It’s an honor for Spindler family

With roots in Steele County dating back more than a half century ago, the Spindler family of rural Owatonna has been named the 2020 Farm Family of the Year by the University of Minnesota Extension.
“It’s an honor,” said Dale Spindler, who currently manages the farm. “I enjoy farming, and although I don’t necessarily care for the limelight, it’s definitely an honor.”
Dale’s parents, Eugene and Marian Spindler, first purchased the farm back in 1955. Hailing from farm families, the two wanted to set out on their own. With six children, the Spindlers operated as a family unit, raising a myriad of livestock on the 160-acre farm.
“When I was young, we raised geese and ducks,” Dale recalled. “Raising geese and ducks and having to take care of them was something that gave us responsibility.”
As the children got older and some moved on, the operation slowly changed. Dale slowly worked into the operation in the 1980s along with his brother, who left to manage a farm of his own in the 90s. Now the farming operation is dairy, with 160 acres of crops used primarily for animal feed.
“We were set up a lot better for dairy,” Dale explained. “We had fixed up the dairy barn in the 70s, and so we decided that it was best to go with dairy.” They currently milk 44 cows and raise all of the calves on-site.
The dairy industry is always in flux like all farming industries. “You’ve got to be up on top of everything because you don’t want to stay the same,” Dale said. “The future doesn’t stay the same for dairy or any enterprise.”
“Every day there’s always going to be something different coming up,” he explained. “If a cow gets sick, you have to check what it is and sometimes there’s a built-up immunity for the drugs.”
With raising animals comes hardship. “It’s sad to let them go. You do as much as you can but sometimes you have to let them go so that they don’t suffer,” Dale said. “You always have to look at what you could do better next time.”
Dale is responsible for most of the milking, caring for the calves and working the ground. He plants the crops, cuts the hay, chops feed and works to coordinate tasks with a hired man.
Eugene and Marian have retired but still reside on the farm. They both manage to stay plenty busy. Eugene’s chief interest is the raised garden and other gardens on the farm. Marian is active in household and gardening tasks, cooking and cleaning.
Growing up on the farm, Dale said that farming was something he always considered as a career. “I always had it in the back of my mind,” he said. “To basically be your own boss is a different challenge every day, and you have to be up to taking that challenge. It’s a rewarding experience.”
Some family members still help out with the operation, and Dale says he wants to keep farming as long as he can. “As long as I’m still functioning, I want to keep going,” he said. “I enjoy farming and it gives me something to work for and it gives me pride in my work.”
The Spindler family will be officially recognized as the Steele County Farm Family of the Year during a virtual, statewide recognition ceremony on Thursday, Aug. 6 at 1 p.m.