Biography

Sheryl Benda Jesina was born in 1960 to a Czechoslovakian farm family in rural Tama County, Iowa. As a child, she enjoyed farming and farm animals. After graduating from Tama High School in 1978, she enrolled in a pre-veterinary course in college. After her first year, she met a local farmer William Jesina who had recently moved to a nearby farm. They married in 1980 and moved to that farm. They had twin sons the following year. Sheryl Jesina enjoyed the farm animals and as soon as able to care for twins and livestock, she took charge of most of the farrowing and nursery. In 1995, they formed a partnership with other Iowa farmers to open a large scale farrowing confinement operation to supply the partners with feeder hogs. They built the facility despite considerable opposition within the county. Sheryl Jesina remains active in the farm operations, although the farrowing is no longer done on their farm. She has little connection with the confinement facility that is managed professionally. She continues to be active as a 4-H leader.

Found in 2 Collections and/or Records: