June 1, 2018
CapitalPress.com
11
Running dairy still labor
of love for farmer, family
By DAVE LEDER
For the Capital Press
Dave Leder/For the Capital Press
Jason Sheehan owns J&K Dairy in Sunnyside, Wash., with his
wife, Karen, and her parents, Tony and Brenda Veiga. They milk
3,000 cows and produce about 250,000 pounds of milk per day.
next chapter in their lives, the
Sheehans’ four children —
ages 13, 11, 9 and 5 — are al-
ready being groomed to take
over the farm someday.
While it’s difficult to know
what the kids will do in their
careers, the Sheehans know
they are teaching them im-
portant life skills that may one
day translate to dairy farm
management.
“The kids spend a lot of
time with us out here,” he
said. “They all take part in
different ways, and they are
learning new things every
day. They understand the
value of agriculture, farm-
ing and hard work, just like
my wife and I did growing
up.”
Sheehan’s 9-year-old son,
Andrew, is out the door with
him at 5 a.m. most days, feed-
ing the calves, cleaning up the
grounds and driving the trac-
tor.
The older kids, Jared and
Claire, have their own respon-
sibilities, while little sister
Annelise acts as a “supervi-
sor” as she learns the daily
routine. Even the family dog,
Maple, fills an important role.
“The cows love her and
she loves them,” Sheehan said
of the golden Labrador mix
that was rescued along the
highway in 2016. “They have
become pretty good friends.”
The family is reminded ev-
ery day why they enjoy what
they do.
After all, they get to be
outside, work with animals,
contribute to the local econ-
omy and provide an essential
food product to consumers
across the country.
The family hopes to keep
J&K Dairy running for many
years to come, investing in
technology and environmen-
tal compliance so they are
prepared for the future.
Sheehan said the fami-
ly may eventually purchase
more farmland, but for now,
he and his wife are content to
continue what they have been
doing since they were kids.
“We have a true passion
for farming and for cows,”
he said. “Working on a dairy
isn’t for everyone, but it’s
all we’ve ever known. We
love it.”
D18-1/101
For Jason Sheehan, own-
ing a dairy farm isn’t just a
job; it’s a lifestyle.
When raising and milk-
ing cows is all you’ve ever
known, it’s easy to get out of
bed every morning.
If you ask Sheehan,
part-owner of J&K Dairy in
Sunnyside, Wash., everyone
should be so lucky.
“I don’t look at it as work
because I enjoy what I do ev-
ery single day,” said Sheehan,
who grew up on a dairy farm
in Minnesota before partner-
ing with his wife, Karen, and
her parents, Tony and Brenda
Veiga, in 2002. “When you
feel like you haven’t worked a
day in your life, you appreci-
ate it that much more.”
The Sheehans and Veigas
manage about 1,000 acres of
farmland in Sunnyside, milk-
ing 3,000 cows and producing
about 250,000 pounds of milk
per day.
With the help of 34 em-
ployees, J&K Dairy also
maintains a variety of feed
crops, carrying on a family
tradition that started in 1978
in Turlock, Calif.
The Veigas moved the
business to Sunnyside in 1981
and to its current location on
East Edison Road in 1991. It
was called Veiga Dairy until
2004.
They are part-owners and
remain involved in the big
decisions, but after 40 years
in the industry, the couple is
content to let the younger gen-
eration take the reins.
“We make some of the
bigger management decisions
as a team, but the day-to-day
decisions are made by Karen
and me,” said Sheehan, 43.
“Tony and Brenda are starting
to think about retirement and
they are trying to pass it on to
us.”
As the Veigas consider the