CommonGround Farmers


Love for the land, our families, our friends and our food – that’s what fuels our CommonGround community. Scroll down to learn where our volunteers are located, or Contact Us to get involved.

CommonGround Wisconsin

Back to Our Farmers

Kathy Baumeister

Burlington, Wisconsin

Our Farm: beef cattle, corn, soybeans, wheat

My Work: farmer, wife, mom, grandmother

My Hobbies: cooking, biking, overall fitness, softball

Ask Me About: biotechnology and GMOs, sustainability and conservation, animal nutrition, animal welfare and antibiotics, hormones in meat and milk, family farms vs. corporate farms

About Me: My husband and I were dairy farmers for 30 years before we sold our dairy herd in 2003. Now we operate a grain and Hereford beef-cattle farm, as well as a custom-harvest-and-transport business to serve other farmers. We are pleased to keep our farm in the family as we transition our farm to our sons.

Beth Breitsprecker

Columbus, Wisconsin

Our Farm: alfalfa, beef cattle, corn, dairy cattle, soybeans, wheat

My Work: farmer, wife, mom, location customer service representative for an agricultural cooperative

My Hobbies: baking, hiking, horseback riding, photography

Ask Me About: animal welfare, antibiotics and animal health, farm ownership, food safety, GMO foods, hormones in meat and milk, sustainability

About Me: Growing up in Wisconsin, America’s Dairyland, I’ve had the chance to work on several different dairy farms. Now my husband and I own our own small farm, where we grow a variety of crops. Having been involved in agriculture my entire life, I understand the need to build a stronger connection between consumers and agriculture.

Lisa Condon

Horicon, Wisconsin

Our Farm: dairy cattle

My Work: farmer, wife, mom

My Hobbies: baking, cooking, writing, photography, running, biking, reading, overall fitness, hiking

Ask Me About: animal nutrition, animal welfare and antibiotics, hormones in meat and milk, family farms vs. corporate farms

About Me: My husband and I own and operate a 450-cow dairy and plant 900 acres of crops. We have squeezed the last drop of milk out of our 27-year-old milking parlor and are constructing a new, more modern and more efficient milking parlor to be completed soon. We were very excited and a little surprised when our youngest daughter asked to join the operation last fall after attending college and working off the farm. “Mom, I was being interviewed for a new job, and the owner asked me who would take over our family farm, she said. I thought about this and decided I needed to be the one to keep the farm in the family.” To say I was proud does not even come close to how I felt that day.

Rebekah Gustafson

Dresser, Wisconsin

Our Farm: corn, soybeans

My Work: farmer, wife, mom, child-care provider, quilter

My Hobbies: blogging, biking, arts and crafts, hiking, horses, quilting

Ask Me About: sustainability and conservation

About Me: We are involved in a multi-generational crop farm and have expanded our farm over the last couple of years. We now run a cow/calf beef operation and over 150 acres of hay. My husband works as the service manager for our local John Deere dealership and my father-in-law works as an agronomist for the local co-op. I love to share my story and bridge the gap between farmers and consumers. There are so many fears and misconceptions, and people really need to learn the truth.

Website: Cooped Up Creativity

Facebook: Cooped Up Creativity

Twitter: @CoopedUpCreativ

Instagram: @CoopedUpCreativity

Amber Hewett

Kewaunee, Wisconsin

Our Farm: beef cattle, sheep

My Work: farmer, wife, mom, dairy operation business manager

My Hobbies: cooking, photography, reading

Ask Me About: animal welfare

About Me: My husband, Simon, and I have two sons, Will and Alex. In my community, I’m a leader with 4-H and several agricultural organizations, and I also work on a violence-intervention project in our county. My husband and I both grew up farming (me in Montana with beef and Simon in New Zealand with sheep), but we have only recently started our own family farm in Wisconsin. We are still small at this stage, but we are hopeful to continue to grow in the future.

Facebook: Amber Hewett

Twitter: @AmberHewett

Daphne Holterman

Watertown, Wisconsin

Our Farm: alfalfa, corn, dairy cattle

My Work: farmer, wife, mom

My Hobbies: photography, travel, motorcycle riding, time at the lake

Ask Me About: animal nutrition, welfare and antibiotics, family farms vs. corporate farms

About Me: We have been farming for over 30 years and are fourth-generation farmers. We started out with about 80 cows, and now we have more than 900. We farm about 1,700 acres alfalfa hay and corn for silage, along with a few grasses for animal feed too. We open up our farm to anyone who wants to learn about our operation. I want consumers to know we care about producing a safe, healthy, wholesome food supply.

Facebook: Rosy-Lane Holsteins

Twitter: @Rosy_Lane

Kristin Olson

Windsor, Wisconsin

Our Farm: corn, alfalfa, dairy cattle

My Work: farmer, wife

My Hobbies: singing, arts and crafts, overall fitness

Ask Me About: animal nutrition, animal welfare and antibiotics, family farms vs. corporate farms

About Me: As a fifth-generation dairy girl from Wisconsin, I’ve seen first-hand the advancements in agriculture, and it’s easy to understand the confusion about how food is raised. I make it my goal each and every day to help share the story of our farm in order to create a better understanding of how food gets on our tables, how renewable fuel gets in our vehicles and how clothes get in our closets.

Twitter: @66thAlice

Jennifer Poltermann

Genoa City, Wisconsin

Our Farm: corn, pigs, soybeans

My Work: farmer, wife, mom, owner of a crop insurance agency

My Hobbies: cooking, travel

Ask Me About: organic and local foods

About Me: Between owning my own business and raising three kids, I’m pretty busy. But I always make time to help my husband on our farm and be a part of sharing how farmers continue to improve the way we raise food. I specifically like to talk about how we work with our farming community to improve our carbon footprint and to help protect one of our most valuable assets – the land.

Twitter: @polagrigirl

Instagram: @polagrigirl

LinkedIn: Jennifer Poltermann

Pam Selz-Pralle

Humbird, Wisconsin

Our Farm: alfalfa, corn, dairy cattle

My Work: farmer, wife, mom, substitute teacher

My Hobbies: coaching girls basketball, Holstein cattle activities, working with youth

Ask Me About: Dairy products, food safety, dairy cow care and land conservation

About Me: My husband and I are proud to be third-generation farmers and have the opportunity to raise our children on our family’s century farm (farms that have been in the same family for at least 100 years). I enjoy all aspects of agriculture and have served in leadership roles in various agricultural associations, although my true passion comes from working with youth. I enjoy helping young people become effective leaders through organizations such as 4-H, the Holstein Association USA and Junior Achievement.

Facebook: Pam Selz-Pralle

Emilie Strand

Black River Falls, Wisconsin

Our Farm: dairy cattle

My Work: farmer, business developer

My Hobbies: biking, photography, running, writing

Ask Me About: animal welfare, antibiotics and animal health, farm ownership, hormones in meat and milk

About Me: I studied at Cornell University and believe in the power of faith, hard work and determination. I am passionate about connecting with all consumers to answer questions about where their food comes from, and the steps farmers and ranchers take to ensure that their food is safe. I volunteer with CommonGround because I enjoy actively answering questions and providing honesty and integrity to the social chatter in today’s media conversations.

Facebook: Emilie Strand

Twitter: @Estrand7