Peters Farms Inc.

My grandfather has been farming since he could remember. Although having other jobs throughout his lifetime, he has always maintained his passion, farming. Things have not always gone swell though. In 1988, a tornado ripped though the home farm, destroying most of what was once standing. While having to milk what remained of the cows at the neighbor’s farm, my grandpa decided that 1988 would be a great time for a change.
He and six other farmers got together with the same understanding. They wanted to change the way they farmed and change the health concerns of farming. The following year those seven farmers were known as the founding fathers of Organic Valley. A cooperation that would produce dairy products without the use of pesticides, fertilizers, or any other unnatural antibiotics. He now is the CEO of the Board of Directors for Organic Valley. He also, co-owns the farm with two of his sons, one being my father.
Previous to the tornado in 1988 Peters Farms Inc. was milking about 50 cows. After expansion throughout the years we now milk around 150 cows and employee ten workers. Nearly five years ago the decision was made to construct a high tech milking parlor, which would help us milk cows at a more efficient pace, allowing us to take on a bigger herd. It has been one other the best things that has happened to our farm.
This past summer we hosted the Vernon County Dairy Breakfast for the second time in 12 years. Our dairy breakfast set a new record attendance with 2200 people that came out. In 2004, Jim Doyle (the Wisconsin governor) gave a speech at our farm regarding the evolution of organic crop and what it did for the states agriculture. Then in 2007, Peters Farms was name Farm of the Year by Organic Valley, out of at the time, 700 farms.