Meet the couple that’s seen farming in Wisconsin through the decades and through every economic turn. The lifelong Farmer’s Union members are parents of WFU President Darin von Ruden. On last week’s bus trip to Albany, New York to discuss dairy supply management, Bobbi Jo met Dale and Thea von Ruden.
When the couple joined in 1972, a life membership to Wisconsin Farmer’s Union cost $200. Dairy was really their only business, as was the same for their neighbors. Thea commented on how diversified farming has become since those days. Different crops, different livestock, an explosion in organic farming. Dale and Thea had to adjust to the changing demands as well. Their farm is certified organic, and they tap 500 maple trees.
In 1989, the price of milk dropped, and interest was high. The family wanted to hang on and stay in farming. To add to their income and help their son (who was buying into the farm) buy a house with his new wife, Dale and Thea went to school for five weeks to learn how to drive semi-truck. With the added income, the von Rudens persevered.
In the present day, Dale and Thea are actively involved in the Wisconsin Farmer’s Union. They stay up-to-date with agriculture legislation and speak from their personal experiences.
