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Young farmer employee winner says flexibility is necessary in pursuit to ownership

A young farmer says balancing a full-time career, kids, and farm work seems to be the standard for farm families starting out.

Katie Adam works as a Star of the West Milling Company and, with her husband’s family raising sugarbeets, dry beans, corn, wheat, soybeans, and hogs in Huron County.

“While it’s a little bit busy, a little bit crazy, maybe a little bit chaotic at times, is hard, but it’s not something that’s unheard of,” she shares.

She and her husband Garrett are also growing the seventh generation, two-year-old twins, and baby number three coming in July.

“Sometimes there’s work that just needs to be done, and you just need to get by and figure it out somehow,” she says. “Don’t be scared to roll your sleeves up and make it happen. Nobody’s going to hand anything to you.”

Adam says mutual family respect and many helping hands have been key in supporting their involvement on the farm. The family plans to start the succession process in the coming years.

Adam was recently named the Michigan Farm Bureau Young Farmer Employee Award winner.