University of Minnesota Extension will host a Dairy Field Day at Kerfeld Hillview Dairy from 10:30 a.m.-noon, Tuesday, August 20.

Kerfeld Hillview Farm is owned by Tim, Carrie, Art and Rosie Kerfeld of Melrose.

They, along with their five children, milk 175 cows in a naturally-ventilated four-row freestall barn with cyclone fans, mattresses and pen pack calving area.

Melrose Dairy Farm Hosts Field Day

Over the last few years, they also installed a couple of precision technologies on their farm. They feed calves with a Lely automatic calf feeder and use Lely activity monitors for heat detection in both their heifers and cows. They have a monoslope heifer barn that is very labor efficient, also offering custom farming services.

Kerfeld Hillview Farm operates under a Partnership and S Corporation.

Various U-M Extension staff will be on hand to give tours and answer questions. Those attending include Jim Salfer, regional Extension dairy educator; Dan Martens, crop production systems educator in Stearns, Benton and Morrison Counties; and Emily Krekelberg, livestock production systems educator in Stearns, Benton and Morrison Counties.

There will be a lunch provided at the event, sponsored by Central Minnesota Credit Union.

Additional sponsors for the event include AgStar Financial Services, Central Minnesota Dairy Profit Team, Minnesota Dairy Initiatives, and VitaPlus.

Pre-registration is not required. However, organizers ask that you do register ahead of time to help with meal planning. Please RSVP to the Stearns County Extension Office at 320-255-6169.

The farm is located at 30257 County Road 17, Melrose.

Directions to the farm from St. Rosa:
-One mile north on County Road 17
-Left (West) on County Road 17 about 1 mile
-Farm is on left