Breakfast and Education at the Haberli Farm

Mark Haberli wants you to ask questions at the 33rd Annual Dairy Breakfast being held at his family’s farm from 6 to 11:30 am on Sunday, July 6.

The Haberli family is proud to be the host of this year’s Sevastopol FFA Alumni Dairy Breakfast on Sunday, July 6. They are, from left, Miah, Mark, Kody, Kathy, Ruby, Papa Joe, Shayna, Joe Jr., Joey and Shannon. Photo by Jim Lundstrom.

“I think it’s such a good opportunity to educate people,” Haberli said. “I almost hate to see somebody just come and eat breakfast and leave. I’d like to see them walk around and ask questions. Find out why we do what we do. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.”

This is the third time the Haberli Farm has hosted the dairy breakfast sponsored by the Sevastopol FFA Alumni Association. They did so in 1998 and 2006.

“I figured it was time again,” Haberli said.

What has changed since the last time they hosted the event?

“We’re a little bit bigger, a few more cows, a few more acres of land, some different equipment,” he said.

Haberli and his siblings are the third generation on the farm.

“My grandpa bought it in 1948 and my dad bought it from him in 1952,” he said. “When my dad took it over he had 18 cows and two heifers. That’s one thing he always told us: I have two heifers. And he was at 200 acres of land in 1952.”

Today there are 320 milk cows and 330 head of young stock, with a little more than 5,000 acres of land.

On the crop side, Haberli said they grow, “pretty much you name it – wheat, corn, soybeans, alfalfa. For 20 years now we’ve been growing peas, but this year there was an issue with the canning company and we didn’t get any peas. And snap beans, your green canning beans.”

The farm is very much a family affair.

“Me, pa and my brother Joe Jr. are the three partners,” Haberli said. “I run the dairy end, my brother’s head of the crops and my sister, Laurie, is the bookkeeper. My wife Kathy takes care of the baby calves. Most of the rest is all hired labor. We’ve got seven employees on the dairy side and my brother’s got four on the cropping side.”

Photo by Jim Lundstrom.

Will there be a fourth generation of Haberli’s working the farm?

“I sure hope so,” Haberli said. “I’ve got two daughters and a son. My brother has a daughter and a son. They show interest. We’ve got to keep them interested in it. It’s hard work, but we try to have fun, and you’re working side by side with mom and dad. It means so much to us.”

Haberli said he and his family welcome the opportunity to host the dairy breakfast.

“I think 80 percent of the people who come are not from Door County,” he said. “It’s such a good opportunity for them to be one-on-one with a farmer and learn where their food comes from,” he said. “This is such a great opportunity to educate people, let them get out here and see what goes on. We’ll have stands, show people what cows eat, how much milk she produces, so they can understand what goes on at a farm.”

The Haberli Farm is located at 7012 Memorial Drive, Egg Harbor. Cost of the breakfast is $8 for age 7 to adult. Children 6 and below eat for free.