Cornette Dairy, LLC

09/03/2022

This is just frustrating. We're not trying to "catch" the guys responsible for this, it's meant to hopefully make our hunting friends think a little before committing to stupidity.

We had a young guy stop in last night asking to goose hunt on a wheat field that we put manure on and planted a cover crop in. Seeing how they asked permission first, we said that would be fine. We've never had major issues before. Some small inconveniences, but nothing major. I didn't expect to get a rain overnight, but I didn't think I would have to tell them not to go driving their truck & trailer through a field an hour after we had an inch and a half of rain!

It's just a cover crop. A little more expensive one, but still just a cover. However, we spent a fair amount of time working & planting just to have a mess made out of it 2 weeks later. Plus, if we want to "fix" it, the time & effort to do that.

The guys pulled in & realized it was a LOT wetter than they thought. He couldn't get turned around because the trailer jack-knifed. Instead of aborting the mission there & getting some help, he/they drove further into the field. It got better for a brief moment... brief. Then got a lot worse. At the end of it all, they drove halfway around two 20 acre fields (about a half-mile) through some pretty serious red clay mud. It's actually pretty impressive they didn't get stuck. Perhaps the mess would have been smaller if that happened.

Moral of the story for the hunters out there: Don't make a bad situation worse when you mess up. That truck should have NEVER made it more than 100 ft into that first field. And the worst part of it all, now we will be telling all hunters "NO" when they ask to go on our ground. I hate that I'm doing that, but this is what happens when people don't stop & think a minute. They ruined it for the rest of the hunters out there.

Sorry, rant over...

07/20/2022

We're looking for people to be part of our hay making crew. A crop of hay usually takes 15 to 20 hours to chop and that's spread out over 2 or 3 days. We run nice comfortable tractors with working AC and you never have to get out to switch wagons or unload. We seldom chop past 7pm and we pay $15 per hour. If you're interested in helping out or know someone else who might be, please contact Paul at 920-676-6590 or message us.

05/07/2022

We're trying something new again! On April 26th, we hosted a conservation conversation. Paul did a great job of explaining what & why we are trying this practice this year.

04/01/2022

50 years ago today, our Dad took a chance and bought the farm that is now Cornette Dairy. The first picture was taken almost 10 years later it is the oldest I could easily find. A lot has changed in 50 years!

The original milking barn was added on to in 1981 and later lost to fire in 1995. A new, state-of-the-art freestall & milking parlor was then built and added on to in 2000. Another barn was built in 2017 when we switched to robotic milking.
In 2005, a LLC was formed when Tom bought in. Paul returned to the farm in 2008 and bought in shortly after. Ryan, Jim & Barb's youngest son is employed as the calf manager. Truly a family operation.

The table is set for the 3rd generation to carry on the tradition. Elena doesn't look very enthused in her picture but she does like visiting with Daddy & the babies. She's only 5 months old... there's time!

We're so excited to see what the next 50 years bring. In 1972, a robot milking a cow was a fantasy. The way we operate 50 years from now hasn't even been invented yet. We hope to be around to be part of it!

Cheers!

05/13/2021

Planting green!

11/14/2020

We brought the first calves into the new heifer barn yesterday! There are still a few finishing touches left, but we were getting too backed up to hold off. I think they like it. I was expecting them to be worked up and screaming all night, (they usually make a fuss when you move them to a new pen or group) but they didn't! Hardly a peep!

10/22/2020

The parlor remodel is really moving along! It's really starting to look like a heifer barn. Demolition was done last week and the feed curb footings were poured (with Bagel & Hoss's "stamp" of approval)! All the concrete flatwork will be done tomorrow. Maybe if we get a little lucky, we'll move some calves in the first week of November!

10/15/2020

It's been WAY too long since our last post! So, let's get you up to speed on our latest project, converting the old milking parlor and holding area into a new weaned calf barn! We sold the parlor in spring, leaving us no excuse for making some changes. When our calves come off of milk (at 2 months old) they go to a 100 year old, converted stanchion barn by our grandma. The ventilation is poor, feeding and bedding is done by hand, and it's a couple miles down the road. It's an inconvenient and not ideal facility that can finally be retired.
In late September, work began by opening up the front wall of the parlor, framing in the fan & door openings, and fixing up the roof that had shown its age in spots. This week the demolition began all the concrete was removed to make way for the new pens. We should get some footings poured for the feed and pack curbs yet this week.
Things will have to move fast, we have a MAJOR slug of heifers due to calve in starting in November and lasting through January and we need this space.

06/04/2020

Somebody needs to learn table manners!
She always does this...over the last 7 YEARS. No matter what pen, no matter what time of year. Throws the feed onto her back.

We even had another cow that ate the feed off of her back.

10/16/2019

This is the view from the top of the bunker today. What a mess...

10/11/2019

Trying to get as much done as possible before the weather turns ugly. Ideally we would’ve done this a month ago, but mother nature had other plans.
This is the first year we started lining the walls with plastic - to keep the feed as high-quality as possible, with minimal waste. 🌽 🐄

10/03/2019

As harvest time finally approaches, please be patient and understand that we will be doing the best job possible keeping roads clean. It's going to be a mess out there this fall and mud will be on roads. When you encounter a muddy stretch of road, please slow down. NO farmer wants to make a mess but we have no choice this year. Stay safe.

Mud on the Road - Please Be Patient

We have all noticed the unusual amount of rain that we have received this year and it is meeting up with that time of year our farms are going to need to start getting crops off the fields by whatever means necessary. In short, there is going to be mud and machinery on the roads and we are asking everyone to please show some patience when traveling on our roads.

With that, we do have a request for the farmers: Please give us a call and let us know where and when you’ll be hauling, especially if there will be an exceptional amount of mud on the roads.