Technology drives efficiency at Owl Creek Dairy

By Brianna Smith

At Owl Creek Dairy in Versailles, Ohio, farming looks a little different than it used to. While the Schmitmeyer family still rises early, cares for their cattle, and tends to the same ground they have for generations, they’ve added advanced technology and newer practices that are changing how they farm. Ryan and Krista Schmitmeyer view the addition of technology as just one of their many efforts to make their farm more sustainable, efficient, and resilient for the future.

Ryan and Krista have managed Owl Creek Dairy, named for the creek behind the farm, since 2013. With the help of three full-time hired hands, a few part-time helpers, and their six children, the family milks 400 head of Holstein cows and grows around 500 acres of crops. They also rent a swine farm near North Star. They raise corn, soybeans, wheat, alfalfa, and triticale, which all go back into the farm through livestock feed or bedding.… Continue reading