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Duration: 1 hrs 16 min

The Integrated Farm
Alan Yegerlehner

Alan Yegerlehner: The Bigger Picture
Alan will give you a picture of the farm, how it had its beginnings when David Jegerlehner immigrated from Switzerland in the 1850's to Kate being the 7th generation to manage the farm. It is presently a bit over 200 acres. Our farm is an extension of our faith and ministry and we try to manage it as a whole. This whole includes our family goals, farm, community and customers. We will take a look at our seasonal dairy grazing farm and some of the management practices. It will include many of the things that we have done over the years, what has worked, what has not, and many of the things that we just don't know or understand yet. We presently have a herd of about 70 milk cows. We make cheeses and a host of other raw dairy products, and also grass fed beef. In addition, we have produced whey fed pork and naturally suckled pastured veal. The cattle are 100% grass fed. There is an on-farm store and at present we sell products at 2 farmers markets each year.

Alan and Mary Yegerlehner live just northeast of Clay City, Indiana. They have 3 grown children: Kate, who lives on the home farm and is actively involved in the dairy grazing operation; Luke and his wife Lauren, who live in Indianapolis, Indiana; and Jess, who lives in Maryland. Alan and Mary have been operating the home farm full time since 1976. Alan has had a passion for stewarding the land in a sustainable way and to market products on a local basis. Since they started the The Swiss Connection LLC in 2000 and began on-farm processing and direct marketing, their daily work and life schedule has taken a dramatic turn. They have found it very challenging, but rew