This family's blood runs blue and gold

Byron Wilke was born and raised in Kimball and has a rich family history in the agricultural and livestock industry – in which Wilke is of the third generation – his own children, Dustin and Krystal, the fourth.

After graduating Kimball High, Wilke attended Northeast Jr College in Sterling, Colo., on a livestock judging scholarship, and studied Production Agriculture.

Currently, Wilke is involved in the local FFA Alumni Chapter and serves as the President.

Wilke offered that like himself, his parents were very involved in the Kimball FFA Alumni – even before he and brother, Todd, were not yet old enough to join the organization and that they continued their service throughout his high school attendance.

“They logged many miles taking us to livestock judging contests, to state conventions and anywhere else we needed to be,” Wilke said, “This made it very important for me to become involved with the Alumni as soon as I returned home from college. I strongly feel that the more the parents and families get involved with the FFA Chapter and Alumni, the more the students will get out of the program.”

Wilke added that some of their most memorable times with his own children were the FFA centered trips to State and National Conventions, the FFA sponsored banquets and ceremonies, as well as sponsoring the many trips they took with FFA.

“My wife Amber, son Dustin and daughter Krystal were all very involved in FFA all through high school,”he said. “I served the Kimball FFA as Secretary and President while in the program and received my American Degree in 1987. I am very proud that both Dustin and Krystal went on to receive theirs also.”

The Alumni helps with the District 12 Livestock Judging and Meat Judging contest held in Kimball as well as provide judges for Leadership Skills Events, and other Career Development Events throughout the year.

“Our goal has always been to support the FFA Chapter in as many ways as we can, from fundraising for leadership conferences to scholarships. We also put on an annual livestock progress show over Father’s Day weekend in June to help give the local kids a chance to gain more experience showing and developing their skills raising livestock,” Wilke added.

In addition to the many hours the Wilkes spend on the FFA program locally, they stay very busy with raising irrigated alfalfa, corn, dry land wheat and a cow/calf operation. Additionally, they own a livestock equipment manufacturing business. Each morning when they wake up – they hit the ground running.

The couple’s son, Dustin, has a degree in Machine Tool and Dye from South East Community College in Milford, and now helps with the family business and is the manager of the operations. Dustin and his wife, Jenifer have given the Wilkes their first grandchild, six-month old, Dean.

Their daughter, Krystal, will graduate from the University of Wyoming in the spring with two Bachelor’s Degrees in Agricultural Education and Animal Science-Production and she hopes to teach Agriculture Education and have her own FFA program.

“FFA has changed over the years from being “farm kid” oriented to having something to offer every student that walks into the high school,” Wilke said. “There are tremendous opportunities for leadership development, career planning, goal setting, and public speaking. These opportunities span in every direction, from job placement to entrepreneurship.”