Farmers are no strangers to change and adaptation. For Paul Schmidt of Schimdt’s Ponderosa, each season of life, and farming, has brought about changes requiring transition and readjustment. He grew up in Bonduel, Wis., with seven siblings, and started farming with his parents right out of high school.

When his father passed away in 1985, Paul, his mother Louise, and three of his siblings took on the responsibility of operating the farm. “By 1998, we were milking around 100 cows, which is double the amount my parents had started with. At this point we knew we needed to start expanding our infrastructure to support the growth of the farm.”

Embracing this new season of change, Paul, his mother, two of his brothers, Ronald and Steven, and their sister Janet, who all owned the farm at the time, began focusing on plans for expansion to grow their herd and improve their facilities. That’s when they reached out to GreenStone. “One of my sisters-in-law actually worked for GreenStone at the time, so that’s how we got connected to our local branch.”

The Start of a Strong Partnership

Paul and his siblings began working with the GreenStone team in Clintonville, Wis. to secure financing for the expansion of the farm. “When we started working with GreenStone, we were able to construct a new free stall barn and a double-12 milking parlor, allowing for two dozen cows at a time to be milked.” This expansion allowed them to grow their herd to about 500 cows.

“I remember our mother always being very supportive of the decisions my siblings and I were making to expand our operation and continue growing it. I think she could have been very hesitant to keep making these big changes, but she trusted us to make the best decisions for the farm,” he reflected.

In the early 2000s, Paul and his wife, Renee, entered another season of change when they officially purchased the family farm from his sister Janet and brothers Ronald and Steven.

“The dairy industry was rapidly expanding in the late 1990s and early 2000s,” explained Paul. This growth and demand required constant reinvestment in both their facilities and herd size, and they continued to work with GreenStone on the growth of their operation.

With Paul’s focus on the daily operations and strategic expansion of the farm, there became less and less time available to dedicate to the farm’s financials.

He had previously worked with another accounting firm, and his brother Ronald was also helping out with the bookkeeping, but it just wasn’t efficient.

In 2002, Paul reached out to GreenStone to start getting help with the farm’s taxes. “That’s what really changed things for us,” he said.

Streamlined Services for an Efficient Operation

Twenty-four years later, Paul is still utilizing GreenStone’s tax, accounting, and payroll services, and now works with the GreenStone team out of the Little Chute, Wis. branch as well. “What I like about working with GreenStone is everything works together. They already handle all my financing, so it just made sense to have them handle our accounting work as well. Instead of going back and forth with a separate lender or accountant, GreenStone already has all our financial information.”

Through utilizing both GreenStone’s lending and financial services, Schmidt’s Ponderosa has been able to diversify and maintain steady growth over the years. Paul and his three sons, Matthew, Peter, and Andrew now manage the farm which is milking around 2,000 cows and has expanded into embryo work for raising their own replacement stock.

The Schmidt’s tax accountant, Eric Vandivier, has been working with them for over a decade. Every two weeks, he makes a trip out to the farm to handle payroll for the farm’s 18 employees. “I’ve enjoyed watching their operation grow over the years and just visiting them in general. We’ve developed a great relationship, and I enjoy playing a part in helping everything run smoothly.”

“Working with Eric is great because he fully understands the agriculture industry. Just having someone who knows the ins and outs of our business is essential,” remarked Paul. “It’s saved us time, and we don’t have the stress of trying to do all the paperwork and payroll ourselves.”

A Vision for the Future

As Schmidt’s Ponderosa continues to grow, Paul is reminded of when he and his siblings began expanding the farm with the support of their mother. Now, it’s his three sons that are leading the charge on improved operations and continued growth.

“Our focus remains on sustainable growth in the future,” said Paul. “Now that my sons are starting to get more involved with the farm, they’re starting to discuss ways we can continue to expand our operation.

Paul says he recognizes that each generation of a family farm must continue growing the operation for it to remain viable. “We as farmers know what it means to adapt and change with the cycles and market shifts. I think we all are striving to do the best we can for future generations.”

One thing has remained throughout the many shifts and seasons of change Paul has seen in his time farming – GreenStone’s committed support. “The support we’ve gotten through GreenStone from the very beginning to where we are today has helped us continue to evolve throughout the years. I’m looking forward to seeing how our farm will continue to grow through the next generation as well.”

 

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