Emery Vieten, Leslie, Missouri

Emery Vieten, Leslie, Missouri has a long and dedicated career as a dairy cattle breeder and leader in the state dairy industry. Emery was born in 1907 on a farm near Sullivan, Missouri. He now lives on the same farm. He graduated from high school, taught for six years in rural Franklin County Schools, and started his farming operations in 1931. He rented the home farm from his father the first three years. He purchased the farm in 1934.

He started selling Grade A milk in 1938. The first cows were grades. In 1942 he bought his first registered Guernseys and through the years developed the present herd now operated by his son Noel For many years premium Golden Guernsey Milk was sold to St. Louis distributors. The herd was entered on the Franklin County DHIA Program in 1942 and has been on test for production ever since. The herd includes about 60 cows and 458 acres are farmed. Many outstanding cows have been developed in the herd including Cove View G.A. Princetta 17,010 lbs. milk, 754 lbs. fat. Some 20 females in the herd trace to this cow. The herd has been officially classified several times. Top A.I. sires are used and the Vieten’s Cover View Farm is a charter member of Dairy Belt Breeders.

Emery has a distinguished record as a leader in local and state dairy activities. He became a member of the Missouri Guernsey Breeder’s Association in 1942 and served several terms on the Board of Directors. He served many years as chairman of the Association Youth Committee. He helped organize one of the first 4-H Dairy Clubs in Franklin County and served for 20 years as a 4-H Dairy Project Leader. Many of his 4-H Club members exhibited cattle at local, state and the Dairy Cattle Congress, Waterloo, Iowa. He was chairman of the Franklin County DHIA for several years. He is a member of the American Guernsey Cattle Club and was made an honorary member of the Missouri Guernsey Breeders Association. He helped to organize the Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District. He served on the County Board of Education when the school districts were reorganized. Through the years he assisted with dairy programs and youth activities in adjoining counties and was never too busy to encourage young dairymen.

In October 1931 Emery and Hazel Bell, Sullivan, Missouri were united in marriage. They were blessed with three children: Eunice Campbell, Champaign, IL; Dolores Williams, El Paso, Texas and Noel, Leslie, Missouri, who in 1962 took over the active management of the farm and herd. All of the children were active in 4-H Club and FFA work and all are graduates of the University of Missouri. Emery has eight living grandchildren and one deceased.

His first wife, Hazel, passed away in 1982 and a year later he and Cecil Parde, Sullivan, were married. Due to declining health. Emery has reduced his dairy activities but enjoys the memories of his long time role in aiding others.