- Home
- Company
- News & Media
- Bobcat Stories
- Third-Generation Dairy Farm Started by the Greatest Generation
Third-Generation Dairy Farm Started by the Greatest Generation
Published on October 11, 2016
Farming and family often go hand in hand. That’s especially true for one of our customers who operates a multigenerational dairy farm in California. This is his story.
After World War II, when a war-ravaged economy and a severe housing shortage caused a third of the Dutch population to seriously consider emigration, a wave of 80,000 immigrants came to the United States.
Adam and Pietje Van Exel from Holland were two of them.
In 1954, the couple purchased a farm in Lodi, California, that they started with just 30 cows. Six decades later, the operation has several dairy farm locations, 3,000 cows, 3,500 acres of crops and a team of 40 people that includes three generations of Van Exel family members.
“My parents milked the cows by hand,” says Hank Van Exel, the son of Adam and Pietje. “They did all the work themselves. I think they were one of the greatest generations ever.”
Hank credits his father for the farm’s early adoption of many progressive dairy management practices — including self-locking stanchions, artificial breeding and balancing feed rations by group.
A Family Affair
Hank Van Exel was born and raised on the farm, graduated from high school in 1972 and then went on to study dairy science at California Polytechnic State University. During his fourth year at Cal Poly, he returned to his parents’ farm after his father had a heart attack and could no longer operate the dairy business on his own. A year later, learning herd management through trial by fire, he assumed full responsibility for the cattle while his father focused on the crops.
Today, Van Exel oversees the operation along with his wife, Carolyn. The couple’s grown children, Adam, Jennifer and Sarah, along with their spouses and children, also lend a hand, helping with farm operations and chores as well as showing cattle.
Adam and his wife, Lacey, live on the farm with their children, Madison and Atlee. Jennifer and her husband, Brian, operate a milking systems dealership and have two children, Stella and Bryce. And Sarah is active with the Young Farmer Program and writes for dairy publications including Cowsmopolitan.
But running a multigenerational farm can have its challenges.
“Making everything fair and equitable in the business is always the toughest part,” Hank says. “Fair is not always equal. And equal is not always fair. When you’re doing that, you have to evaluate where everyone is at a certain point. You have to make a business plan with your family involved. That’s the hardest thing for all farmers to figure out. If someone gets a good feel for that, let me know.”
Future Outlook
So is Hank focused on having a fourth-generation farm?
“No,” he says. “I want my children to do what is good right now for themselves. I think that’s the most important thing we’ve got going.”
Speaking of when his parents ran the operation, he says, “I think that in that generation, they could do stuff just by working really hard. But I’m not sure you could do that anymore, the way businesses are run today. I think you have to plan a lot more than they used to because the volatility of dairy prices and our business is so much higher than it used to be.”
Modern Technology Lends Efficiency
Hard work is still at the heart of Van Exel Dairy and Farms, but the operation is now equipped with modern technology and smart equipment that allows the family business to get more done in less time and with fewer resources. Cows are milked by sophisticated automatic milking machines three times a day. The farm’s anaerobic digestion system turns manure into renewable energy and reduces the emissions of greenhouse gases. And three Bobcat S750 skid-steer loaders and a Toolcat utility work machine are used to feed calves, rake beds, move and clean pens, and put fresh sand and dirt in pens.
The Van Exel family knows the meaning of hard work and of honoring the generations that came before them. Bobcat Company is proud to serve this hardworking family dairy farm and hope to be their partner for generations to come.
More Recent Stories
View All Stories- Childhood Friends Become Landscaping Pros with Bobcat Equipment
Childhood Friends Become Landscaping Pros with Bobcat Equipment
Childhood friends Anthony Heathco and Colton Roush founded Roadkill Lawncare & Landscaping in Grand Junction, Colorado, starting with a Bobcat® MT100. - Rocky Mountain Stonecrete Completes Challenging Jobs with Bobcat Equipment
Rocky Mountain Stonecrete Completes Challenging Jobs with Bobcat Equipment
Founded in 2006 by Eric Niemann, Rocky Mountain Stonecrete has grown with Bobcat equipment and his loyal crew, by taking on challenging jobs that scare other contractors. - Houston-Based Sweetwater Farms HTX Combines Agriculture with Education
Houston-Based Sweetwater Farms HTX Combines Agriculture with Education
With the help of volunteers, friends, and a brand-new Bobcat® compact tractor, Chaz Daughtry is taking the Houston agriculture scene by storm. - Bobcat Mowers Expands CLK Lawn Care and Landscaping Business
Bobcat Mowers Expands CLK Lawn Care and Landscaping Business
Cody Kuebler started CLK Lawn Care and Landscaping at the age of 11, he expanded his business with two Bobcat ZS4000 Mowers and now his team only uses Bobcat mowers. - Omaha Contractors Provide Tornado Relief with Bobcat Equipment
Omaha Contractors Provide Tornado Relief with Bobcat Equipment
Local contractors in Omaha, Nebraska, including Ideal Construction and Mitera Landscaping, rallied with Bobcat machines to aid in tornado cleanup and community support. - Bobcat Compact Tractor Provides Solace for Mobile Crisis Clinician
Bobcat Compact Tractor Provides Solace for Mobile Crisis Clinician
Therese Swift, a mobile crisis clinician, mitigates work stress by tending to her horses and mules, with her Bobcat CT4045 compact tractor aiding in the upkeep. - Shades of Green Nursery Unites Community with Bobcat Equipment
Shades of Green Nursery Unites Community with Bobcat Equipment
At Shades of Green Nursery, founder Julie Holland uses Bobcat equipment to unite the community in Celina, Texas with inclusive gardening practices that support the local ecosystem. - Bobcat and RADshare Partner for Youth BMX Opportunities
Bobcat and RADshare Partner for Youth BMX Opportunities
Bobcat Company is supporting co-founders Steve Crandall and Nate Hanger of RADshare with Bobcat Equipment to provide opportunities for the youth to dive into the world of BMX. - JJC Tree Services LLC Grows with Bobcat Equipment
JJC Tree Services LLC Grows with Bobcat Equipment
John Shreaves of JJC Tree Services LLC launched and grew his business with his Bobcat compact track loaders and attachments to help him accomplish more. - Julie Rummer – Bobcat $25k Backyard Makeover Winner
Julie Rummer – Bobcat $25k Backyard Makeover Winner
After a tragic accident Julie Rummer's backyard was inaccessible and now thanks to Bobcat’s backyard makeover contest, it is an oasis, reigniting her outdoor passion.
What’s Your Bobcat Story?
Taking on big, ambitious challenges is what being One Tough Animal® is all about. Tell us how Bobcat empowers or inspires you to accomplish more. Whether it’s at work, at play or in life, share your story with us.
Share Your Story