New Beginnings
Now-seasoned Texas dairy farmer Harry DeWit lives the American dream. DeWit emigrated from Holland over 30 years ago with the vision to own a dairy operation. In 1992, his family leased a property with 2,500 cows—laying the groundwork for Blue Sky Farms, while also setting in motion new opportunities, meaningful partnerships and innovation.
Blue Sky is a multi-site dairy and farming business nestled in the panhandle of Texas. It produces an impressive 175,000 gallons of milk per day, while also raising its own heifers and growing crops to feed them.
Serving the Community Around Them
Blue Sky is active within its local communities, located in small, rural areas. It also provides career opportunities for 330 employees and has formed important relationships with 23 additional shareholders to expand its business model.
“Our employees not only work for us, but are given the opportunity to grow alongside us. We are an active group of people who truly see a big blue sky and bright future for agriculture,” DeWit said.
Forward Thinking
Blue Sky is a forward-thinking operation, using innovation to promote animal care and provide high-quality milk for consumers.
In addition to recycling its bedding and water, the farm utilizes energy-saving methods for its milking parlor, including LED lighting and controllers to automatically maintain temperature. The farm also focuses on its nutrient management plan to maximize the crop lifecycle for a full-circle system—cows eat the feed, which is converted into milk, then the nutrients in the manure are used to fertilize the soil, producing a new set of crops.
“You don’t have to be traditional to be successful,” DeWit said. “Little ideas can equal big wins, and we are constantly thinking outside-of-the-box to improve.”
To maintain its innovative approach and expansion plans, the dairy needs well-placed investments and modern equipment. Blue Sky forged its relationship with CoBank more than a decade ago, and throughout the years and steady growth, it has utilized the bank’s Farm Credit Leasing subsidiary to finance various equipment needs, including fleet farm tractors and loaders.
This story was originally published in the CoBank 2023 Annual Report.
