Miedema Dairy in Ohio: History, What It Raises, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Miedema Dairy is a Holstein dairy near Circleville in Pickaway County, Ohio, run by Andy and Itske Miedema, who moved from the Netherlands to start it in 2002. Published profiles put the herd at about 1,300 cows, and the couple received the Ohio Dairy Producers Association Environmental Stewardship Award in 2010 and were inducted into the Ohio State Dairy Science Hall of Service in 2017.
| Location | Circleville, Pickaway County, Ohio |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2002, when Andy and Itske Miedema moved from the Netherlands (Ohio State) |
| Sectors | Dairy; manure-nutrient crop partnerships |
| Scale | About 1,300 Holstein cows; the family started with 120 cows (drink-milk.com profile) |
| Why it is notable | Large Ohio dairy with a state stewardship award and a university hall of service induction |
| Ownership | Family-owned by Andy and Itske Miedema |
| Official website | Miedema Family profile on drink-milk.com (dairy farm family page) |
History of Miedema Dairy
Ohio State's Department of Animal Sciences reports that Andy and Itske Miedema moved from the Netherlands in 2002 to start their family's dairy operation in Circleville. The drink-milk.com farm family profile adds that they began with 120 cows and have grown to milk 1,300 Holsteins. Both say they grew up on farms, and they describe raising a calf into a productive cow as a lesson in responsibility.
Recognition followed. In 2010 the Ohio Dairy Producers Association gave them its Environmental Stewardship Award, presented with the Ohio Livestock Coalition. On April 8, 2017, they were inducted into the Dairy Science Hall of Service at Ohio State. All three of their children later earned Ohio State degrees, and two competed on the university's National Dairy Challenge team.
What Miedema Dairy Grows and Raises
The Miedemas milk Holstein cows around the clock, and their profile notes that the farm runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They say a dairy farmer needs cow health knowledge first, then skills in software, mechanical and electrical systems and finance, plus a willingness to do hard physical work.
Nutrient recycling is central. The family's profile says corn is grown on neighboring farms, liquid manure is irrigated onto those neighbors' crops as fertilizer, and solid manure is used as bedding and on non-irrigated fields. Ohio State describes a manure separator that supplies solids for bedding and liquid for flushing alleys and irrigation, and a covered lagoon that traps methane. The profile says the methane is flared and that the family hopes to turn it into farm energy someday.
How Miedema Dairy Makes Money
Milk sales
The farm's main income is milk from a herd of about 1,300 Holsteins. At that size, herd health, cow comfort and consistent milking routines drive output, which is why the family stresses cow health knowledge.
Crop partnerships built on manure
Neighboring growers supply corn, and the dairy returns liquid manure as fertilizer for their fields. This arrangement, as the family describes it, lowers the need for outside fertilizer on partner acres and gives the dairy a dependable place to use its nutrients.
Education and industry service
The couple hosts Ohio Dairy Challenge events, trains students and welcomes Ohio State classes and researchers. These activities are not described as a revenue line, but they build the reputation and talent pipeline that a large dairy relies on.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Miedema Dairy
Treat manure as an asset with a plan. By pairing a separator, a covered lagoon and irrigation with neighboring crop farms, the Miedemas turned a compliance task into a working relationship that also won an environmental award. Dairies without much land can look for crop neighbors who value nutrients.
Invest in people and the community. Hosting student teams and university visits gives a farm a stream of future employees and a strong voice with regulators and neighbors. Andy Miedema's service on industry boards and a state advisory committee shows how that pays back in credibility.
Herding 1,300 Holsteins is plenty of work without anyone adding a joke, but the story of a Dutch couple who moved to Pickaway County and built a stewardship-award dairy deserves a smile. If you like farm satire about wooden shoes versus rubber boots, farm.FM has the farm humor to match. The ranch humor and farm jokes stay friendly, because anyone who captures methane and keeps three Buckeyes in the family has earned respect.
For context, farm.FM is the nation's first satirical farm site and the home of Tractor Tunes, country music for farmers. Its contributors each keep an archive, and this one is a good sampler of ranch humor and farm jokes.
How to Contact Miedema Dairy
Website: https://www.drink-milk.com/?p=1651
The operation's own website was not found; this page is a public dairy farm family profile. No address, phone or email was verified, and the dairy is a working farm, so confirm before visiting.
Miedema Dairy Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- The Miedema Family - Dairy farm family profile with herd size and practices
- Ohio State: Miedemas inducted - Hall of Service announcement with awards and background
- Buckeye Dairy News - Extension newsletter on the 2017 induction and manure practices
- USDA NASS Census of Agriculture - National and Ohio dairy and farm statistics
- USDA Farmers.gov - Federal programs for conservation and farm loans
Miedema Dairy FAQ
Where is Miedema Dairy?
In Circleville, Pickaway County, Ohio.
How many cows does Miedema Dairy milk?
Published profiles from Ohio State and drink-milk.com say about 1,300 cows.
What awards has it received?
The Ohio Dairy Producers Association Environmental Stewardship Award in 2010, and induction into Ohio State's Dairy Science Hall of Service in 2017.
How does it handle manure?
Liquid manure is irrigated onto neighboring crop fields, solids are used for bedding, and a covered lagoon traps methane, according to the profiles.
Miedema Dairy is a useful example of a large family dairy that earned recognition by managing nutrients carefully and sharing its farm with students. For more on the state's farm economy and other profiled operations, read the Ohio state guide.