Our family comes from a long, long heritage of farmers- this artical is from back when the Jorasz Family Dairy celebrated it’s centennial year in 2015. It was such a fun-filled day!
U.P. Family Farm Set to Celebrate Centennial
WILSON – As one might expect from a farm operated by the same family for three generations, tradition plays an important role at Jorasz Family Farm, which celebrates its centennial this month.
However, as co-owner John Jorasz said, this doesn’t mean the farm hasn’t changed with the times.
“If my grandfather came back today, I don’t know if he’d recognize it,” John said.
John said he has been operating the farm since 1967. His brother and the farm’s co-owner, Alex Jorasz, joined him after he completed school three years later. This means the third generation of the Jorasz family has worked on the farm longer than the two generations before them.
“(We’ve) been here the longest,” John said.
A fourth generation of Joraszes is helping out on the farm, John said, but he added this does not mean they are obligated to take over full-time when he and Alex retire.
“That’s up to them,” John said.
John said dairy is still highly important to theJorasz Family Farm.
“We milk a couple hundred cows and raise some dairy beef,” Jorasz said.
In addition, the farm grows corn, soybeans, barley and hay.
Jorasz said he and the farm’s other workers are getting the facility ready for an event to mark its 100th anniversary.
“It’s going to be a big celebration,” he said.
Along with celebrating the centennial, the Joraszes have been working on some improvements to the farm this year. These include repairs to the main cattle barn and construction of a new barn for calves, which Alex said will hopefully be completed by Thanksgiving.
“It’ll be a little warmer in the wintertime for the calves and the people who feed them,” he said.
Though 2015 marks a milestone for Jorasz Family Farm, it has also had its share of difficulties this year. John said due to the cycles inherent in agriculture and recent bad weather in the area, the farm has been below breaking even on milk and crops.
“This year is really tough,” he said.
However, the market is not without its bright spots.
“Beef is still (at) a really good price,” John said.
Alex said he believes the Jorasz family’s dedication to the farm has helped it last as long as it has.
“You have to … like what you do in order to make any business go,” he said.
In the first pic, Andy’s dad is the first gent on the right. Next is the Fourth of July float we put together that year. Then I’m pictured with Brianna (school bus shuttle in the background). Other’s of folks having fun!
