2012 Farm Families of the Year Announced

According to a press release I received from the University of Minnesota Extension, seventy-six families from around the state, one from each participating county, have recently been named a “2012 Farm Family of the Year” by the University of Minnesota.

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From their news release:


The families will be officially recognized in a ceremony Thursday, Aug. 9 at the annual Farmfest near Redwood Falls, Minn. Profiles of the 2012 honorees and information on the recognition event can be found on the University’s farm family website at http://mnfarmfamilies.cfans.umn.edu.


“Farm families and agriculture are a major driver of Minnesota’s economy and the vitality of Minnesota’s rural communities,” said Bev Durgan, dean of University of Minnesota Extension. “The University of Minnesota is proud to recognize these outstanding families for their contributions to agriculture and their communities.”

Families were selected by their local county Extension committees for having demonstrated a commitment to enhancing and supporting agriculture.

Farmfest runs Aug. 7-9 at the Gilfillan Estate, near Redwood Falls, Minn. Event hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Aug. 7 and 8, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 9. Admission is $10 per person, and those 18 and under are admitted free. More information on Farmfest is available atwww.ideaggroup.com/farmfest.

The diversity of Minnesota family farms can be seen by looking at a sample of the 2012 honorees:

Greg Booth and Vickie Kettlewell of Cass County
Sunup Ranch began near Osseo, Minn. in 1950. In 1993, Greg and Vickie Booth began managing the ranch. Today, they have beef cattle, a mare herd, and sell registered Quarter Horses. The family takes the horses to homes all over the world, from the U.S. to Canada to Mexico to Germany to Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Great Britain and Panama.

Oberton Honey Farm of Morrison County
Oberton Honey Farm operates 2,500 colonies of honeybees, producing honey and beeswax in central Minnesota. The bees are placed at 85 locations in Morrison, Todd, Stearns and Cass counties.  During the winter months, the bees are used to pollinate almond trees in California. 

Dave and D.J. Roeser of Ramsey County
Garden Fresh Farms of Maplewood has proven that urban agriculture is sustainable in a warehouse environment. Dave and D.J. Roeser focus on family urban farm growing and selling produce to the community, and manufacturing agriculture equipment for growing produce in warehouses. They also contribute fresh produce to the local food shelf weekly. 

Joe and Pat DeGrood Bros. of Rice County
The DeGrood Bros. third-generation farm was established in 1931. Today the DeGrood brothers raise dairy replacement heifers and finish out approximately 2,400 hogs a year. They also manage 1,500 acres growing corn, soybeans, small grains, and alfalfa. 

Lunemann Family’s Twin Eagle Dairy of Todd County
In 1983, Patrick and Jody Lunemann took over the farm started by Patrick’s grandparents. Called Twin Eagle Dairy, the operation now consists of 635 dairy cows and 750 young stock.  The cows are milked in a 24 stall parallel parlor and baby calves are raised in a new computerized feeder facility. 

Gary and Lori Swanson Family of Washington County
The Swanson family farm in Afton, Minn. has been in operation at the present location since 1942. The farm was originally a dairy, but was converted to a feeder cattle and hog operation when Gary took over in 1976.Today Gary is operating a corn and soybean farm along with feeder cattle. The Swansons use GPS yield monitoring and mapping, grid soil sampling for fertilizing, and lime applications. 

Here is a complete listing of the 2012 University of Minnesota Farm Family of the Year honorees, by county:

