Minnehaha Funeral Home

SOUTH DAKOTA FAMILIES - 2021

THE ORTMAN FAMILY THE OLESEN FAMILY

Turner County, June 2021 Turner County, August 2021

Will and Sherilyn with their sons, Solomon, Christian and Liam. Photo by Lindsey Unruh. Larry, Barb, Clint, Elizabeth, Lance and Paige Olesen.

Will and Sherilyn Ortman produce eggs, beef, dry edible beans, row crops, various small grains and forage crops, and fruit east of Freeman. The Ortmans strive for their operation to be regenerative and sustainable. “We’ve always been about local foods,” Sherilyn said. “We’re interested in adding value that translates into food which people can consume directly. Thankfully that’s a trend that’s growing nationally.”

Their meat is processed under USDA inspection at Hudson Meats & Sausage. In their online store at www.berrybrookorganics.com, they sell meat bundles as well as fresh-ground flour, cornmeal, wheat berries, and grain seed. Products are sold at several Sioux Falls grocery markets and at both Freeman super markets – Freeman Shopping Center and Jamboree Foods.

The Ortman family also has fun in the summer selling homemade ice cream at a pop-up stand in Freeman. The ice cream includes strawberries, sour cherries, raspberries and rhubarb grown on their farm. They also introduced Pfeffernusse ice cream this summer. Larry and Barb Oleson, along with their son, Lance and his wife Elizabeth, raise corn and soybeans plus have a cow-calf herd just north of Turkey Ridge.

For Lance, his first 11 years of farming has been a wild ride. “Since I started in 2010, I feel like I’ve seen all the extremes, from the worst drought in 2012 to the wettest year on record in 2019. I’ve seen record high corn prices and low corn prices. Then you throw the pandemic in there.” Nevertheless, he believes they’re fortunate to be diversified with their expanding cow herd. Lance also enjoys the benefit of having his wife work side-by-side with him. Barb said, “Elizabeth is a huge part of the operation. She can do anything.”

Lance and Elizabeth are confident in the future. Elizabeth said, “I’ve had people say to me that ‘working cows together is a good test of your marriage.’ You learn to have a moment and walk away.” Lance agreed: “What’s said during working cows stays with working cows.”

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