ve been able to build a legacy with their children.

The Duitscher Family, Dutchland Dairy, Rolfe

Since 1998, Dutchland Dairy has focused on a unique cross-breeding program with exceptional reproduction and cow health. Located in Rolfe, the Duitscher family milks 2,000 cows and farms about 2,000 acres of corn, alfalfa and soybeans. The cows are cross-bred, consisting of Holsteins, Jerseys and Brown Swiss dairy cattle. Dean and Melvene Duitscher’s family grew up on the dairy farm, which initially had pigs, a feedlot and beef cattle before the dairy began in 1998. Sons Dave and Dan and their families also help manage and take care of the dairy cattle. Currently, the family consists of five veterinarians/future veterinarians who are all involved in different aspects of the farm.

The Duitschers give multiple tours each year and explain dairy farming and agriculture to school groups, families, 4-H clubs, church groups and senior citizen groups. Having the dairy has given each member of the family a strong work ethic and valuable lessons, including working with all sorts of people. From covering the silage each fall to the enjoyment of the calving season, each family member has a role in making the dairy successful. Dutchland Dairy is the main provider of milk to the Caves of Faribault, a Prairie Farms Cooperative milk plant, which makes AmaBlu and St. Pete’s Select blue cheese.