Schemm operation rooted in leadership By Lucas Shivers Editor’s Note: This is the fourth week of the Grass & Grain Wheat Harvest series, sponsored by Kansas Wheat, Herrs Machine Hydrostat- ics, Bennington State Bank, FCS and Harris Crop Insur- ance. David and Lisa Schemm with their son Clay, from Sharon Springs, raise wheat and other crops and also support agricul- ture with many leadership roles. David serves as agri- cultural advisor for Sen- ator Roger Marshall due to his connections and knowledge of farming and farm programs. Since 2017, David has also been Department of Agricul- ture Farm Service Agen- cy’s Kansas state execu- 2007 was the first year for the Schemm boys to both run combines by themselves tive director to oversee - for wheat harvest; Clay would have been 11 and Luke was 9. Courtesy photos Lisa and David Schemm prioritize community involve the implementation of ment and leadership as they manage life on their the 2018 Farm Bill, three ing at the farm, one of his game. From this tragedy, machinery to find the best rounds of the Coronavirus duties was gathering the his older brother came fit for our operation for farm. Food Assistance Program eggs. I loved riding horse- back to the family farm to the best deal,” Lisa said. and other FSA programs. back. One day, he took me take it on. “It doesn’t matter the “I started learning to on a ride, and he pretend- “Luke always felt he color to us.” run a tractor and do it ed the door was left open would come back to the Harvest Time all with my boys because on the coop. He had it all farm, but Clay wanted to Wheat harvest is an an- David is so busy with ev- set up in there to ask for farm as well,” Lisa said. nual highlight on the farm. erything,” Lisa said. “I marriage.” “Luke passed away when “I enjoy having all of love the flexibility and Family Focus Clay was a junior in col- us in the field at the same time out on the farm. The Schemms stayed in lege.” time,” Lisa said. “One Right now, it’s busy with Texas while getting mar- With academic and ath- time, David and the boys 14+ hour days. We’ve been ried at the end of their letic success across the were in three different running behind, but we’ll junior year in college. board, Clay was accepted combines, and I was out be caught up soon.” “Then, we moved to the Naval Academy but running the tractor.” Lisa has taken on much straight to Kansas and instead took a scholarship In addition to farming, of the daily farm opera- started farming,” Lisa to K-State with an initial David took on leadership tion with Clay. said. “I worked for the major in chemistry and roles on Kansas and the “Clay, our son, is grow- local John Deere in town German. National Wheat boards as ing in the operation and I while it was there. David Refocused after the chair. love watching him take it went to work as a sales- loss of his brother, Clay Clay is involved as Wal- where he would like it to man during some dry finished at KSU with a lace County Farm Bureau go,” Lisa said. “He’s learn- years on the farm early on. degree in Ag Tech Man- president and soil conser- ing and staying balanced. He got his commercial ap- agement with emphasis in vation board. We found that ‘growing up plication license to spray agronomy and business. Lisa was on the Farm on the farm’ and ‘working for a few years.” Wheat Focus Service Agency board the farm’ are two very dif- Working full time and The Schemms have for 12 years and Wal- ferent things.” farming on the side, the 1,500 acres in wheat this lace Country Foundation Coming Together Schemms helped the fam- year. Board for six years. While David has Kan- ily manage the farm for “It’s looking pret- The Schemms also After earning a degree in Ag Tech Management at sas roots, Lisa grew up in ten years before totally ty good,” Lisa said. “We grow corn, grain sorghum Kansas State University, Clay Schemm is back work- Texas. going out on their own, had some wind and hail and sunflowers. ing on the farm full time. “My family farmed even though David keeps about five miles south in and had Angora goats busy with all of his many early June. We’re hoping that were raised for their opportunities. to have 60-70 bushels an Gov. Kelly visits Hildebrand Dairy to hair,” Lisa said. “Growing The Schemms’ farming acre, high for our area.” up for a summer job, I roots date back to David’s Rains in the fall and sign June Dairy Month proclamation would grade goat hair for grandparents, who