Kansas Dairy Honors Members at Annual Meeting
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Steve Irsik, second from right, accepted the 2014 Distinguished Dairy Award on be- half of Royal Farms Dairy, LLC. Also present were, from left: Dr. Luis Mendonca, Dr. Mike Bodenhausen, Muscotah, was honored with the 2014 Kansas Dairy Leader Mike Brouk and P.J. Griekspoor of Kansas Farmer magazine, who sponsored the award. He had served as the assistant, then executive director of the Kansas Dairy award along with K-State Research and Extension. Commission and Kansas Dairy Association from 2006 until stepping down in 2014. Kansas Dairy honors members at annual meeting By Donna Sullivan, Editor The process began when a management team are Terry fessor of Bodenhausen’s, in- to see her son honored, as his enthusiasm grew,” he re- The 20th annual meeting group from Seattle, Wash- Oliver, Will Basham, Tami troduced the award, stating were Bodenhausen’s wife lated. When he got out of of the Kansas Dairy Associ- ington wanted to relocate to Meng and twelve middle that in the sixty-three years Linda and children Ryan school, he followed in his ation and Kansas Dairy Kansas. “That started the managers. Most of the em- since the inception of the and Jenny. While Linda had dad’s footsteps and worked Commission on March 15 ball rolling,” Irsik said. “We ployees are Hispanic. award, there have been 32 grown up on a farm and in the Holstein Association. in Manhattan was a time of started to visit and the “We’ve got really great peo- leaders recognized, eleven their families shared many Jenny chose to be a dental celebrating advances in the chemistry looked okay, and ple, very hard working,” of which are still living. of the same values, Boden- hygienist, but Bodenhausen dairy industry, examining we made the decision to Irsik described. He believes There have been eleven hausen said she didn’t really said he always appreciated key elements that affect it, move forward.” The dairy it is somewhat in their cul- dairymen honored, thirteen know what the dairy life her support over the years. and honoring members who now milks 6400 cows and ture to take care of cattle. college professors, and was all about at first. “But Bodenhausen said that as have worked tirelessly to has 7000 head of replace- “They like them and they eight honorees from the she learned real quick and he walks down the hallway help advance dairy in ment heifers. As a business- like the work. You have to dairy industry. Mike’s father was very patient and under- in Call Hall and sees the Kansas. man, Irsik said what they like those cows. It’s hot, it’s Dale presented the award to standing,” he said. He cred- photos of other Dairy Indus- Royal Farms Dairy, LLC were really looking for was cold, it’s dirty, it’s windy. Dr. Call in 1985. “Which I its Ryan with renewing his try Leaders on the wall, one near Garden City was pre- another line on the balance So you’ve got to like those cherish as my most memo- enthusiasm for the dairy he always looked up to was sented the 2014 Distin- sheet and dairy looked like cows and want to take care rable experience in forty- business, although there Ivan Strickler, for his self- guished Dairy Award. Ac- it would be a good fit. “We of them, and they do.” two year working at Kansas was a time he wasn’t sure if less attitude in helping oth- cepting the award was wanted to add value to the Royal Farms Dairy em- State University,” Call said. his son would be interested ers in the dairy industry. board chairman Steve Irsik, core things that we do, phasizes what they call their Dale and his wife Mary re- or not. But when an animal “He never used the words whose family is the majori- which is raise feed and “Glass Balls”: Take great ceived the Kansas Distin- he showed earned reserve ‘I’ or ‘me,’ He was always ty partner in Royal Farms grain,” he continued. “In care of cows, Take great guished Dairy Family champion in the Salina Jun- concerned about ‘us’ and Dairy. Along with his farm- 2000, corn was $2.50, there care of people, Control Award in 1993. ior Dairy Show and sub- I’ve tried to pattern my life ing operation, Irsik had in- wasn’t much margin in it, so costs, Execute on basic “One of a college profes- sequently funded most of after that. If someday some- terests in a cow/calf opera- we were trying to add mar- principals with perfection sor’s greatest satisfactions is his college education, it