Southern Minnesota Century Strong | October 2021 | C32
Garfield Eckberg, 84, bottom, Paul Eckberg, 59, middle, and Casey Eckberg, 33, top, are the most recent generations to run Eckberg Farm in Nicollet County. The family farm turned 150 in 2021. (Philip Weyhe/southernminn.com)
5 generations take the Eckberg farm to 150 years
By PHILIP WEYHE philip.weyhe@apgsomn.com
I
t amazes Garfield Eckberg to think that his family’s farm has stood longer than most any businesses in the nearest towns. Then he remembers something.
generation. Before Garfield came his dad, Raymond Eckberg, and grandfather, Charles Eckberg, who have both died. For Casey, there is a lot of pride and responsibility associated with homesteading the operation that’s been in his family for a century and a half.
“The farm was put up before some of these towns,” said the 84-year-old. While St. Peter, just to the east of the farm, got started in 1853 (platted in 1854), the town of Gaylord wasn’t platted until 1881.
“It’s an honor, really,” he said. “Not many people, especially my age, get to say that. It’s very heartwarming that you get to carry on a tradition that long.”
The Eckberg family farm started in 1871, and it turned 150 this year.
It was 1871 when Garfield’s great grandfather, on his mother’s side, Andrew Webster, bought land from the railroad in what is now New Sweden Township in Nicollet County. He sold a portion, about 160 acres (a quarter section), to his son-
Garfield was the third generation to run the farm; his son, Paul Eckberg, 59, was and is the fourth generation; and Paul’s son, Casey Eckberg, 33, is now the fifth
The start
in-law (Garfield’s grandfather) Charles Eckberg the same year.
The family today isn’t 100% sure what crops were raised on the farm to start, but they could wager a guess. “I’d say big crops at that time; soybeans were not around,” Casey said.
“Corn and alfalfa and wheat,” Paul pitched in.
And Garfield added, “I don’t know if flax was available at first, but later on they raise flax, which is kind of a nurse crop for the alfalfa.” The farm also had some animals, including cows, chickens, horses, and likely pigs. Garfield said he never heard his grandfather speak of any oxen on
