Mitchell Technical College. His wife, Mary, teaches special education in Beresford for grades kindergarten through third grade. They were married in 1989 and live on the farm site where his mom grew up. Todd and Mary’s daughter, Maggie Vander Laan, is a photographer based in Beresford. Her business is called “Maggie Mae, Creative Co.” She’s been a traveling photographer, shooting weddings as far away as Arizona, Texas and Las Vegas. She photographed 28 weddings last summer. But, with four-year-old daughter Nora at home, she’s going to travel less and shift her business towards doing more photos of seniors and families locally. Maggie’s husband, Merritt O’Connor, works in animal welfare at Smithfield in Sioux Falls. When they’re not caring for the cattle and sheep, Todd and Levi like to hunt, fish and ice fish. Louis’ hobby started by accident when, on a farm sale, he purchased a Deere 4020 which his dad had originally sold from the Beresford Deere dealership. Todd said, “We used that tractor every day for quite a few years.” On a neighbor’s sale, Louis bought a John Deere R, the first diesel John Deere made. They discovered that
tractor had also originally been sold from his dad’s dealership. He added a diesel JD 720 and a rare edition of a 3020. He also has a Deere AR in the collection. “I’d been John Deere all my life and I never knew they made an AR,” he said. The AR was a variation on the A used on small grain farms which could also be modified for use in orchards and groves. Louis said, “After I buy one, Todd says ‘Now that’s enough.’ But a month later when I go to sell one, he says ‘Oh no, don’t sell.’” Carol got them started on another activity when they purchased a buggy on a cousin’s farm sale. “The buggy was just the beginning – you need a horse and harness and more. But it’s a lot of fun,” she said. They have since purchased an Amish-built buggy. Through the ups and downs of the past 60 years and the tough times of the 1980s, Louis said he succeeded in cattle feeding and farming because of stubbornness. But Todd said, “The best thing Dad taught me is to always think about it before you say it – although I don’t always follow that. And he’s been good at teaching me patience.” Louis and Carol Vander Laan with their horse and buggy.
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