Dairy farmer milking retirement
Dalton farmer is a volunteer firefighter
Published Friday, March 7, 2008
Photo by Lauren Radomski
John Lindquist dairy farmed on his Dalton property with his wife, Michelle, for 35 years.
You'd think that after 35 years of dairy farming and more than 20 years on the Dalton Fire Department, John Lindquist would be ready for some time off.
Guess again.
Lindquist may have retired from dairy farming last year, but this Dalton native continues to crop and grade farm, serve as assistant fire chief and run the saw mill he bought months ago.
"As far as we're concerned there's no substitute for country living and owning your own business," said Lindquist, who lives just outside Dalton with his wife, Michelle. "(We'd) do it again tomorrow."
Farming, it seems, is in Lindquist's blood. He grew up on a dairy farm between Dalton and Underwood and was a stand-out athlete in football, wrestling and baseball at Underwood Public School. After graduating in 1965, Lindquist attended Fergus Falls Community College, where he was among a handful of students who organized the school's first wrestling team.
As a student at North Dakota State University, Lindquist studied animal science and played football, later serving as a defensive line coach. After the couple married in August 1970, John and Michelle lived in Ada for about a year before returning to lakes country and buying the Dalton property where they farmed and raised two sons.
“When I was in dairy farming, I always tried to be as efficient as possible,” Lindquist said. “Efficiency is the key word for a small dairy farm.”
Farming was a family endeavor, he said, with sons Benjamin and Jason doing their share of chores while balancing academics and sports.
“(Michelle and I) always felt that it was very important that they had a whole lifetime to work, that school and other activities come first,” he said.
Lindquist has seen many changes to the dairy farming business since those early days.
"When we started, you could milk 30 to 35 cows a day and make a profit," he said, describing the rising cost of combines, tractors and other equipment. "Now you can't."
Lindquist may have retired from farming, but he has no plans to slow down yet — especially with five grandchildren ages 2 to 7 nearby.
"It gets to be a glorious madhouse when they come for Christmas and New Year's Eve," Lindquist said.
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