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Margaret and Brad Wolter
Margaret and Brad Wolter
Chelsea, Iowa
Why do you want to farm?
We recently moved to 25 acres of Margaret’s family’s heritage farm in Chelsea, which we bought from her relatives. Brad’s mother was raised on what is now a century farm, so you can say farming is in our blood. Margaret’s family farm was quite diverse and productive for generations, but no one has been living there for many years. We plan to fix it up and breathe new life into it, growing healthy food for ourselves and others. As a child, this is where Margaret developed her sense of wonder, and now it’s where she finds her greatest sense of place.
What are you farming right now?
After fixing up our farmhouse we have moved to the farm in January 2020 tos start farming. We bought some Kiko does this spring, which were bred this fall. We hope to increase the herd size over the years to help clean up the farm and sell excess as meat goats.
What’s your vision for your farm?
As an ecologist and environmentalist, Margaret’s passions are nature and nurture. These first few years, she and Brad will increase their herd of Kiko goats and begin to grow a diverse crop of vegetables. They plan to convert an old dairy pasture into prairie. This will be beneficial habitat for pollinators along with providing more rotation areas for the goats. They also plan to raise chickens for eggs and meat, rotating them through the pastures after the goats. In a few years, they hope to have a table at local farmers markets or be part of food co-ops and hubs.
Why do you want to participate in this program?
The Savings Incentive Program would not only encourage us to put money aside for the purchase of a major farm asset, but more importantly, connect us with mentors and experienced farmers. By creating a business plan, we can develop goals and concrete objectives for our farm with the knowledge and support of those skilled in our areas of interest. Many of my farming friends have gone through the program and have nothing but good things to say about it. Plus, they have all become successful farmers – so I hope it rubs off on us.