County: Family/Farm

1. Aitkin: 4R Charolais and Angus Ranch 
2. Anoka: Daniel Johnson, Curtis Johnson, Dave Johnson, Drew Johnson, Aaron Johnson, Lee Johnson
3. Becker: Jay & Anna Brown Family
4. Benton: Jeremy & Barb Larson Family
5. Big Stone: Gerald & Peggy Heck Family
6. Blue Earth: Bradley & Linda Leiding
7. Brown: Greg & Kari Scholtz Family
8. Carlton: Newman Dairy
9. Carver: Heuer Dairy Inc.
10. Cass: Greg Booth& Vickie Kettlewell
11. Chippewa: Tony & Stacie Schuler Family
12. Chisago: Roger & Linda Blazek
13. Clay: Donald Schenck
14. Clearwater: Dale & Lois Miller
15. Cottonwood: Tom & Marilyn Fast Family
16. Dakota: Bremer Farms:  Roy & Karen Bremer and John & Janet Bremer
17. Dodge: The Alberts Family
18. Douglas: Max & Lyla Radil
19. Faribault: Mark & Sharon Obermeyer Family
20. Fillmore: LeRoy & Darleen Johnson’s Rolling Acres
21. Freeborn: Andrew & Jody Bakken
22. Goodhue: Rostad Farms
23. Grant: Reuss Grain Farms:  Randy & Connie Reuss
24. Hennepin: Marvin D. Johnson
25. Houston: Viking Valley Farm:  Gerald, Duron & Darin Bratland
26. Isanti: David & Donna Whitney – Dew Fresh Produce and Jacob Whitney – Jake’s Apple Shack
27. Jackson: Christopher Family
28. Kanabec: Anderson Standing Rock Ranch
29. Kandiyohi: Carlson Dairy, LLP
30. Kittson: Justin & Donna Dagen
31. Lac qui Parle: Duane & Suzi Haugen
32. Lake of the Woods: Lyle & Millie Wiskow
33. Le Sueur: Curt & Joyce Bohlen Family
34. Lincoln: Dwight & Peggy Buller Family
35. Lyon: Bruce & Juanita Bot Family
36. Mahnomen: The Geray Farm
37. Martin: Gary & Dorothy Janssen and Family
38. McLeod: Duane & Mary Nelson
39. Meeker: Dave & Katie Hendrickson Family
40. Mille Lacs: Eller Family Farm
41. Morrison: Oberton Honey Farm
42. Mower: Gene Anderson Dairy Farm
43. Murray: Bill & Merri Post Family and Ben & Connie Post Family
44. Nicollet: Jeff & Natalie Leonard and Doug & Nancy Wenner
45. Nobles: Perkins
46. Norman: Bryan & Theresa Hest Family
47. Olmsted: Kroening Farms
48. Pine: Martin’s Greenhouses
49. Pipestone: Marlin & Donna Berg and Philip & Laurel Berg & Family
50. Polk: Chuck & Barbara Schulstad
51. Pope: Arne E. Stoen Family
52. Ramsey: Dave and D.J. Roeser
53. Red Lake: Roger & Janel Walter Family
54. Redwood: Breitkreutz Family Farm
55. Renville: Agre Farms
56. Rice: Joe & Pat DeGrood Bros.
57. Rock: The Christians Family Farm
58. Roseau: Eugene & Eunice Millner
59. St. Louis: Byrns Erickson Families
60. Scott: Casey Acres, Inc.
61. Sherburne: Edling Farms Inc.
62. Sibley: Neyers
63. Stearns: Dan & Jolene Schlangen
64. Steele: Rodney & Michelle Krell Family        
65. Stevens: Lampert Farms
66. Swift: Kevin Voorhees Family
67. Todd: Lunemann Family’s Twin Eagle Dairy
68. Traverse: Bruce & Joann Conroy Family
69. Wabasha: Hyde Park Holsteins:  Kevin & Kay Siewert Family and Kerwin & Sandy Siewert
70. Wadena: Mertens Family Dairy Farm
71. Waseca: Paul & Marijo Beckstrand
72. Washington: Gary & Lori Swanson Family
73. Watonwan: Anderson Farm
74. Winona: David & Kristi Tveten Family
75. Wright : Valley View Dairy:  Dan & Erica Elsenpeter and Luke & Elizabeth Elsenpeter
76. Yellow Medicine: Paul & Jamie Kvistad Family

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]