When you live your life caring for livestock, there are certain dirty jobs that come with the territory. Tail’s End Services, LLC can lighten your load when it comes to hauling manure.
Jeff Passow, owner of Tail’s End Services, grew up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin, graduated from Cochrane-Fountain City High School, and planned on becoming a farmer following graduation. After having back surgery in 1978 he was told that farming would not be advised.
“I like driving tractors and being outside,” states Passow, so when he saw an opportunity to still do that, by performing custom ag services, he began Passow Custom Ag with his brother Tom in 1980, working in the state of Wisconsin, and eventually became the sole owner of the business which at that time consisted of one tractor and one tank.
While attending a trail ride dance in Mabel, Minn., Passow met his wife, Sylvia, and moved to rural Peterson, Minn., where he not only continued his business but began expanding. Passow purchased additional equipment and hired several employees as his customer list kept growing.
More than 20 years ago Passow expanded to packing bunker silos due to high demand. “That was more because of the farmers asking me because they knew I had these big tractors and I’m not busy in the summer, so they said, ‘you should put a blade on there,’” notes Passow.
In 2009 Passow expanded again as he began hauling solid manure using slingers. Before this, the business had only hauled liquids. “That again was farmers requesting” that he get a slinger, says Passow.
In March 2014 Passow changed the name of the business to Tail’s End Services, LLC when he transitioned into a limited liability company. When asked why the name Tail’s End Services, Passow says with a chuckle, “Everything we do comes out that back end, except the bunker packing, that goes in the front end, but it creates work for us in the back end,” eventually!
Passow now owns eight tractors, five blades (2-12’ and 3-14’), seven tanks, two slingers and one pay loader. “That’s how much the demand for it built up,” notes Passow.
There have been changes in the business over the years as Passow explains, “When I first started I used to do 60 customers a year, but they were small, now I think we do about 30” depending on the year, he says.
“On the whole, most farmers have increased in size,” Passow states, saying, “the farms have increased in animal units” compared to farms years ago.
Technology has certainly changed how the work is performed as well. Passow was able to make repairs on his own tractors years ago, but that is no longer possible due to the latest technology tractors now have installed.
“Our last tank purchases we made are using flow meters now,” says Passow explaining, “I don’t need to do it where I used to run with a certain pin in a valve; now we just punch in and there is an automatic flow meter on the tank that opens and shuts to keep the flow rate the same” for application.
Technology has changed the game but, “It’s also more expensive; way more expensive,” states Passow.
“The regulatory part of it has changed dramatically,” comments Passow. “At first I just had to license my business,” he says, “then they went to where I had to actually take a test and now my driver’s and employees need to be tested,” to meet regulations.
Tail’s End Services is fortunate to have long-time customers, as Passow states, “I have a great customer base,” and part of the reason for that is because he tells his employees to “treat the place as your own” when arriving at a farm.
Repeat customers are always so great to have, notes Passow, as they are familiar with the farm and the fields.
Tail’s End Services has four full-time employees and several part-time employees. Passow says, “Your company is only as good as the people you have working for you,” and he appreciates his employees hard work.
After working with some farmers for many years, Passow says many of them have become friends, and some more like family, even going on vacations together.
Passow is happy to be the owner of an agricultural business where he can be in a tractor, be outdoors, and meet so many great people in the farming community.
Tail’s End Services, LLC offers their services within a 100 mile radius of home covering Southeast Minnesota and Western Wisconsin. The business is located at 28359 393rd Ave., Peterson. For more information phone (507) 429-9339.
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