February 2007 - Swiss Valley Farms

Getting to know the
BIG TROPHY WINNERS
Reggie & Mary Lee Schier, Glen Haven, Wis,
received a 30-Year Quality Award and a check for
$1,000. Mary Lee loves the engraved silver tray
chosen to represent the 30-year award. “The check was
really nice, too!” The Schier’s keep 45 Holstiens in their
milking line up, with many more cows in the dry cow lot.
Mary Lee says she has fed a lot of calves in her day.
Reggie and Mary Lee have been in dairying since
October ’62, shortly after they got married. Son Bill
works with them and he and his wife Kristin just recently
bought the farm from Reggie and Mary Lee.
Mary Lee says, “Good management and good feed”
have helped them maintain their good quality. “We’ve
been with Swiss Valley for 39 years and have been very
happy with them.”
Loren & Helen Duwe received a 25-Year Quality
Award at their district meeting this winter. Helen says they
are saving their $500 award check to take a little vacation
this summer. The couple have been milking cows together
for 38 years, all of their married life. They currently milk
20 Holsteins.
They attribute their milk quality success to “a little bit
of luck and good management.” Loren says good cleaning
also pays off. Besides the cows, they farrow to finish 550
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REGGIE & MARY LEE SCHIER
LOREN & HELEN DUWE
hogs and also raise and sell their Holstein steers.
Jim and Joe Pfeiler of Pfeiler Brothers Farm, Inc. of
Holy Cross, Iowa, picked up their 25-Year Quality Award
this winter. The brothers milk 80 Brown Swiss and usually
have 10 or so dry cows.
Their father, Lyal Pfeiler, originally started the dairy
with the brothers forming their partnership in 1990. Jim
JIM PFEILER
SWISS VALLEY FARMS DAIRYMAN