It Takes a Village

Community is a big deal at Kettle Brand. And the same is true of the farmers who pool together their crops and resources at Oneida Potato Exchange, a farm cooperative located in the heart of Wisconsin. By farms like Neumiller and Bula Farms joining forces, the farmers are able to do more with less – a mantra we could all learn from!

Shawn Bula is one of the farmers who participates in the exchange, supplying potatoes to Kettle Brand. Following in his dad’s footsteps as a farmer, he’s now a dad himself, as well as a coach for multiple teams in his hometown of Coloma, Wisc., and a member on the town board. How’s that for community?

A Century of Roots

For Brian Sackett, you might say potato farming was his destiny. It all started more than 100 years ago when his great-great-grandfather travelled from Nebraska to Michigan to start growing potatoes. Today, those roots remain as strong as ever – Brian’s son Tyler joined the farming operation in 2014 to represent the sixth generation – and all family members lend a hand to Sackett’s farming operation.
Brian farms with his father Alan, brother Jeff and son Tyler, and wife Abby takes care of the book keeping. The four of them are partners in the business. “My favorite part of my job is going to work every day as a family,” Brian said.