The University of Minnesota Extension continued with its tradition of recognizing families active in farming through its annual Farm Families of the Year program.

Eighty-one farm families were recognized Aug. 5 at Farmfest, held on the Gilfillan Estate near Redwood Falls.

Local U-M Extension committees chose families based on their demonstrated commitment to enhancing and supporting agriculture.

Here are several of the farm families that were recognized.

Aitkin County: Godward Wild Rice Farms. In 1950, Tom Godward’s father and uncle experimented growing wild rice in a 1-acre field. Since then, Godward has developed the farm into the largest wild rice farm in Aitkin County. Tom and his wife, Kim, have two sons, Brandon and Nick, who represent the fourth generation of the family to farm.

The Godwards grow soybeans, in addition to their wild rice operation. Tom and Kim are the owners and operators of the farm, and Brandon and Nick help run it. The Godwards’ daughter, Brittany, is an elementary school teacher.

Carver County: Roger and Richard Hoen, Hollandale Farm. Hollandale Farms has been in the Hoen family for more than a century. Leonard Hoen Sr. built a 44-cow tiestall barn in 1957 and added a 34-cow tiestall addition in 1971. In 1977, Leonard, Roger and Richard formed a partnership and named it Hollandale Farms. Leonard passed away three years later, and Roger and Richard continued the partnership.

Roger and Richard run 750 acres. They grow corn, soybeans, alfalfa and oats. Much of what is grown is fed to their livestock. The Hoens are currently phasing out their 98-cow milking herd and will continue to raise about 100 head of young stock and replacement heifers.

Roger and his wife, Carol, have seven children: Jim, Bill, Greg, Tony, Julie, Kellie and Kari. Richard and his wife, Kim, have two children, Kyle and Kelsey. All the kids pitched in to help with farm work when they were young. The boys continue to help with milking, repairs and fieldwork when needed. With the help of family, friends and neighbors over the past few years, the Hoens have been able to keep the family farm operating.

Cass County: Torkelson Cattle Co. Marlin and Kathy Torkelson’s farm has been in the family for 75 years. Marlin’s parents, Hjalmer and Leona, purchased the homestead of 120 acres in 1946. The following year, they built a dairy barn and started milking cows. Marlin began milking in 1970, and at his peak was milking 60 cows after additions were made to the original barn. For several years in the 1970s Marlin also raised Herefords.

In 1979, Marlin and Kathy purchased the farm. Marlin milked until 1992. It was then the Torkelsons traded their dairy cows for beef heifers. The beef operation began with 50 black Angus heifers. The farm has grown to 1,400 acres with 11 land transactions and 1,200 rented acres. Marlin and Kathy’s son, Eric, started buying cows at age 13 and now has a herd of his own. In 2014, Torkelson Cattle Co. LLC was born.

Marlin and Eric take care of 350 cows and background the calves. They grow corn, oats and hay. Kathy helps when time allows, driving tractors, working with the cattle, bringing food to the fields, running for parts and other tasks. Kathy also works full time at Pine River Dental Arts.

Cottonwood County: Jonathan and Brenda Adrian. As a third-generation farmer, Jonathan Adrian continues a farm legacy his grandparents began decades ago. Jon’s maternal grandfather started raising turkeys on range in the 1930s. Jon has farmed for 34 years. During those years Jon has raised turkeys for heavy tom production. He grows corn, soybeans and seed beans.

The Adrian children worked on the farm growing up, and some still do. Jonathan and Brenda’s oldest son, Scott, who was born with spina bifida, helps prepare field meals and turkey loader lunches. Their daughter Melanie is office manager of Adrian Farm; and as a trained veterinary technician, she assists with poult health. Her husband, Daniel, handles maintenance and runs equipment. Jonathan and Brenda’s youngest son, Bryce, a college sophomore, operates equipment and assists with crop work and maintenance while home on breaks. Daughter Rachelle and her Air Force husband, Travis, live in Arizona, where Rachelle is a music therapist and piano teacher.

Pipestone County: Stout Family Farm. The Stout family’s Century Farm was started in 1907 by Ted Stout’s grandfather, Ted Smallfield. Ted’s parents, Bob and Lucien, were the next generation of the family to farm the land. They grew corn and soybeans and raised milk cows, fed fat cattle and kept a few hogs and chickens. They also ran a very successful seed corn business, Stout and Heesch Seeds.

After high school, Ted started farming in 1984 with some cropland and a few Suffolk sheep. He married Joan in 1987 and began a commercial ewe flock, which grew to 500 head. They sold the sheep in 2018. They added pigs to their operation in 1993. The first of two 1,000-head finishing barns were built that year, with a 2,400-head barn built in 2005. A custom manure hauling business was added at the same time.

The Stouts farm 1,100 acres of corn and soybeans in rotation. The family manages three pig finishing barns with a capacity of 4,400 head. The family custom-feeds pigs for Spronk Brothers of Edgerton. The Stouts also own and operate J & T Waste Management. Joan and a crew of part-time employees custom-apply about 18 million gallons a year. Joan also works full time at Pipestone Management in the company’s applied research division.

Ted and Joan’s son Darrell and his wife, Megan, live on the same farm with their sons, Nolan and Mays. Darrell works for Enel Wind Services as a wind tower technician. He helps on the farm after work. Megan works for Nutrien Ag Solutions. The Stouts’ daughter, Aggie, and her husband, Matt Kennedy, live in South Dakota. Aggie is an audiologist, and Matt is employed by Nutrient Advisors.

St. Louis County: Peterson Farm. The Peterson family farm began in the early 1900s as a diversified farm, producing products for the family’s grocery store in Eveleth. The farm was divided in 1970 due to the construction of Highway 53, which split the farm in half. At that time, the farm’s timber was harvested, and the forestland was enrolled in a forest stewardship plan. In the 1980s, Mark Peterson planted his first berries, and in 1990, he had his first market harvest of blueberries.

Mark is the third generation of his family to steward the land his grandfather homesteaded. In 1992, he was recognized as Tree Farmer of the Year by the Minnesota Timber Producers Association for outstanding land stewardship.

While the farm started with blueberries, it has since expanded to include many other types of berries, in addition to maple syrup, and Christmas wreath and garland production. Mark and Carol Peterson are the owner-operators of the farm. Their daughter, Robin Lindseth, and grandchildren Julia and Zack are all involved in the farm, especially during the busy berry picking and maple syrup seasons. Carol’s children Tom, Dawn and Rich also pitch in to help when needed.

Sibley County: Schauer Farms Inc. Schauer Farms, homesteaded in 1888, has had five generations of the family call the farm “home.” Today, the Schauer farm is a three-enterprise operation: the family raises about 350 head of replacement dairy heifers for clients in the surrounding area; they custom-raise about 70 crossbred beef calves for a beef client; and they raise 400 acres of corn, soybeans, alfalfa and orchard hay. Part of the crop operation consists of 1.5 acres of cut flower production under the name Milkhouse Flowers.

Dale and Jeanne Schauer are both semi-retired and help where needed. Tim and Dawn Schauer and their family are the day-to-day managers. The couple’s three sons help with chores: Taylor is a power lineman in Glencoe; Adam, a junior this fall at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, is studying crop and soil science; and Owen will be a sophomore at Glencoe Silver Lake High School.

Learn more about the Farm Families of the Year Program and all 2021 honorees online at extension.umn.edu/farm-families.

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