Joe Hartzler almost flew off into an aviation career before returning to dairy farming. His initial desire to fly high above the earth may explain why family members say Joe seems to see the big picture so well.

"The market for natural food products is exploding," says Joe. "And that means there is a great opportunity for farmers to direct market their products to customers."

It also explains Joe's positive attitude about his current situation. He and his wife, Jean, who milks with him, have 38 registered Holsteins on their farm...and they all have names. You can tell they appreciate animals. Joe still speaks fondly of his "Grandma cow" which passed away last year. ("She produced over 270,000 lbs. of milk in her lifetime," states Joe.) Jean is a serious horse trainer who takes championship care of her Pintos.

DID YOU KNOW? The average dairy cow produces 15,374 pounds of milk each year. from Ohio Department of Agriculture