Brian Ryberg smiles May 21 at Ryberg Farms in rural Buffalo Lake. Ryberg took over the farm from his father, Howard, in 1997.
(Top) A planter waits to be used May 21 at Ryberg Farms in rural Buffalo Lake. Brian Ryberg hires help for fall harvest.
BY RAE LANZRATH STAFF WRITER
BUFFALO LAKE —
As times change, operators must adapt to new equipment, new technology and new management techniques. Brian Ryberg has experienced many of these changes throughout his life and career as a farmer.
“I remember when we had an 8-row planter and a 40-foot sprayer,” Ryberg said. “Now, we have two 36-row planters and 132foot sprayers.”
Ryberg Farms currently manages 6,500 acres of tillable land, growing corn, soybeans and sugar beets. While corn covers most of
Changes Changes
their land, sugar beets take the most time, Ryberg said.
“The way (sugar beets) are harvested makes them much more time-consuming,” Ryberg said. “In our 900 acres of sugar beets, we’ll spend way more time doing that than in our 3,500 acres of corn.”
Crops like corn and soybeans are more efficient because of the way they are harvested and stored, Ryberg said.
Technology advancements in equipment have brought both challenges and benefits to operations. Ryberg said that, because equipment is more technology-based, it is harder to repair on the farm.
“We can fix some things,” Ryberg said. “Most of the time, we have to call John Deere because we can’t work around the computers.”
While this makes for challenges, the pros far outweigh the cons for Ryberg and his employees. Ryberg said his equipment is fitted with auto-steer and GPS, two things he did not have
when he was younger.
“The auto-steer goes out, and you almost forget that you can manually steer,” Ryberg said. Because repairs can be more difficult on newer equipment, Ryberg said he works closely with his local John Deere implement dealer.
Ryberg page 2
County Renville
PHOTOS BY RAE
Published by
Star Publications
Copyright 2024
522 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN 56378
Phone: 320-352-6577
Fax: 320-352-5647
NEWS STAFF
Mark Klaphake, Editor
Mark.k@dairystar.com
Rae Lanzrath, Assistant Editor raeanna.l@star-pub.com
Country Acres will be published the first Saturdays of April, May, June, September, October and November, and the third Saturday of every month. Deadline for news and advertising is the Friday a week before publication.
ISSN: Print 2834-6440 Online 2834-6459
Ryberg from front
During the winter months, all his equipment is run through their farm shop to make sure it is clean and in working order. The equipment is also brought to John Deere for an inspection as a precautionary measure.
“It takes time and money to do that,” Ryberg said. “But then, if some-
thing dies during harvest, they’re able to help you more because it was just inspected, so it’s worth it.”
Another major change Ryberg has experienced in his lifetime is help on the farm. He said finding employees today can be tough, as it is not a very glamorous job. Ryberg Farms has three full-time employees, plus Ryberg himself. During busy harvest
times, though, they need more hands on deck.
“We’ve started hiring people who travel around in campers or RVs (recreational vehicles) and work around the country,” Ryberg said. “It’s definitely a new and different way to do things, but they usually come back year after year, and it works well for everyone.”
The temporary employees primarily help with harvesting sugar beets, Ryberg said.
“The beet processing plant in Renville is growing,” Ryberg said.
“So, we’re able to haul more than we used to, and there aren’t many people who grow sugar beets anymore.”
Ryberg said as com-
modity prices have varied throughout the years, he has seen farms choose to grow different crops. Sugar beets used to be very profitable for producers, whereas corn brought in less money, and then it flipped the other way. Now, sugar beet prices are back on the rise, and corn has stayed fairly stagnant. While things have seemed to be ever-changing, one thing that has not changed over the years is that Ryberg’s farm has remained family owned. Ryberg currently lives on the same farm on which he grew up in rural Buffalo Lake.
Ryberg page 3
ST R T
Publications bli ti “The newspaper of today is the history of tomorrow.”
Saturday, June 14, 2025 5:30 to 8:00 pm
PHOTOS BY RAE
LANZRATH
Brian Ryberg examines equipment May 21 at Ryberg Farms in rural Buffalo Lake. Ryberg grows 6,500 acres of corn, soybeans and sugar beets.
A farm photo is displayed May 21 at Ryberg Farms in rural Buffalo Lake. Brian Ryberg still lives on the original farm his father purchased in 1969.
Ryberg from page 2
“It’s a funny story because my dad purchased two farms and both had houses on them,” Ryberg said. “So, he had to decide which one we’d live in, and he picked this one, and now, we’re still here.”
