[twangy guitar]
Sunrise over Lake Michigan
signals the start of a new day
at one of Manitowoc County's largest dairy farms.
- Rosario Ibarra: Hey, mommies!
I love to be involved in every area of the farm.
- Rosario Ibarra greets every day with a smile.
- Good morning!
- Despite the early morning wake-up call.
- Usually, my day starts at 5:00 am.
I arrive to the farm,
and then, usually, I do a tour around the farm,
checking that everything is okay,
and I start to get calls.
Hi, Melanie, thank you.
Ah, yes, the interviews went very well.
- Farm life means Rosario is constantly on the go.
- I like to say hello
to everybody in the farm.
- As the general manager, she supervises the daily operations
at Grotegut Dairy Farm near Newton.
- Currently, in this farm,
we are over 50 full-time employees,
and 90% of them only speak Spanish.
- Mm-hmm, okay.
Ándele pues, Chuy. ¡Gracias!
Bye.
I should pay attention to my English teachers
because I always used to say,
"Why do I need to learn English?
I'm never going to use it."
And look at me!
- Growing up in Mexico,
Rosario earned a science degree
in soil management and crop production,
opening doors for an internship
in the dairy state.
- I was selected to do my professional practices here
in Wisconsin, specifically in New Holstein.
- However, there was just one problem.
- I remember we saw this map of the US,
and we're like, "Okay, we are here.
So, where is Wisconsin?"
When I arrived to the farm,
I ask myself, "What the heck I'm doing here?"
And that was my first experience with cows, really.
That was the first time that I saw a real Holstein.
That's the reason I am here
because someone gave me an opportunity.
- For more than a decade, Wisconsin has been home.
A place where dairy farming
requires long hours and hard work.
- So, it's not for everyone,
but someone has to do it.
For now, that person is me.
So, that's my focus.
Do it and do it right.
- As day turns to night,
Rosario is back on the farm
for a second round of evening chores.
- They are curious,
and they know that it's time to get their milk.
[cow lowing 'moooooooooo-ooooooo']
So, it's a challenge when the time changes and it's dark.
Hey, princess, here, here; Come on!
Parece que están comiendo bien, hay le checan.
And usually, I am around the farm at this time.
There is a lot that I can do at night.
I do some of my office jobs at that moment
because, usually, it's a quiet time.
[ink jet printing]
And I can go home between 10, 11-ish pm.
Perfect!
Okay, Jorge, gracias.
Bye.
A good day at the farm
is when we can go home
with a clean conscience
and with peace of mind.
- For Rosario, it's always 'farming with a smile.'
- Every day is different, so I just try to do my best.
It's a lifestyle, for sure.
*
[cow moos]