Calmar family has been named "Iowa's Farm Family of the Month"

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey on Thursday announced that the Dennis and Barb Mashek family from Calmar have been named the November winner of the "Gary Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award."

Iowa Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Jay Johnson will present the award to the Mashek family in Calmar on Monday, November 19th.

"It is great to be able to recognize a Mashek family who are not only great farmers, but leaders in the dairy industry and active in their community," Northey said.  "In addition to caring for their animals and protecting the land, they go to great lengths to educate non-farmers about what they do on their farm and show visitors where food comes from."

The Mashek family operates Hilltop Acres Dairy Farm along with their children Josh, Kylie, and Tanner near Calmar.  The family has built an internationally known heard of 170 Brown Swiss cows on their 470 acre farm.