Bio: Heeg, August Jr. – Farm Family of the Year (1976)

Transcriber: Stan

Surnames: Heeg, Capps

----Source: Tribune/Phonograph (Abbotsford, Clark Co., Wis.) 20 Oct 1976

The August Heeg, Jr. family of Route 1, Unity, has been named 1976 Wisconsin Farmers Home Administration Family of the Year. The announcement was made by Willis W. Capps, State Director for the Wisconsin Farmers Home Administration.

The FMHA Farm Family of the Year award is given each year to one of the more than 20,000 Farmers Home Administration borrowers in Wisconsin. Capps stated “The family is being honored for its achievements in farming, community service and citizenship.”

The Heegs operate a 355 acre dairy farm one mile east of Unity on Country Trunk P. The family is interested in pure bred Holstein cattle and has won numerous awards in various shows. The herd boasts a production average of over 15,500 pounds of milk per animal per year from 80 milk cows.

Heeg started farming in Wood County, and obtained his first FMHA loan in 1958.

They sold their Wood County farm in 1970 and purchased a 167 acre farm with the help of an FMHA loan, and added a barn addition and pipeline milker. In 1973 they purchased an additional 188 acres with the help of a subsequent FMHA loan, and since that time have added sealed storage for high moisture grain.

Heeg family members are August and wife, Joanne, and their five children, Pam, the oldest daughter, is a freshman at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, majoring in business education. Pam was 1975 Marathon County Dairy Princess.

Cindy is a senior at Colby High School and vice president of Future Homemakers Association, and participates in forensics.

Mark, a sophomore at Colby High School, is in FFA, shows cattle and plays football at halfback.

Gary, an eighth grader at St. Mary’s in Colby, also shows cattle. Last is 3-year-old Jay, who is a big help to his father around the farm.

All the Heeg family is active in 4-H, county and state Holstein activities, and are members of St. Mary’s Parish in Colby.

A noon luncheon will be held today honoring the family at the Hoffman House in Wausau. It will be attended by the state director and staff, county office personnel, along with relatives and friends of the family.