A whole lot has changed since the late John Pagel hired Chris Syzdel  25 years ago to milk cows at Pagel’s Ponderosa Dairy in Kewaunee. Now the herd manager, approximately 5,300 cows get milked multiple times every day, a far cry from the 450 the farm did when Syzdel joined the team in 1995. Syzdel did not have a background in dairy farming before being hired and as the operation evolved, so did Syzdel’s skillset. He says working from the milking parlor to the herd manager position has been great.

Syzdel says the technology being used by farms and the number of jobs available in the agriculture industry have been among the biggest changes he has witnessed in his 25 years. With over 100 employees, Pagel’s Ponderosa Dairy is among Kewaunee County’s largest employers with many following a path similar to Syzdel.

Picture courtesy of Pagel's Ponderosa Dairy