Northeast Iowa Food and Farm Network tours WW Homestead Dairy for its June meeting


Tom Weighner (far right) of WW Homestead Dairy in Waukon describes the equipment used at the dairy's processing plant in south Waukon to members of the Northeast Iowa Food and Farm Network during a June 11 tour. The tour also included a visit to the Weighner dairy farm in rural Dorchester. Submitted photo.

During the June 11 gathering of the Northeast Iowa Food and Farm Network, 13 farmers and individuals involved in food businesses visited WW Homestead Dairy in Waukon. Network members took a break from their farms and businesses to learn about the dairy’s story and network with other farmers and business owners.

The gathering started at the Tom and Angela Weighner dairy farm in rural Dorchester with a tour led by Tom Weighner and his daughter, Stephanie Iverson. The Weighners are milking about 100 cows and hauling milk to the WW Homestead Dairy processing plant in town on a daily basis. The mix of farmers was able to tour the farm's milking parlor, loafing barn and calf shed. Some attendees had extensive backgrounds in livestock and dairy, but others hadn’t spent much time on dairies and had many questions about infrastructure, herd management and production systems.

From the farm, the group traveled to WW Homestead’s retail space and processing plant in Waukon. The group got to see what goes into making cheese, ice cream and fluid milk as well as learn about the equipment, recipe creation and processing systems. Tom Weighner shared insight on the logistics and challenges of starting a business, finding the right space, building a market and arranging distribution.

Attendees gained perspective on the work it takes to build a value-added farm business. Even though they have faced challenges, Tom Weighner said they would do it all again. Northeast Iowa’s farm entrepreneurs agree that when they’re doing what they love, they find joy in overcoming obstacles.

The next two monthly gatherings of the Northeast Iowa Food and Farm Network will be at 4 p.m. Sunday, July 16 at Kymar Acres in Waukon and 4 p.m. Sunday, August 20 at Turkey River farm near Elkport. Contact Kayla Koether at koether@iastate.edu or 563-382-2949 for more information.