October 2020
Century Farms
PAGE 11
Fourth generation of Nyquists returns to ensure family farm’s success By BAILEY GRUBISH bailey.grubish@apgsomn.com JANESVILLE —Bob Nyquist, a third generation farmer, lives on his family farm with his wife Pam, and their daughter Angela Nyquist. The Nyquist family farm is 92 acres in total consisting of farmland, hunting land, pastures, wildlife area and living areas. In 2020 the Nyquist farm hit 100 years old, making it eligible for the Century Farm recognition program sponsored by the Minnesota State Fair and the Minnesota Farm Bureau. This program recognizes farms that have been in continuous ownership by a family for 100 years or more. The family received an outdoor metal sign to designate it as a “Century Farm” and a certificate signed by the governor of Minnesota and presidents of the Minnesota Farm Bureau and the Minnesota State Fair.
Pam Nyquist lets the chickens out to feed and wonder around the farm property. The farm consists of beef cattle, egg laying hens and crop farming. (Bailey Grubish/southernminn.com)
The Nyquist family farm celebrated 100 years in 2020 and is officially recognized by the Minnesota State Fair as a century farm. Bob, daughter Angela and wife Pam Nyquist all work on the farm together. (Bailey Grubish/ southernminn.com) for the Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton School District for many years.
Betty (Oliver) Nyquist lived her en“It kind of honored the grandparents tire life on the farmstead and both that we’re still here,” Bob Nyquist said of Bob Nyquist’s parents lived there his entire life in the original home on about the Century Farm award. the property. He figures the original Bob Nyquist’s grandparents, Ben house is over 100 years old and has and Nellie Oliver founded the farm- been added onto at least once. stead in 1920. They moved from the Mapleton/Winnebago, Minnesota, Bob Nyquist has lived on the family area after leaving their jobs in order farm his entire life. He officially took to farm. Ben Oliver sold insurance over the farm in 1994 with his wife and Nellie Oliver taught before pur- Pam helping out part-time while she Pam Nyquist lets the chickens out to feed and wonder around the chasing the farm and having three worked. She grew up on a dairy farm farm property. The farm consists of beef cattle, egg laying hens and crop farming. (Bailey Grubish/southernminn.com) south of Waseca. children. and crop farming when he started working on the farm, but eventually Bob Nyquist sold the pigs completely and brought back the beef cattle. Today, the farm consists of a mixed breed of Angus/Hereford beef cattle, laying hens, barn cats, corn, hay and He worked at Birds Eye and other alfalfa, and a garden. jobs before fully committing to farming, but he has farmied the land since “I couldn’t see anyone else running When they operated the farm there graduating from high school. He’s the place so I stayed here,” Bob Nywere chickens, beef cattle and pigs on been full time since 1983. quist said. the farm. While working on the farm Stan Nyquist also drove a school bus The farm consisted of pigs, chickens His mother Betty (Oliver) Nyquist, the youngest of Ben and Nellie’s three children, decided she wanted to stay on the farm and work, so in 1973 she took over along with her husband Stan Nyquist’s help. Stan grew up in Janesville and worked in construction briefly, prior to farming.
Once out at the farm, they built a new home on the property adjacent to the original home his grandparents and parents lived in, leaving the original house for storage.
have to be at this time,” Angela Nyquist said. “We’ll see what happens in “It’s worked out pretty well,” Bob Nyquist said of working as a family on the future, you never know.” the farm. “There’s always a difference She helps with any task or job on the of opinions, but it’s worked out.” farm including bottle feeding a calf she calls little miss.
www.fleetsupplymn.com
Your Head Quarters for All Your Hardware – Farm – Home Paint – Feed – Clothing – Needs
Bob and Pam Nyquist’s daughter Angela Nyquist returned to the family farm after obtaining her bachelor’s degree in animal science with a minor in agriculture business at South Dakota State University. “I loved being in South Dakota, coming back it was an adjustment, but it was also if I wanted to continue to be a part of my family’s history, this is where I
FARIBAULT 80 Western Ave
(507) 334-3232
Mon – Fri 8am-8pm, Sat 8am-6pm, Sun 10am-4pm Since 1905
