Accu-Steel Fabric Barn Testimonial
Andrea Flemming didn’t plan to be here. Not on this land. Not in this season of life.
Now a fifth-generation farmer in southwest Minnesota, Andrea had other plans—ones that involved following her passion for animal welfare to vet school. Yet, despite her hard work, all her initial applications were denied.
She was crushed. And after sitting in that disappointment for a bit, she did exactly what her farming family taught her: she picked herself up, dusted herself off, and went to work.
“I started sharing my fitness journey online mostly to stay accountable to myself,” she said. “I never imagined it would grow into a platform where I could connect with people about farming, too. But now it’s my favorite part of what I do.”
Andrea now runs her own business(es) online, where she goes by That Fit Agvocate, while helping her parents with the day-to-day farm operations. Her mom and dad split duties with her based on strengths: Andrea and her mom lead animal health and livestock care, while her dad, with decades of experience, handles the heavy equipment and fieldwork.
“We work really well together. Better than I ever thought we would.”
A new way to grow
What brought Andrea fully back into the fold wasn’t just the pull of family, it was the opportunity to do things differently.
It started with a conversation. Her dad, Sterling, knew something had to change if Andrea was serious about staying on the farm. So, he brought up an option she hadn’t considered before: Accu-Steel.
The idea wasn’t immediately appealing. Andrea’s all too familiar with older-style hoop barns—loud, drafty, unsettling in storms. So, the family took a trip to another operation with an Accu-Steel building to see it in action.
“The building doesn’t move,” she said. “It doesn’t make noise. It just works.”
Sterling agreed. “The barn gave us a way to grow when land was just too expensive.”
“I mean, when you’re 25 and looking at land prices, it’s scary,” Andrea added. “I was terrified to spend a million dollars on 80 acres. And turns out we didn’t have to!”
Built to bring calm to the chaos
The family jokes that the Accu-Steel fabric-covered building is like a giant “she shed,” built to keep the cows happy and healthy—and Andrea even more so. And there’s truth in that.
“It made life simple. Easy,” said Andrea’s mom, Denise. “We used to work in the mud. This barn changed everything.
The building became a place of stability in the most chaotic season of the year: calving. While they still battle harsh blizzards and whiplash temperature changes, they now have a real sense of control. “I used to get so anxious about bad weather,” said Andrea. “Now I can sleep.”
“I love saying that no matter the weather outside, it’s always nicer in my Accu-Steel barn,” she added.
But it’s not just peace of mind. It’s performance, too. The building’s impact shows up in heavier weaning weights, lower feed costs, and improved conception rates. Even twins are becoming more common, thanks to consistent nutrition.
And when it comes to getting the work done? “Mom and I do it all ourselves: sorting, breeding, treating. We don’t need a whole crew. The layout makes it easy.”
A new dream for a new generation
One of the moments that will always stick with Andrea wasn’t when the fabric barn was finally finished, it was when her first herd of cows arrived.
“I just started crying. I was so happy. I love having cows,” she gushed. “And this barn made it possible.”
The Accu-Steel building not only reflects Andrea’s priorities but also represents the kind of farmer she’s become: hands-on, heart-forward, and never one to settle for doing things the way they’ve always been done.
Plus, the building is a key factor in changing the farm over to the next generation. Customized down to the pen spacing and concrete work, it was designed with flexibility and longevity in mind. “We knew we had to build something that would work now and for the transition ahead,” said Andrea. “Someday, my husband and I will take over. This barn is part of that plan.”
For Sterling, seeing Andrea take on this leadership role means much more than expanding the herd. “I didn’t expect Andrea to be the one to come back. But now that she has, I couldn’t be prouder. She doesn’t like to fail, and she’s making this place stronger every day.”
Denise sees it too. “I watch how she takes in the full picture now, how she leads with intention. It’s not the plan she thought she’d follow—but watching her reroute and thrive? That’s what makes me proud.”
Keeping it real for farmers, by farmers
Andrea doesn’t shy away from showing the full picture. From chaotic calving nights to quiet moments of reflection, she opens the fabric barn doors wide for anyone curious about what it really takes to raise cattle today.
And, even after having the Accu-Steel building for a couple of calving seasons, she still gets peppered with questions in her video comments: “What is that barn? Does it hold up in the wind? Is it really that clean? That quiet?” And Andrea responds how she always does. With the truth.
“People don’t believe it at first, not until they see it. Then they get it.”
It’s that honesty—and her willingness to educate—that resonates with others. Denise puts it simply: “She doesn’t just show the good stuff. She shows what it’s really like. That matters.”
Built around life’s pivots
Turns out, the building wasn’t just a structure. It was a symbol of perseverance. A decision rooted in risk, built on resilience, and proof that—with a little creativity and a lot of heart—you can build a future that fits you.
It wasn’t what Andrea expected. But it was exactly what she needed.