"I can't imagine doing anything else," says Korey Vogel a Finishing Contractor for Iowa Select Farms
posted on Thursday, October 10, 2019
“For me it’s somewhat of a hobby. I just love to work,” grinned Korey Vogel, a finishing contractor for Iowa Select Farms. “I always knew I wanted to come home and farm someday, and being a contractor provides the stability that I need to be able to do that.”
If you’re from the Lohrville area or simply have the pleasure of knowing Korey, you know that’s he’s always got a smile on a face—even when he’s choring his pig barns.
“He’s always laughing about something or has a funny story to tell,” said finishing supervisor Maria Maguire. “His positivity is actually one of the things that makes him a great animal caretaker. He never complains about the long, tough days and does a great job. People like working with him.”
After graduating from South Central Calhoun in 2016, Korey attended DMACC to pursue an associate’s degree in Ag Business. Prior to graduation, finishing supervisor and former classmate Jeff King reached out to see if Korey would be interested in managing some new barns in their area.
“For me it seemed like the best-case scenario,” said Korey. “I’ve worked with pigs since I was seven alongside my Dad and brothers. For farmers it’s usually a win-win because we have flexible hours, added income and receive manure for fertilizer.”
Flexible hours are the biggest perk this time of year, leaving ample time for Korey to drive truck, hop in the combine or run the grain cart. During harvest he normally chores two barns in the morning, heads to the field around 8 or 9 AM and then chores his third barn at night.
The biggest downfall of managing three farms has been finding help on the weekends. Pig farming, as we all know, is a 365 day/year job.
It’s a busy life, but one that Korey wouldn’t change for the world.
“I usually work sun up to sun down, but farming is my dream job and I can’t imagine doing anything else,” said Korey. “Sure, it’s a demanding career, but it's also extremely rewarding.”
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