People

Dairy farmers are a breed apart. There aren’t many other occupations – and lifestyles – that can compare to the experiences raising and milking cows, and producing a commodity that is closely regulated, has a long history of volatile pricing and demands excellence in animal husbandry and environmental stewardship.

From little on, Anna Hinchley-Skadahl has loved dairy farming as a way of life. So much, in fact, that at just age 22, she is already investing in her future at Hinchley’s Dairy Farm in Cambridge, Wisconsin.

Age is an issue in farming. According to the most recent Census of Agriculture, the average age of U.S. agricultural producers is 57.5.

Finding a sense of normalcy is a sought-after concept as events are canceled or modified to adhere to the restrictions and guidelines brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“If you have happy cows, you have a happy life.” This is the mantra Colten Carlson, a 23-year-old dairy farmer from Willmar, Minnesota, considers while helping raise his family’s 1,800-milking-cow herd.

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