His dad, Howard, originally purchased the parcel in 1969. After
attending college, Ryberg returned home, where he farmed alongside his father for 10 years. In 1997, Howard retired and Ryberg officially took over.
Ryberg’s nephew, Chris, is a full-time employee at the farm and is transitioning into taking on more responsibility.
“It’s always good to have a plan for the future,” Ryberg said. “You never know what is going to happen, and I want the farm to be in good hands when I do retire.”
BY RAE LANZRATH STAFF WRITER
GLENWOOD — Prioritizing his health has led Cody Kurowski to own and operate a successful garden and produce business. North Lakeshore Gardens, situated on the shores of Lake Minnewaska, provides customers with fresh, healthy produce.
“I was overweight myself,” Kurowski said. “I needed to make a change somehow. So I started eating healthier, and now, I just feel better overall.”
From tomatoes to radishes to lettuce, Kurowski grows more than 30 vegetables in his
garden, which covers nearly an acre.
In 2021, Kurowski moved to Glenwood and planted a small backyard garden. He said he had a few raised garden beds and grew some basics, like lettuce and green beans.
“I started because I just wanted to have some fresh produce for myself,” Kurowski said.
Kurowski said he found that, as he ate healthier foods, he felt better and had more energy. He has developed an appreciation for fresh produce
and eating high-quality vegetables.
“I can taste a quality difference,” Kurowski said.
“You get used to eating good food when you’re growing it yourself.”
Over the past four years, Kurowski’s garden has grown from a few raised beds to four high-tunnel greenhouses and 1600 square feet of outdoor growing space.
Kurowski starts growing his plants inside the greenhouses in February so that he will have some
vegetables ready to harvest by spring. Lettuce, tomatoes, bell peppers and snap peas are just a few of the vegetables that are started inside.
As the weather warms up, he begins growing more plants outside. Lettuce varieties are grown outside as well as strawberries, carrots and broccoli.
Kurowski said one of his biggest sellers is different
types of lettuce and salad bags, which are a combination of greens.
“We plant lettuce weekly from April until September,” Kurowski said. “You can usually only get one or two crops from lettuce plants, so this way, we always have more coming.”
Kurowski page 6
PHOTO BY RAE LANZRATH
Cody Kurowski stands at his farm store May 17 at North Lakeshore Gardens in Glenwood. Kurowski grows and sells 30 kinds of vegetables.
Summer REBATES for Precision Planting Parts
plants grow in a high-tunnel greenhouse May 17 at North Lakeshore Gardens in Glenwood. The hightunnel greenhouses are equipped with sprinklers, fans and heat.
1–Nov. 30, 2025 - $500 rebate Planter Upgrade Program
of 9 NCM’s
June 1–Sept. 31, 2025
$50/row on each product: vDrive, Deltaforce, SpeedTube, SmartFIrmer, SmartDepth, vApplyHD, and EMHD
Kurowski from page 5
One Stop Planter Shop
Some of the Best Planter and Sprayer Rebates we have ever seen starting JUNE 1st. Take Advantage NOW!
The North Lakeshore Garden farm store is open on weekends, just down the road from Kurowski’s home and garden. The store is fully stocked with any produce that is ready to be harvested.
“I’m trying to help people realize that eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to eat a salad every day,” Kurowski said. “There are so many options for eating healthy, and the first step is just buying good food.”
Kurowski is not a certified organic grower; however, he does not use any chemicals on his plants and follows organic practices. He has bug nets over the top of both the broccoli and strawberry plants to protect the plants from pests.
“Those plants are more susceptible to bugs,” Kurowski said. “This
protects them instead of spraying them.”
Another way Kurowski protects his garden from pests is by enclosing the entire area with fencing tall enough to keep deer out, he said. The tall fencing also keeps smaller pests, such as raccoons or cats, out of the garden.
“It’s extremely protected from any animals,” Kurowski said. “Even my dog knows he’s not allowed to go in there.”
While Kurowski has learned how to successfully grow and protect his plants, it has not come without its challenges. Kurowski grew up in
Kurowski page 9
If you’re thinking upgrades to your planter or sprayer, maybe a completely new bar, we are here to help you with all your needs! Give us a call today with any questions you might have! HURRY, Rebates won’t last long! Take
Lettuce is ready to be harvested May 17 at North Lakeshore Gardens in Glenwood. Salad kits are sold at the farm stand.
