Faith /
Lillie, Jesse and André Eisenbeis. EISENBEIS
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September 2022 | www.agemedia.pub | The Farming Families Magazine ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITYCOVERCROPS I s y o u r f a h ? F a r m s u c c e s s i o n p l a n n i n g i s d i f f i l t o f i n d o u t h o w y o u c a n g r o w g e n e r a t i o n s . o n t h e r i g h t p l a n f o r y o u . ( 6 0 5 ) 2 8 6 - 3 2 1 8• GROCERIES • PRODUCE • HEATH & BEAUTY • HOUSEHOLD • LAWN & GARDEN • HARDWARE YOUR 1 STOP SHOPPINGCENTER freemanshoppingcenter.com • acehardware.com YOUR 1 STOP SHOPPINGCENTER • GROCERIES • BAKERY • DELI • PRODUCE • HEATH & BEAUTY • SUPPLIESHOUSEHOLD • LAWN & GARDEN • HARDWARE • PAINT BRANDINGHERITAGEGUIDELINESPHARMACYCOLORLOGOCOLOR LOGO ON WHITE BACKGROUND C: 49 M:7 Y:10 B:0 BLACK/WHITEBLACK/WHITE LOGO ON WHITE BACKGROUND FreemanShoppingCenter.com • AceHardware.com • HeritagePharmacyFreeman.com FREE DELIVERY FSC & 605-925-4510605-925-4781ACEPHARMACY • GROCERIES • HOUSEHOLD SUPPLIES • BAKERY • LAWN & GARDEN • DELI • HARDWARE • PRODUCE • PAINT • HEALTH & BEAUTY • ELECTRICAL • PLUMBING • PRESCRIPTIONS
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André and Lillie grew up on local farms about 7 miles apart
André and Lillie operate Prairie Roots Produce, a market garden producer of vegetables located a few miles south of Freeman. Now in its fifth season, Prairie Roots Produce has gained a good following not only in the Freeman area, but also in Yankton and Sioux Falls.
6 The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | September 2022 HUTCHINSON COUNTY FAMILY
‘IT’S OKAY TO BE DIFFERENT, TO BE SET APART’
Like many people, André and Lillie Eisenbeis love to garden. But this young couple gardens for a living, which is a whole different row to hoe.
In the market garden world, it’s not always easy to know if your profit is coming from carrots or cabbage. According to André, “You can grow lettuce in 30 days, harvest it once or twice, then pull it out and put something else there – so you’re using that bed 3 or 4 times a season. With multiple crops from one bed, you’re definitely generating a profit. At the same time, tomatoes sit in the same spot for the whole season, but every tomato plant is yielding enough to make up for that.”
By Bob Fitch
Lillie added, “You also have to know the cost of all your inputs – seed and compost costs, and time spent planting, weeding and harvesting. You have to know all of this for more than 40 different types of produce. Every year, we’re trying to hone in on what we should be growing and selling. Some things are super popular, but not necessarily super profitable.”
Lillie, Jesse and André Eisenbeis. Jesse is 21 months old. After this photo was snapped, he took a tomato off the vine and munchingstartedit.
September 2022 | www.agemedia.pub | The Farming Families Magazine 7
André’s course of study at Goshen was in environmental science with an agro-ecology emphasis. “I knew I wanted to do something in agriculture, especially in an environmental, whole-systems approach,” he said. After college and getting married in 2015, the couple YOUR HAND.
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Lillie majored in plant science at Dordt which provided a foundational education in subjects such as soil science, plant biology and horticulture which have proven important in market garden production. “What really sparked my interest was an intensive summer course on agro-ecology at the Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center through Goshen College. That's what really solidified for me the lifestyle component of being on a small farm and doing a lot of ecological and soil health practices. It was really enlightening.”
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and started dating as students at Freeman Academy. After high school, Lillie went to Dordt University in Sioux Center, Iowa, and André went to Goshen College in Goshen, Indiana. They dated through college and got married in 2015.
PROTECTIONINTHEPALMOF
Lillie and André Eisenbeis love interacting with the public at the farmers markets in Freeman and Yankton. They grow and sell a colorful assortment of produce. Field and market photos courtesy of Lillie Eisenbeis.
Their business model draws inspiration from both sides of the “Thefamily.farm I grew up on is the only state licensed raw milk, organic,
Prairie Roots Produce sells product through two farmers markets and a CSA. Community supported agriculture (CSA) is a model wherein individuals buy a share of a farm’s production before each growing season. Each week during the summer, CSA customers receive a box of assorted produce delivered to their door. (Prairie Roots delivers 18 times over 20 weeks in the summer.)
The biggest boost their business got at the beginning was piggybacking off the Sioux Falls area customers of Happy Grazing Dairy who were a natural fit.