body else walks down that tion, a grain elevator chain, gin to it.” The manure was and Operate with a high having students that become sparked the interest in Ryan hall and says I was helpful custom cattle feeding com- also a selling point and now, level of integrity and trans- successful,” Call reflected. that his dad had hoped for. to them in some way, that pany and other ag-related along with adding it value to parency. “Mike Bodenhausen was “From that day on he was will mean a whole lot more businesses when he ven- their commodities, they no With water being an one of those students, that I very prompt for chores and to me.” tured into dairy in 2000. longer buys any commercial ever-present challenge in don’t know of a professor at fertilizer. “We’re no-till and western Kansas, conserva- K-State that he was in- spread the manure on the tion is a priority. Water used volved with, including me, surface, don’t incorporate it, to cool milk is collected and that does not share the satis- so it’s win-win,” he said. used to flush the milking faction that he has done a Irsik welcomes the better parlor and holding pen. It is tremendous job for the dairy margins dairy is currently then collected and used to industry.” enjoying, after admittedly fertilize and irrigate crop- “The three most impor- going through some tough land. For their efforts they tant things in my life are my years early on. “We’ve been earned the Kansas Banker’s faith, my family and my through several years of re- Association Environmental friends,” Bodenhausen said ally bad times and lost a lot Stewardship Award. as he accepted the award. of money,” he shared. “But Kansas Dairy “My first thank you goes now the margins are really Leader Award to God, my Creator, my good, so we’re enjoying the Lining the hallway at Provider and Sustainer. He fruits of our labor. We know Call Hall at Kansas State is the one who blessed me to things will go downhill University are photographs be born into a family with again, so you’ve got to save of 32 recipients of the Dairy parents that were not only in your money.” Industry Leader award. the dairy industry, but they For Irsik, the success of Joining them this year is had very great morals, val- the dairy is due to quality Mike Bodenhausen, who ues and tremendous work employees. “It’s really also ended his tenure as ex- ethics and that went a long about a team,” he said. The ecutive director for the Kan- way towards teaching me Ted Boersma, Kansas Dairy Commission chairman, in- dairy has been managed by sas Dairy Commission and and setting the stage for troduced Stephanie Eckroat as the new executive di- Kyle Averhoff since 2003. Kansas Dairy Association. me.” Dale passed away last rector of the Kansas Dairy Commission and Kansas Other key members of the Dr. Ed Call, a former pro- year, but Mary was present Dairy Association. Page 2 Grass & Grain, March 25, 2014 It wasn’t long before photos ed. Kevin was excited. of our heifers and their new “I’m calling it! She’s calves started appearing on going to calve by morning!” his wall: Then there was a pause “Scratchin’ the rancher and an ornery reponse. gene tonight in Smith Cen- “Man, this stuff is so ter, Ks.,” he wrote. easy.” Both Kevin and Kara Lots of laughter from the headed out with Theron three of us ensued. first thing in the morning to There were three calves I made a new friend the forming me of my over- In my last column I wrote what a typical day is like on help tag calves. When they to tag. They took lots of pic- other day. Actually, we’d sight and where I could about some hunter friends our cattle operation. walked in after chores, tures and video. One of the met a couple other times, find my belongings. I of ours from Denver. They They arrived on a Friday Kevin said Theron had to calves I tagged had just but until the other day, we thanked her warmly and love coming to hunt here evening, very eager. In fact, answer about 232 questions. been born and cleaned be- and keep finding more rea- they arrived with meals in Theron responded that he fore we arrived. We pulled would probably just have marveled at the possibility sons to spend time with us. hand. Kara had prepared was pretty sure it was more up just in time to see it been considered col- that I may have just found I am friends with one of and frozen several meals than that, and Kara said he standing for the first time. leagues or acquaintances. a new friend.