Little collections
It certainly is nice to see green grass and colorful flowers blooming, even though most of the flowers that are blooming at our house right now are dandelions. All spring, my kids have been learning about nature by exploring every bug, rock and plant. They watched a TV show this spring, and the main character collected many items. So, now, my kids want to have a collection, too. Every few days, each of them changes their mind about what they want to collect. However, they usually revolve around items in nature they found around the farm. Allison and Carson have picked blades of grass, leaves, pinecones, dandelions and rocks to bring into the house.
He usually asks me to help since his little puff of air only blows about a quarter of the seeds off. While I was happy he was able to poof it himself, I was not happy I had dandelion seeds all over the floor.
By Tiffany Klaphake
I have drawn the line at bugs. Bugs do not belong in the house, and, thankfully, so far, the kids are excited to see the different bugs but do not want to touch or hold them.
The regular grass in our backyard, for the most part, goes untouched, except the dandelions and crabgrass. The dandelions are fun for the kids, whether they are in the yellow flowering stage or the white puffy stage, going to seed. Allison brings bouquets of each kind into the house or carries them around the yard. Carson likes to pick the biggest and tallest ones he can find. They both insist I put them in a jar with water because they picked them just for me. While I am touched that they thought to get me flowers, having the white puffy ones in the house means they are really hard to sweep up once they drop the seeds. Trust me, I found this out the hard way. A few days ago, Carson brought one really tall dandelion that was white and had a full head of seeds. He was so excited, he came running into the house, where I was making supper, and said, “Mommy, Mommy, look at what I found!” So, of course, I turned around to look, and, as I did, he blew it — poof — and the seeds went all over. He was so proud that he was able to blow the whole thing by himself.
Last weekend, Jason and Dan were harvesting first crop hay, and after the kids had their nap, I brought them outside to watch all the tractors and wagons buzzing around the field at a safe distance. When the tractors got to the other end of the field and we could not see them, the kids would explore the trees, bushes and grass along the edge of the field. Before long, Allison had a handful of crabgrass blades in her hand, and Carson had plucked a small handful of leaves from a bush. They were both proud of their latest collection and carried it most of the way back to the yard.
The collection that has lasted the longest and that the kids are the most excited about is their rock collection. We typically spend most of our time outside if the weather is nice. The kids and I like going for walks, and as we walk along the road we live on, Allison and Carson stop to pick up rocks. Allison selects only the white ones that are about the size of a dime. Carson goes for the blue ones, no matter the size. They each have a container in their room for their rocks. They like to check on their rocks from time to time, and, quite often, Madison wants to see the collection. Like most 1-year-olds, she likes to put everything in her mouth. So, the rock collections either go back outside or on a higher shelf. I know I had a rock collection when I was younger, and I do not want to stop them from exploring nature, so we still have lots of rocks in the house.
As summer rolls around and as Madison gets more independent, I am sure she will start her own collections. In the meantime, if you see us walking down the road staring at the ground, we are searching for white or blue rocks.
Faith, family, farming
conventional agriculture, working on dairy farms alongside his father, who operates machinery in corn and soybean fields.
“Growing conventional corn is much different than growing these vegetables,” Kurowski said.
produce, and he continues to learn as he goes.
“You work with what you have, and each year, we’ve made improvements to try and make things more efficient,” Kurowski said.
that’s when there are problems.”
Kurowski said he has learned through trial and error as well as research on growing methods and techniques.
“I didn’t know what I was doing to start,” Kurowski said. “But I figured it out because eating healthy changed my life, and I knew it could do the same for other people.”
Kurowski said he has learned how to balance efficiency with quality while growing the
For example, Kurowski has installed sprinklers, fans and heat in his high-tunnel greenhouses. With these improvements, he was able to control the temperature inside more easily. However, he had to learn how to cool the space if it gets too hot.
“Some plants are heat-sensitive, so you have to keep the temperature in that sweet spot,” Kurowski said. “When the weather fluctuates from chilly in the morning to hot
Along with selling produce, Kurowski spends several hours a week working on his online presence. He provides his customers with weekly newsletters that offer tips and tricks for growing vegetables, recipes and ways to find high-quality food.
“You have to start somewhere,” Kurowski said. “Sometimes, that’s just putting in the effort to buy some fresh vegetables.”
PHOTOS BY RAE LANZRATH
Cody Kurowski tends his plants May 17 at North Lakeshore Gardens in Glenwood. Kurowski has four high-
Vegetables grow inside greenhouses May 17 at North Lakeshore Gardens in Glenwood. Cody Kurowski uses netting to protect high-risk vegetables from bugs and other pests.
