Will Hensen

Will Hensen is one of Yahara Pride Farms’ founders and continues to serve on its board.

“I’ve always been conscious of soil and manure runoff and doing better for protecting the lakes in the Yahara Watershed,” he says.

Will and his brother, James Hensen, own Hensen Brothers Dairy, a fourth-generation family farm near Waunakee. They manage a total of 1,000 dairy cattle, which includes 650 milking cows. They farm along with Will’s son, Kyle, and James’ son, Jason.

The Hensens grow crops on about 600 acres in Dane County and another 1,600 acres in Iowa County. In Dane County, they’ve implemented a crop rotation of two years corn and four years alfalfa.

Alfalfa also is used as a cover crop on 125 acres until spring corn planting. The Hensens also plant wheat and barley as cover crops. Since planting cover crops, Will said he’s noticed fewer weed problems. Having green cover throughout the year helps reduce soil and nutrient runoff. It also shows the public driving by the fields that farmers such as the Hensens are implementing practices to help reduce erosion.

In Iowa County, the Hensens no-till corn and soybeans on most of the 1,600 acres they own in hilly Iowa County. They encounter fewer rocks without deep tillage, Will says with a smile. 

In addition to using those conservation practices, the Hensens supply manure, along with two other dairy farms, to a biogas facility in Middleton. Manure is processed there into renewable natural gas that’s transported out of state as well as liquid manure that the farms use for fertilizer. The Hensens apply manure with a low-disturbance manure injector.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of farming?

“Knowing that I’m making a difference in the world – producing food and being my own boss,” Will says.

And being part of Yahara Pride Farms is rewarding in knowing that he and his fellow farmers are working together to improve water quality, he says.