From Bryan & Britt

I grew up with my older brother and two younger sisters in the little town of Belle Plaine. My husband, plain and simple, was a city boy from Cedar Rapids.  Growing up I had the huge benefit of an in-town lifestyle but with acres of farmland only miles from city limits.   That meant, my friends were nearby and so were countless hours of finding hidden treasures, attempting to build a tree house in the most beautiful tree with the scraps we found lying around, hide-and-seek tag on the big round hay bales and an occasional tug-of-war game between us and the pigs!

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Those memories are among some of the best, but the greatest memories were the tractor rides with grandpa and dad, falling asleep in the combine while they harvested for hours among end, and the warm evenings we traded off “driving” the lawn mower with grandpa.

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Of course, as time passes and we get a little older, we don’t get as much of chance to add to those memories.  It wasn’t until my parents moved to the farm permanently, and I had my children that my husband and I realized what they would be missing out on.

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Farming, for most, is not a get rich endeavor, it’s your livelihood. I’ve had the privilege of seeing that in my grandfather and now my father – which is why when my husband approached me one random afternoon about my parent’s retirement, and keeping the Kozik farming name alive, my ears perked.

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We quickly agreed that we wanted to be closer to the farm, to not just help my father, but also for the kids.  We agreed that we wanted to invest in the entity that brought my father the most joy, and we agreed that we would include the entire family in some way.

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So here were are; almost ten years later with a cattle outfit that ironically birthed our first babe on our daughter’s birthday! We are now into our 5th generation of farmers, learning the ropes from their Papa and Garrett Kozik (Dad of Cade and Uncle of Huesten), and as my daughter and nieces will tell you, “Girls can be farmers too!”

 

As our families grow, we plan to keep our herd and the promotion and sale of our cattle “boutique”, with clean bloodlines and fresh genetics that produce a strong, good-looking, straight horned critter that our cattle colleagues would want in their pastures.  I can personally say, I can’t wait to share what we have in store for you all!

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A FINAL NOTE

Every spring we love seeing the kids and the baby calves, the big smiles on Dad’s face (sometimes even a happy a tear), and knowing what it means when we say the best memories are made on the farm.  

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It’s been a very neat experience for our family, to learn the history of the Kozik family name in the farming community. The talks we’ve shared with my grandmother, the photos that represent years in the making, and getting a behind-the-scenes, full-access pass to the passion that built the very place we now enjoy so much.  Bryan and I truly look forward to representing and building the Kozik name for years to come, and at this very moment we’re grateful we get that opportunity. 

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**We would be remised if we did not give a special shout out to my mother – whose dedication to our family over the years has been instrumental. She’s also one of the most creative and loving persons we know.  We love you mom!

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CHEERS TO YOU ALL,

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Bryan & Britt Von Roden