Star farmer committed to wide experiences

A Lee Enterprises, Incorporated newspaper. Majority shareholder: David Hoffmann, Hoffmann Media Group.

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Kaleb Ellis starts his ag career by raising and showing pigs at the Buffalo County Fair in Wisconsin. Money earned at the meat sale was reinvested in his fledgling enterprise.

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Corn is one of the commodities Kaleb Ellis grows along with beans, rye, hogs and beef.

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Kaleb Ellis gives a lot of credit to his parents, Jimmy and Amy Ellis, for helping him start his ag career, and also for letting go as he took on more responsibility.

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The Ellis men enjoy working together although they have separate enterprises that consist of crops, broilers, beef, hogs and bees. From left are Kaleb Ellis, his dad, Jimmy Ellis, and his grandfather, Jim Ellis.

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Kaleb Ellis poses with his FFA ag adviser, Chris Jumbeck, from Cochrane-Fountain City high school in Wisconsin.

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Attending the national FFA Convention in Indianapolis is a highlight of Kaleb Ellis' senior year in high school.

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Part of the requirement for the Star Farmer award is making a display board for the state convention.

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Kaleb Ellis shows off his soybean crop on land he rents from his next-door neighbor.

LeeAnne Bulman/For Agri View

Kaleb Ellis accepts the Diversified Agricultural Proficiency award from Wisconsin state president Mary Schrieber.

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One of the many ways Kaleb Ellis contributes to his community is combining the widow LeeAnne Bulman's corn crop after her husband dies from cancer.

LeeAnne Bulman/For Agri View

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LeeAnne Bulman For Agri-View

WAUMANDEE, Wis. – When Kaleb Ellis began showing pigs in 4-H in the fourth grade, he had no clue the experience would lead him to the runner-up position for Wisconsin’s Star FFA Farmer Award. His dedication to farming and his work ethic showed through when the six judges interviewed and picked their winners for 2024 from 349 applicants.

LeeAnne Bulman writes about agriculture from her farm overlooking the beautiful Danuser Valley on Wisconsin’s west coast. Email genwim2@gmail.com to reach her.