De Grins Oer Dairy in Michigan: History, What It Raises, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
De Grins Oer Dairy in Blanchard, Michigan, was founded by Tjerk and Ramona Okkema in 1999 and has grown from seven cows to a 690-cow herd averaging 32,230 pounds of milk per cow. It was named the 2026 Dairy Farm of the Year by the Michigan State University Department of Animal Science.
| Location | Blanchard, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1999, by Tjerk and Ramona Okkema |
| Sectors | Dairy; cropland for feed |
| Scale | 690 cows; about 1,800 acres of crops; 40-stall rotary parlor (as reported in 2026) |
| Why it is elite | 2026 Dairy Farm of the Year from MSU Animal Science; Okkemas inducted into the Michigan Farmers Hall of Fame |
| Ownership | Family-owned, with multiple family members in herd, feed, administration and outreach roles |
| Official website | MSU Extension Breakfast on the Farm profile of De Grins Oer Dairy |
History of De Grins Oer Dairy
Tjerk and Ramona Okkema started De Grins Oer Dairy in 1999 after immigrating to the United States. Reports on the farm say the herd began with seven cows. Over about two decades the family built a 40-stall rotary parlor and expanded to 690 cows, one of the clearer examples of an immigrant-founded dairy growing step by step.
The Okkemas were later inducted into the Michigan Farmers Hall of Fame, according to Michigan State University Extension. Family members, including Dirk-Thomas, Cora, Evelyn Okkema-Damveld and Aaron Damveld, now divide work across herd care, feed management, administration and outreach, and the farm hosted a Breakfast on the Farm event in 2023.
What De Grins Oer Dairy Grows and Raises
The herd's average of 32,230 pounds of milk per cow points to strong cow comfort, nutrition and genetics. The family raises about 1,800 acres of crops to feed the herd, a land base that gives it control over forage quality and feed costs. The rotary parlor moves cows through milking efficiently, which matters when labor is tight.
Role clarity helps. By assigning herd care, feed, administration and public outreach to different family members, the farm avoids the bottlenecks that slow many family dairies. Public outreach through Breakfast on the Farm also builds trust with neighbors and consumers.
How De Grins Oer Dairy Makes Money
Milk sales
Milk is the core revenue stream. The farm's publicly reported output is a 690-cow herd averaging 32,230 pounds of milk per cow, and the Michigan Farm Bureau lists dairy among the state's largest commodity impacts. The farm does not publish its buyer or pricing.
Home-grown feed and crops
With about 1,800 acres of crops grown to feed the herd, the farm uses its land base to lower purchased-feed exposure and keep nutrition consistent.
Outreach and reputation
Hosting Breakfast on the Farm builds consumer goodwill and community support. It does not appear as a separate revenue line, but it strengthens the license to operate.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from De Grins Oer Dairy
The first lesson is that scale can be built from a very small start if each expansion is financed by performance. Production per cow, not cow numbers alone, drove the recognition this farm has received.
The second is to build a team structure early. Defined roles for herd, feed, administration and outreach give a family dairy capacity to grow and to host the public without losing focus on the parlor and the ration.
A herd that began with seven cows and now fills a 40-stall rotary parlor has certainly earned a few stories to tell at the Blanchard feed store. If you enjoy farm satire, farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes, farm.FM is an easy read between milkings, and nobody there will make you explain a dry cow.
farm.FM, the nation's first satirical farm site, also runs Tractor Tunes, a country music lineup for farmers. For a sample of the writing, try the archive of one of its staff humorists.
How to Contact De Grins Oer Dairy
Website: https://canr.msu.edu/news/meet-family-de-grins-oer-dairy-botf-2023
Public page listed as the best verified source for this operation, November 2026. No official farm website, address, phone or email was verified; the university profile is listed instead. Confirm current details with the operation before visiting or placing orders.
De Grins Oer Dairy Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Meet the family behind De Grins Oer Dairy - MSU Extension profile for Breakfast on the Farm 2023
- Michigan dairy farm of the year: from 7 cows to 690 - Coverage of the 2026 award
- Okkemas inducted into Michigan Farmers Hall of Fame - MSU Extension news item
- Michigan Farm Bureau agriculture facts - State dairy and commodity facts
- USDA NASS 2022 Census, Michigan - State farm counts and sales
De Grins Oer Dairy FAQ
Where is De Grins Oer Dairy?
It is in Blanchard, Michigan.
How big is the herd?
The herd began with seven cows and now has 690, averaging 32,230 pounds of milk per cow, as reported in 2026.
What award has the farm won?
It was named the 2026 Dairy Farm of the Year by the Michigan State University Department of Animal Science.
How can I contact the farm?
No official site was verified. MSU Extension and Michigan dairy organizations are the best starting points for events and inquiries.
De Grins Oer Dairy shows how careful growth and clear family roles can turn seven cows into a state award winner. See the Michigan state guide for markets and programs behind Michigan dairy, and browse the other profiled operations.