8 The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | September 2022
When there was an opening at Freeman Academy for dorm parents/resident directors, they returned to Freeman and were in that position for two years. At that point, they moved to her grandmother’s farm and cared for her. Grandma has since moved to Oak View Terrace, but they’ve continued to rent the acreage for their business.
grass-fed dairy in the state,” André said. His parents, Tim and Anita Eisenbeis, continue to operate Happy Grazing Dairy. He described his dad’s dairy as a unique farm willing to buck the trends of conventional agriculture.
Lillie’s parents, Todd and Suzanne Koerner, raise purebred Shorthorn cattle and have row crops. Suzanne had a big garden as a way to help provide food for the family, but dove in deep and started to sell at the farmers market.
didn’t have much in the way of financial resources. They moved to Rochester, Minn., and André got a job at a restaurant and Lillie worked at a grocery store food coop. Those jobs gave them a chance to research the retail end of the food chain.
The CSA started with 25 shareholders and is now up to 64 shares, although some of those are half-shares.
Lillie’s mother, Suzanne Koerner, grows the sweet corn, melons, potatoes, sweet potatoes and squash sold by Prairie Roots Produce.
The summer crew at Prairie Roots Produce included Philip Balzer, Molly Torberson, André, and Jada Koerner. Lillie said, “We have every intention doing more best gardening practices like mulching and cover-cropping. But all those things require timeliness and time. When we get behind, we just have to harvest and process and plant – and weed, weed, weed. Having a crew allows us to start tackling some of those important soil health projects.”
Suzanne is still involved by growing sweet corn, melons, potatoes, sweet potatoes and squash for Prairie Roots Produce to sell. She grows the crops which don’t fit in the 30-inch by 100-foot permanent bed system used by André and Lillie. “This time of year, we rely on her quite a bit because a lot of
those are August-September crops. It’s fun to work with her and see her in her element,” Lillie said.
The other half of their revenue comes from sales at the Freeman Farmers Market on Wednesday evenings and at the Yankton Farmers Market on Saturday mornings. André said, “The CSA is great because you get payment ahead of time. And the markets are good because you get a little cash coming in every week.”
Market gardening has a low-cost-of-entry, but it’s not necessarily an easy business to sustain. “Those first few years there was a lot of manual physical work. Now we’ve gotten the tools to lessen some of the back-breaking work. Our approach has been to grow slowly so we don't overextend ourselves,” André said.
He continued, “The CSA takes a lot more meticulous care and you need a diversity of items to make each box unique. Contrast that with the market where there are tried and true things that people love: tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, carrots, lettuce, green beans and cucumbers. People at the market aren't so crazy about fennel or eggplant – it doesn't fly off the shelf. But we grow those to put in the shares at least once or twice throughout the year. If we sell any at market, it’s a bonus.”
Jesse spends a lot of time in the garden with his parents. André said it’s fun to watch him explore and learn that it’s ok to get his hands dirty.
September 2022 | www.agemedia.pub | The Farming Families Magazine 9
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The couple is active in “Rural Revival,” a faith-based group focusing on local foods, land access and education. According to André, “Rural Revival includes farmers and community members who want to make
At the farmers markets, Lillie said they enjoy the customer interaction and the educational aspect – even if that’s explaining why watermelons aren’t ready in June. André said interactions such as suggesting an unusual pepper and preparation method to a customer are fun when the customer comes back the next week and says, “I loved those peppers, do you have some more?”
Jesse takes a sniff of the soap his mom makes to sell at the farmers market.
Like his parents, André doesn’t think they’ll ever get rich from being in an alternative line of agriculture and that’s not the point. “Maybe this is my dad rubbing off on me but, for our family, it’s more about the ideals and the faith background of being good stewards the land. In faith, too, Jesus says we'll live differently than the rest of the world; ‘We’ll be known by our love’ (John 13:35). That translates to farming in a loving ethic towards the land and creation. And if that makes us different, so be it. In my mind, Jesus says ‘It’s okay to be different, to be set Lillieapart.’”said,“When we originally wanted to start a market garden, we had big ideals about making the land better than we found it and pioneering an alternative foods system in the area. That’s still a big part of what drives. However, since having Jesse, our motivation has become more family-centered. We want to be able to provide good food for our family and get him involved at an early age. We want to inspire our kids to be curious about the world around them … to get their hands dirty and maybe one day farm in a similar way.”
this town and surrounding areas vibrant again. It sometimes is perceived as an organization only for organic farmers. I think that’s a little bit to the detriment of the group because it is about more than only agricultural practices. We need farmers and non-farmers who care about reviving and sustaining the community through a variety of ways.”
