Joe Bonlender
Owner
Joe is a fourth-generation owner of our family-owned business. Having been born and raised on this dairy, Joe acts more like a down-to-earth, animal-loving, hard-working guy next door than the owner of a multi-million dollar Ag business.
Aside from high school and some continuing education courses and seminars, Joe’s on-the-job training began well before most kids learn the value of hard work. While every day presents a new challenge, Joe confidently believes that if you love what you do, it’s not a job.
Joe more than loves working on his dairy; he has a passion to succeed in business, too.
Getting Personal
Joe grew up on the dairy. Now, he and Chris live a quarter mile away.
Married for 37 years, the couple have three children. Mike, the oldest, works off the farm as an engineer. He and wife Jenny have two young children, Carter and Ryan. His children Sara and Brett work along with him in the business. Sara has one child, named Emmett.
When he has the chance, Joe loves to spend time with his kids and grandchildren. He still plays basketball a few times a week and loves to watch college ball. He wishes he had more time to go fishing.
Joe also enjoys traveling for pleasure and discovering new technologies, especially those that relate to the dairy.
Affiliations
Dairy Business Association (DBA)
Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin (PDPW)
Campbellsport Future Farmers of America (FFA) Alumni
Chris Bonlender
Owner, Financial Manager
When she married Joe, Chris told him he could do anything but farm! Thankfully, he didn’t listen to her. She can’t imagine a better life. Chris may have married into the Bonlender dairy legacy, but she grew up on a farm herself. It’s in her blood.
Of course, ask her how long she’s been working on the farm, and she kids, “Forever – I try to get fired but haven’t succeeded yet!”
Chris stays sharp for the business with countless continuing education classes and seminars. She understands that there are unlimited ways to be successful, and no one has exactly the same approach. She loves that the family can be creative and continually try new things.
Getting Personal
Chris and Joe have been married for 37 years. The couple have three children. Mike, the oldest, works off the farm as an engineer. He and wife Jenny have two young children, Carter and Ryan. His children Sara and Brett work along with him in the business. Sara has one child, named Emmett.
For Chris, a perfect day is doing anything with her kids or grandchildren. She loves to read, travel and try new places and foods.
Affiliations
Dairy Business Association (DBA)
Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin (PDPW)
Campbellsport Future Farmers of America (FFA) Alumni
Sara Bonlender
Owner
After Sara received a BS degree in human services from UW Oshkosh, she worked several years for the Department of Workforce Development. At one point, she felt a need for a change and started searching for a new career and researching grad school programs.
Her dad sensed her career dissatisfaction. One day, he asked her to consider returning home to work on the farm. She had never considered going back to the farm before he approached her. Looking back, Sara believes it was one of the best decisions she ever made.
She loves that the farm is a family farm, five generations strong. There is no other place where family and work intertwines the way they do on a family farm. She gets to work with her parents and brother every day. Better still, she can raise her son on the farm she was raised on.
Sara feels proud to be part of an industry that Is responsible for feeding the world, and she sees opportunities to make a difference for the future by making a positive impact on the land and other resources with the practices she implements today.
Family notwithstanding, she knows they would not be able to run this operation without all of the great people who work as employees and live around them.
Getting Personal
Sara grew up on the farm and now lives just across the road. She has a young son named Emmett.
She deeply enjoys travel and is a self described foodie … she loves cooking, going out to new restaurants, trying new foods and even loves grocery shopping!
Most of all, she relishes spending time with family and friends, especially when it’s outdoors on a nice day. Whether boating, sledding, hiking – or just sitting around talking, laughing and having a glass of wine, nothing makes Sara happier than spending time with her son and seeing him laugh and have fun.
Affiliations
Dairy Business Association (DBA)
Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin (PDPW)
Campbellsport Future Farmers of America (FFA) Alumni
Brett Bonlender
Owner, Cropping Specialist
The youngest owner on the Clover Hill Dairy farm is a graduate of Fox Valley Technical College, where he studied agribusiness and science technology. Brett puts this specialized knowledge to good use, whether it’s to improve our animal nutrition regimen or boost crop production.
Brett likes the variety of work, noting that each day presents new experiences. He continually looks beyond the horizon, thinking about what more the business can become in the future, and how to work smarter, not harder. That, combined with his ability to help make decisions affecting the success of the dairy, makes him appreciate the fact that there is no ceiling on how good he can be or where the business can go from here.
Getting Personal
A lifelong native of Campbellsport, Brett enjoys traveling to warmer climates, golfing and boating. He also coaches a boys’ basketball team during the winter months.