Meet 2019 MMPA Outstanding Young Dairy Cooperator finalist Jason Elenbaum of Mayville, Michigan. Jason always has his eye on the future, planning on adding robots, improving milk components and doing whatever it takes to stay in the dairy business. He’s a leader within MMPA, serving as a delegate and member of the advisory committee where he contributes to the decisions influencing the future of the cooperative.
Jason milks 75 cows and farms 250 acres on Elenbaum Farms. He capitalizes on the resources he has, breeding with bulls during planting and harvesting, working on his own silos, chopping his own forage and hauling his own milk. Jason is a member of the Deford/Clifford-Mayville Local in District 7.
How do you make a difference on your farm?
1. Milk hauling
“Last year, I started driving truck and got my samplers license to haul my farm’s own milk. The transition wasn’t easy, but it was a move required for me to be able to continue in the dairy business.”
2. Silo repair service
“To save money on service calls and labor, I began learning how to service my own silos. My skills ended up turning into a part time job working on other people’s silos to keep cattle fed. The part-time hustle provides secondary income and allows me to give back to my community.”
3. Custom harvesting
“I love running chopper! On our farm I do all the harvest work. I have gone as far as to do the corn and hay harvest for others now too.”
4. Crossing beef with dairy
“To be honest, I came across crossing beef with dairy all by accident. I used a beef clean-up bull one time and now we use it regularly for management and to keep cow numbers in check.”
5. General farm management
“I play a role on the farm in everything management, from efficiencies to book work. On most farms, you typically don’t see the young kid calling the shots and his decisions being final, but that’s the way it is here.”
This article was originally published in the March/April issue of the Milk Messenger. Subscribe »