B and D Farms
Jones Family
Bill and Donna Jones started milking cows in 1976 after buying 30 Holsteins. They rented Donna’s father’s barn for three years then purchased their present farm in Brunswick township in 1979. The couple increased their herd to 60 cows and raised replacement heifers. In 1985, Bill and Donna purchased an adjacent farm and started raising beef cattle, along with feeding out Holstein steers and their own beef calves. In 1997, they sold the dairy herd and continued the beef business.
The Joneses’ current herd consists of 65 Gelbvieh/Red Angus cross cows. They run the herd with their son Josh, who owns another 20 head. The crops raised on the family’s farm are used to feed their cattle. Josh does some additional cash cropping.
Bill and Donna have three children, Jackie, Jake and Josh. Josh, his wife Alaina, and three children, Mason, Kaden, and Emily are part of the family farm. In 2014, Josh decided he wanted to be part of the farming operation. He began renting land for cash crops using his parents' equipment. Josh has been replacing machinery and now owns most of the tillage and harvest equipment. For his work on his parent's farm, Bill and Donna gave Josh his choice of heifers.
Bill has been a part of numerous boards including AMPI, Kanabec County DHIA and ADA, the Kanabec County Fair Board, the county Extension committee and the Ogilvie Co-op Board of Directors.
Bill and Donna’s children were all involved with showing cattle in 4-H. Bill helped transport livestock for 4-H’ers to the county and state fairs.