BY RAE LANZRATH STAFF WRITER
ALEXANDRIA — Mar-
vin and Kathy Hoffman began Fruitful Seasons Dairy in 2008 and now operate the farm with the help of their son, Chester, and daughter-in-law, Lois.
“We used to say we would never own a milk cow,” Kathy said. “But, after researching the benefits of quality raw dairy, we bought one cow, and now here we are.”
The couple purchased Jer-
(from
sey cows for their herd. Kathy said she appreciates the higher solid content in Jersey milk compared to other breeds, especially for cheesemaking.
Currently, the farm is home to around 50 animals, including young stock and the cows.
Their entire herd produces A2A2 milk, Kathy said. The A2 protein found in milk has been reported to be able to be consumed by those with lactose intolerance issues. To produce A2A2 milk, both sire and dam must be A2 and pass
holding Gideon, Chester, Marvin and Kathy Hoffman gather May 22 at Fruitful Seasons Dairy near Alexandria. The Hoffmans have been milking cows since 2008.
the gene to their offspring.
“It took us around 10 years to breed our herd for that gene,” Kathy said.
The Hoffmans chose to breed their herd specifically for the A2 gene because they wanted to be able to sell their products to more customers without worrying about lactose intolerance.
“We milk once a day, in the morning,” Kathy said. “You do lose some production by only milking once a day, but then you’re not milking in the evenings, too, so
it’s worth it for us.”
The Hoffmans milk 16 cows a day in a four-stall stanchion barn.
The milk is stored in a bulk tank until it is time to make cheese, which usually happens twice a week.
Kathy said that during the winter, there is less cheese being made because production tends to be lower.
On cheese-making days, pumps are attached to the bulk tank, and the milk is transferred to the cheese room.
The milk is processed and turned into curds and whey.
Hoffman page 12
PHOTO BY RAE LANZRATH
Lois
left)
Hoffman from page 12
“We all have our roles,” Chester said. “Mom and I milk the cows, and she makes the cheese. Dad can fix equipment and works on the infrastructure and does basically anything that is needed. Lois helps milk or helps with cheese when we need her.”
Running a dairy farm is a full-time job, Kathy said. From daily milking to feeding to making cheese, the Hoffmans have plenty of work to do and try to find ways to maximize their efficiency.
The Hoffmans have recently switched to using a bull to breed their cows, instead of artificial insemination, Kathy said they made this switch because it is more efficient from a time and financial standpoint.
Their animals are kept on pasture and are completely grass-fed. The Hoffmans pride themselves on making sure their animals are not confined to a barn.
Marvin and Kathy began their dairy in search of healthier, high-quality products, and now they are able to share those products with their family and community.
Milk and
PHOTO BY RAE LANZRATH
cheese is displayed May 22 at Fruitful Seasons Dairy near Alexandria. The farm offers more than 10 varieties of cheese made on-site.
Raising a Farmer nonprofit uses its direct-to-market products and workshops to educate people on the farm lifestyle.
BY BEN SONNEK STAFF WRITER
ration and the confidence to start a blog,” Brenda said.
That blog, Raising a Farmer, morphed into the educational and direct-to-market nonprofit the Rudolphs have today.
BOWLUS — Even if one’s life does not involve farming, it is worth knowing where one’s food comes from — as well as who is growing it. Through their products and educational programs, the family of Nathan and Brenda Rudolph and their nonprofit, Raising a Farmer, are bringing that knowledge to students and customers, whether that means taking their food to the people or bringing the people to their farm near Bowlus.
“It’s meeting people where they are,” Brenda
said. “That’s part of what Raising a Farmer does: We go into urban communities and partner with local artists, and then we give access to people and community members.”
The Rudolphs’ children — Everett and Vivian — are the sixth generation to live on the farm, founded in 1892 on Nathan’s side of the family. Nathan and Brenda purchased the farm in 2011.
In 2014, when Brenda was expecting Vivian, she had to juggle a job, farm life and raising a toddler. She talked to friends about the struggle but found they did not really understand, so she went to a dairy moms’ workshop facilitated by Midwest Dairy.
“That gave me the inspi-
The Rudolphs had a dairy farm, but they sold the milk cows in 2019 as they transitioned to a direct-to-market farm.
“We had everything in place for selling to restaurants and stuff, and then COVID happened,” Brenda said. “That put things on hold, … and we started in 2021 with direct market. We did it in 2020, but it wasn’t as prominent as it is now.”
