2011 MN PDCA Distinguished Breeder Award
John and Julie Schmitz, Manannah-Valley Farms
In 1983 when John and Julie were still high school sweethearts they traveled down to look at cattle ahead
of time at the Scott/Lesser County sale. They found a Red and White heifer that they liked, so the day of the sale
John sent money with his parents, Bernie and Aggie Schmitz, since he had a 4-H and FFA meeting the same night as
the sale. Her name was Eunice and her first heifer calf was leased to Heather Thyen, (Heather Beck strand at the
time).
After John and Julie married in the fall of ’85 they created their own prefix, Amber-Rose. There are
descendents from some of those cow families still on the farm today. They worked for several farms before starting
out on their own in 1990. The fall of 1991 they started farming with John’s parents and became part of the
Manannah-Valley prefix. Since then they have been in partnerships on animals with people that are college age kids
all the way up to Chuck Will and Karl Mueller. In fall of 1996 John and Julie along with their 3 kids moved to the
farm and Bernie and Aggie did a partial dispersal sale in conjunction with Minnesota Field day.
They were very active in First District Young Cooperatives and won the award in 2000. Their children, Jill,
Jolene and Joel have kept them involved in 4-H and FFA events and the whole family is active in their church,
where Julie has also been secretary since 1993. Julie ran a daycare for 10 years and 7 of the daycare kids leased
animals to show in 4-H a few of them even received State Fair trips with them. One year with all the daycare kids
and their own kids John and Julie exhibited 27 head at the Meeker County Fair. And still to this day some of those
kids that once belonged to Julie’s daycare return to the farm as hired hands from time to time. John and Julie’s kids
all still help from time to time, Jill along with her husband Bret and daughter Emma own part of a 750 cow dairy,
Jolene owns a few animals housed on the Manannah-Valley farm and helps with chores when she can and Joel who
has decided to also add Milking Shorthorn to the mixed color at Manannah-Valley helps around the farm as well
when he is not busy with school stuff. The family also shows at local, state and national shows together.
John and Julie have had 6 All-American Nominations and in 2000 they exhibited a class winner at World
Dairy Expo. At one time 10 out of the 30 cows standing in the barn were 100,000 pound cows. In 2006 ManannahValley provided the showcase herd at the Minnesota State Fair, everybody in the family had a part whether it was at
the fair or back home making sure things went as smoothly as possible.
John has been very active the last couple of years being on the National Red and White board. In 2004 he
Co-chaired the National Convention in Litchfield, MN and is very involved with helping plan the 2011 National
Convention which will be held in Sauk Rapids, MN. They have hosted numerous events, in 2008 they hosted the
Midwest new management tour stop that over 300 people were in attendance for and most recently they hosted the
Manannah-Valley Pieces of the Puzzle sale in May 2010. John also helps with local, state and national sales.
Currently both John and Julie work off the farm during the day but John’s dad Bernie helps out during they
day with up keep on machinery and milking in the mornings when John needs to be to work early. All but 3 cows
standing in the barn at Manannah-Valley are Red and White. Their RHA is 20,000 and after classifying in July
Holstein BAA is 108.2.
2011 MN PDCA Distinguished Breeder Award
Spencer and Stacy Hackett, Melarry Farms
Spencer Hackett has been a part of Melarry Farms all his life. Twenty-five years ago he married Stacey and
they proceeded to rent a farm and venture out on their own. Working on a tight budget, they purchased mostly grade
cows and a handful of registered animals. One of them turned out to be quite special to the Hackett’s, Happke
Blackstar Maranda EX-95. Maranda was the World Dairy Expo Production Winner in 1995 and produced an EX-93
granddaughter who made 50,000 pounds of milk. After five years on their rented farm, Hackett’s felt the need to
increase their potential. They started a partnership with Spencer’s parents, moved back to the home farm, and
increased cow inventory. Today Spencer and Stacey manage the dairy, while still running their rented farm, and his
parents manage the crops
Though the years they have been passionate about their involvement in dairy and community activities. Spencer
served nine-years on the Minnesota Holstein Board of Directors. Through his years at Minnesota Holstein he served
as President, Vice President, chair of executive committee, chair of breed activities committee, vice chair of sale,
junior activities, property maintenance, publications and show committees. He also received the president’s award
twice. Spencer has been President of the Mid-Minnesota Holstein club and past president of the Be-Sure Holstein
club (and was instrumental in combining the two clubs together). The Hackett’s have held numerous barn meetings
with great participation along with clipping and fitting workshops at the farm for theirs and other counties. Spencer
is now into his 14th consecutive year as a 4-H adult leader. He volunteers on the livestock committee and is serving
a second term as president of the auction committee. In addition, Spencer has been guest speaker at several
Holstein clubs as well as Ridgewater College and served as official judge at a number of regional shows. Stacey
volunteered for 14 years as 4-H leader of Langola Livewires (two years as assistant leader, 12 years as key leader)
and in 2008 received the Benton County Honorary 4-H Member Award, she also coordinated the awards for the
District VIII Holstein Show for 15 years. Further more, the Hackett’s are state and national members of the Holstein
Association, Red & White Dairy Cattle Association and life members of the Graham United Methodist Church.
Melarry Farms also hosted a farm tour for the 2010 National Holstein Convention.
