Milking the meanest cows and he's farming with decades-old equipment, leaves calves with their mothers, and openly challenges modern dairy norms. In this episode, Doing It Wrong Dairy shares why he farms the way he does — and why authenticity matters more than perfection.
In an ag world driven by automation, efficiency metrics, and shiny new equipment, this farmer is unapologetically doing things differently — and calling it Doing It Wrong Dairy.
Tristan is a sixth-generation dairy producer in Wisconsin who believes real farming doesn’t need filters, polish, or permission. Farming on his own for more than a decade, Tristan relies heavily on 30+ year-old equipment, practices old-school animal care, and openly questions whether “modern” always means “better.”
In this episode, Tristan shares:
Growing up in a multi-species livestock operation and starting farm work at age four
Why his family exited the dairy industry in the 1990s — and why he came back
Leaving home at 17 to work on a custom wheat harvest crew and becoming a crew leader at 18
His return to Wisconsin and building a farm on his own terms
Why he leaves calves with their mothers and how it impacts herd health and behavior
Milking alternative breeds like Gyr cows and experimenting outside the mainstream
Maintaining a “retirement pasture” for cows he refuses to sell simply because production drops
Why authenticity — not perfection — is what connects people to agriculture
We also dig into the explosive growth of Doing It Wrong Dairy on social media, where Tristan’s honest, sometimes controversial content has resonated with hundreds of thousands of viewers who want to see the real side of farming — not a highlight reel.