Dan and Trish Wanous
Dan grew up on a farrow-to-feeder pig operation north of Hutchinson. Trish grew up north of Gaylord on a small farm with 10 beef cows. Her parents had owned a feed store in New Auburn. Dan and Trish started their farm 13 years ago with just a couple of commercial beef cows and the five-acre homestead. Two years later they were gifted three commercial gilts and a boar.
Dan and Trish grew their two beef cows and four pigs into Auburnview Farms. The name of the farm comes from the couple’s ability to see the New Auburn water tower from their kitchen window.
Currently, the couple has 10 purebred beef Shorthorn cows. They market their calf crop as breeding stock for show heifers and steers to youth throughout the Midwest. Dan and Trish’s four pigs have grown to over 20 show pig sows. They farrow out each January, February and March. The resulting litters are marketed toward youth in 4-H, FFA and other livestock organizations as show pig prospects to show at jackpots, county fairs and state fairs, as well as national shows.
Dan and Trish are responsible for all aspects of their operation. They are the haymakers, feed grinders, artificial inseminators, feeders and caretakers of not only their livestock but of their four children, Kyle, Zach, Zoe, and Jase. Kyle is finishing up his degree at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Zach attends Alexandria Technical College, Zoe will attend Southwest Minnesota State University this fall, and Jase enters the fifth grade at Glencoe-Silver Lake this fall.
Dan and Trish also welcomed Emily Ward to their family eight years ago when Emily started leasing beef heifers and pigs to show with the Wanous family. Emily’s involvement with livestock through the Wanous family has led to her college and career choices. She is studying animal science at UW-River Falls. Dan and Trish consider Emily their fifth child.
Dan and Trish are members of Immanuel Lutheran Church in New Auburn. Both are members of the Glencoe-Silver Lake Ag Promoters, the Minnesota Shorthorn Association, and the National Shorthorn Association. They are 4-H swine superintendents at the McLeod County Fair and help as screened 4-H volunteers. They are members of the National Swine Registry and Certified Pedigree Swine. All five kids are current or past members of 4-H and FFA and are involved in junior cattle and swine associations.
Each year the family travels over 10,000 miles to livestock shows across the country.