Click here to view the virtual farm tour video, featured at the 2012 World Ag Expo. An immigrant to the U.S. who thought in 1956 he’d settle down in Minnesota and bake for the rest of his career is now a successful dairyman in California’s Central Valley. Four years after immigrating to the U.S. from the Netherlands, Tony DeGroot, Sr., developed an allergy to flour. “Baker’s disease,” as Tony’s doctor’s called it, closed up Tony’s lungs when he worked around airborne flour particles. The disease was fatal, not to Tony’s life, but his career as a full-time baker.

HOW WE MET: I sat next to Gary on a recent flight from Phoenix to Minneapolis. We struck up a conversation talking about what each other did for a living. I told him I was a dairy magazine editor. I found out he is a consultant in energy efficiency and sustainability projects. Gary’s main focus includes designing efficient hot water systems for homes and businesses. As we talked, we discussed how the projects he worked on also applied to dairies across the country.

HOW WE MET: I had a free pass to a gym called Charter Fitness, where a good friend of mine is a personal trainer. I bumped into Megan several times while working out at Charter Fitness that same day. When I was leaving, I noticed she was right behind me. I turned around and sarcastically said, “Jeez, are you following me?” She laughed and said, “No, but it’s weird that we keep bumping into each other.”

Ethan Fitzgerald San Diego, California Hotel guest services/Shuttle driver HOW WE MET: Ethan drove me from the airport to my hotel during a trip to San Diego for DMI/NMPF's annual meeting this past fall. Ethan is an avid San Diego State University Aztec sports fan. His Aztecs were about to play Boise State, one of my favorite college football teams, the following weekend. We started out talking about football and then the conversation drifted into my work in the dairy industry. - Editor Walt Cooley

Robert M. McCune died October 29, 2011, at his home in Corona, California, at the age of 99. Born in Spokane, Washington, he moved to California when he was 13. Robert started work at 17 with a stock and bond firm in L.A. during the Depression. When the company went bankrupt, he went into the dairy industry. Robert was a partner and dairy broker, with his son Jim and Rick Bondar, of McCune and Associates, co-owner of both Flamingo Dairy and Corona Livestock Auction and publisher of The Dairyman Magazine for more than 65 years.

2010 Graduate, University of Wisconsin-River Falls Fall intern with Genex Cooperative Based in Shawano, Wisconsin Background Q. In what area did you obtain a degree? I have a bachelor's degree of dairy science in management with an associate's degree in agricultural business. Q. What is your agricultural background? I grew up on a Stewardship Dairy, which is owned by my parents, where we milk about 42 cows. The farm is located north of Glenwood City, Wisconsin. Q. What previous internship positions have you held? I had an internship during the summer of 2010 working on Me-Pa-Ni-Tro Inc., where I was interning as a herd manager. The farm is located in Plum City, Wisconsin.

Senior, University of Wisconsin-Platteville Fall intern with Genex Cooperative Based in Shawano, Wisconsin Background Q. In what area are you pursuing a degree? I'm studying animal science with a dairy emphasis and an agri-business minor. Q. What is your agricultural background? I grew up on an 80-cow family dairy farm outside of Argyle, Wisconsin. When the farm was sold in 2000, I began to help with relief milking with my dad, and this lead to a part-time position at Bru-Hill Dairy in Argyle. I worked here throughout high school and continued to be involved in the industry during college where I worked at Berning Livestock in Cuba City, Wisconsin.

Hometown: Wendell, Idaho My dairy background: My grandpa started dairying 45 years ago in Southern California. My family has been dairying in Idaho since 1987. We then moved to Idaho in 1992. Year in school and area of study: I'm currently a second year dairy science major with concentrations in processing and husbandry. If I wasn't studying dairy, I would be ... most likely would be working on my family’s dairy, but I also wanted to be an engineer when I was younger.