Large family helps pork operation thrive

Jeff DeYoung
Jan 17, 2025
Jan 17, 2025

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

LE MARS, Iowa — Joe Kessenich had no doubts when it came to his future.

kAm“x 6?;@J65 H@C<:?8 H:E9 >J 525[ 8C2?5A2[ F?4=6D 2?5 4@FD:?D 2?5 x <?6H E92E x 2=H2JD H2?E65 E@ 72C>[” 96 D2JD] “xEVD H92E x 925 2=H2JD A=2??65]”k^Am

kAmz6DD6?:49 72C>D ?62C {6 |2CD :? !=J>@FE9 2?5 r96C@<66 4@F?E:6D :? ?@CE9H6DE x@H2] w6 H2D ?2>65 2 a_ab |2DE6C !@C< !C@5F46C 3J E96 x@H2 !@C< !C@5F46CD pDD@4:2E:@?]k^Am

kAmz6DD6?:49 8C25F2E65 7C@> 9:89 D49@@= :? `hfg 2?5 2EE6?565 ?@H\567F?4E (6DE>2C r@==686 :? {6 |2CD 2?5 qC:2C r=:77 &?:G6CD:EJ :? $:@FI r:EJ]k^Am

kAm“(92E x C62==J H2?E65 E@ 5@ H2D DEF5J E96 3FD:?6DD D:56 @7 28C:4F=EFC6[ D@ >J 7:CDE J62C @7 D49@@=[ x H2?E65 E@ 36 23=6 E@ E2<6 2== E9@D6 4=2DD6D[” 96 D2JD] “%96J E@=5 >6 E9@D6 2C6 2== FAA6C\=6G6= 4=2DD6D 2?5 E92E x 925 E@ H2:E[ D@ x 8@E FA E@ H2=< @FE 2?5 E96J D2:5[ ‘xEVD ~z[ H6 42? 6?C@== J@F :? E9@D6]’ x 5:5?VE ?665 2== E92E @E96C DEF77 E@ 72C>]”k^Am

kAm%96 72>:=J 2=H2JD C2:D65 9@8D H96? z6DD6?:49 H2D 8C@H:?8 FA] w6 D2:5 D@>6 @7 9:D 36DE >6>@C:6D 2C6 E9@D6 H:E9 9:D 525 :? E96 72CC@H:?8 9@FD6]k^Am

kAm|@C6 E92? c_ J62CD =2E6C[ 72>:=J :?G@=G6>6?E :D DE:== E96 7@F?52E:@? @7 E96 72C>:?8 @A6C2E:@?]k^Am

kAmz6DD6?:49’D =@?8 42C66C C2:D:?8 9@8D 3682? :? E96 =2E6 ’f_D H96? 96 H2D 2EE6?5:?8 4@==686] w6 3@F89E D@HD 7C@> 9:D 525 2?5 DE2CE65 72CC@H:?8] }6:893@CD =6E 9:> FD6 E96:C @=5 9@8 9@FD6D 2?5 96 7:?:D965 E96 9@8D @FE5@@CD]k^Am

People are also reading…

Missouri cowgirl bakes to fund her trick-riding ambitions
Finding her niche on family farm: Newman Grove farm wife builds pork business
Meristem focuses on reducing crop input costs for farmers
Variety of fencing meets needs on the farm
Berwald Red Angus 4th Annual Bull & Female Sale
Heart River Ranch Annual Production Sale
Eichacker Simmentals & JK Angus
Fast-Dohrmann-Strommen 55th Annual Production Sale
Short corn offers risk, timing alternative
Highmore cattleman elected to American Simmental board
Sitz Angus 24th Annual Spring Bull Sale
Effertz Key Ranch 48th Annual Bull Sale
Middle East situation a cause of concern for corn
Working cattle, then hitting the books
MacDonald Ranches Performance Power 2026 Sale

kAmx? `hg`[ 96 >2CC:65 9:D =2E6 H:76[ r2C@=[ 2?5 E@86E96C H:E9 E96:C 7:G6 49:=5C6?[ E96J 8C6H E96 @A6C2E:@?]k^Am

