The agricultural industry is an industry of passion, and Marge Newton Skaggs lives out this definition every day.
She currently resides in Lakeville on her Boer goat farm, where she breeds and raises some of the country's leading registered and wether show stock. She began her journey into the goat industry in 2000, when her three children were extremely involved in the county's 4-H program. Prior to intensely pursuing the goat industry, her children were involved in a number of other 4-H projects, including swine, horses, sheep, poultry and rabbits.
At one point, Marge and her children owned and raised over 300 rabbits, as well as 300 poultry animals, where they also produced top-of-the-line animals for her children to show. Prior to rabbits and poultry, in 1972 she began showing competitively in the American Quarter Horse Assn., where she exhibited her self-trained pleasure horses for nearly 20 years.
Although Marge is a well accomplished leader in the livestock industry, she accredits her success to the remarkable team she has helping her with every step along the journey. Jerry Gorka, the farm's manager, began working for Newton Farms in 2000. Gorka first met Marge at the St. Joseph County Fair, and despite his non-livestock background, decided to take the job because it was closer to home. Originally he was hired to organize and clean the barns, but his hard work ethic allowed him to quickly learn more about the goats and expand his role on the farm. Today, he is involved in nearly every aspect of the farm's decisions and his two daughters show goats competitively.
Brant Knott is the farm's sales manager and has played an active role at Newton Farms since 2013. Originally from Ohio, Knott has an extensive livestock background having shown dairy cattle, ostrich and Boer goats. He first encountered Marge at a goat show and is currently the head of their show line.
Scotty Merrill, one of Marge's sons, Kelsey Hasbrook, a soon-to-be daughter-in-law to Marge, Brant's wife Alexis, and many others work tirelessly to continue improving the genetic lines and quality of the livestock they breed and raise.
"None of this would have been possible without the help of everyone who works here. Everyone wants the best for the farm and they work hard to reach that," Marge said while talking about the team. She is more than grateful for the immense amount of support she has received over the years and considers herself extremely thankful to be surrounded by such encouraging, passionate individuals.
"Marge is completely invested to ensure the best for us," Scotty Merrill, the eldest of Marge's three sons said when talking about his mother. Currently, Merrill's two children and Jerry Gorka's two children show for the farm.
"The children learn how to win and how to lose. They learn the value of hard work and how to work with the animals," he said.
Merrill is grateful for the opportunities his mother has allowed him and his children to take part in.
Before Newton Farms began its breeding program, it all started with Marge's three sons, Scotty, Neil and Robert, who wanted to show goats for their 4-H project. Marge explained that while visiting another farm with her children, Robert insisted on taking home one of the unbroke baby goats that was loose in the pasture. The owner, understanding the near impossibility of Robert being able to capture the wild kid, made a deal that if Robert could catch it, then it was his. Without reason, Robert was able to easily catch the kid and took her home. "Cutie Pie" became the first goat on Newton Farms, and later won three county championships.
Pimp Daddy later became the first buck to be brought to the farm. Marge and her sons had traveled to Richmond, Va. originally to only purchase several wethers, but were convinced to also purchase the buck. Marge recalls sitting down with her boys and saying, "If we do this, we are going all in." From that day on, Newton Farms would grow to become one of the country's leading Boer goat producers. They then began to expand their herd by purchasing Kallie Kohls York from Texas, which allowed them to design more advanced, diversified genetic lines.
Newton Farms impressive breeding records have allowed them to build an impressive show record. Each year, the team travels to compete in numerous shows around the country, such as the ABGA Nationals and the North American International Livestock Exposition. In the past four years, they have won over 32 national ABGA titles, including the 2013 premier fullblood, and the 2014 and 2015 premier breeder, and countless other championships at other state and county shows.
"Recent trends in the Boer goat industry have led us to breed crossover wethers and fullbloods, and we are at the frontline," Knott said when talking about their breeding program. "We are one of the first farms to be successful with this program and are very fortunate."
He attributes a good part of the farm's progress to a successful breeding program.
Despite all the hard work, time and money put into creating their top of the line show stock, Marge has decided to have a complete dispersal. When Brant Knott began working on the farm, he and Marge made a pact to sell out their animals when either of them decided they had interests elsewhere, and due to changing circumstances they have decided it is time to end their legacy.
"We hate to see everything go, but it is time to move on," Marge explained reflectively. "What I will miss most about what we have is the people I have worked with. Without them, we would not have gone anywhere near as far as we did."
She has accomplished everything she had wished to accomplish and is thankful for the time she was given.
"We have spent lots of money we will never get back, but the experiences, travels and the people we have met is worth far more than the money paid for it all," Merrill added.
The sale will take place in April. "It will be a complete sellout and offer genetics that are otherwise unattainable," Knott stated while describing the sale. There will be over 400 Boer goats for sale. The team at Newton Farms is sad to see everything go, but excited about new beginnings.