Micke, Ronald Francis

Other Events:

• Education - High School: 1965, Wrightstown, Brown, Wisconsin, USA
• News Mention: 7 Nov 2002
• Obituary: 29 Mar 2011; Appleton Post Crescent

Notes:

Education - High School:
Wrightstown High School Class of 1965

News Mention:
High-profile farm sends cows to auction DE PERE (AP) - A farm that drew 7,800 visitors to an annual breakfast la st summer will have cows and equipment auctioned off Saturday, as the own er struggles to satisfy creditors at a time of low milk prices.At 900 acres and about 1,700 cows, the Gold Dust Dairy has been among t he largest, high-profile farms in Brown County, but owner Ron Micke said t he low dairy prices are forcing him to act."We're trying to avoid bankruptcy," said Micke, who founded the operati on south of De Pere in 1993. "We've not filed bankruptcy, and our intenti on is not to file. We just decided here to get this thing cut down and p ay everybody cash."Due to be sold at auction Saturday are equipment and 1,250 Holstein heifer s.Micke said Gold Dust is trying to work with its creditors, "but the lende rs don't want to cooperate. Some do and some don't." The farm had a contra ct providing a somewhat higher price for its milk, but that no longer is t he case, he said."We had a contract with our milk to the end of October, and now the contra ct has expired, and it's back to ordinary milk prices," he said."With the price we had, we had a good price, but we lost that as of the e nd of October, and there's no way we can go on. We've got the lowest mi lk prices now that we've had in 30 years."The farm, known for its giant statue of a Holstein cow in the front, h as 26 full-time and 10 part-time workers."Certainly he's a large producer who did a lot of business with a lot of p eople in the area," said Doug Sutter, county agriculture agent for the Uni versity of Wisconsin Extension. "The loss of his business is going to affe ct everybody."Feed consultant Don Nighorn works with several area feed mills.He wouldn't speak directly about Micke's situation but said many area farm ers are in a precarious position, and the strain is passed along to feed m ills, equipment companies and fuel suppliers, among others."Unless things turn around, there could be a few more Gold Dust Dairies o ut there that are going to be in trouble because they can't cash-flow," Ni ghorn said."Accounts receivable now have never been higher - businesses that advan ce credit for supplies, feed, fuel are not getting paid at this poin t, or are getting only a portion of what is owed."A federal program to protect farmers against falling milk prices benefi ts small farmers more than it does the large farms, Sutter said.It compensates farmers for 45 percent of the price difference when pric es fall below $16.94 per hundredweight (about 12 gallons). The price th is summer dropped below $10 per hundredweight.But the compensation covers only the first 2.4 million pounds of productio n. That provides protection for an operation of about 120 cows but compens ates no more than about 10 percent of large operations like Gold Dust, Sut ter said."Things are pretty dismal," Sutter said. "We've had good years and bad yea rs in the past, but three of the past four years have been below average m ilk prices. If you have a good and bad year, they average out, but if y ou have a string of bad ones, it certainly wears on you."
November 07, 2002

Obituary:
Ronald F. Micke, 63, Wrightstown, passed away Saturday, March 26, 2011 as a result of a motor vehicle accident. He was born May 29, 1947, the son of the late Francis and Gladys (DeGroot) Micke. He graduated from Wrightstown High School in 1965.Ron was a proud and passionate owner of his own dairy farm in the De Pere area for many years. He enjoyed hunting and playing cards, wearing cowboy hats and boots and finding the next deal. Ron had a big heart, a very giving spirit, and was known for his generosity to those in need. Ron was very proud of his children and grandchildren.Surviving are three children and spouses, and six grandchildren: Colleen (Mark) Hansen, Kaukauna, and their children, Abigail and Derek; Craig (Bonnie) Micke, Wrightstown, and their children, Dillan and Rachel; and Christa (Jim) Zuleger, Kimberly, and their children, Raymond and Kelly. Also surviving are four sisters, Dort (Bob) Van Den Bosch, Freedom; Sandie (Leroy) Koch, Brillion; Judy (Dick) Marx, Kaukauna; and Debbie (Tom) Miller, Green Bay; and many aunts, uncles, nieces & nephews.He was preceded in death by his mother and his father, and various aunts and uncles.Family and friends of Ron Micke may call at DeWane-Cotter Funeral Home, 711 Main Street, Wrightstown WI, on Wednesday, March 30, 2011, from 3:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. A memorial service will be conducted at 7:30 p.m. with Deacon Ken Kabat officiating. Online condolences may be expressed at www.cotterfuneralhome.com.

Ronald married VandeHey, Shirley (daughter of VandeHey, Gordon Sherman and Vosters, Agnes) [Group Sheet]

Ronald married Greaves, Sonia [Group Sheet]

Colleen married Hansen, Mark [Group Sheet]

Christa married Zuleger, James [Group Sheet]

Craig married Leick, Bonnie (daughter of Leick, Cyril and Galkowski, Nancy) [Group Sheet]