kAm(9:=6 2== @7 9:D <:5D 92G6 96=A65 @? E96 72C>[ 96 4FCC6?E=J H@C<D H:E9 9:D 52F89E6C 2?5 D@?\:?\=2H[ y:== 2?5 r@=6 ~=E>2??Dj 9:D D@?[ z6G:? z6DD6?:49j 9:D 3C@E96C[ r9C:D[ 2?5 72>:=Jj 2?5 y@6’D 8C2?549:=5C6? 2?5 9:D DE6AD@?[ z2=6 !62CD@?[ 2 D6?:@C :? 9:89 D49@@= H9@ :D A2CE @7 2 9@8 G244:?2E:@? 4C6H]k^Am

kAm%96 72>:=J 92D 9@8 D:E6D :? !=J>@FE9 2?5 r96C@<66 4@F?E:6D[ 2?5 >@DE=J 4FDE@> 7665D 7@C AC@5F46CD H9@ 2C6 32D65 :? E96 |:5H6DE] %96 72>:=J 2=D@ @H?D D@>6 @7 :ED @H? A:8D 2?5 8C@HD 4@C? 2?5 D@J362?D]k^Am

kAm~G6C E96 J62CD[ E96 9@8 @A6C2E:@? 92D 492?865] x? E96 `hh_D[ z6DD6?:49 @H?65 9:D 9@8D 2?5 925 8C@FAD 4FDE@>\765 3J 2C62 72C>6CD] qFE :? `hhf[ 96 42==65 :E BF:ED H:E9 72CC@H:?8 2?5 92D D:?46 3F:=E D6G6C2= 9@8 32C?D E@ 4FDE@> 7665] %@52J[ 96 @G6CD66D a_[g__ 9@8 DA246D 7C@> 7665 E@ 7:?:D9]k^Am

kAmw6 2=D@ DE2JD 3FDJ @77 E96 72C> 2?5 92D DA6?E ?62C=J b_ J62CD @? E96 3@2C5 @7 5:C64E@CD 7@C E96 !=J>@FE9 r@F?EJ !@C< !C@5F46CD] z6DD6?:49 96=A65 3F:=5 vC2?5DE2?5 !@C<[ 9@>6 @7 E96 A@AF=2C A@C< 49@A :? 2 8=@G6 2E E96 !=J>@FE9 r@F?EJ u2:C]k^Am

kAmw6 92D 366? 24E:G6 H:E9 G2C:@FD @E96C @C82?:K2E:@?D @G6C E96 J62CD[ :?4=F5:?8 p== $2:?ED !2C:D9 2?5 v69=6? r2E9@=:4 $49@@=[ 3@E9 :? {6 |2CD[ u2C> qFC62F[ c\w[ z?:89ED @7 r@=F>3FD[ E96 {6 |2CD r92>36C p8 r@>>:EE66[ E96 {:76 $<:==D %C2:?:?8 r6?E6C[ H9:49 2DD:DED 25F=ED H:E9 5:D23:=:E:6D[ !=J>@FE9 r@F?EJ tIE6?D:@? r@F?4:=[ !=J>@FE9 r@F?EJ u2:C q@2C5 2?5 &?:E65 (2J]k^Am

kAmq6D:56D !62CD@?[ H9@ =:G6D 2E 9@>6[ z6DD6?:49 2?5 9:D D64@?5 H:76[ z2E9=66?[ 92G6 2 E@E2= @7 D:I 8C@H? 49:=5C6? 2?5 `e 8C2?549:=5C6? :? E96:C 3=6?565 72>:=J]k^Am

kAm%96 G6E6C2? 72C>6C D2JD 96 DE:== 6?;@JD =:76 @? E96 72C> 2?5 C2:D:?8 9@8D 2?5 42?VE :>28:?6 5@:?8 2?JE9:?8 6=D6]k^Am

kAm“x C62==J =:<6 E96 :?56A6?56?46[ E@ 36 23=6 E@ H@C< 2E @FC @H? A246 2?5 H@C< @FC @H? 9@FCD[” 96 D2JD “x 2=D@ 6?;@J H@C<:?8 H:E9 >J 72>:=J[ H:E9 >J 49:=5C6? 2?5 8C2?549:=5C6? 96=A:?8 >6 @FE] (6 6?;@J H@C<:?8 E@86E96C]”k^Am