Hello! My name is Chance Kitzman and I, along with my wife, Nicole, operate a farm and ranch near Upham. I am privileged to be the sixth generation of Kitzmans to farm here and maybe our daughter, Lainey, could be the seventh.
On our farm we raise predominantly corn, spring wheat, oats, and canola, although we've been known to try almost any crop once or twice! Along with cropping we run Black Angus/Hereford cows and sell commercial calves.We calve our cows in mid-May on pasture which almost eliminates our need to be there more than once per day to make sure things are going smoothly. We are a true family farm as I work with my dad and grandfather every day to get things done.
One of our biggest hurdles as a family farm is finding enough workforce. As you may know, farming/ranching is a seasonally high-demand job, rivaling the hours of almost any profession from spring to fall. This has led us to become highly efficient both as crop farmers and ranchers, to make the most of every day God has given us. Just because we get the term “farmer,” doesn’t make us any different than someone with a “hobby” farm or even those of you who have a garden, of any size. We all strive to do what is best for our families, communities, animals, and soils.
When you have questions about agriculture, don’t be afraid to go straight to the source! When you have a tooth that aches, you go to the dentist for their opinion. If you have a question about how your food is grown, you should ask the farmer which you can do right here at On Your Table!