Across Wisconsin, more families are looking for food they can trace directly back to the farm. That growing interest in transparency, local sourcing and sustainability is reshaping how farms run. At Wachholz Family Farm in Marquette County, Aaron and Victoria Wachholz are raising direct-to-consumer beef, pork and eggs with care.
For six generations, their family has farmed the same land. Today, they blend tradition with modern direct marketing while keeping stewardship at the center of every decision.
More consumers are asking deeper questions about their food: where it comes from, how it is raised and who is behind it. That shift has created new opportunities for farms willing to connect directly with their communities.
At Wachholz Family Farm, that connection started small and quickly grew.
As Aaron, a sixth-generation farmer, explained, “When people found out I was a farmer, they started asking if they could just buy pork chops or steaks. It started small, then turned into a real business.”
What began as direct sales in quarters and halves of beef and pork evolved into a full farm store. Today, customers can choose individual cuts, helping bridge the gap between farm production and everyday meals.
Direct-to-consumer agriculture continues to grow as families look for local food they can trust. Wachholz Family Farm is part of that shift, offering direct-to-consumer beef, pork and eggs straight from their farm store.
Since opening three years ago, sales have doubled each year, showing strong demand for local protein and transparency in how food is raised.
For the Wachholz family, it is about more than growth.
Victoria shared, “We like knowing the people who buy our food. It makes it more meaningful when you see where it ends up.”
That connection turns the farm store into a full-circle relationship between farmer and customer.
Sustainability at Wachholz Family Farm begins in the pasture. Their cattle are raised under organic management and spend much of the growing season grazing outdoors.
Aaron explained the approach, “We let the cows do the harvesting. It keeps them happy and it works better for the land too.”
During peak months, pasture makes up a significant portion of the herd’s diet, reducing reliance on harvested feed while supporting soil health. The farm also uses rotational grazing, cover crops and no-till practices whenever possible to keep soil covered and living.
Victoria added, “If you don’t take care of the land, it won’t be here for future generations.”
That mindset drives how the farm manages everything from grazing patterns to crop planning.
Wachholz Family Farm raises beef, pork and eggs, building a diversified system that supports both farm resilience and steady local food access. Their hog farm has grown from a few animals into a larger herd that now supplies both the farm store and regional customers. Eggs add another everyday staple, helping the farm offer a wider range of locally raised food in one place.
Aaron noted, “We started with just a few pigs and it just grew from there.”
This kind of diversification helps the farm stay flexible while meeting consistent demand for local protein and keeping more food production rooted close to home.
Like many farms, Wachholz Family Farm has faced challenges and adapted along the way. From navigating a barn fire to the loss of equipment dairy, resilience has become part of their identity. Aaron shared, “We’ve learned to work with what we have and keep moving forward.”
At the center of those plans is a steady focus on keeping the farm strong for the next generation while building systems that can grow with it.
Leaders of the Land® is Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s brand for sharing sustainability stories. Monthly profiles highlight farmers across Wisconsin working hard to meet their environmental, social and economic goals. This article originally appeared on Gather Wisconsin and was written by Brooke Mallek. Photo by Grace Mae Photography.
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