People

How did you get started in photography?

SIEGLE: I enjoyed taking photos occasionally in high school, but photography was never a real hobby for me back then.

It has been said the greatest need of any person is to feel appreciated. With low milk prices and the decline of dairy farms, many farmers are left feeling underappreciated, but the Wisconsin-based restaurant chain Culver’s has been thanking farmers personally.

Dr. Ben Shelton (Rocky Creek Veterinary Services) moved his dairy from Apex to Olin, North Carolina, in 1992 with 400 cows on 450 acres. Today, the farm has 1,400 cows with 2,200 acres, where Shelton also owns and operates Rocky Creek Vet Service on the farm.

Like the stories of many Midwest dairy farm families, the Benthems’ history is one of steady growth and improvement, focused on quality while adopting technology, with family at the center of the circle and a vision of creating room in the business for future generations. Benthem Brothers Inc. of McBain, Michigan, was featured in a virtual tour during the 2018 World Dairy Expo.

How did you get started in photography?

I first started in photography while I was in college at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. I took one class and fell in love with it. However, I have another passion for design and marketing, and that’s what I followed first.

Two farm kids are making a name for themselves in Nashville as a duo who pays homage to their dairy farming roots.

Since teaming up just a couple of years ago, the Dairy Daughters have opened for big names like Diamond Rio, Love and Theft, and the Bellamy Brothers, bringing to the stage a raw authenticity combined with incredible singing, song-writing and instrumental talent.