The Reid Family

Jim, Pam and Jeff Reid live about 5 miles from Lake Huron in the thumb of Michigan. They spend each day caring for the lake and caring for over 200 dairy cows on their farm. Sustainability is a huge priority for the family, they installed several solar panels that help power their dairy. The Reids are passionate about providing milk for us to drink and showing people how they care for their cows who provide the milk as each year they welcome many classrooms, media and health professionals to tour their dairy farm.

The Reid Dairy can be found on Facebook. Jim is very involved in promoting dairy across the state of Michigan as the president of the United Dairy Industry of Michigan, the organization that helps to share dairy farmers stories and highlights the importance of milk. For more information about Michigan dairy farm families, visit www.milkmeansmore.org.

The Kennedy Family

Ashley and Eric Kennedy are third-generation dairy farmers from the thumb of Michigan. On Sheridan Dairy, Ashley and Eric manage their 240 Holstein and Jersey cows and all of the calves on the farm. Ashley's parents, Greg and Shelly oversee the crops.

Technology is an important part of daily life on Sheridan Dairy. Robotics allow the cows to be milked on their own schedule and the cows wear activity monitors – similar to a Fitbit or pedometer – that track their physical activity, and also allow Ashley to closely monitor their health. The calves are fed with automatic calf feeders which allow the calves to eat when they choose to.

The cows are housed in a freestall barn where they have constant access to fresh food and water, are able to be milked, can lay down or socialize whenever they want.

Ashley is active online where she talks about her love of dairy cows, cooking and running, she can be found at www.messykennedy.com and on Facebook and Instagram. When she’s not doing all of that, Ashley can be found running on the roads near her farm and races throughout the state. She enjoys connecting with other runners and promoting chocolate milk as a perfect recovery beverage. For more information about Michigan dairy farm families, visit www.milkmeansmore.org.

The Keilen Family

As fourth-generation dairy farmers, Matthew and Kristi Keilen, and their three-year-old son Brody, of K&K Dairy Farms, LLC are committed to providing the freshest, most wholesome milk available to consumers. They care for 450 cows and raise 1,900 acres of crops. Most of the crops grown on their land are fed to their cows. Kristi, who is also the farm’s dairy nutritionist, uses these crops to create a well-balanced diet that is fed to the cows, which leads to them producing high-quality milk.

Kristy helps other farmers care for their cows by helping them develop the best diet that will ensure all of the cow’s nutrient needs are met every day. Kristy is passionate about sharing live on their farm, follow them on Facebook at Once Upon a Dairy. K&K Dairy Farms is verified by the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP), an innovative, proactive program that helps farms engage in cost-effective practices to protect the environment, care for their cows, and preserve forests and wetlands. For more information about Michigan dairy farm families, visit www.milkmeansmore.org.

The Windemuller Family

Paul and Brittany Windemuller have 4 children: Paxton, Judah, Irelyn, and Prudence, ranging from 5 years to 3 months.

Paul has always dreamed about becoming a dairy farmer and worked on several dairy farms since he was young. He currently works part time for Seneca Dairy Systems helping farmers design new barns and furnish them with the most efficient and effective equipment to help keep their cows comfortable.

Paul is involved with their milk cooperative, Dairy Farmers of America, as a delegate and as a participant in the Emerging Leaders Program. He is also on the board of Ottawa County Farm Bureau.  

The family purchased their farm 4 years ago and started to turn it into a dairy farm. Today they care for about 200 cows. Last year they installed 3 robotic milkers that allow the cows to be milked when they want and provides the family more time to be together.

The family credits their success with the wonderful team of people helping them. They feel blessed that they can do what they love every day. For more information about Michigan dairy farm families, visit www.milkmeansmore.org.

The Lindberg Family

Lindberg Dairy farm was started by Marv and Rose Lindberg in 1980. Today it is a partnership also includes their sons and daughters-in-law Calvin and Cindy, and Wade and Jenny. Calvin and Cindy have two children, Bryson and Reid. Wade and Jenny have a daughter, Melena.

Cindy is very involved with 4-H and the Berlin Fair where she is on the livestock committee. Calvin is a member of the Polkton township planning commission. Calvin and Cindy are also both involved with the Coopersville FFA chapter where Calvin is a steering committee member for the Coopersville FFA Land Lab. They are both involved with our church, St. Michael's Catholic Church in Coopersville.

The family cares for 200 Holstein cows and farms 500 acres where they grow corn, hay, soybeans, and wheat that is fed to their cows. For more information about Michigan dairy farm families, visit www.milkmeansmore.org.

The Horning Family

The Horning family, now in its sixth generation as Michigan dairy farmers, care for 400 cows and raise crops on 800 acres in southeast Michigan. Their farm began in 1877, and they work every day to produce high-quality milk. Living on the land they farm and across the road from a large lake where the family and community members enjoy recreational activities, the Hornings understand the importance of protecting natural resources.

The farm is a partnership between Earl and Diane Horning and their son, Jeff. Jeff and his wife Lynda have three children who are the third generation to attend Michigan State University. All four of their grandparents and both parents are MSU graduates. Katelyn graduated from MSU with degrees in animal science and agribusiness management and is now working full time on the farm. Her husband, Joe, works for Michigan Milk Producers Association. Natalie is now an agriculture education teacher, and Mason recently graduated from the MSU AG Industries technical program and is working full-time on the farm.

The farm is active on Facebook where they recently featured a live video that outlines the steps they take to collect the milk from their cows, search for Horning Farms. For more information about Michigan dairy farm families, visit www.milkmeansmore.org.