FarmHer Profile: Lindsey McAllister, Twin Brook Dairy
Farm name and location: Herd Manager at Twin Brook Dairy, Union, IL
Years farming: 15+ years
What are you growing/producing? Best-seller? We are a dairy farm producing fluid milk from our herd of registered Jersey cows. We also raise some beef animals for market. We crop all of our own corn and alfalfa to feed our herd.
Why farming? I grew up on a small hobby farm with sheep, horses and vegetables. After high school, I was putting myself through college and the cheapest place to live at the time was in an apartment over the university research dairy cattle barn. I was studying animal science, thinking I would eventually aim for vet or grad school. I had a wise advisor who counseled me to consider farm management, thinking it would be a good fit for me. Turns out he was right and it was a great fit for my Type A, organized brain. I love working outside and there’s something very grounding for me in the daily routine of producing food for my community. I interned on a large dairy in Vermont the summer of my junior year and then landed a full-time job managing the calf and heifer program on that same dairy after graduation. I have been involved with some level of dairy production ever since.
How do you feel about being a woman farmer? My goal has always been to show that there’s space for women in any type of job on the farm and in the agriculture industry as a whole. I’ve been fortunate in my career to have mentors who didn’t view my gender as an obstacle, which has provided me with lots of opportunities to grow and garner skills that have molded me into the manager I am today. It’s a huge flex to work alongside other women who push me to be a better farmer. Our veterinarian, our nutritionist, and all the other women I’ve worked with over the course of my career have championed my success along the way, and I think that’s a really cool thing to witness in our industry.
Biggest win/what makes you happiest? Setting goals and then achieving them is a big one for me. On this farm it can be anything from the cows hitting a higher level of production, to hitting a reproduction goal within our herd. We are always striving to be better and more efficient farmers for our cows! I also enjoy the education that comes with agri-tourism. We love having groups come visit the farm and learn about how we produce our milk and meet the cows. If everyone leaves here with a little better understanding of where their food comes from, I count that as a win!
Biggest challenge? Farming for me and my family is a lifestyle. I have two young kids, we spend a lot of time at the barn. Sometimes I don’t think I strike that balance very well, but it’s a work-in-progress. When I see my kids learning to be kind, responsible, and hard-working, I thank our lifestyle for that. It’s not always easy, but we are doing it together. That has been our family motto from the beginning.
How are you thinking about your farm in the future? I think as farmers it is important to always be thinking and considering new technology and research and what ways that can be implemented into your farming practices so your operation can continue into the future. Being open to new ideas and new strategies can help sustain operations through the dynamics of our ever-evolving society.
I also believe that in the future it is going to continue to be important, if not even more so, to invite consumers onto our farms and continue to provide first-hand education of how food is produced. It not only invites the public to learn about agriculture, but also provides the opportunity for the consumer to consider purchasing farm fresh products directly from a local producer who then has a name and a face. Keeping food dollars local has great benefits to your community.
“Regenerative /ecological” practices on farm? We employ the use of cover crops and rotate crops yearly. We also have the ability to inject manure into our soil, providing better nutrient absorption for the soil and reduce surface run off. We strive to be good stewards of the animals and land in our care. We do that by implementing best management practices across our farm and are consistently striving to utilize new and emerging technology to ensure our future success.
