First-generation graziers find a future
By Martha Hoffman Kerestes
Garnavillo, Iowa — A few years ago, two young folks left existing careers in search of a more fulfilling life. Today, they’re married and building that fulfilling life together working into ownership on a dairy, as a longtime grazier passes the torch.
Nicole Blanchette, 30, grew up in suburbia and hadn’t been on a farm. She realized her post-college research job at a hospital wasn’t what she wanted to do for the rest of her life.
The Covid-19 pandemic was the last straw — she wanted to be out of her downtown Chicago apartment. She thought, “I like being outside, I love food, and I love animals, so maybe I should try farming.”
That led Nicole to Cliff McConville’s All Grass Farms not far away, and she joined the operation as a Dairy Grazing Apprentice through DGA. There, she fell in love with dairy and realized this was what she wanted to do with the rest of her life.
She was about to graduate when she met Paul Blanchette, 37, but they almost didn’t cross paths.
To see this article in full, order the specific back issue you are interested in. This article appeared in the Oct 2025 issue of Graze.