Mark Kasten State Farm

Shawn and Jessica like to travel with their son, River, who is 6½. River said he likes their trips to Okoboji and Omaha. His favorite things are baseball, recess, kittens, and Grandma’s pie and mac and cheese. He also plays a lot with his best bud, their chocolate Labrador named Millie.

GENERATIONS

Allen said his father, Paul, was from Kingsley, Iowa. “Dad hauled oats from Kingsley up to my grandfather who farmed just a mile south of here. Mom was still living with my grandfather helping him on the farm. Those two took a liking to each other.” Paul married Evelyn in 1947 and they lived in Kingsley for a year, before moving to the Viborg area to farm and feed cattle. Evelyn was part of the third generation of the Larsen family to farm in Turner County. Prior to joining his father and his brother, Merlin, in the farming operation, Allen studied agriculture at Mitchell Technical College, while Blanche took a secretarial course there and worked for Dr. Burt Tiesen in Freeman. They were married in 1975. Thirty years later, as the next generation began to farm, Allen and his brother decided to separate their interests, with Merlin’s family hanging on to the cattle feeding operation.

Shawn, Blanche and Allen Vannorsdel; and Les Sampson who helps during harvest. majority of the roles on the farm. Throughout his career in financial services, he was actively farming, especially during spring and fall. Two years ago, he gave up banking altogether. Blanche said, “It’s really nice to have the confidence in him that he can take over. We go away and don’t really worry about anything. So we’re really thankful.”

Blanche worked side-by-side with Allen in the field through their years together. “I could operate just about everything except I wouldn’t drive a semi or a combine. But any other kind of equipment I can do.” Allen added, “She’s done it well. She could drive a semi if she wanted to.” Blanche also enjoys gardening and is the farm’s chief rock picker. “She’ll see one rock in the field, go to pick it up, and pretty soon she’ll have a hundred more,” Shawn said. But she and Allen spend more time golfing now than picking rocks. Two years ago, they bought a small place in Arizona where they enjoy warm weather in the winter, golfing and riding ATVs in the mountains. “It’s a completely different kind of riding there with the desert and rocks and lots of canyons and beautiful scenery. We usually have a destination and camaraderie with others,” she said.

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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On their drive to and from Arizona, they stop in Fort Collins, Colorado, to see their daughter Lacy, her husband, Dan Johnson, and their daughter, Audra. Allen and Blanche’s other daughter, Angie, lives in Durham, New Hampshire. Angie is married to John Pelaggi and they have a son, Cole, and twin daughters, Autumn and Sienna. Blanche and Allen’s winter residence in Arizona was part of a plan where Shawn phased out of banking and took over the 205 10th St, Rock Valley 712-476-5419

209 S Main St, Inwood 1001336.1 712-753-2200State Farm Fire and Casualty Company, Bloomington, IL

Shawn, Jessica and River Vannorsdel. After a lifetime of hard work, Blanche and Allen are enjoying the winters in Arizona.

Allen said, “So we’ve kind of changed roles; he’s the boss and we’re helping him …” “… when we want to,” Blanche joked. Allen and Blanche are long-time members of the Hurley Adventists Church. Allen was active in the Jaycees and Blanche in the Jaycee Women. She coached girls softball for 12 years and is on the board of the Pioneer Memorial Hospital Foundation.

INVESTING IN LAND IMPROVEMENT

At one time, the Vannorsdel farm had about 100 acres which regularly had stress issues, but that’s been reduced to only about one acre (aside from an extreme drought like this year). “When profits were good we invested that capital into tile to improve the ground for the long haul,” Shawn said.

Blanche said one of the keys to the operation’s success was hiring Rob Dressen as their independent agronomy consultant. Shawn agreed: “He’s been invaluable. We were on the forefront of variable rate fertilizer and precision technology 17 years ago. We farm every acre a little bit differently. The change in the soil types, the drainage and other variables – all of that is factored into how he puts together our fertility and seeding maps.” Adjusting inputs based on the potential yield of each acre helps them maximize their return on investment.

Shawn added, “We've been blessed with landlords who have been very easy to work with. And we’ve had opportunities to add some acres to the operation which allowed us to make room for a hired man. Now we just need Mother Nature to cooperate.” That hired hand is Jake Buehler, who moved from being part-time help to working full time for them in March 2021. “When I knew Mom and Dad were going to move to Arizona over the winter, there's so many projects that I can't do by myself. Jake has been a great addition." In addition, for the past decade, they’ve been fortunate to have retiree Les Sampson from Viborg help during harvest.

LESSONS FROM A CAREER IN FINANCE

“Seventeen years in the banking industry gave me an opportunity to see so many different operations and what was working and what wasn’t working,” said Shawn. “It was a priceless education. Being able to have that experience brought so many more opportunities and advantages to the farm itself. Without the networking I had with different growers and businesses, this business would be that much more difficult to manage.”