“We want everyone to come and see the innovations. Enjoy the day and get the most out of it you can,” said Shirley Statz, whose immediate and extended family members are hosting the Wisconsin Farm Technology Days Aug. 25-27 at their farm near Sun Prairie.
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Q&A with the Statz family
Joe Statz, dairy herd manager
Spouse: Lisa
Children: Zach – 24, Austin – 21, Tia – 18
What goals did you have when you first started working on the farm?
To plant the seeds of success for future generations
If you weren’t working on the farm, what profession would you have chosen?
Being a farmer is all I ever wanted.
What do you hope people will enjoy/learn while they are visiting Farm Technology Days?
I hope that people will understand how their food is grown and how it gets to their table – plus all the hard work it takes for farmers and others in all aspects of agriculture to get food where it needs to go.
Troy Statz, projects manager and waste management
Spouse: Renee
Children: Owen – 9, Lydia – 7, Henry – 5
What goals do you have for the farm?
Building the most environmentally-friendly atmosphere for our animals and employees
What advice would you give to young farmers?
Establish core values, have a vision/mission plan
What do you hope people will enjoy/learn while they are visiting Farm Technology Days?
To show people that Dane County – although it has a large urban population – has good agricultural resources supporting the state of Wisconsin
Wes Statz, crops and machinery manager
Spouse: Andrea
Children: Hudson – 5, Levi – 3, Asher – 1
What has been your favorite educational experience outside of school?
Working in South Africa for three months
What was your favorite part of farm life when you were younger?
Working with my dad
What advice would you give to young farmers?
Get as much education as you can. Keep learning. Learn a foreign language.
Shirley Statz, bookkeeper
Spouse: Donald “Donnie” Statz (deceased)
Children: Joe – 51, Jacqulyn – 49, Jill – 49, Joy – 43
What is your favorite place on the farm?
My favorite place was where Donnie was. Many times I rode with him in the tractor, planting corn and chopping hay and corn, bringing him lunch and just catching up on everything.
If you weren’t working on the farm, what profession would you have chosen?
I would have loved to have become a nurse. My second daughter, Jill, followed my dream.
What do you hope people will enjoy/learn while they are visiting Farm Technology Days?
I hope that people will enjoy our farm and all the latest technologies available in today’s farming industry.
Richard Statz, farm advisor
Spouse: Veronica
Children: Troy – 44, Larissa – 42, Nathalie – 41, Wesley – 37
What goals do you have for the farm?
To be innovative and prosper for future generations and the community
What goals did you have when you first started on the farm?
To do the best job I could
What have been your favorite educational experiences outside of school?
Traveling to other parts of the country to see the land, how people live, farm and work.
Dairy tour bus schedule
Visitors attending Farm Technology Days will have a chance to hop on a bus for a tour of the new dairy facility at Statz Bros. The tour will include a stop at the milking parlor.
The 30-minute tours are limited to 50 people per bus. Each bus will leave every five minutes, beginning at 9:30 a.m. and ending 4:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. The tour busses will run from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday.
Videos on how a cow is milked and a day in the life of a cow also will be playing at two educational stations on the grounds.
Information booths
Helpful and knowledgeable individuals will be prepared to answer any question that comes their way. Just visit any one of the five information booths located around the grounds for show schedules, maps, lost and found and more.
Mobility carts, wheelchairs available for rent
Several mobility carts and wheelchairs to get around the grounds will be available at the show. Attendees planning to use this equipment should park near Admission Gate A, which is the closest entrance to the hospitality site. Visit www.wifarmtechnologydays.com for rental information.
Get your Farm Technology Days merchandise
Several clothing and other items celebrating Farm Technology Days will be on sale during Farm Technology Days at one location near the center of the show grounds.
• Pullovers
• Sweatshirts
• Jackets
• T-shirts
• Baseball caps
• Travel mugs
• Many other items
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