Southern Minnesota Century Strong | October 2021 | C14
Jason Sam is the fourth generation of Sams to live on his family’s on 255th Street outside Faribault. The farm was named a 2021 Century Farm. (Tom Nelson photo)
Sam honors his forefathers’ work while planing for the future
By TOM NELSON editor@apgsomn.com
C
entury Farm status is a special honor for any family farm, but for Faribault’s James Sam, the award presented to his farm for 100 years of continuous family ownership just seems to be part of his DNA. “I am just really gratified to be able to stay here and do this,” Sam said of the 2021 honor. “Typically, there’s only a few
Century Farms in the county per year, so it is quite an accomplishment just to survive. “Of course, you have want to do it (farming). A lot of people in my Dad’s generation and my generation, they just did not want to farm, but I always wanted to farm. There was nothing else I ever wanted to do. I just tried to figure out a way to keep farming.” Sam continues to work the same property
that has been in his family for over 100 years, which includes the original 80 acres that were purchased by his great grandfather Jens Sam back in 1919. A Norwegian immigrant, Jens and his family, which included four children, had lived in two other locations in Minnesota before the purchase of the property on 255th Street East near Faribault.
“It is cold here and reminded them of home. I don’t know why they didn’t go where it was warmer but they stayed
