Ansell family wins Eagle Bowl
It was a longtime dream of Jeff and Nicole Ansell, who both grew up on dairy farms, to own their own dairy cattle someday.
That dream became reality three years ago, when the Ansells leased a dairy farm facility from Marburger Farm Dairy, where Jeff Ansell had been a farm manager for about 10 years.
Now, the family of six, with help from their relatives and community members, maintain the farm, where they milk 60 cows.
“It’s just something that really is in our blood, and what we’ve grown up doing,” Nicole Ansell said. The Ansells brought their love and expertise to the Butler Farm Show, where they have volunteered across several different departments, especially livestock shows.
On Friday, Aug. 8, at the 77th Butler Farm Show, the Ansells’ hard work and dedication bore fruit with the Eagle Bowl, an award that goes to the farm show family “that participates extensively with a high degree of success while volunteering time and talent, providing leadership and demonstrating good sportsmanship,” said Donna Sybert, managing editor of the Butler Eagle, before presenting the Ansells the sterling silver bowl.
Jeff Ansell said the Eagle Bowl is a prestigious honor that he and his family doesn’t take lightly.
“When you look at the list of people who have gotten this award — we are very honored to be part of that list,” Jeff Ansell said.
Nicole Ansell said that participating at the farm show and all the activities leading up to Friday was all about their four children — daughter, Lily, and three sons, Luke, Liam and Lincoln.
“This was their week to shine, to be recognized,” Nicole Ansell said. “It was really special.”
Jeff Ansell said it’s their children who make the dream come true.
“They were the ones that pushed it along, and I’m glad that they did it,” Jeff Ansell said.
In fact, Jeff Ansell said that part of why he and his wife pursued farming after becoming parents was to give their children the opportunities they got in their childhood.
“When we talked about the opportunity to have cattle at the dairy, for us there was no better way to raise kids,” Nicole Ansell said — according to her, the culture of agriculture in Butler County is generational. “It’s really cool as a parent to see the kids make memories that we made as kids, and then to reminisce about those memories with people that are our age.”
Agriculture has come to be a vital part of the Ansell family. Jeff Ansell said he is mainly in charge of cropping decisions, herd health and breeding; while his wife helps with daily chores, including milking and feeding.
The kids are filling in wherever needed with both the parents working full time jobs off the farm. The children’s contributions are key, Jeff Ansell said, whether its Lily Ansell’s liking for showmanship, Liam’s interest in the cropping end of it or the youngest son Lincoln’s help with the little things. As for Luke Ansell, he has emerged as the unofficial quality control specialist for Marburger chocolate milk, Jeff Ansell said.
Nicole Ansell said that even if the kids choose to not engage in agriculture when they get older, they would have learned many life lessons through their experiences at the farm.
“Farming’s not easy. The work, the dedication, learning how to win, learning how to lose — all of those are things that we deal with every day. It’s not all sunshine and roses. There’s really tough days that beat you down,” she said.
But the Butler Farm Show community, Nicole Ansell said, also comes through to help and makes agriculture a fulfilling experience.
“One of the cool things that I like about up here is there is so many people that put so much effort and so much, so much time and dedication into a cause that’s for others,” Jeff Ansell said.
“There’s always someone to lift you up and give you encouragement,” Nicole Ansell said.