came spring really helped the ten to 12 hour days. Agri- to Wallace County in 1928 crop thrive. culture has always been and continued on with “There is some striped there for me, but some- Vernon and Dixie. rust, but we ended up not times it looks different.” “We started in 1993 spraying due to timing,” David and Lisa went to with David’s parents who Lisa said. “It’s still looking college in east Texas, both had a lot in CRP land at phenomenal, even after working on farms around the time,” Lisa said. “We some freeze damage that classes. David worked added ground and be- we didn’t think originally the ground; and Lisa was tween our son and us now, would show up.” often in the stables with we operate around 12,000 The family runs New horses. acres.” Holland tractors, and just “It was hard to get a In 2015, the Schemms’ purchased an older Versa- date with me, but then we younger son Luke died tile tractor to put on the eventually got engaged in a football accident as sweeps. in a chicken house,” Lisa a senior in high school, “We have lots of other said. “When he was work- collapsing at his playoff kinds of equipment and Kansas Department of Agriculture announces 2021 Ag Summit The Kansas Department Summit will be a blend of www.agriculture.ks.gov/ of Agriculture will host the in-person events and on- Summit. state’s agriculture commu- line meetings. The Summit The Summit will culmi- nity in person for its sixth main event will be held nate with the main event annual Kansas Governor’s at the Manhattan Confer- in person on August 26 — Summit on Agricultural ence Center with in-person a day of meaningful dis- Growth on Thursday, Au- attendance highly encour- cussion about the future gust 26, in Manhattan. aged. For several weeks of Kansas agriculture. At- The 2021 Ag Growth prior to the Summit, start- tendees are also invited Members of the Hildebrand family, including their matriarch Margaret, third from ing July 1, a series of virtu- to participate in a social left, greeted Governor Laura Kelly as she prepared to tour their farm store and al sector breakout sessions event on the evening of Photos by Donna Sullivan will lead up to the Summit August 25, also at the Man- processing facility near Junction City on June 24. main event. hattan Conference Center. The Kansas Ag Growth There is no cost to at- Summit is well-known tend any of the Ag Growth as a time when all of the Summit meetings or agriculture industry sec- events, but it is important tors gather together in that attendees register to one place, with one goal get login information for — growing Kansas agri- the virtual sector breakout culture. Last year’s virtual sessions and so KDA can Summit was able to reach provide adequate materi- Kansas farmers, ranchers als for attendees and have and agribusinesses in a accurate meal counts. Reg- new way, especially for the istration has begun for individual sector break- the Summit and for sector out session discussions. breakout sessions at www. Those sector breakout ses- agriculture.ks.gov/Summit, sions will again be held along with additional in- via Zoom, with a strong formation including agen- Surrounded by the Holstein cows that Melissa Hildebrand-Reed affectionately emphasis on collabora- das and overviews of the calls The Girls, Governor Kelly was joined by Junction City mayor Jeff Underhill, tive discussion. The indi- ag sectors. Agriculture Secretary Mike Beam, Alan Hildebrand, Melissa and her son Chase, vidual meetings will vary If you have questions and Senator Tom Hawk as she signed the proclamation declaring June as Dairy based on the needs and about the 2021 Kansas interests of each sector. A Governor’s Summit on Ag- Month in Kansas. Kelly also announced that a virtual tour of Hildebrand Dairy full schedule of the sector ricultural Growth, please would be included in the upcoming World Dairy Expo. She cited the more than breakout sessions, along contact Brittney Grother at 173,000 dairy cows living on over 220 family dairies that produce in excess of with registration links [email protected] or four billion pounds of milk each year, adding $668 million to the state’s economy for each individual Zoom 785-564-6797. meeting, can be found at annually. Page 2 Grass & Grain, June 29, 2021 straight down. Straight down on my foot. I was stunned at first and then I realized the rake was on my foot. I could not move my foot and had to have dad come over with anoth- er jack.