HerStory: Esther Arkfeld



I was greeted in front of the house by wonderful children, an exuberant LGD and my friend, Esther. Homestead chores were finished for the evening, so we had time to get caught up and plan for the next day. I was so excited to have one whole day with Esther and her family before my travels spurred me on. 

Though the visit was short, there were definitely treasured moments I tucked away in my heart. 

Saturday morning, I heard the footsteps early. And then the silence of a sleeping house. I threw back the covers, much to Piper’s chagrin. I quickly slipped into my clothes, sweatshirt, and jacket. I quietly made my way upstairs and out the side door. The burst of cold air felt good on my face as it washed away all traces of sleepiness.

The crunch on the driveway, illuminated by a full moon, led me to the glowing parlor window of the old barn. 

Esther was inside preparing for the morning milking. I did what I was told, hoping to help, but mostly, I stayed out of the way. Esther runs a very efficient milk parlor, and I didn’t want to mess up the systems. 

She and I talked while she went through the milking process, the cows munching grain. She had learned so much in the last 7 years here in Iowa. To think she had been a beekeeping student of mine in GA years ago, now the roles had reversed. I was most definitely the student! Such a beautiful picture of true friendship with a homesteader, sharing lives and knowledge. 

Once all the milk had been collected and the cows were released from the barn, Esther and I entered the parlor with all the stainless steel and cleaning supplies. The air was warm, and I was grateful.

We shared our hearts between the washing of buckets and milking equipment. We opened up about our struggles, our fears, our hopes, and our dreams. Tears rolled down our cheeks, an assurance of the deep understanding of what we were each feeling and going through. And despite the bumps of life, all in all, we were each very blessed. 

As the dawn of day filtered through the barn windows, I watched Esther finish her chores with the cows. Here was a woman who dreamed of providing raw milk for her family, friends, and customers. She believed in the immutable right to be able to consume raw milk. So she fought the political beast who had kept the Raw Milk Bill from passing in Iowa for 17 years. Esther jumped into the fight, despite fears, and fought with her head and her heart for three years. 

In May of 2023, with Esther and Esther’s family standing with her, the governor of Iowa signed the Raw Milk Bill, allowing small dairy farms to sell milk to the public. And guess who was the first to start selling milk?! Esther’s battle victory was also celebrated by Weston A. Price when she was named Farmer of the Year for 2023. 

My dear friend, fellow homesteader – thank you! Thank you for fighting a good fight. 

My last morning with my friend and her family. 

Once again, I awoke to the 5am footsteps upstairs and the quiet closing of the outside door. I thought, “There is a warrior upstairs donned in coveralls, a barn jacket, and muck boots. Her hair is pulled back in a ponytail, and her ears are protected by an alpaca headband. She is making her way to the milk parlor in the barn, guided by the light of the moon. She enters her battlefield to start the milking ritual as she does every day to ensure all Iowans have the right to raw milk.”