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The Wisconsin Dairy Athlete of the Month sponsored by WisSports.net (WSN) in partnership with Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin (DFW) aims to connect consumers with Wisconsin’s dedicated dairy farmers and the youth who grow and raise food for their local communities.  

DFW and WSN are recognizing high school student-athletes who are actively involved on a Wisconsin dairy farm and participate in at least one WIAA-sanctioned varsity sport. Dairy is a vital part of the economy in nearly every Wisconsin county, whether urban or rural. Family-owned farms, dairy processors and dairy-related businesses generate thousands of jobs and millions of dollars of economic activity while contributing to local income and tax revenues.

Nominate a high school athlete for the Wisconsin Dairy Athlete of the Month by clicking here.

Gabe Voight
Fox Valley Lutheran High School
Class of 2025
Voight-Acres

Sports:

Voight: At Fox Valley Lutheran, I have been part of the football and wrestling teams. I have played Offensive Guard and Center as well as Defensive Tackle during my high school football career. I hope to continue playing football in college.

How do you balance farm, school and athletics?

Voight: When it comes to working on the farm and balancing out school/athletics, I have been lucky in having flexibility with my schedule as my uncle Mitch works around my practice/games, etc. I live nearby the farm, so there are some days I will get a quick call from Mitch needing a hand on various things or cover something when he is away.

What hobbies / interests do you have outside of dairy farming? 

Voight: Outside of the farm, I like to fish a lot, play video games with friends, and obviously I like to play football. I have two English Mastiffs, Finley and Reggie, and a 10-month St. Bernard puppy, Brooks, that are a lot of fun too!

How else are you involved in your local community?

Voight: I am a member of the Outagamie County Junior Holstein Association. It’s great to be with kids your age that have the same interests in dairy cattle and be able show cattle during the summer at different shows, county fair, and Wisconsin State Fair. I also volunteer with our football team in putting on youth football camps and helping behind the scenes with the Annual Flag Day Parade in Appleton.

ON THE FARM

What is your farm story and how long have you been involved in the operation?

Voight: Voight-Acres is Century farm and is in its 5th generation of Voights to own and operate Voight-Acres in Shiocton, Wisconsin. My Uncle and Aunt, Mitch and Amanda Voight, operate the farm. I live a half mile up the hill from the farm and spent a lot of time growing up there when my Grandparents, Steve and Sue Voight, lived on the farm. We have registered Holsteins and milk 250 cows with 220 acres of alfalfa and 230 acres of corn.

What is your role on the farm?

Voight: My main role on the farm is bedding our free stall barn once a week, year-round. This involves cleaning out stalls and bringing in fresh sand, which plays a big part in ensuring cow comfort—a key factor in high milk production. Comfortable cows are productive cows, and a soft sand bed keeps them happy. I’m also involved in milking, calf feeding, herd checks, moving heifers between barns as needed, and seasonal fieldwork. My other role is getting my buddies on the football team to come out and help us put the plastic tarp on the silage pile after fall harvest and place tires on it to keep it in place. The more people to help with this job, the easier it is.

Who do you farm with?

Voight: At Voight-Acres, I work with my Uncle and Aunt, Mitch and Amanda Voight, my cousins, and my Grandpa, Steve Voight, as well as our milking parlor team members.

What is your favorite part of being involved with the farm?

Voight: My favorite part is working with cattle. I really like showing cattle at shows during the summer. It’s a lot of fun, but a lot of work training them to get to that point.

What is your most proud moments or farm achievements/awards?

Voight: Some of my proudest moments on the farm include winning Grand Champion at the Outagamie County Fair in 2022 and achieving the honor again this past summer. In football, two big highlights come to mind. At FBU-Football University’s Madison Camp this spring, I was selected for the Lineman Showcase, and came out on top in my 1 vs. 1. Another unforgettable moment was beating Appleton Xavier earlier this season in the 54th Annual Apple Bowl and bringing the trophy back to where it belongs!

What product is your milk turned into?

Voight: 100% of it goes to making cheese.

What sustainability practices do you employ on your farm?

Voight: We have many sustainability practices. Some examples are that we keep waterways grassy. On hilly fields, we plant fields in stripes and in the we plant rye as a cover crop to prevent erosion.

Future Plans:

Voight: I plan to attend college next year with a focus of construction management and play football while there.

Nominate a high school athlete for the Wisconsin Dairy Athlete of the Month by clicking here.

One athlete will be selected from nominations received each month.  Selected student athletes will be featured on www.wissports.net as well as DFW and WSN social media channels. 

About Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin

Funded by Wisconsin dairy farmers, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin is a non-profit organization that focuses on marketing and promoting Wisconsin's world-class dairy products. For more information, visit our website at wisconsindairy.org.