Joe Tomandl III and his wife, Christy, own and operate a seasonal grass-based dairy in north central Wisconsin. The Tomandls purchased the original 35 cows and 80-acre farm in 1998 after short careers as agriculture instructors. It was their desire to raise their children in the country and managed grazing that lured them back to the farm. The past fourteen years have brought numerous changes in cow management and facilities. The current farm consists of 170 seasonal milking cows and young stock on 320 acres of pasture. In 2010 a second 200-acre, 170-cow farm was added and is being operated by a recent graduate of the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship. Tomandl has been involved in the dairy grazing movement since he began farming. He is a past president of GrassWorks, involved in grazing networks, state planning committees and in efforts to add value to grass-based milk products. He is genuinely committed to the education and success of other startup dairy farmers and managed grazing has proven to be the model that can put more farmers on the land.
