Koepke Farms

Koepke Farms Koepke Farms is a sixth generation dairy farm established in 1875.

While the generations of Koepke ownership and management of the farm have changed, the goals remain the same: to care for our dairy cows in a manner that assures their daily well-being, and to build a long-term conservation ethic on the farm that respects and improves the health of the land for years to come.

The million dollar rain.I'd like to know who coined that phrase. It's been around a long time, and was frequently used ...
08/01/2026

The million dollar rain.

I'd like to know who coined that phrase. It's been around a long time, and was frequently used on agricultural radio broadcasts on stations like WGN in Chicago, back when they had such broadcasts.

For those not familiar, it's used to describe a drought-breaker or other very timely rain that effectively saves a crop. We are in the midst of one of those right now- there's 4 inches in the gauge and it is still coming down. And it couldn't have come at a better time!

For both corn and soybeans, July and August are key times for pollination and grain fill. Corn is in the process or has just finished pollinating, soybeans will be setting pods this month. Both processes require water- to the tune of close to a quarter inch per day in hot weather.

In the conditions we've had in Southeast WI, it's been very dry, to the point some areas have suffered significant crop damage already. To put it in perspective- today's 4 plus inches plus 1.8 inches we were fortunate enough to get Monday morning are more than the combined rainfall from May 1 until July 27th! This week has been huge!

So how much money does a key rain really generate? Given the conditions we had going into this week, and with what we see now, the prospect for corn yield could easily have boosted corn yields 50 bushels per acre. If we assume those 50 bushels are worth $4 per bushel, that $200 more gross income per acre. 5000 acres worth of that sort of improvement gets us to the million dollar rain mark. Soybean math is similar.

Does this mean we will be awash in money this fall? That's doubtful. Given current markets and input pricing, it was going to take a really strong yield just to break even. But realistically, given prospects 10 days ago for a lot of southern WI, there were going to be some hard conversations between farmers and lenders this fall. This will make some of those a bit easier.

Last, it should be noted that those million dollar rains get noticed at the Chicago Board of Trade, and there's a lot of complex calculus and psychology that go into that... more than Facebook can handle!

In the meantime, we are enjoying puddles and a sense of calm and relaxation. Hopefully you do, too!

No dull moments in July...We haven't posted a whole lot this summer, as, well- it's been busy. Downright exhausting is m...
07/26/2026

No dull moments in July...

We haven't posted a whole lot this summer, as, well- it's been busy. Downright exhausting is maybe more like it! Here's a recap on the past few weeks:

1) Hay making- 2nd and 3rd cuts are complete. Quantity is down due to dry weather, but quality appears very, very good. It appears at least with hay, we will be well stocked for winter. Corn and soy is anybody's guess at this point due to the weather.

2) Wheat harvest is complete, with grain in the bin and straw tucked away.

3) We are in the process of building a new barn! The yard is a clutter of concrete forms and new lumber. Lots going on there. We will share more details soon.

4) The weather! It's been hot! It's been dry! It's been smoky! There's an old saying in southeast WI, "If you don't like the weather, wait 15 minutes. It'll change." The side to that- You probably still won't like it :)

World, meet Luella.In the bovine world, she's a rock star. As of June 3rd, she's produced 400,825 lbs of milk. No, not...
06/20/2026

World, meet Luella.

In the bovine world, she's a rock star. As of June 3rd, she's produced 400,825 lbs of milk. No, not a world record... a ways from that.

But she's the 4th Koepke-bred cow to surpass 400,000 lbs of milk in a lifetime. 3 have made that milestone here; another, sold as a young cow sold to Kohlman Dairy of Chilton, WI made her record in their barn.

How significant is 400,000? Good question. A bit like driving a car past 5-600,000 miles. Not many get that far. Having seen 3 do it in our barn, and raising one that did it in someone else's is more than humbling.

As you can see, Luella is like a lot of us- she has some gray hair, but also has some game left and know how to get things done. Indeed, she's bred back and due to calve in October.

In case you are curious, she just turned 13, and is on her 9th lactation. According to our friends at the dairy herd improvement association, she's made ove 17,184 lbs of butterfat, and 13,022 lbs of protein. She's "Got Milk", and made plenty of butter and cheese, too.

We've debated long and hard as to whether to share this. Bragging brings bad luck, no doubt. But maybe better to celebrate now and cheer Luella on than to celebrate after retirement.

So here's to June dairy month- another bovine rockstar!

We recognized this place... and have much to share in future posts soon. In the meantime, here's an article on what Al...
06/13/2026

We recognized this place... and have much to share in future posts soon. In the meantime, here's an article on what Al Koepke used to call, "Getting the most from the least."

Earth Day and last week.If you live in our neighborhood, you are aware of the heavy rainfall, severe storms, and consequ...
04/23/2026

Earth Day and last week.

If you live in our neighborhood, you are aware of the heavy rainfall, severe storms, and consequent flooding that occurred last week. Indeed, we've had about 11 inches of rain since the 1st of the month.

When basements are flooding and rivers out of their banks, it is easy to only think of survival, and yearn for sunny days. As farmers, we try to plan ahead, as we've seen these conditions before and realize they will come again. Preparedness is a key component of resilience.

For Earth Day, I'm sharing several photos from the neighborhood today- hopefully they demonstrate positivity on the landscape, and the resilience of conservation techniques used in farming today. Given events like last week, it is necessary for us as farmers to utilize every "tool in the toolbox" to protect our greatest asset- our land.

The photos show no-till planting, contour planting, crop residue left on top the soil, and cover crops. It took all 4 to minimize the effects of last week's storms.

Enjoy the photos. The take-home messages are the "green is good" when it comes to protecting the landscape. And note the Farmers for Lake Country sign... it, and those of other local watershed groups, are a sign that someone cares. Not just about today- but about next week, next year, next generation.

Happy Earth Day.

Address

N92W37326 ONeil Road
Oconomowoc, WI
53066

Telephone

+19204747083

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