Keith Sprague, Sprague's Ranch, East Brookfield, Vt.

Keith Sprague is the owner of Sprague’s Ranch in East Brookfield. Although he always worked on his family farm, he never aspired to own it. His career goals gravitated toward mechanical engineering. (He even has his name on a U.S. patent!)

Keith’s father first suggested that his son assume ownership of the family farm. John Sprague wanted to retire, and wanted to know if Keith would consider taking over the business.

“I’ll never forget the spot where we were standing in the barn,” Keith recalls. “It was a tough decision because I was very happy as an engineer. But I knew that if I didn’t take the opportunity, someone else would and I would never have the chance again.”

Keith’s early goal was simply to farm, but he is always looking for new challenges and decided to expand the herd and build a new barn and parlor. “That may not have been a smart decision. I was safe. Financially, the farm was secure, and stress was low. But I was capable and had backing from my parents and an uncle, so I took the chance. ”

When Keith first discussed financing with Farm Credit, he was turned down because the cost of the project was not consistent with his assets. “But with the help of my father, my uncle and Farm Credit’s Ken Nelson, we made it work. To help build my assets, my father gave me heifer calves, and I bought more. My parents and my uncle cosigned the loan, and I developed a better business plan.

“The most important lesson that I’ve learned as an owner is that I need to work on the business rather than in it. I have to fight the impulse every day, but when I began to realize what spending more time on paperwork and business plans was doing for my bottom line, I began to like it.”

Instead of being employed in an engineering office, Keith Sprague is now creating his own challenges. He runs a highly successful, well-managed dairy business that is in the top one percent of Vermont herds for milk production, and he has many happy employees, including himself!

Click on the name of each of the entrepreneurs or graduates below to find out more about the road they traveled:

Entrepreneurs:

• Ben and Andrew Saenger, Saenger cattle, Shoreham, Vt.
• Dean Rheaume, Maurice Rheaume & Sons, Middlebury, Vt.
• Keith Sprague, Sprague's Ranch, East Brookfield, Vt.
• Mike Garrow, Rocklan Farm, Berkshire, Vt.
• Pete Norris, Jr. Greenhaven Gardens & Nursery, New Haven, Vt.

"Graduates":

• Ronald Patenaude, Patenaude Farm, Holland Center, Vt.
• Bruce Bascom, Bascom Maple Farms, Inc., Alstead, N.H.
• Chris and John Laggis, Laggis brothers Farm, Hardwick, Vt.

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