Farm, Family, & Finding Balance! With Stacy Rethman

Subscribe and Leave a Review for the Dairy Hour Podcast! Don't miss out on the latest episodes of the Dairy Hour Podcast! Stay up-to-date with insightful interviews, engaging conversations, and valuable insights into farm life, family dynamics, and agricultural advocacy. Subscribe to the Dairy Hour Podcast on your favorite podcast platform to receive notifications whenever a new episode is released. Your feedback is important to us! If you enjoy listening to the Dairy Hour Podcast, we'd love to hear from you. Leave a review and share your thoughts about the podcast. Your reviews help us improve and reach more listeners who can benefit from our content. So, take a moment to leave a review and let us know what you think! Thank you for supporting the Dairy Hour Podcast. Happy listening! 🎙️🐄       Introduction: Welcome to the Dairy Hour podcast with your host, Val Lavigne and special guest, Stacy Rethman. Discussion about surviving the winter on a dairy farm and the challenges it brings. About Stacy Rethman: Fourth-generation dairy farmer from northeast Kansas. Operates the farm with her parents and husband, with grandparents stepping back into retirement. Transitioned from teaching to full-time dairy farming in 2020. Married with two children. Early Farming Experience: Stacy recalls early childhood experiences helping with farm chores, such as dipping cows after milking. Despite initial reluctance, Stacy developed a passion for farming, especially through involvement in 4-H and showing cattle. Graduated from Washburn University with a degree in education and worked as a middle school math and science teacher for seven years. Transition to Full-Time Farming Started part-time farming while teaching, gradually increasing involvement over time. Transitioned to full-time farming in 2020, finding flexibility and fulfillment in managing her own schedule. Balancing work and personal life remains a challenge but allows for greater autonomy. Family Dynamics on the Farm: Stacy's husband works full-time off the farm but occasionally helps out. Siblings have varying degrees of involvement in farming, with Stacy being the most heavily invested. Stacy's younger brother currently works part-time on the farm and may explore other options after high school. Adoption of Robotic Milking: The farm began implementing robotic milking in fall 2019, initially installing four robots and later adding four more. The decision to transition from traditional milking to robots was driven by efficiency and labor considerations. The farm is gradually increasing its robotic milking capacity while maintaining a balance with traditional milking methods. Labor on the Farm: The transition to full-time farming and adoption of robotic milking represent significant changes for Stacy and her family. Challenges and opportunities lie ahead as the farm evolves and adapts to new technologies and practices. Working with Spouse: Stacy expresses her enjoyment of working with her husband without any significant issues, attributing their smooth collaboration to their complementary roles on the farm. They discuss occasional challenges, such as needing assistance when stuck in a situation on the farm. Balancing Work and Family: The conversation delves into the topic of balancing work and family life, with Stacy emphasizing the importance of setting boundaries to prevent burnout. Stacy shares her strategies for managing time effectively and ensuring quality time with her family while fulfilling farm responsibilities. They reflect on the transition when Stacy's husband worked off the farm, highlighting the adjustments they had to make in their daily routines. Farm Life Flexibility: Stacy discusses the flexibility of farm life, enabling her to weave in errands and other tasks around her farm duties. She shares anecdotes about driving a tractor home for lunch and the convenience of living close to the farm. Challenges and Rewards of Farming: Stacy reflects on the challenges and rewards of returning to the farm, emphasizing the satisfaction of working outdoors and caring for the animals. The conversation touches on the unique personalities of cows and the joy of watching them thrive under her care. Social Media Advocacy: Stacy talks about her decision to share her farming journey on social media, aiming to educate the public about dairy farming and promote the care of animals. She highlights her involvement in programs like Adopt a Cow, which fosters connections between students and dairy farms, promoting agricultural education. Random Questions and Inspirational Saying: Stacy shares her love for hiking in the mountains as her dream vacation and her preference for mozzarella cheese. She discusses the importance of prioritizing tasks and shares a meaningful quote about juggling responsibilities, resonating with her experience as a mom and farmer. Closing Remarks: Thank you Stacy for sharing your insights! Please follow her on Instagram (@Blessed.farm.mama) for more farm adventures.   Guest Information: Guest: Stacy Social Media: Instagram (@Blessed.farm.mama)