Age Media Qtr Page Color 7-12-19.pdf 1 7/12/2019 11:22:43 AM
A state-of-the-art meeting space in the loft of the barn at The Farm.
“I always had a dream to honor the memory of our ancestors and to do it in a way that’s faith-based and tells the story of immigrant families,” said Gary Jerke, who, with his wife, Janice, developed and operate a rural retreat center called “The Farm” which is completing its first full year. It is a nonprofit organization overseen by a nine-member volunteer board under the name Faith & Family First Inc. Gary said the intention is to focus on what he calls the “8 F’s.” The first two “F’s” are the foundation for everything else – faith and family. “I’ve always felt they are the cornerstones of our society. If you don’t have a strong faith and a strong family network, then our society is going to crumble,” he said. The next “F” is freedom – they are working with groups such as the VFW and the American Legion to develop a patriotic freedom display. Other “F” themes are fitness and health, financial well-being, farm life, and folklore and fun. Of course, farm life wouldn’t be fun if one overlooked the “F” of food. “Kuchen and chislic are two of South Dakota’s state foods and, of course, those are traditions from our local German-Russian ancestors.” When Gary and Jan give tours of the local area, there are usually stops featuring kuchen and chislic. They also plan to have cooking and canning classes. Over a calendar year, programs will be developed around each of the eight “F’s.” Among Gary and Jan’s inspirations for pursing development of the retreat center was the Bible verse found in Exodus October 2021 | www.agemedia.pub | The Farming Families Magazine
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