Here’s a great story. In an industry where we hear a lot about young people walking away from their roots, this young man, who didn’t even grow up on a farm, is making his dream of being a dairyman a reality.

Rich Wendig, 22, is getting an opportunity that most aspiring dairy farmers can only dream of: financial backing to help build a $70,000 herd that totals 40 cows. The owners of Penn View Farm, Paul Hochman, 62 and John Hochman, 58, where Wendig has worked since he was 9, made the venture possible – largely because they needed more product for their business of bottling milk for local stores. “With my degree, I could go be a herd manager on one of these larger farms, but that’s not my cup of tea,” Wendig said. Instead, he has taken out a $50,000 low-interest loan from the Farm Service Agency for cows and equipment – most important, a manure spreader, so he can be his own boss. “I’m not going to get rich, but I’m going to be happy,” Wendig said.