Mark Kasten State Farm

Without great communication, things can and will go wrong and do so quickly too,” he said. John added that trust and honest communication is vital. It was explained to him at an early age that if someone tells a lie, it takes seven more lies to cover for that one lie, and those seven lies have their own webs that need to be covered. So, it's best to be honest and always follow that rule, especially in a society where so many families are depending on each other. These principles have served Oak Lane well as the colony has been successful and grown in spite of many challenges over the years. One of the more memorable instances was a storm in 1997 when straight-line winds damaged many homes and barns on the property. After the storm, over 200 people from neighboring colonies came to help rebuild and clean up the debris. “There was a silver-lining that came from that storm, however,” joked John. “At least five marriages and subsequent families blossomed from relationships formed cleaning up after that storm.” John’s wife, Sara, also has a leadership role at Oak Lane as the head cook. She oversees the production of three meals a day for all the residents and any guests that can and often do stop by for a meal. Oak Lane is known for their baked goods and buns which Sara and the women produce for their needs. They often also bake for area events and gatherings. The colony is also known for the smoked ribs they produce. In 2021, they cooked over 2,200 pounds of ribs to fill orders from customers.

Mark Kasten, Agent 180 N Main Ave Parker, SD 57053 Bus: 605-297-4747 mark@markkasten.com 180 N Main Ave. Parker, SD 57053 Bus: 605-297-4747

368 N Main St. Freeman, SD 57029 Bus: 605-925-7353

mark@markkasten.com

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Feeding 31 families rarely stops when you’re part of a largely self-sufficient farming colony.

The lineage of Oak Lane traces through Rockport Colony, founded in 1934, and back to the first Hutterite Colony in Dakota Territory: Bon Homme Colony, founded in 1874. Over the last 150 years and many generations, the basic doctrine of Hutterite religious principles have remained the same. However, there are things on a colony like Oak Lane that have certainly evolved. John said the long-term success of Oak Lane or any colony is dependent upon several factors. The most important is to ensure young people are educated properly and that the colony is set up for long-term success. “When we build a new barn, we build it so that our grandchildren will one day use that same barn,” he said. “We try to use the best materials we can to make sure it's done right the first time.” Oak Lane grows corn, soybeans, and alfalfa along with raising beef cattle, turkeys, and a farrow-tofinish hog operation. They also have 300 head of Jersey cows which will be transitioning to a robotic milking operation this year. Diversification is important in any business, and Oak Lane exemplifies that. John believes it is important to be a good neighbor locally and within