Over the years, the farm expanded to 320 acres and 65 milking cows. Interested in taking over the business one day, John, the youngest of Carl & Garnet’s 7 children, attended UW-Madison’s Farm Short Course Program. After Carl’s retirement, John purchased the farm from his father, focusing on innovation and expansion. Today, Pagel’s Ponderosa has over 5,000 milking cows and 8,500 acres of cropland.