Brandt Family
Jacob grew up on his parents’ dairy farm, working on the farm daily. During his high school years, ownership transitioned, but he continued to work on the same farm site for Will Sampson. After graduating from Cornell University, he returned to the farm to manage the operation. While at Cornell, he met his future wife, Stephanie, who grew up on a hobby farm in upstate New York. Both were active 4-H members and Jake was also in FFA. Jacob was active in the dairy and poultry project areas in Sibley County. Stephanie grew up showing market hogs, sheep and poultry, later expanding into the dairy program through a leasing opportunity.
Jacob and Stephanie have three kids, Owen, Lincoln, and Clara, who all enjoy the farm life. Currently, the Brandts are partners in Sunrise Dairy, Five Star Dairy and Brickhouse Meats with Will Sampson and Juan Delgado. The dairies currently milk 1,300 cows, three times a day. Jacob also farms with his father, Mark, in a cash crop enterprise.
As the kids have gotten older, the family has diversified into hogs, poultry and beef as their interests have expanded. The Brandt kids currently have a poultry flock of chickens, ducks and geese from which the family sells eggs. The Brandts raise about 100 hogs a year from farrow-to-finish and market them in the local community. They also have a small beef operation, consisting of Hereford and Wagyu animals.
Stephanie is the local agriculture teacher and FFA adviser at Sibley East High School. Because of this role, the Brandts have always been very active in promoting agriculture in their community. Sunrise and Five Star Dairies have hosted Sibley East 8th grade classes on the farm since 2016. Stephanie also serves as the dairy princess coordinator for Sibley County, having a court of about 20 members every year. This past year, Five Star Dairy also hosted Sibley County Breakfast on the Farm. Owen is a member of Rush River Rushers 4-H club and Jake and Stephanie are excited to grow as 4-H parents. In the past, the Brandts have had students lease cattle from them to show, and they hope to do more of that in the future.