By PAT MULVANEY | Contributed Story
For Jack and Pat Herricks, their sprawling dairy farm nestled in the hills and valleys outside of Cashton is a little slice of heaven.
Their 600-head dairy herd and 1,400 crop acres offers sustenance not only to their family and employees, but also to countless consumers who rely on goods to feed themselves and their families.
And while the Herricks have put in thousands of hours to build their farm from a 34-head herd on 120 acres when Jack took over 50 years ago to the bustling, modern operation it is now, they credit a higher source for the blessings they have.
To recognize that, the couple, who are members of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Cashton, will host this year’s annual Rural Life Day on Wednesday, Sept. 21.
According to Jack, Rural Life Day is about “praising and honoring God for providing a healthy and abundant food source to sustain human life and our rural way of life.”
“Our farming and stewardship of the land is not something we should ever take for granted,” he added. “Cooperating with God’s creation as ‘Strangers and Guests’ on His land is such an amazing privilege and responsibility.”
Jack said he sees his role on the land not as an owner, but as a steward “taking on the responsibility of being a caretaker.”
That philosophy has earned Herricks much acclaim, from being honored as a Monroe County Farm Conservationist of the Year to accepting the Aldo Leopold Award from the State of Wisconsin in 2012.
The Herricks have passed that philosophy onto their daughter and son and their families, who will be the next generation of the farm’s ethical caretakers. His message to them is simple:
“I’m a producer of food for God’s people,” said Jack. “That’s what this is all about.”
Rural Life Day, which has been held annually for more than four decades, kicks off at the Herricks farm, located at 12130 Hwy. 33, Cashton, at 10 a.m. with Bishop William Patrick Callahan celebrating mass.
Following mass, the Strangers and Guests Award and the Friend of Rural Life Award will be presented and Century Farms (farms that have been in the same family for 100 years or more) in the region will be recognized.
Bishop Callahan will then perform the blessing of the livestock, the farm equipment and the land. That will be followed by a catered meal by Virgil and Donita Schmitz and wagon ride across the farm.
The event is open to all. “Anybody who likes to eat food and feels blessed to have an abundant food supply are welcome,” said Jack. He recommends people arrive by 9:30 a.m. at the latest.
What: Rural Life Day
Where: Herricks Dairy Farm, 12130 Hwy. 33, Cashton
When: Wednesday, Sept. 21, beginning at 10 a.m.