The Bouma family named their dairy farm after the legacy that has been in their family for generations, and one they hope to continue passing on.

Brad and Barb Bouma both have a deep family history of dairy farming that goes back four generations in the Netherlands.

“The dairy is our family legacy,” Brad said. “Not just ours, but our grandfathers’ and great-grandfathers’ tracing all the way back to the Netherlands. The fact we are able to carry this on is a privilege.

When Sieto Mellema opened the Full Circle Jerseys dairy in 2007, he designed it to be sustainable. That meant growing crops to feed the cows, using the cow manure to fertilize the crops, and even buying back whey from the cheese factory to feed the cows – recycling that comes full circle.

Sieto’s greatest strengths lie in the fields, so he brought Dan Cundiff on as dairy manager. 

“I’m the guy with the green thumb. I can raise the crops,” Sieto says. “Dan has milk running through his veins. He understands cows – the way they function, what makes them tick.”