Johnson’s Rolling Acres was this year’s host for Fillmore County Dairy Night on the Farm the evening of June 14; although foreboding clouds filled the skies, the night went off without a hitch. The spacious farm yard was filled with people of all ages enjoying the evening.
Rolling Acres located near Peterson was originally started by LeRoy and Darleen Johnson and their family in 1967 with a herd of 36 cows. It’s now owned by their son Richard Johnson and grandsons Trinity, Zac and Lee and has a herd of 1,250 cows. Recent retirees from the farm include Mark in January 2024 and Brad in January 2025.
The third generation is up and coming. Trinity’s son Caden, a recent Rushford-Peterson grad, will be heading to Michigan State for a two-year dairy program. After he completes that, he’ll be expected to work for someone else for two years. If he decides to return to the farm, he will serve a two-year internship there before being considered to join the owners.
Johnson’s Rolling Acres’s large operation, buildings and machinery proved interesting for the dairy night guests to tour. The farm employs a total of 28 workers including the owners.The cow barn which houses the 1,250 cows seemed to go on forever! Everyone had to check out the huge barn full of cattle enjoying their feed – especially the kids! Nearby stood a Cloverdale Vertical TMR (total mixed rations) which weighs, mixes and distributes the feed and a front end loader ready to mix more feed.
The cows are milked in an attached milking parlor. Windows in the milking parlor gave guests a chance to see the parlor in operation. The parlor has stalls for 18 cows on either side and can milk a total of 36 cows at a time. A digital readout above each cow displays the flow rates, how many pounds of milk produced and the identification number of the cow. The average time to milk a cow is 4½ minutes.
The calf barn was another attraction for visitors. Twelve new calves born in the past day provided plenty of cuteness to go around. Across the walkway of the barn was a pen in which the cows who had recently had calves were housed. The new moms are monitored for four to seven days, each with their very own cow-sized monitor to report on their recovery and health before leaving that barn.
Behind the cow barn was a huge collection lagoon and piles of sand. Johnson’s Rolling Acres uses sand for bedding. The sand is washed and reused, with the waste products and water sent to the lagoon. Trinity Johnson commented that he’d ordered sand for the first time in two years recently. As the sand is washed and reused it becomes coarser. The farm washes sand four days a week. Occasionally, fresh sand is added to the sand. The lagoon system is pumped out twice a year.
Much of the huge machinery for the farm was on display as well as a Caledonia Haulers truck and a Consolidated Energy Company truck. A Jaguar forage harvester was displayed — not the Jaguar most people think of when they hear Jaguar, but it definitely interested the farmers in attendance!
In between checking out the farm, guests were able to take a break and enjoy a delicious supper that highlighted the dairy industry. Hamburgers complete with cheese, macaroni and cheese as well as fresh cheese curds and milk provided lots of dairy products. A yummy side of baked beans filled out the meal. Soft serve ice cream was served from the Fillmore County Dairy Association food truck for dessert.
Once people had eaten, they could check out the Stream Table display presented by the Fillmore Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD). The hands-on table complete with land formations, running water and toy equipment garnered the interest of young and old alike.
Nearby was a table full of assorted freebies such as trowels, screwdrivers, clips, notepads for the attendees from USDA Farm Service Agency. Informational sheets about various farm loans were available to help farmers with funding for their own farms.
In addition to checking out the buildings, animals and equipment and eating supper, guests were able to take advantage of a wagon ride which gave them a chance to check out the farm even more. A large shelled corn pit, a blow-up cow-shaped bounce house and a blow-up slide provided plenty of playtime fun for families.
Dairy Night on the Farm at Johnson’s Rolling Acres was once again a huge success; the well-planned event was perfect and appreciated by all!
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