George, Charles, Tom, and Mark Crave Families
Charles, George, Thomas, and Mark Crave
Raised on a 40 cow dairy farm near Beloit, Wisconsin, Charles and George started farming with partner Professor David Wieckert in 1978 after graduating from the UW-Madison Farm and Industry Short Course, renting a farm near Mount Horeb and buying 70 cows and young stock. Thomas, also a short course graduate, joined the partnership in 1980, and the brothers bought their current farm at Waterloo. Mark joined in 1988 after earning his bachelor of science degree at the UW-Madison.
The state-of-the-art Crave Brothers Farm has 1,100 Holstein cows, 900 young stock, and 1,800 owned and rented acres of corn, soybeans, and alfalfa. The registered portion of their herd includes 6 excellent, 45 very good, and 36 good plus cows and a breed average score of 107. The farm employs the latest technologies with an emphasis on conservation, while consideration is given to what is best for the environment, the cows and the consumer.
From the Dairy Farm to the Cheese Factory
In 1999, the Crave family discussed how to grow their business and offer opportunities for future generations. They wanted to use their own high quality milk to produce specialty cheeses for the consumer. Their 6,000-square-foot cheese factory was constructed in 2001.
In 2002 the brothers began producing specialty cheeses, piping fresh, with high quality milk directly from the milking parlor to the cheese factory they built on their farm. Their award-winning Farmstead Classics cheeses include Les Frères, classic Mascarpone, Farmer’s Rope mozzarella string cheese and a full line of fresh mozzarella. The cheese factory is integrated from crops to cows, milk to cheese.
Charles, Thomas, and Mark manage the dairy farm. Charles oversees the bookkeeping and feeding; Thomas manages the machinery and cropping; and Mark is in charge of the herd, young stock and milk quality. A number of sons and daughters of the Crave brothers work at the farm after school and in the summer. George manages the cheese factory. He is a licensed cheesemaker. George’s wife, Debbie, manages the administrative, marketing, and public relations activities for the cheese factory.
Charles’ son, Karl Crave, manages the manure digester producing renewable energy and his wife, Beth, organizes farm/factory tours, assists with cheesemaking, and conducts in-store demonstrations for the cheese factory. In addition, their father, Bob Crave, also helps on the farm along with a group of dedicated employees who assist in the day-to-day operations.
Industry Influencers
The brothers have welcomed thousands of local, national and international visitors. The farm has hosted a variety of national, and international groups. The brothers have cooperated with many UW-Extension educators and college researchers, allowing their operation to be used as a real-life laboratory. All four brothers serve on a variety of national and area dairy organizations and advisory committees, and all have traveled internationally to share their dairy expertise. Crave Brothers Farm has offered work experience for a number of international trainees.
Awards
The Crave Brothers Farm has won numerous awards including the 2008 World Dairy Expo Dairyman of the Year, the Dairy Farm Family of the Year award in 1993, and the UW-Madison CALS Honorary Recognition Award in 2004. Crave Brothers Farm placed second nationally in the Farm Progress Magazine’s Best Managed Farms Contest in 1999. In addition, the Crave brothers have earned many awards with their line of Farmstead Classic cheeses. Also, Crave Holsteins have won classes at three national dairy cattle shows recently.
