Stantons a Stop on Hereford Tour Agri-View: Livestock News

The Stantons are busy preparing for the Wisconsin Polled Hereford Association state tour slated for Sept. 8-9. The tour will stop at the Stanton farm late Saturday afternoon.

Eldon and Donna Stanton and their two sons Paul, 16, and Jason, 13, are excited to be part of the tour, which focuses on genetics. They are expecting 100 people to make the trip to their farm.

The farm, located in Whitewater, is home to over 50 head of Herefords along with black and red Angus, and 200 acres of corn, soybeans and alfalfa.

Eldon began his Hereford endeavor in 1981 after he attended college for aviation.

“I started with two head,” he recalls. “We built the herd up to 50 plus.”

With genetics on the docket, the family is excited because they stress the importance of making good genetics decisions.

“We try to AI breed each cow with a bull that betters herself,” Eldon says. “That’s really the challenge.”

Donna, who grew up on a dairy farm in Delevan, says the family works hard at getting the matches right. Many nights are spent with Eldon, Paul and Jason paging through catalogs and comparing bulls in the living room, she says.

“The cost from growing a cow is the same, whether she’s good or bad,” Eldon says. “Wouldn’t you rather feed something good?”

Eldon chose Herefords for their disposition and for their rate of gain.

“They’re just real easy-doers,” he says.

“I like the flavor,” Donna adds. The Stantons sell some of their beef privately and several customers request Hereford.

“The ribeye is just as big as other breeds,” Eldon says.

Besides selling meat privately, the Stantons sell breeding cattle privately and at sales.

“We take females to the spring sale,” Eldon says.

The family exhibits at the World Beef Expo and at National Junior Hereford Association shows when they are close. Donna usually stays with the boys at the shows.

“Somebody has to stay home,” Eldon says about taking care of the chores, which he does. Eldon is a self-employed diesel mechanic and works out of the shop on the farm. Donna is a CNA employed by Walworth County.

The Stantons always make the annual trip to the Walworth County Fair to show in both the junior and open shows. This year the family plans to take over 12 head to the fair.

As members of the Richmond 4-H Club, Paul and Jason also exhibit turkeys and chickens and participate in shooting sports.

The Stantons won’t have much time between the fair and the tour since they are just a week apart. Eldon is also trying to find time between the recent rains, the fair and the tour to harvest silage, but they didn’t want to pass up on the opportunity.

“The last time it was in June,” he says about the tour hosted by the southeast district, and the timing just didn’t work.

At the Stanton stop, tour-goers will participate in an adult or youth Genetics 101 course presented by John Beever, associate professor, molecular genetics in the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Illinois.

In addition a Certified Hereford Beef dinner, with grilled steak will be served. Paul recruited fellow Whitewater FFA members to help with the large meal.

Tour schedule

The tour will begin at Lininger Polled Herefords, Burlington, at 11 a.m. on Sept. 8. Chet and Kathy’s farm is located four miles west of Burlington at W 1018 Spring Prairie Road off Highway DD or Highway 120. This stop will feature cattle viewing, a complimentary lunch, cattle judging, and speakers on embryology, vaccines, and nutrition. The Liningers can be reached at 262-763-8846.

The tour will continue to Baker’s Polled Herefords, Highway 12, Elkhorn. Their stop is planned for 1:30 p.m. Paul and Sylvia Baker have been raising Herefords for 39 years and their tour stop will feature cattle viewing and judging, along with an ice cream social. The Bakers can be contacted at 262-742-3205.

Then the tour will travel to Stanton Farms, Whitewater. Their tour stop is scheduled for 4 p.m. The Stantons live on Territorial Road off Highway 89. Eldon, Donna, and boys will host a Certified Hereford Beef dinner and are planning an excellent program with a Genetics 101 program for young people and adults. The Stantons can be reached at 608-883-6722.

Saturday night accommodations can be found in Whitewater or Johnson Creek.

The tour continues on at 8 a.m. at C&L Hereford Ranch, Steve and Jill Folkman, Ixonia. Their farm is located north on Highway 67 to the Dodge County line. Proceed left on Evergreen, and then north on Highview Road. Steve and Jill have planned a breakfast and celebration of their 34 years in the Hereford business. Cattle will be on display and this tour stop will feature an ultra-sound demonstration by Mike Stanek of the SUI Company. The Folkmans can be contacted at 920-474-7403.

The group is scheduled to arrive at the Mike and Dawn Peters family, Ixonia at 10:30 a.m.

Directions will be available from the Folkman stop. The Peters have been in the Hereford business since 1992 and have cattle for viewing and judging at their tour stop. The Peters can be reached at 920-262-1507.

The last tour stop will be Gari-Alan Farm, Johnson Creek, scheduled for noon. Gary and Marilyn are located off Highway B, approximately 6 miles, on Hilltop Lane. Their herd dates back to 1960, and they have cattle for everyone to view and judge. The Reinkes will serve a complimentary lunch. Judging awards will be presented at this tour stop and tour goers will be on their way home around 2 p.m. The Reinkes’ phone number is 920-699-3126.

Anyone interested in beef cattle and beef genetics is welcome to attend the tour. For a tour brochure or more information, contact Ruth Espenscheid at 608-543-3778.