Little boy, big dream
He may only be four years old, but Brantley Proksch knows just what he wants to be; a farmer.
Living on his families 6th generation farm just outside of Romance, Wisconsin, Brantley takes his chickens, ducks and geese quite serious. In particular, the egg laying of his chickens and ducks. Tending to them daily, feeding, watering, and collecting eggs, Brantley has his own egg production operation.
His mother Jade serves as his local distributor, selling them at her work, Ridge to Rivers Animal Clinic in Viroqua, Wisconsin. Meanwhile, his father Ethan guides him in caring properly for his fowls.
Already dedicated at this young age, one day Brantley will take over the family farm, continuing a legacy that began in 1905.
Brantley is learning that reinvestment is vital in keeping his egg operation going. From his earnings he purchases feed for his fowls and recently, two watering stations he found at a rummage sale. It should be noted that visiting rummage sales is his favorite past time.
Brantley has learned profits can also be used to purchase things you may want, like the two fishing lures he picked up at another rummage sale.
Looking towards his future, when asked what he was saving up for, Brantley replied, “I am going to get a couple calves and start a calf farm down in the barn.”
While Brantley is quickly catching on to the free-enterprise system, his mom and dad continue the greater farm operations along with his great-grandfather Raymond Hass.
Started in 1905, the Hass and Proksch farm, Brantley and his younger brother William, are the sixth generation to be on the farm.
“My grandpa took over the farm from his father at age of 18. Then he milked cows and had his hogs, then he went straight to dairy cattle. My grandma, for a while, had a flock of laying hens that she sold eggs off the farm.”, Brantley’s father said.
Proksch’s grandpa Raymond Hass retired in 1994, and in 2009 Proksch moved out to the farm and started milking dairy goats on a rotational graze system.
The Prokschs milk 180 to 200 head in the summer and 110 in the winter, and are ‘proud Woolrich producers’ for Woolrich Dairy Inc. In addition, they have a cow/calf operation with some hair sheep they raise. Standing guard and keeping them all in line, are three Great Pyrenees dogs.
With sons Brantley and William in the family, the Proksch farm is a Century Farm. This is a farm or ranch in the United States or Canada that has been officially recognized by a regional program documenting the farm has been continuously owned by a single family for 100 years or more. Some regions also have Sesquicentennial Farm (150 years) and Bicentennial Farm (200 years) programs.
In most states and provinces, the essential requirement for the award is that the property must have remained in the same family continuously for 100 years or more and currently be a working farm or ranch.
With a little guidance and nudging from mom and dad, the Hass and Proksch farm will be in good hands for years to come.
For more information on Woolwich Dairy Inc. visit http://www.woolwichdairy.com/en
