In 2002, Marlane Williams moved from Florida back to her native Missouri for a fresh start. She had a new full-time job as a healthcare facility administrator. She bought a 1920s farmhouse in Pierce City with 40 acres, sight unseen. She wanted her own dairy farm—even if it meant having to do it by herself.

“When I first moved here, I’m sure a lot of people thought, ‘What is this young blonde woman from Florida going to do with dairy cows and a full-time job?’” Williams said. “Well, they saw my determination, and they don’t think a thing about it anymore. I’m just like all the rest of the dairy producers left in the area, trying to do what it takes to do what you love.”

Growing up on a dairy farm in Renick, Mo., Williams forged a bond with her mother, Judy Kirchhoff, milking Guernseys. They quit milking cows in 1977, but Williams never lost her passion for dairying.

“My siblings did other chores on the farm, but I loved milking and spending that time with my mother,” Williams said. “Dairy is in my blood. You either love it or hate it, . . . . .

Story by Jessica Ekern