One factor that initially pushed the farm toward the direct-to-market model was a drop in milk prices, which meant the Rudolphs had to either milk more cows or evolve.
“We didn’t want to add cows (or) add onto the buildings or things like that,” Brenda said. “I knew (direct-to-market) was where the market was going, even prior to COVID; if we were wanting to stay small, then that was what we needed to do.
It takes about five different revenue streams to make the farm work; it’s not just that.”
The farm manages swine, custom-raised steers, sheep, and poultry, like ducks, geese, turkeys and chickens. The ducks and geese are just hobby birds, but the chickens provide eggs, and Everett cares for feather-footed Cochin chickens, which he shows and sells.
Rudolph page 16
BY BEN SONNEK
Viewed through a tire swing, one of the Rudolphs’ chickens wanders through the yard April 29 on their farm near Bowlus. Their chicken breeds include Cochin chickens, which Everett Rudolph raises to show and sell.
Rudolph from page 16
Raising a Farmer has held several workshops. One held in the spring of 2025 focused on underserved communities, demonstrating how to make sourdough. Another workshop for youth in 2024 was dedicated to rural arts, animal husbandry and local foods.
“We had stations set up around the farm,” Brenda said. “One area was quilting, one was wool spinning, another one was watercolors and basic art (and) we had woodworking.”
With the cooking classes, Raising a Farmer sources its ingredients from their food hub and farmers markets, working to dispel the myth that food costs more from those sources than it does from the supermarket.
“You can make quick and easy meals just out of ingredients sourced from (the farmers) market,” Brenda said.
Raising a Farmer works with urban and at-risk youth who would not otherwise have access to a farm. Brenda takes every question she receives as valid.
One of the biggest surprises for first-time visitors is how much space there is in the country.
“When kids come to the farm who are living in town, they do not
have space compared to what my kids have,” Brenda said. “The kids don’t want to leave because they want to be outside, be in the grass and go from one area to the next area. … The thing we were surprised about last year was how many kids wanted to learn how to quilt. I thought that was going to be an activity where you’d have to really get encouraging, but with that activity, they could’ve spent hours.”
Brenda and her farming mother friends have noticed, to the point of it being their inside joke, that there is a cycle every spring and fall of universities wanting to do another study of why farm children are generally healthy. The Rudolphs are always willing to show people for themselves, whether they come for the food or the workshops — and, if they have questions, they welcome them.
“Always ask questions,” Brenda said. “That’s the biggest thing. If you don’t know something, it’s so important to ask questions about it, whatever it is.”
PHOTOS BY BEN SONNEK
*Offer ends 6/30/2025. Available at participating and eligible dealers only. Offer may vary by product type, series, model and select units in dealer’s current inventory. Must take delivery from dealer stock by 6/30/2025. Offers available on new equipment in US and Canada only. Some restrictions apply. Length of contract and rate may vary. Monthly payment subject to change. Prior purchases not eligible. See dealer for details. Financing provided on approval of credit by authorized Bobcat finance providers to well-qualified buyers. All finance programs and rates are subject to final approval by the applicable Bobcat finance provider and are subject to change at any time without notice. Administrative fees may apply. Offer not available to government accounts, national accounts and municipal/utility bid customers. Bobcat Company reserves the right to extend or discontinue any of these programs at any time without prior notice.
(Top) Brenda (left) and Vivian Rudolph rouse Hans, one of their hogs, April 29 on the Rudolph’s farm near Bowlus. The Raising a Farm nonprofit hosts workshops on its farm to introduce people to the lifestyle.
(Right) One of the Rudolph family’s oldest barns still stands April 29 near Bowlus. Nathan and Brenda Rudolph’s children — Everett and Vivian — are the sixth generation of the Rudolph family to live on the farm.
PAYNESVILLE
Getting READY FOR COMPETITION SEASON
BY RAE LANZRATH STAFF WRITER
SPICER — As county fair season begins, 4-H members are working tirelessly with their animals, on craft projects and in gardens to prepare for competition.
But for Erynn Bergh of Spicer, preparing and exhibiting rabbits is a year-round endeavor. Shows include the Kandiyohi County Fair, the Minnesota State Fair and shows put on by the American Rabbit Breeders Association.
“I started because a family I knew had a rabbit and asked me if I wanted to show it,” Bergh said. “I loved it so much, and now, it’s been nine years.”
Bergh owns around 50 rabbits and shows five different breeds: mini rex, mini lop, mini satin, Polish and Havana.
