Schmitt Family Continues Dairy Farming and Community Music Tradition at Windy Hill Dairy
Steve and Jeff Schmitt, a father-son duo, continue their family's dairy farming legacy at Windy Hill Dairy near Fort Atkinson, Iowa, while also actively participating in their community band. Steve, who started the farm in 1981, has been playing in the band for 50 years, and his son Jeff has been a member for 25 years. The farm, which milks 160 cows in a double-8 parallel parlor and houses them in a freestall barn, saw significant modernization efforts initiated by Jeff. After studying at Northeast Iowa Community College, Jeff returned to the family farm in 2008 and worked towards buying the farm from his father. The partnership at Windy Hill Dairy became official after the construction of a 124-stall freestall barn in 2015, with Steve initially as the majority owner. Four years later, Steve and his wife moved off the farm, giving Jeff full responsibility for the operations. Despite the shift in roles, collaboration remains key, with Jeff consulting Steve on major decisions. Their shared hobby in the commu...
