Ask most any farm family and they will tell you that the most important “crop” they raise is the next generation of family members.

Mark and Joanne Noll are no exception. They say that raising six children on the farm and seeing them grow up to succeed in a variety of careers has been a source of joy and pride.

“All members of our family seem to be leaders among their peers. We believe that may be due to the respect that they have learned living in our family,” Joanne says.

Only one of the children, Ethan, has chosen to come back to the farm, but Joanne says that the diversity of the careers and lives of all the children has given them a broader world and introduced them to new friends and cultures.

All six are now married, and there is a growing crowd of grandchildren in the mix as well.

Growing up working together with their parents and grandparents has given the Noll siblings a special bond, the Nolls say, one that was made stronger by tragedy when Aaron and his wife, Annie, lost their first-born son, Jonah, to neuroblastoma when he was only five.

“Our faith is the source of our passion, commitment and joy,” Mark says. “Our world is not easy or perfect. We have experienced death, health concerns and ups and downs of farming, but knowing that God has our back can buffer the grief, concerns and stress. If we stop and take stock, we have a good and joyful life with lots to be thankful for.”

You can read a full profile of the Master Farm Family here.