“I always felt I wanted to come back to the family farm, but wasn’t quite sure how,” said South Dakota Pork Producers Council president Adam Krause.
Krause graduated from South Dakota State University in 2016 with a degree in agricultural business. Expecting to get a job in sales or agriculture finance after college, he was elated when coming back to the family farm in Clear Lake soon became a reality.
“Probably about halfway through my junior year of college it started to become a real possibility that I would be able to build my own nursery barn and come home right away, which was always the dream,” he said.
Krause built a nursery barn in 2016 and welcomed his first group of pigs in September of the same year. As a contract grower, Krause raises the weaned piglets for eight weeks in his nursery barn. Once the pigs reach roughly 60 pounds, he sends them on to a finisher barn to continue the process.
In addition to Krause’s nursery pig barn and four finishing hog barns, K and K Farms Inc. also grows corn, soybeans, wheat, and oats.
In his free time, Krause spends time with his family and dog, Elli, goes ice-fishing, and also runs Krause Kooking Show, an Instagram account that teaches how to prepare, enjoy, and have a little fun in the kitchen with pork products.
Read more about the pig farmer, grill master, husband, and father.
1. What’s unique about your farm?
We all tend to gravitate and have our hands in different aspects of our businesses, but help each other from time to time when needed. Aside from planting and harvest, where it’s a true “all hands on deck” mentality, we all tend to do our work we need to do on our individual entities, and spend the rest of our time helping each other.
2. What’s your favorite part of the job?
Working with my dad. Working in a family business has its pros and cons, but being able to work with my dad every day and spend time and learn from someone who is had such an influence in my life is something pretty special to me. He’s a role model, hero, teacher and business partner. He’s really good at wearing different hats and knowing which times of the day to take one hat off and put another hat on. As a father myself, I look forward to following his example and being able to do the same.
3. What’s something you wish people knew about farming?
I feel like some people romanticize farming a bit much. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great life and it’s all I’ve ever known. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
4. How do you celebrate October being National Pork Month?
With a big bone in pork chop cooked to 145°Fahrenheit.
5. What’s something you’re passionate about?
I have a Facebook post with a couple little kids looking at little pigs with me. I captioned it, “I love my job, but what I love more is showing people why I love my job.” I truly enjoy showing people what I do and how it incorporates into the lives of others.