10 The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | September 2022
The Eisenbeis presentation of their products at a farmers market.
Lillie and André also raise a few chickens and have a small flock of grass-fed sheep.
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Tucker was a vice president and sales manager for the Massey-Harris Company in the US. He came up with a pro posal to solve the harvest needs while keeping in mind the limited amounts of available steel. In 1944 Massey-Harris was given a quota to manufacture no more than 43,604 pull-type combines and 1,100 self-propelled Model 21 combines. Tucker proposed the theory of the Harvest Brigade to the U.S. War Production Board.
KEEPING LOCAL HISTORY ALIVE
Back in the days of World War II, even though the war was being fought overseas, Americans were hit hard by rationing. Steel, rubber, gasoline, sugar and many other foodstuffs needed to support the troops could only be purchased by the public when accompanied by ration stamps. The economy was vastly improved over the Great Depression, but more than money was needed to buy products. Factories were retooled to make airplanes, tanks, and other war needs. Against that backdrop, the War Food Administration asked Americans to sow 13.8 million more acres of wheat than the previous year, and somehow it had to be harvested. As is common in Amer ica, ingenuity came to the forefront. In this case Joe Tucker was the man with the plan.
Photo courtesy Peggy Sanders.
His plan was to allow Massey-Harris to obtain enough steel and other scarce raw materials to make an additional 500 Model 21s. In turn, the company would sell them with one stipulation: each purchaser would have to sign a contract and agree to harvest at least 2,000 acres of wheat with his com bine. The War Production Board approved the program and the models were delivered. Each combine cost about $2,500.
By Peggy Sanders
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THE HARVEST BRIGADE
This crew of men was ready to harvest on farms around Oral, S.D. On the far left is the combine’s original owner, Alfred Seder.
The self-propelled combine had come onto the market in the late 1930s. Its precursor, the pull-type combine, required a tractor for locomotion; tractors had to be heavy enough to pull plows and that required considerably more gas than a self-propelled combine. Although the combine was only used for harvest it could be fitted for various crops from wheat to beet and carrot seeds, beans and peas depending on the area of the country.
At the conclusion of the Harvest Brigade, it was estimated that 500,000 gallons of gas was saved compared to what would have been used with tractors and pull-types. Because the combines could be driven faster and were more efficient resulting in a cleaner, more complete harvest, it was calcu lated that 365,000 man-hours were economized and a bet ter yield was produced.
Among the members of the Harvest Brigade was Alfred Seder, a farmer near Oral, South Dakota. Given extra gas ration coupons to use during harvest, he was able to
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September 2022 | www.agemedia.pub | The Farming Families Magazine 13 Check out our upcoming auctions at: www.WiemanAuction.com
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Massey-Harris made good promotional use of the Harvest Brigade in its advertising. From the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, Aug. 25, 1944, via newspapers.com.
REC linemen.
A combiner typically charged harvest customers 25 cents per bushel; harvesters who charged by the acre were paid two to three dollars per acre harvested. The harvesters made their payments, the growers were satisfied, and the bountiful crops were harvested. Each of the five hundred red combines bore a sign declaring, “Massey-Harris Self-Pro pelled Harvest Brigade, Brigade-Proved…in the famous Mil lion Acre Harvest Brigade.”
14 The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | September 2022 ® MORE PEOPLE DEPEND ON ROTO-ROOTER® THAN ANY OTHER COMPANY FOR DRAIN CLEANING SERVICES! Harvest Brigade combine crew. Photo from www.bangshift.com.
combine the required 2,000 acres in the area of Fall River County where he lived. In 1944 the area was dryland farm and wheat country, giving him ample acres. For others, the Harvest Brigade was when the industry of national custom harvesting really had its beginning. Prior to combines, threshing machines were moved from farm to farm in community areas but they did not travel far.
Stamp on the side of a combine used in the Harvest Brigade. Photo courtesy Peggy Sanders.
Russellnewspapers.com.Wyattstandsnext
to the Harvest Brigade combine on his place near Oral, S.D. Photo courtesy Peggy Sanders.
Massey-Harris Company’s Joe Tucker made sure newspapers along the harvest route were kept well-informed. From Pawnee Chief, Pawnee, Neb., via
A few years later, from 1950 to 1952, Russell Wyatt and his brother Harold leased and operated combines and went on the custom harvest, starting each year in Greensburg, Kansas and working their way north. It was the lure of combines that prompted Russell to buy Seder’s combine as a way of preserving the history. The Harvest Brigade is a little known but highly important element of the stateside activities of World War II. The combine now rests on the farm Russell Wyatt, my dad, owned and when we bought his place, he gave the combine to me.
