Colby FFA Alumni host dairy breakfast
A familiar face to Colby FFA alumni members and Colby area farmers hosted the 2022 dairy breakfast at their family farm for the second time since 2018.
The Gumz family consisting of Duwayne and Susan as well as Dustin, Cody and their kids held the Colby Dairy Breakfast at Gumz Farms Inc. on June 26, 2022.
The day contained loads of fun for kids with a petting zoo, bouncy house, horse rides, hayrides, good food, music and more. Tractors, combines, trailers, and many other items of farm equipment were on display for guests to look at.
Alice in Dairyland Julia Nunes along with Clark County Fairest of the Fair Jaiden Teschner, First Attendant Marie Jorgensen and Second Attendant Jayda Harris all partook in the events.
The event was sponsored by the Colby FFA Alumni Organization and its supporters. Cherokee Garage sponsored the bouncy house and 120 other sponsors contributed to the successful event.
The proceeds from the meal went towards the Colby FFA scholarship program.
Colby FFA Alumna and dairy breakfast coordinator Jeanie Tesch said the dairy breakfast is an opportunity to not only feed, but educate the public on agriculture and the farm lifestyle.
“The main reason we host a dairy breakfast is obviously for the good food,” Tesch said. “But there’s still the educational aspect of it. People need to see what a farm is and what it means to be on a farm. Kids need to be educated on how hard it is and what it takes to be a farmer.”
The Gumz farm has been in the family since 1961. Duwayne’s father bought the farm and at that time, the property included 120 acres and 40 cows. Duwayne recalled that his dad paid around $26,000 for the land, buildings, animals, and equipment that came with it.
In 1976, Duwayne began the process of taking over the farm. The farm had expanded to 300-400 acres of farmland. He had three kids with his wife, Susan, and their son, Dustin is now the focal point of the work that is done on the Gumz farm.
Dustin, a 2003 graduate of Colby High School, said he knew at a relatively young age that he wanted to take over the farm from his dad some day.
“In high school and when I got older, I liked doing it. It was a great opportunity to keep the business going,” Dustin said.
Today, the Gumzs as a family own 115 cows and crop over 2,000 acres between corn, beans, alfalfa, winter wheat and other crops.
“I think it’s always an interest for all of us to keep it in the family but at the end of the day, it’s up to the next generation. It depends what their goals and inspirations and passions are whether or not they want to make that their career,” Dustin said.
Dustin said he knew at a relatively young age that he wanted to take over the farm from his dad some day.
“In high school and when I got older, I liked doing it. It was a great opportunity to keep the business going,” Dustin said.
Cody, also a 2003 graduate from Colby High School, said she didn’t grow up on a farm but that didn’t mean she didn’t find an affection for the farming lifestyle.
“Even though I didn’t grow up on a farm, I kind of grew up on my neighbor’s farm,” Cody said. “As far as really getting into it, there was certainly an adjustment. I do like it, though.”
Duwayne said Susan wasn’t a farmer growing up either but after a short adjustment period, she did very well with the lifestyle.
“[Susan] wasn’t on the farm either but she took it like a real trooper,” Duwayne said. “She did the hay cutting and working in the fields and jumped right in.”
Susan said starting out in farming was a challenge because of the financial strain it placed on her and Duwayne.
“The farms weren’t expensive, the interest rates were high,” Susan said. “In 1980, it was like 12 percent interest to buy a farm. We didn’t have anything when we started out so his dad decided that he would sell this farm and we would incorporate it.” At that point, every dollar Duwayne and Susan made went back into maintaining and adding on to the farm.
During the transitions from Duwayne’s father to him and now to Dustin, the Gumzs said they never really had any issues with the changing of hands because they were raised on that same farm and the work came pretty naturally to them.
“We get along well and work well together,” Cody said. Cody and Dustin have three kids that will look to carry on the tradition of keeping the Gumz farm in the family.