Some of their greatest achievements have been being on the Progressive Breeders registry for six years and
receiving the 2005 National Distinguished Young Holstein Breeder Award. Also noteworthy is winning the summer
yearling class in 2008 at the Grand International Red & White Holstein Show at World Dairy Expo with Melarry
Advent DJ-Red-ET. DJ went on to be named 2008 All-American Summer Yearling. Melarry Farms has sent
several bulls to A.I. and have had two bulls in active A.I. line-up. They have also developed an EX-95 point cow
that had a son in the active A.I. line-up. On the genomics side currently they have bred the #2 Net Merit Cow of the
breed, Melarry Zenith M&M VG-85. Hacketts have also tested 13 bulls and had seven of them go into A.I. this year
from three different cow families. Another exciting achievement is currently have four of the top seven Red &
White CTPI cows carrying the Melarry prefix.
On Sept. 18, 2010, Melarry Farms and Scha-Kett Holsteins had a genetic sale, Visions of “EX”cellence, at the
farm where they sold 93 lots for an average of $3032.00. Topping the sale was Melarry Classic Dove-Red EX-90 at
3-04 for $29,000. Her Destry son is headed to Select Sires.
The breeding goals of Melarry Farms are to breed generations of deep pedigrees whether it is for show, index, or
even Red & Whites, always trying to make the next generation better.
The Hackett family consists of Spencer, Stacey, son Brook (21), son Christopher (24) and the newest and most
precious addition a granddaughter.
2011 MN PDCA Distinguished Breeder Award
Dave, Duane & Rick Alberts, Pine Shelter Farms
Pine-Shelter Farms, located in Dodge County, is owned and operated by partners Dave, Duane and Rick
Alberts. The fifth generation of Alberts to dairy, the three brothers began their formal involvement in the operation
when their father Ken, and Uncle Myron, expanded the facilities, began to grow their herd from within, and
established a new partnership that included them. Pine-Shelter currently milks 600 cows in two facilities, 500+ in a
double-9 herringbone parlor and 70 in a tie-stall barn. For the last ten years, Dave’s two oldest children, Laura
Alberts Schimek and Eric Alberts also been involved full-time in Pine-Shelter Farms.
Dave and Laura work primarily with the cow operation - herd health, breeding and feeding cows - while Eric
oversees the field and equipment work. Dave’s wife Madge is responsible for personnel and registering calves with
Rick and his wife Terry handling bookkeeping. Rick also works with young stock and Duane oversees parlor
maintenance and operation. Their sister Amy (Alberts) Sauder returned to the farm about 12 years ago and assists
with calf feeding.
Although dozens of Pine-Shelter animals have been exhibited in local, state and national shows over the years,
two have excelled in the show ring. Dave’s daughter Laura began actively exhibiting in local, state and national
shows as a 9th grader, when she showed Pine-Shelter Lucina Fargo at the first Grand National Junior Holstein Show
in Louisville. “Lucy;” as she has been fondly known, went on to be the grand champion of the Junior Show at
World Dairy Expo in 1997. Six years later, in 2003, Lucy’s granddaughter by her son Pine-Shelter Laser Lindy,
Pine-Shelter Cheyenne, was the Grand Champion Holstein and Reserve Supreme Champion at World Dairy Expo,
exhibited by Dave’s daughter, Molly Alberts Norling. Both Lucy and Cheyenne scored EX-95.
Lucy was recognized in 2010 as the first Brood Cow of the Year, voted by the membership of the Minnesota
Holstein Association. Nearly 50% of the Pine-Shelter herd traces back to Lucy in some way. She has 635 registered
female offspring through her female line. These include 52 daughters, 46 of which have been scored. There are 11
EX, 25 VG, and 8 GP, 8 DOM and 1 GMD. The average score of her daughters is 86.78. Lucy also has 8 EX and
45 VG granddaughters, and 3 EX and 23 VG great-granddaughters. Offspring have been consigned to many local,
state and national sales.
Marketing animals has always been an important part of their business. Animals have been consigned to sales
regularly, most recently the 2011 National Holstein Convention. They currently have several bulls in the active AI
line-up. Cheyenne’s daughter, Pine-Shelter Chelsy Sho-ET, has bull contracts at Select Sires, CRI, and a bull stud in
Holland. Recently they have also been selling some bred heifers and milking cows.
The Alberts have a history of community involvement, dating back to its early generations. Dave is serving his
third term on the Minnesota Holstein Association Board of Directors and was a delegate to the National Holstein
Convention held in Minnesota; Madge is the Milton Township clerk; Duane is the vice-president of the Minnesota
Farm Bureau and serves on the Pine-Island Elevator Board; Rick is a delegate on the Midwest Forage Council, and
served on the Dodge County Soil and Water Conservation District Board, and as a Land O'Lakes Unit Delegate.
In December, 2010, Pine-Shelter’s “home farm” became a Century Farm. In late September, the Pine Island
Alberts hosted a family Century Farm celebration, and 95 Alberts family members attended.
The seventh
generation of Alberts are now “on the ground.” Eric’s daughter, Makenzie Alberts, has shown novice calves at the
District 1 Holstein show the past two years.. Her brother, Trey, as well as Laura’s two children, Reagan and Jacob,
are likely to follow suit. The long history that is the Alberts family and Pine Shelter Farms is sure to continue into
the future with the 6th & 7th generations involvement in the dairy.