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Dairy farmer impressed with 2025 harvest so far

A central Wisconsin farmer is pleased with the 2025 crops.  T.J. Draeger operates a dairy farm near Marathon City, Wisconsin.  Brownfield caught up with Draeger while he was chopping snaplage or earlage. “I’m in some really nice corn. A little dry. It got away on us a little bit but you know, we had a couple of those cool 27-28 degree nights and I think the corn just kind of went, yeah, I’m done.”

Draeger tells Brownfield his crew also has two combines out harvesting soybeans. “Beans are looking good, dry corn is looking good, snaplage is looking good, corn silage did awesome, really good crops this year.”

Draeger says the end of the growing season was a little dry leading to some smaller soybeans, but weather was great for most of the summer.  He says his corn silage yield was better than last year, getting about the same yield from 700 acres this year that he had from 800 acres in 2024.  Draeger also planted some high oleic soybeans, which he plans on roasting and using for his dairy rations.

AUDIO: Dairy farmer T.J. Draeger discusses crops and harvest progress with Brownfield’s Larry Lee