Photos by Erica Dischino Gene Gatewood gives his dog a pet Jan. 13 on his family farm in rural Kandiyohi County.
OLD-FASHIONED FARMING
Rural Kandiyohi County farm features diversification and creativity of agriculture
By Carolyn Lange | clange@wctrib.com “Just a regular old farm,” is how Gene Gatewood describes his family-owned dairy, livestock and little-bitof-everything farm south of Kandiyohi. “We stay busy,” said Gatewood, with an easy awshucks-kind-of-grin. It’s clearly an understatement for the third-generation farmer, who milks nearly 70 cows in a tie-stall barn and raises beef, sheep and chickens for on-thefarm sales of meat and eggs in a side venture called “Grandpa’s Granary.” There’s also a couple goats, a donkey, a mini-horse and a pair of peacocks thrown into the mix, purely for fun. “Just plain and simple, it’s the enjoyment of having the animals is the biggest thing out of it,” said Gatewod of the menagerie. “Do we need some of them? No. But they’re fun.” The family brings the farm to town by selling their beef, lamb and chickens at the seasonal Farmers Market in Willmar, and they host a variety of unique activities that bring people to the farm. Every Memorial Day weekend, youth from Svea Lutheran Church help the Gatewoods sweep out loose hay from the massive haymow for a community square
Grandpa’s Granary is owned by the Gatewood family at their family farm in rural Willmar.
dance that attracts nearly 150 people. With a professional “caller” giving instructions for the Virginia Reel and line dances, the stomping of the dancers up above in the haymow doesn’t bother the content dairy cows in the stalls below, said Gatewood. “Getting the barn cleaned out for a dance is a lot of work. Continued on page 6
West Central Tribune – March 2021 – Page 5
