The dairy farming tradition runs deep for the Wolf family, where the fourth generation is growing up on a farm that has been in the family since 1946.
John and Bev Wolf and their sons, Andy and Bryan, owners and operators of Golden Corners Dairy, will open their farm to the public Sunday for the Oconto County Breakfast on the Farm. Bev said she’s looking forward to the event.
“There are a lot of activities, so I hope (visitors) have an enjoyable day. I also hope they can gain a better appreciation into the input of food production,” she said.
Bev said Oconto County is lucky to have widespread support for agriculture, including the support of the Breakfast on the Farm Committee. Though committee members may not be dairy farmers themselves, they see the benefit of educating the community about farming, she said.
Besides a hearty meal, there will be farm tours, children’s activities and live entertainment.
Andy said the breakfast is a good way to celebrate June Dairy Month.
“It’s a good time for the whole community to come together and see what the dairy community does on a daily basis,” he said. “As people get more and more removed from their dairying roots, it’s nice for people to get back on the farm again and see how things are done in a more modern way.”
He said people might be surprised by size of the dairy operation; the Wolfs have grown their farm business to 1,100 crop acres and 275 milking cows, with an emphasis on registered Holstein cattle.
“People love animals the way it is, but they’ll really enjoy seeing the conditions the animals get to enjoy every day,” Andy said. “Yes, there’s a lot of animals on the farm, but still they get taken care of very well.”
He said the best part of dairying is working with family and helping to run his own own business. The cows are pretty special, too.
“Our family likes our dairy farm because we’re cow people,” he said. “We have crop work and all of that other type of work also, but working with the cows is why we do what we do.”
The business side of farming is always changing. The record high milk prices of a year ago have settled to about two-thirds of their peak price, Andy said.
“It’s part of the challenge of dairy farming, continuing to strive to be a better manager and work the business, as well as working with the cows,” he said.
The two generations of Wolfs work together on the farm, with each family member having a specific area to manage. Andy said one of the strengths of the farm is the family dynamics in which everyone gets along and works toward success.
Besides the four members of the Wolf family, nine full- and part-time employees work at the farm. A third son, Kevin, of Mosinee, works for an ag machinery dealership but returns to the farm on occasion to help. He and his wife, Ali, have two young sons.
Bryan and his wife, Kendra, also have two young sons, Jack and Sam, who represent the fourth generation on the farm.
John’s parents, Henry and Caroline Wolf, originally purchased the farm. John was raised on the family farm, and Bev (her maiden name is Delzer) grew up on her family’s dairy farm north of Oconto Falls.
John and Bev bought the town of Morgan farm in 1979, and in 2009, Golden Corners Dairy was formed. Andy and Bryan are co-owners, and the family is working through a farm succession plan.
John and Bev named the farm Golden Corners Dairy because Golden Corners Cheese Factory was once located at the intersection of Holtz Road and County Road C, where Andy now has a home.
Andy and Bryan both earned dairy science degrees at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, and all four family members are steadfast advocates for agriculture. The Wolfs are lifetime members of the FFA Alumni, and Bev and Andy are past presidents of the Oconto Falls chapter. John has been a director of Bay Lakes Company for many years, and Bev is active in Oconto County Dairy Promotions.
On Sunday, they will elevate their promotion efforts to new heights as they welcome over a thousand people to Breakfast on the Farm.
