Organic Choice LLC, Next Generation Dairy: Roger Roverstad

The Roverstad Family Farm

Roger Klefstad, Founder

Organic Producer

Ridgeland, WI

Roverstad Dairy is what our farm name is, however, as in most instances there is quite a story behind the name. I will try to enlarge on that. My name is Roger Klefstad, and my wife's name is Verna, hence, RoVerStad. We farm a 290-acre parcel of land one mile west of the Village of Ridgeland, WI, on the county line of Barron and Dunn counties. Roger was born and raised on a dairy farm nine miles south of his present location and farmed the home farm with his father Eric Klefstad for four years after his departure from the USAF. After serving four and one half years in the service, and one half year of college, it was time for Roger to try his hand at what he was born into. Farming with my father for a time allowed me to build some valuable financial strength but also taught me many lessons about farming. It was time in 1978 for me to move to our present location. With the help of FmHA, we secured the necessary capital to purchase the farm we are on.

My wife and I were married in 1971 in Great Falls, Montana while we were both in the USAF. We have raised four children on our farm and are still raising one. We have done basketball, football, band, choir, FCCLA, FHA, Youth Groups, and a veritable plethora of other exciting opportunities. We have been richly blessed with the addition of our children and their talents and were very fortunate to have a safe and wholesome environment in which to raise them.

We farm approximately 500 open acres and milk 62 Holstein cows. The rotation we use is corn, soybeans, and alfalfa for dairy feed. We are new to managing a grazing program, but we have the plan in action and are pursuing it diligently. We conventionally farmed until 1995, when we were introduced to the biological way of farming. Farming biologically is a credible way to produce commodities, however, I thought there might be another avenue to pursue. Joel Goodlaxson was our Bio-Ag representative at the time and he suggested that if I wanted to go farther into the "clean" production of food that Organic production was the only way to go. We have been chemical, antibiotic, hormone, pesticide, and herbicide free and never have used rBST. We have also never used any GMO products that have recently come under close scrutiny. It isn't a cakewalk to farm without the crutches of modern technology but I can feel very satisfied with the quality of product leaving our farm and entering the food shelves. Being a co-founder and producer member of Organic Choice, gives me a sense of pride and accomplishment that I have not previously experienced in my farming career.

Sincerely,

Roger Klefstad, Founder

Organic Producer

Ridgeland, WI

Organic Choice, LLC. 251 Industrial Drive Mondovi, WI 54755

(715) 926-4788