Coming Home to Farm

June 23, 2026

By Gretchen Westdal Centers

It’s 3:00 a.m. in the verdant farmlands of southeast Iowa. Dew has settled on the grass. Crickets and Katydids buzz and click. An owl calls out, deep and bellowing. And in the barns at Hilltop Dairy, the milking begins. As dairy farmers know, the work is around the clock, and the heifers will demand to be milked. 
 
Settled in Mt. Pleasant, Madison Skubal, a fourth-generation farmer, knows the commitment it takes to run a successful dairy operation. She grew up working alongside her dad, Doug. It was the early mornings that originally led her to pursue a degree outside ag when she left for college. 

“I never had intentions to come home and farm full time,” laughs Madison. “My major was in criminology, and after one semester, I came home at Christmas break and told my dad that I didn’t like it. I didn’t want to live in the city, and I wanted to come home and farm. He was so supportive, and never pushed me into a decision.”

Madison graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in dairy science. It was there she met her future husband, Brad, who was pursuing a degree in agronomy and agricultural studies. In a serendipitous turn of events, Brad’s family farm was also in Washington County, which cemented the emerging relationship. Today, Brad and Madison farm together and raise their four kids: Ivana (5), Delilah (3), Vanessa (1) and Brock (6 months).

Preserving The Legacy

Despite working alongside her husband on their own farm located across the county and raising their four kids, Madison still has a hand in the operations at Hilltop Dairy. The family legacy and pull to continue what her great-grandfather started during the Great Depression remains strong. Madison explains that the farm was initially a diversified operation with hogs, turkeys, beef cattle and dairy cattle. But in the 1970s, her grandfather transitioned fully to dairy farming, as it had become their passion. 

It was in the 90s that Madison’s dad took over operations after a back injury led her grandfather to step back. From a young age, Madison and her dad farmed side by side. She knows the early mornings and the ups and downs of farming aren’t for everyone. 

“You either love it, or you hate it,” she laughs. It’s something her dad understands. She says he has been steadfast in his support for her pursuing her own path and that life is meant to be a balance of work and enjoyment. It’s a perspective that is unique among farmers, and Madison believes her dad’s encouragement and grace made her want to farm.

She explains that he is vocal about taking vacations and making sure people aren’t overworked to the point of burnout. Doug is a strong proponent of discussing mental health, noting that farming can take a toll on people. 

“I really admire my dad for taking care of his mental health and taking care of his family,” Madison says. “Growing up, he took us on trips. Some years they might not have been big trips, just with how finances were in the farming world, but we always were able to get away as a family and not have to stress about the farm.”

Tech-Forward Cow Care

Hilltop is the only non-Amish dairy farm in the county, and the Skubals are Mennonite, which creates a strong bond between them and their neighbors. The dairy milks a consistent herd of about 150 cows year-round and raises roughly 150 replacement heifers entirely on-site. 

To control heifer inventory and add revenue, they now breed about 70% of their herd to beef cows. Her husband and other local beef farmers buy these crossbred groups. They are also part of the Prairie Farms Co-Op, so their milk is eventually turned into numerous dairy products sold throughout the U.S. 

To meet modern demands and ensure the farm meets customer needs, Doug Skubal embraces technology. 

“My dad has always prioritized staying updated on technology to ensure the farm remains profitable and manageable for the next generation,” explains Madison. “He's trying always to see what will be better for the farm, what will make us profitable and what will be better for cow care.” 

Hilltop shifted from stanchion milking to a double-eight herringbone parlor in the 1990s. They use robotic milking, which helps decrease extra labor costs, improves milk production and allows more time for animal care. 

Madison’s grandfather led the way on integrating new technologies and procedures on the farm that would benefit them long down the road. She notes that he was one of the first in the area to use AI — artificial insemination, not the current artificial intelligence that’s dominating the news cycle — to promote a consistent herd population and health. 

About 10 years ago, they fitted the cows with activity-tracking collars for advanced heat detection and health monitoring. “It’s like a Fitbit for cows,” jokes Madison. “It’s just another way for us to keep up since there is so much more that goes into dairy cow care.” 

It’s this commitment to ongoing education and a future-focused view that keeps Hilltop thriving. 

Educating and Community Building

One of Madison’s passions is educating the public on the importance of agriculture and dairy farming. Whenever possible, the farm hosts school groups so kids can interact with the cows and learn how dairy products go from the farm to grocery shelves. 

“For those who don’t work in ag or grow up around it, they can become so far removed from the process,” says Madison. “I had one kid ask me if the cow was a goat,” she laughs. 

And while there is some humor in it, Madison sees it as a critical educational opportunity to connect those outside of agriculture and farming to understand better, or in many instances, learn about how their food arrives in their homes. 

To bring this initiative to a larger audience, Hilltop Dairy hosts their annual Dairy Days in June. It’s a completely free event that invites the broader community out to the farm to enjoy the sights, sounds and bounty they produce. 

“It’s a really popular event,” explains Madison. “People really enjoy it, and we're able to do it all for free, which is important to us. Being able to offer a free, family-friendly event is huge. We do it every June, just for Dairy Month, and we love having people out to the farm.”

The local Cattlemen's group grills hamburgers, and their co-op, Prairie Farms, donates all the milk and ice cream. Activities often include looking at the feed, bottle-feeding calves and going into the parlor, where her dad lets kids try milking a cow by hand.

2017 was the first year they held the event, and 75 people showed up. Last year, they had between 350 and 400 people, with families driving up to an hour from places like Iowa City. This year, the event will take place on June 27, and with the help of their sponsors and the community, it’s sure to be another amazing event. 

A Happy Herd

When asked about the future, Madison has ideas for making farming more accessible. She loves seeing other women farmers. She says her dad always noticed that when women were in the parlor, the cows were significantly calmer and milked out better. 

“Women are definitely having a bigger voice and more of a platform in ag now,” Madison notes. 

It’s these strides in farming inclusivity that she wants to see expanded, so that more can experience and participate in feeding the world.