“Each breed has different
qualities they are scored on,” Bergh said. “There are color patterns, size requirements, head shape, and overall health and appearance that they can all get judged on.”
Along with breed classes, there are also age classes. Bergh competes in four-class shows - junior doe, junior buck, senior doe and senior buck.
“For our shows, the senior classes are animals above 6 months old, and the junior classes are under 6 months,” Bergh said.
During the shows, rabbits are placed onto tables with their handlers standing on one side and the judges on the other.
“We set them up, like you do cattle or goats, on the table, and each breed has a way they’re supposed to be set up,” Bergh said. “Some are placed more in a tight ball, some are sat up more and some are stretched all the way out.”
Bergh shows rabbits on many stages
During judging, handlers are asked questions about their animals, the breed, scoring and overall rabbit-related questions.
There are a few factors that get participants disqualified from showing their rabbit, Bergh said. If an animal is visibly sick, they are immediately disqualified. The judges also check their feet for broken toes, a common injury in rabbits. They also must be the right age. If any of the animals do not meet the qualifications, they will not be able to be shown.
Bergh page 20
PHOTO BY RAE LANZRATH
Erynn Bergh holds a rabbit May 28 in Spicer. Bergh has been showing rabbits for nine years.
Bergh said she has shown cattle and llamas at fairs as well. Showing rabbits is much different because they are significantly smaller. You cannot from page
walk them around, and they have to sit completely still.
Showing rabbits may be slightly different than other livestock, but the hard work and dedication put into them behind the scenes is still the same. Bergh cares for her rabbits daily, ensuring they are fed, watered and healthy.
“We clean their cages as often as we need to, and we trim their nails every other week,” Bergh said. “On days when I have free time, I’m usually tattooing their ears for their IDs (identifications).”
Because the rabbits are shown in registered competitions, they must all have tattoos in their ears as a means of identification.
“We also have to make sure the pregnant ones have nesting boxes and breed the ones that need (to be) bred,” Bergh said.
The rabbits are all kept separated to avoid uncontrolled breeding, but reproduction is necessary to keep growing their group. Bergh said they have to make sure they are breeding the right animals together because some will not have healthy babies.
“For some reason, if you breed two broken-patterned rexes together, they have
‘peanuts,’” Bergh said. “Those babies fail to thrive and will die either immediately upon birth or shortly after.”
The gestation of a rabbit is between 28 and 32 days, Bergh said. Most of the time, her rabbits will have between three and five babies at a time. Nesting boxes, where the rabbits give birth, are placed into their pens a few days before their expected due date.
“Once the babies get a little bigger, we switch the nesting box to an open-top box,” Bergh said. “That way, they can still be warm and feel safe, but it’s cleaner and more open.”
Weaning happens at around 6 weeks of age for the rabbits, Bergh said. She said it depends on the litter, but she tries to keep one animal from each group. If the babies make good show animals, she will probably keep more. She has also had some litters where she sells all of the babies.
“It’s just a management thing,” Bergh said. “You can’t keep all of them, and you can’t sell all of them. You have to have balance.”
Bergh has dedicated a large portion of her life to caring for and showing her rabbits. She has just finished her junior year at New London-Spicer High School and plans to continue showing rabbits as long as she can.
“I will go to college, so that will change things a little bit,” Bergh said. “But I’m definitely not going to quit showing or raising rabbits. I love it too much.”
Great Plains keeps raising the bar when it comes to seeding performance in a box drill. The legendary BD7600 features an industry-leading box capacity, a durable, field-tested design, and the innovative Great Plains Metering System for greater accuracy across all seed types, from traditional to cover crops.
Why did you choose to have this event on your farm?
CoJo Dairy Farm
Grove City | Meeker County
A c
the
o s s Acres cres
Tell us about your farm. Greg Jans and his son, Joe, are the owners. We milk 1,100 cows in a double-18 parlor. We also farm 1,500 acres of hay and corn and use sand lanes to reclaim sand. The farm was established in 1942 and was expanded thereafter.
What kind of preparation did you do to prepare for the event? We did a lot of cleaning that gets forgotten or pushed aside throughout the year. We host other tours throughout the spring, so it’s pretty much ready to go. We host fifth graders from Willmar and Litchfield.
What kind of activities will be part of your event? Meeker County American Dairy Association is serving grilled cheese and root beer floats, tours of the farm will be given throughout the day, and kids activities like a slide and a scavenger hunt and a coloring contest will be offered. Several vendors will also be there. Everyone is welcome June 14 from 5-8 p.m.
