I spent the afternoon with the Gant family on their farm in Blanchardville, Wisconsin.
Jed Gant and his family raise dairy and beef cattle just like five generations of Gants before them did. The last time Jed took a trip away from the farm was in 1981 when he and his wife Rona got married. That's because he has to milk 30 cows every 12 hours -- at 5am and 5pm. He told me, "If I leave, I leave my livelihood in the hands of someone else. And I don't have enough help as it is."...
The family is incredibly disciplined. Everyone works daylight to dark, seven days a week. When we were driving around his property, Jed told me he'd rather feed the cattle than feed himself if it came down to that. And even though the demand for milk and cheese has declined in recent years, he's never taken a subsidy check from the government. The way he sees it, "If you don't take the check, they can't tell you what to do."
The Gant family is incredibly proud of the work they do. Jed calls farming "the greatest job there is" and he's glad his kids are learning the same way of life. Their self-reliance is impressive.
Today was a bunch of firsts for me: first time feeding a calf, first time trying unpasteurized milk straight from a cow, first time driving a 70-year old tractor. Thanks to the Gants for being such gracious hosts. Priscilla, I hope you're hungry for cheese because I'm coming home with a lot of it.
