Larry and Keith Plamann own Plamann Farms on the outskirts of Appleton where they currently milk about 70 cows. Larry has been milking for 49 years now, while Keith’s been dairy farming for 35. Both brothers have a lot of experience, which also means they have plenty of advice to give to the next generation. Originally, the two were farming with their father and their Uncle but eventually ended up buying the two out once their dad retired almost 25 years ago.
Keith was talking about how he went to Fox Valley Technical College and received an Associate’s Degree. He explained that even if your plan is to return to the farm after college, you should still pursue education further than high school. With the fast pace of changing technology, it’s important to keep up with things by getting a good education. He said that he always thought his dad had seen the most change in agriculture, but now with him and his brother going from milking with buckets all the way to a parlor and some farms having robots, he’s thinking their generation has seen even more.
When it comes to advice for the next generation, Keith believes farming’s something you do at your own pace, with your own ideas. You don’t need to do everything exactly like those who came before you. In the same sense, his brother Larry explains that you can’t always look at the past and assume that’s the only way to do things. “Don’t dwell on what happened in the past…maybe not worry so much about the future either, just worry about what’s going on right now,” says Larry.
Keith gave a harsh reality check to those eager to start a farm without having a family in the industry. The question was, is it still worth it for them to start a farm? “Honestly, no. The capital investment that’s involved in it and the number of animals and land acres to do it, it’s gonna be tough. If they can, more power to them,” Keith did have a positive spin on it though, “I think there are enough people out there looking for workers and you just work yourself up.”
Larry’s perspective wasn’t too much brighter for people trying to specifically start a dairy. “Unless you are into it already by maybe a family farm or if you’ve been working for a guy for so many years and you’re buying into it, that’s the only way you’re going to get into the dairy industry,” Larry also mentioned how they had a company servicing their parlor the other day and one of the employees said that if a person wanted to get into the dairy industry right now, it’d be nearly impossible because there isn’t enough available land to sustain a whole dairy anymore.
One piece of advice Larry had for anyone that’s persistent about getting into agriculture, is to start growing a specialized crop such as hemp. Something that the larger farms may not dabble in at all. He said that would be one way to get ahead and have a shot at being successful in the industry.
Keith’s tip for youth in the dairy industry is to have patience. If you’re a kid coming back to the farm, just calmly do what’s needed of you on the farm and know that someday you’ll have the opportunity to buy in and eventually take over the dairy. For anyone else wanting to be a part of the ag community, you have to first figure out what your goals and wishes are. Everybody’s situation is different.
He wants kids to remember that their parent’s way of doing things on the farm isn’t necessarily the “right” way, but it’s the right way for now. Once you eventually become an owner of the farm, then you can do it the way you think things should be done and that’s when you’ll quickly figure out who was right and who was wrong. Have patience.
“Things don’t happen very quick. That’s one thing I think I’ve learned over the years being a young whippersnapper.” – Keith Plamann
Listen to the full interview with Keith and Larry Plamann on our WiscoAg podcast page.
