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Farmer Spotlight 09/11/24 12:25:08 PM
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Meet Marvin Feldkamp, our first Farmer Spotlight!
Hailing from Saline, Michigan, Marvin is the owner of a 625-acre farm where he raises hogs and grows row crops. Farming runs in Marvin's blood; he grew up learning the trade from his father, Glen, and always knew he wanted to carry on the family tradition.
Marvin is hands on with every aspect of his hog operation, from breeding to selling, ensuring each pig receives the best care throughout its life. Every two weeks, he oversees the farrowing of 10 sows, a process he loves because he gets to be around the baby pigs.
Marvin's day starts at 6:00 am with morning pig chores, checking on the sows and piglets. After chores, he focuses on maintenance, ensuring his equipment and barns are in top condition. As the day progresses, you will find him out in the fields, taking on the day's tasks. His day wraps up with evening pig chores.
To stay involved with the community, Marvin sells feeder pigs to local families in the Pig Club to raise for the Saline Community Fair and is a member of the Washtenaw County Farm Bureau.
Marvin finds great satisfaction in growing crops each year and successfully raising pigs from birth until they leave the farm. When he is not busy farming, Marvin enjoys organizing and adding to his International Harvester toy tractor collection.
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Meet Russ Cadmus, our next Farmer Spotlight!
Born and raised in Britton, MI, Russ Cadmus has dedicated his life to farming, a journey that spans an impressive 70 years. The Cadmus farm began in 1900 when Russ’s grandfather, John D. Cadmus, purchased a 100-acre farm for $1 per acre. To pay for the farm, John sold Timothy hay to people near Detroit.
Inspired by his father Percy, Russ developed a love for farming from a young age through hands-on experience raising tomatoes, corn, wheat, hay, and various livestock. Russ worked for Ford Motor Company for 33 years to support his family before retiring to farm full time. Today, Russ resides on the home farm where he and his seven siblings grew up. He continues to grow corn, soybeans, and wheat on 130 acres.
Russ finds joy and inspiration in watching his crops grow and develop each year, particularly fascinated by the changes of the wheat crop. His passion for farming is rooted in a love for working with his hands, whether it's maintaining equipment or inspecting his fields.
He enjoys taking ranger rides to check on his crops and visiting the elevator to chat with fellow farmers. Every Sunday morning, Russ and his wife Yvonne cherish the tradition of meeting neighbors and friends for breakfast.
While farming comes with challenges, such as poor prices or underperforming crops, the reward of harvesting a successful crop at the end of the season makes it all worthwhile.
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Meet Sieler Dairy Farm, our next Spotlight!
Founded by Wilbert and Judy Sieler in 1961, Sieler Dairy Farm is located just outside of Dundee and is one of just two remaining dairy farms in Monroe County. The farm has been a family affair, beginning with Wilbert and Judy’s three children and continuing through three generations. Since the start of their farm, Sieler Dairy has expanded from milking just 25 cows to its current herd of around 100.
At Sieler Dairy, the farm operates with a focus on sustainability and efficiency. They raise heifer calves as future milk producers and feed and sell the bull calves. Their 800 acres are used to grow corn, soybeans, wheat, hay, and silage. Besides milking cows, the farm also houses 40-50 steers that are fed out.
As mentioned earlier, three generations are actively involved in the farm’s daily operations. The second generation includes Todd, Kerri, and the late Kurt Sieler. The third generation consists of Brent, Ryan, and Keegan Sieler, sons of Christine and Kurt Sieler, as well as Alan and Lindsey Roof, children of Kerri and Matt Roof.
A typical day at Sieler Dairy begins at 6 a.m. with a check on the robotic milker, then moves on to pushing cows that haven’t been milked, followed by feeding, and caring for the herd. The barns are cleaned each time they are fed, maintaining a clean environment. Recently, the farm installed a robotic milker to streamline the milking process, allowing cows to be milked on demand, usually twice a day with at least six hours between sessions.
Throughout the day, Wilbert, Todd, Brent, Keegan, and Ryan are busy with tasks such as baling hay, cutting silage, or repairing equipment. Kerri and Lindsey are responsible for the care of the calves, ensuring they are well-fed and healthy. The day typically concludes with evening milking by the robotic milker and final checks to ensure all cows are milked and fed.
When asked about the best part of the job, Brent mentioned the rewarding aspect of growing the food that contributes to a well-rounded meal, highlighting the fulfilling nature of the work that defines Sieler Dairy Farm.
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