Why did you choose to have this event at your farm? Meeker County goes around the ADA and asked us if we would be willing to do it.
Explain why events like these are important for the agriculture community. It’s important to let people know how operations run and to see firsthand how we operate. It’s not all on the internet or what they hear from other people. It’s a good way for people who are interested in seeing it to see it. The tour will show all aspects of the farm. They can experience what goes on. It is a good presentation for people if they haven’t been on a farm.
Vetsch Dairy Farm
Browerville Todd County
Tell us about your farm. We milk 250 cows using three robots and a double-8 parallel parlor; 180 go through the robots and 80 through the parlor. We raise corn and alfalfa on 600 acres. Four kids and my wife help.
What kind of preparation did you do to prepare for the event? Not much, we’re going to have it as it always is.
What kind of activities will be at the event? There will be food from Todd County Farm Bureau and some vendors. Leedstone will be showing how the robots work, and calf specialists and nutritionists will talk about the calves. It will be July 19 from 10 am until 2 pm.
Why did you choose to have this event at your farm? The kids have been wanting to do it for a while, and they asked.
Explain why events like these are important for the agriculture community. To show people who are not involved in agriculture how it is done and why we do what we do and how it all works.
Deerview Dairy
Willmar Kandiyohi County
Tell us about your farm. We milk 700 cows on a rotary parlor 24 hours a day. We have 100 calves on the farm at all times. We have people who raise heifers for us, so we get them back when they are ready to calve for the first time. We grow alfalfa, corn and soybeans.
What kind of preparation did you do to prepare for the event? When you do something like this, you want your farm to look nice. We want to make a good event, so we’ve been making sure things look nice and the animals are doing well.
What kind of activities will be at the event? Food will be from the 4-H club. Kubota and Case IH will have equipment, and Farm-Rite Equipment Inc. will have a vehicle. A nutritionist will be here along with the Minnesota Dairy Initiative to help. KWLM will be giving away prizes.
Why did you choose to have this event at your farm? We feel it’s good for the public to see a dairy farm and see what goes on and what happens in the dairy industry. We want kids to be able to come out and see the animals and the baby calves.
Explain why events like these are important for the agriculture community. Society is too far removed from agriculture, and when I say that, I mean more regulation-wise. It’s constraining to farmers, and the public doesn’t have the opportunity to understand. Unfortunately, children often don’t really know where milk comes from, so this will teach them the entire process. Dairy products are very nutritious, and they should know that.
Across the acres page 23
Malecha Dairy
Villard | Pope County
Tell us about your farm. We are a multi-generational family dairy farm with a deep commitment to stewardship and legacy. We milk around 1,150 cows three times a day using a double-16 milking parlor. We raise our heifer replacements, and the beef are raised to 6 months of age and then sold to a local finisher. In addition to dairy, we grow crops like corn, alfalfa and soybeans on about 2,150 acres, which are all fed back to our herd. Our custom work consists of manure pumping, big square baling and forage chopping. We have a gravel pit that supplies local farmers and businesses with sand and rock. In the spring of 2025, our manure digester began making methane gas to supply to the pipeline. What makes our farm special is that it is truly a family effort. Five of our adult children and three of their spouses are active in the operation, and even our grandchildren are starting to learn the ropes. It is more than a business — it is a way of life that we are blessed to pass to future generations.
What preparation do you do for this event? There is a lot that goes into preparing, from scheduled monthly meetings with the Farm Bureau committee to organizing the event. There are the tours, the site prep, the stations, the equipment and the activities for kids, all to be planned ahead of time. We also make sure to have plenty of food, parking, people movers and seating for everyone. And, of course, we prepare educational displays and samples — whether that’s farm equipment, dairy products or even animals for visitors to meet.
What kind of activities will be part of the event? We will have a variety of fun and educational activities for all ages. Visitors can go on the tour that will show different educational stops along the way, watch through the window as the cows are being milked and watch an assortment of videos of our operation in action. We will have an area where kids can play and one where people can learn. There will be an area specifically set up to learn what we, at Malecha Enterprises, do on our operation and to include our very own author, Louise Malecha, and her books, “Going to Papa and Nana’s Farm” and “Ginger’s Big Day.” There will be attractions such as local authors reading their books, a giant sand box and face painting for kids. It will be day of learning, connection and good old-fashioned fun.
