Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy and Livestock Farmers (WSBDF)

Emphasizing Business Planning and Pasture-Based Farm Management

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Meet Former Students: Nick Sergi

Nick grew up in northern Illinois. While his father owned an electrical contracting firm that had been passed down for generations and most of his brothers were involved in, Nick wanted a different path. He dreamed of farming. Nick’s passion for animals started early. From his younger years to adult years he gained experience by working with horses and cattle, something that came naturally to him.

He found out about our school on the radio while getting his undergraduate degree at UW-Whitewater in Communications and Environmental Sciences. He was able to use the credits he got at UW-Madison towards his degree at Whitewater. After he graduated from our class in 2013 he started working full time for Altfrid Krusenbaum (an Organic Valley dairy farmer) who recently retired from farming.

At the same time he was working for Altfrid, Nick connected with an older farmer in the area who was looking to rent some of his land and could lend his baler and help Nick make hay. Nick jumped on the opportunity to get some young steers and grow a small amount of hay on his own, while helping this older farmer manage his farm and cut and bale his hay.

2014-01-17 11.03.18
Nick Sergi with his animals

“Leasing or renting land and/or equipment helped me stay flexible in my new business and actually make money the first 2 years,” says Nick. “A good mentor is necessary for success!” This older farmer was able to give Nick a better price on hay and a lower lease rate because Nick was helping him out and he wanted to help Nick get started and see him succeed. At the end of the year, when Nick’s cattle were sold, he was able to pay the older farmer a percentage of his proceeds – they had struck a deal and they were in it together.

This is a somewhat typical story – especially for young farmers who don’t come from a farming family and are struggling to find their way in the farming world that they are not already a part of. Nick was searching for someone to take him under his wing, like one of his own kids, show him the ropes and cut him a few breaks so he could get on his feet… and it worked!

Nick is putting his grass-fed beef business on hold for a few years, starting in 2016, when he takes up employment together with his brother in other agricultural opportunities. Nick plans to come back to his dream, buy some land of his own and make Sergi Farms bigger and better than before.

 

Support WSBDF:

Support WSBDF

The support of our many sponsors is what makes our work possible. Click the logo above to learn more about how you can support WSBDF.

Student Testimonials

“The School made me think outside of the box…and look at the many ways to approach a farm business.”

“I took the grazing courses [with WSBDF]…and this is the best crash course I’m ever going to get.”

“My fears were primarily financial. The WSBDF showed me that there were different institutions…to loan me money and that is what really got me started."

“I really enjoyed all the speakers we had and all the real life experiences they were able to share.”

“The most beneficial thing by far was…the network of people I met – classmates and mentors – that are actively farming…to learn from what they are doing and compare [these things] to what I’m doing.”

“The School opened my eyes up to a different direction of farming that has worked out very well for me. WSBDF was very important in my decision to start a grass-based dairy farm.”

“The business plan put it all into reality. It gave me confidence."

"I'm by nature a cynic who doesn't often run into programs, meetings, or groups that truly embody optimism and change, but WSBDF manages to accomplish that in a humble and practical way."

"I can sincerely say that the WSBDF course was everything I had hoped for, and then some. I met a lot of great people, learned an incredible amount, and came out of the experience feeling inspired"

“You have the opportunity to make lifelong friends; you have so many people there that have the same interests and the same drive.”

"We came away with a barn-full of inspiration, and the solid ground-under-our-feet feeling of having been shown 'how it is' with all the beauty and the sweat right there."

"The quality and depth of the presenters for the WSBDF has given our family a top notch how-to manual for entering into a grazing based business and life."

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Read more about

  • Pasture Management Course Now Available Online!
  • Now Available Online!
  • Learning from the Experts
  • A Business Planning Emphasis

Ride to Farm

Link to Ride to Farm Website

Each year the WSBDF hosts Ride to Farm, a 100K bike ride with rest stops at local farms. All proceeds from this amazing event support the WSBDF endowment. Click the Ride to Farm logo above to learn more.

Barn Dance

Barn Dance

The Partnering for Progress’s Barn Dance & Chautauqua celebrates Wisconsin’s working lands, and raises funds to support the important work of the nonprofit partner organizations, including WSBDF. And it's a lot of fun! Click on the image above to learn more!

WSBDF

Sponsored by the UW-Madison Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems and the Farm and Industry Short Course, both within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; and by Badgerland Financial, Culver’s Restaurants, Organic Valley, Wisconsin Cattleman’s Association, Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, and Wisconsin Farmers Union; with additional support from the NIFA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program and individual and corporate contributions to the UW Foundation WSBDF Endowment Fund. A full list of each year's contributors is available in our newsletter, available through the link below:

2018 Newsletter

Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy and Livestock Farmers

The WSBDF office is located in the Soil Science Building on the University of Wisconsin-Madison Campus.

Mailing Address:

1535 Observatory Drive
Madison, WI 53706

Phone:

608-265-6437

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