Page 26 Stories of the Heartland • Sunday, April 19, 2026 hometownsource. com / heartland /
A family growing the farm from the ground up
CHLOE SMITH STORIES OF THE HEARTLAND
MILACA— Ten years ago, Rob and Samantha Heitke moved to the Milaca area with a dream of building a farm they could call their own.
Today, that dream has grown into Tillering Farm— a small, forage-based operation raising cattle, hogs and poultry while producing a line of handmade tallow products.
A“ tillering” is the growth that emerges from the base of a grass plant, and the Heitkes felt the name reflected the way their farm has expanded from a single seed of an idea.
“( Farming) has always been in my background,” Rob Heitke said.“ I grew up just down the road from my grandparents’ farm. The pursuit of an actual farm we could call home and make a little money off of was always in our minds.”
The couple started with just a few head of cattle. Today, their herd has grown to more than 30 head. They also raise about 30 hogs each year and a small number of broiler chickens.“ We keep it pretty simple, but it works for us,” Rob said. During the warmer months, the Heitkes sell their products at area farmers markets, where community connection is just as important as commerce.
“ It felt like the right thing to have this community of people that’ s getting together once a week,” Samantha Heitke said.“ It’ s not easy, but I think the community piece is motivating.”
After their first season at market, Samantha began experimenting with homemade tallow products to diversify their offerings.
“ We realized that you can’ t really display frozen meat on your table,” she said.“ We wanted something that wasn’ t just beef or pork. I didn’ t realize it was going to become so viral.”
For the past three years, Tillering Farm has produced balms, lotions and candles made from rendered beef tallow— purified fat repurposed from their processing. Samantha said many customers are drawn to tallow for its simple ingredients and skin-moisturizing qualities.
“ It’ s a very natural product in itself,” she said.“ Skin is
Tillering Farm in Milaca is home to the Heitke family. From left are Ian, Rob, Samantha and Oliver Heitke, who built the farm from the ground up. The family sells homegrown beef and pork, along with handmade tallow products, at local farmers markets. Not pictured is Sullivan Heitke.
your biggest organ, and you want to be careful what you put on your body. Tallow works really well.”
Natural practices extend to how the animals are raised. All beef is grass-fed, and the hogs have access to multiple areas of the farm rather than remaining confined to a pen.
“ For me, there’ s nothing better than going out in the pasture and sitting with the cows,” Rob said.
As first-generation farmers, the Heitkes have built the operation from the ground up.
“ We had to seed everything from scratch and put up all our fencing,” Rob said.“ It’ s rewarding because you can see the progress you’ re making.”
They are also raising their three children— Oliver, 11; Ian, 9; and Sullivan, almost 1— on the farm.
“ It’ s a really valuable feeling,” Samantha said.“ Our kids are growing up in a way that I didn’ t, and instilling farm life in them is really, really cool.”
Still, farming comes with challenges. Rising land prices, feed costs and processing fees make expansion diffi-
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