Why did you choose to have this event at your farm? We believe it is important for people — especially kids — to see where their food comes from and meet the families who produce it. Hosting this event is a way for us to open our farm and share what we love. There’s something powerful about seeing the process firsthand, hearing the sounds, smelling the hay and watching the cows calmly chewing their cud. It builds understanding and appreciation, and we love being able to provide that experience.
Explain why events like this are important to the agriculture community. Events like this bridge the gap between farmers and the public. In today’s world, fewer people have direct connections to agriculture, and that disconnect can lead to misunderstandings. By inviting the community to our farm, we help build trust, transparency and support for what we do. It’s also an opportunity to inspire the next generation and celebrate the values of hard work, care for the land and responsibility that are at the heart of farming. Agriculture is not just our livelihood — it’s our calling, and we’re honored to share it.
Sprouting,
selling, saving g ting, ing, u
Sprouting,
Fiedlers’ produce sales go to their children
BY RAE LANZRATH | STAFF WRITER
ALBANY – How can growing vegetables translate into life lessons? Jared and Rebecca Fiedler are teaching their children the value of growing their own food, preserving vegetables and managing a business.
The Fiedlers grow enough vegetables to sell and to preserve to feed their family of six all winter. Jared and Rebecca want to use the garden as a means of teaching their children.
The children spend countless hours outside with their parents. Despite still being young, Rebecca said the children are always helping outside in one way or another.
“We wanted to teach them work ethic and how to
save money when you make it,” Rebecca said.
The Fiedlers have a farm stand at the end of their driveway where they sell harvested vegetables and eggs from their chickens.
“The money we make from that goes back to the kids to save for their futures, whether that’s for college or whatever they choose to do,” Rebecca said. “They know that the work they’re doing out there makes money and that the money is theirs.”
The family’s garden is around an acre in size, and they grow everything from potatoes to sweet corn to cucumbers. The family has around 900 vegetables growing in their garden, not including sweet corn, pumpkins, gourds and squash.
Fiedler page 26
The Fiedlers work in partnership with the Holdingford FFA Chapter, a move that benefits the family and the chapter. FFA members start all the seeds for the farm, and the family purchases them when it is time to plant.
large enough to use big equipment. They do everything by hand, from planting to weeding, and it is a lot of physical labor.
‘‘
“It is so much work , but it’s so rewarding, too.”
- Rebecca Fiedler
“It helps them learn, and it helps us with our garden,” Rebecca said. “It’s a great partnership that I’m so thankful for.”
Rebecca said the family’s biggest struggle is that they have a large garden, but it is not
Rebecca is a teacher, so she can spend a lot of time during the summer months in the garden.
She said she spends hour after hour, several days a week, in the garden to maintain it.
“Obviously, the weather is a struggle as well,” Rebecca said. “If we get a nasty storm, it destroys everything.”
The family harvests their vegetables to sell in the stand and preserves the rest through canning. While learning how to preserve food has been a learning curve for the
900 plants.
whole family, it has also given the children the chance to help.
“It’s good for them to see the hard work they do in the summer is something we eat all year,” Rebecca said.
Both Jared and Rebecca grew up in Stearns County and are now raising their own children in the area.
The Fiedlers moved to their home in April 2021. Rebecca said they were not looking to pur-
chase a home but found the farm and fell in love with it.
“It’s very rare that you get the opportunity to find an older farm site with buildings in fairly good shape,” Rebecca said.
The couple has worked on restoring the farm and making it functional, Jared said. They are slowly bringing the property back to life by remodeling, cleaning and constructing new
buildings.
“It is so much work, but it’s so rewarding, too,” Rebecca said.
The garden takes a significant amount of time and energy, but the couple has been able to teach their children hands-on life lessons as well as intangible lessons. From physically learning how to plant, harvest or pull weeds, the children have abilities that most kids their age do not, Rebecca
said.
Besides the physical lessons, the kids have also learned how to have a strong work ethic, Rebecca said. When family or friends come to the farm, the kids always want to show off their garden they have worked so hard on.
“They’re really proud of it,” Rebecca said. “And they should be.”
Fiedler page 27
PHOTO S U B MITTED
The produce stand is set up in summer 2024 at the Fiedler home in rural Albany. The family’s garden has around
PHOTO S U B MITTED
A sign welcomes customers to the farm in spring 2024 at the Fiedler home in rural Albany. The garden at the home is approximately an acre in size.
PHOTO BY RAE LANZRATH
Jared Fiedler tends his garden May 15 at his home in rural Albany. Both Fiedler and his wife, Rebecca, grew up in Stearns County.
