Davidson Dairy Farm/Marshall and Maude Davidson

Forty acres of the present farm were homesteaded in 1834.  By 1874, the farm contained 160 acres.
A six-room house was built in 1891 and one more room was added about 1910.  The house was insulated in the late 1940's.  This home is still in use by my son, Donnie, and his wife, Sally , and their children.  A new home was constructed just across the road in 1980 in which my wife, Maude, and I live.
Donnie and I farmed together from 1974 to 1985, when I retired.  The farm is operated as a dairy.  My father started to sell Grade A milk in the middle 1930's from a corner of an old hay barn, which is still standing.  In 1951, a concrete block dairy barn was built.  It remained in use until 1969 when it was changed over to a parlor system, which is being used at present.
A water management and soil erosion control system was started in 1951 and all cropland is terraced.
The following information was prepared in 1984-85 when the Marshall Davidson's and their son Donnie and his family received State Level Farm Management Recognition presented by the University of Missouri Extension Division in Cooperation with the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.  Since that time, Marshall and Maude have retired from the dairy operation and sold their interest to Donnie and Sally.
The Davidson Dairy Farm is western Johnson County exemplifies the meaning of "family farm".  Operators of the farm - Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Davidson and Mr. and Mrs. Donnie Davidson are the fourth and fifth generations of Davidsons on the farm.  An important goal is to provide opportunity for future generations if they desire to participate.  Marshall and Maude express their guiding philosophy as "pride in the family farm and striving to keep it such.  We want to do our own improvements and we want to do things right."
The dairy herd now consists of about 66 mature cows plus replacement heifers and steer calves being grown for beef purposes.  The herd has been on Grade A production since 1936, which must rank it among the pioneer quality producers in the county.  Donnie states that one of his objectives is to develop one of the best dairy herds in the county.  Prior to going Grade A in selling whole milk, Marshall's parents had sold cream separated from the milk through a cream separator kept on the back porch.
The herd's DHIA rolling average is 12,600 pounds of milk and 450 pounds of fat per cow.  The average has been higher, but weather related factors have caused lowered forage quality and the resultant lowering of milk production.  The herd has been on DHIA test since 1854.  Milking cows are managed in a semi-dry lot system where corn silage, alfalfa haylage, or wheatlage is fed daily.  Cows also have access to pasture in season and are feed alfalfa hay when quality pasture is not available.  The system was inaugurated in 1975 when the Davidsons constructed a silo, self-feeder for silage, concrete lots, and a calf barn.  A free stall barn was added in 1976.  They view this as one of their important decisions in terms of labor efficiency and productivity.  The fact that the construction to improve dairy facilities was done just before the high rate of inflation, facility costs during recent year have been greatly appreciated.
Another important decision -- one which Marshall views as a business turning point -- was construction in 1969 of a herringbone style milking barn to replace the old stanchion type barn.  The results are increased herd size, now doubled from 1969, doubling the number of milking units which could be sued, and providing much improved labor efficiency and comfort of working in the milk barn.  The new design allowed milking tasks to be done from a standing rather than a squatting position.
Marshall and Muade married in 1946 and started farming in 1947 when he returned from military service.  Their children are Donnie and Betty (Mrs. Richard Evans of Windsor).  Richard and Betty are parents of three girls, Dawn, Michelle, and Kristi.  The farm consisted of 240 acres when Marshall and Maude started farming, including 40 acres which an ancestor had homesteaded.  Presently 383 acres are owned and 332 rented.  Marshall's brother, Floyd, was a partner in the operation until he retired in 1974 and sold his interest to Donnie.
Donnie served in the U.S. Navy from 1969-73 and joined his father as a partner in January, 1974.  Sally and Donnie were married in 1980.  Decisions were made and actions started to improve facilities as previously described.  Herd size and productivity have been improved.  Buildings and improvements have been constructed using their own labor.  Donnie and Sally's children are Dusty, Rocky and Sandy.
Donnie and Marshall believe in cooperatives and their value to all farmers.  Donnie states, "They are one of the biggest assests to the farmer in stabilizing the market."  They believe their milk marketing co-op has been very helpful.  The role of rural electrification cooperatives is also greatly appreciated in the labor and cost saving equipment available through electrification.  "Mechanization has made effective use of our labor." Marshall says.
Community and organizational life is important to all members of the family.. The attend the First United Methodist Church in Holden.  In addition to many community related activities, the Davidsons participate in business and rural improvement groups.  They have served in various leadership and support positions in Farm bureau, Mid-Am, DHIA, Extension council, the Rural Water Board, and others.  Marshall is presently serving as president of the board of Rural Water District #3.  Maude is currently treasurer of Beta Sigma Phi, Kappa Nu Chapter.  She is also chairman of the Farm Bureau Women's Activities Committee in Johnson County and is on the Church Council of Ministries Board.  Donnie presently servers as president of the Johnson County Farm Bureau and as district resolutions of the Johnson County "The Real Dairymen" organization, a new organization promoting milk use.  The Davidson family believes in their occupation and  way of life.  They sum up their dairying this way.  "You are your own boss.  Even though you have to be here 7 days a week, 365 days each year, it is not like punching a time clock.  You can vary about everything except milking time.  A farmer can have everything that people in town have.  We're satisfied."