Farms: 2015 America's Pig Farmer of the Year Finalist - Lauren Schwab

Not far from the Indiana border in southwest Ohio, you’ll find Schwab Farms. Nestled among the gently rolling hills of fields and woodlands, Lauren Schwab proudly works as a second-generation farmer on the 230-acre farm founded in 1977 by her father, Jeff. For the past 12 years, Schwab has managed the farrowing house and has worked alongside her brother, Ryan, and three part-time employees. The farrow-to-wean farm is home to 12 independent barns that house 1,100 sows. The modern barns provide the proper environment for the sows, which are individually cared for and observed daily to assess their needs. The sows produce about 30,000 piglets a year, which are then sold to other farmers for finishing. “I want to share my experience as a farmer with consumers and further their understanding of how farmers produce food,” Schwab said. “It’s important to actively engage with consumers on a large scale and tell our story.”