September 2022 | www.agemedia.pub | The Farming Families Magazine 15
PHOTO BY JOEL Facebook.com/joelschwader1SCHWADER
LAZY RIVER
Ben Duenwald is proud to offer their fresh Farm to Table Homemade Bread every weekend at Flyboy Donuts four shops in Sioux Falls.
“My goal is to get our bread as close to what my mom and my grandma made when I was younger – and I think we've done a pretty good job,” said Ben Duenwald, owner of Flyboy Donuts in Sioux Falls.
Ben’s parents, Bill and Gloria Duenwald, farm near Hoven in north central South Dakota. “When
I grew up, my mom would make homemade bread using some of the wheat we ground ourselves. We just called it bread … as we didn’t know anything different except for a few times when we would have what we called, ‘boughten bread.’
By Bob Fitch
NEW FLYBOY FARM-TO-TABLE HOMEMADE BREAD INCLUDES DAD’S WHEAT, MOM’S RECIPE
A few years ago while my mom was recovering from carpal tunnel surgery, my dad replicated what my mom was hand-doing into a bigger, KitchenAid-size batch. Now I've expanded into an even larger batch from there. So it’s my mom’s recipe with some credit to my dad.” A vital ingredient in the Flyboy bread is
18 The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | September 2022 MINNEHAHA COUNTY FAMILY
Attesting to its quality is the fact that his almost-80-year-old mom doesn’t have to bake much of her own bread anymore – instead she enjoys the leftovers Ben delivers. “Last time I was home, I brought about 10 loaves to her and put them in the deep freeze. It saves very well in the freezer and is a good alternative to pop in the toaster compared to today’s spongy white bread.”
Flyboy Donuts is probably the fastest growing donut business in South Dakota. Why add bread?
To ensure availability, customers are encouraged to pre-order bread at www.flyboydonuts.com. Flyboy Donuts also serves coffee made from the best international beans, artisan roasted in small batches in the company’s own roasters.
Fresh bread is available Saturdays and Sundays at the company’s four Sioux Falls locations: 57th and Western; East 10th and Bahnson; 57th and Sycamore; and 41st and Sertoma. Flyboy Donuts are also available at all the Get ‘N Go stores in Sioux Falls and several outside Sioux Falls. The Flyboy team makes 22 stops every morning before 6 Ben’so'clock.road to making donuts was not a straight path. He graduated from South Dakota State University with a degree in mechanized agriculture (now called ag systems technology). After college, he first cut his teeth at a luncheon meat
“From the beginning, I always wanted to do some things beyond donuts to show that we have other talents as well,” Ben said. Flyboy offers baked caramel and cinnamon rolls and are planning to add dinner rolls soon. “People can take and bake, especially around the holidays,” he said.
Our publications are based on families and their stories. Our goal is to build community
Flyboy will be doing sampling of their bread and dinner rolls in the months to come. “There’s a locally-produced honey butter we like that people can try with our breads so they can learn what the hype is about. Right now, our bread has kind of a cult following with people getting a loaf of bread or an eight-pack of buns every week.”
factory in St. James, Minn. Then, when his wife was in training to become a physicians’ assistant, he followed her to Des Moines where he had a position in food production. When they moved to Sioux Falls, he became vice president of operations for Grand Prairie Foods.
whole grain wheat raised and ground by his dad on the family farm.
Flyboy's homemade bread is available in loaves and buns and they plan to start offering dinner rolls soon.
September 2022 | www.agemedia.pub | The Farming Families Magazine 19
“But we had three kids in daycare and we were both really busy with our fast-paced jobs. We knew something had to change. I worked part-time as a consultant for about six months and was a part-time stay-at-home dad. Then I was a complete stay-at-home dad for a while with three kids in diapers.”
Looking to end his stay-at-homedad phase, Ben began looking for a business to buy. “I came across Flyboy, which had only been in Sioux Falls for about two months. The original owner started Flyboy Donuts in Tea, expanded to Sioux Falls, and then closed the one in Tea. I purchased the store at 57th and Western in Sioux Falls and purchased the brand and kind of went from there.”
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In eight years, the company has grown to include nine salaried employees and 43 total employees.
“We have a really good team that works around the clock at times to produce over 8,000 donuts a day,” he said. All the donuts are fresh – no day-old donuts are sold. But leftovers aren’t thrown away either … nonprofit groups like Bread Break pick up as many of the extras as they can and distribute to charities, schools and shelters.
Over the summer, Flyboy Donuts has been taking its donuts on the road. The company has four Sprinter vans which will travel up to 150 miles from Sioux Falls, often for special events. Among the stops have been Madison, Watertown, Aberdeen, Chamberlain, Lake Okoboji, Luverne and Rock Rapids. “It’s a way of expanding the brand by offering it to communities that might be aware of us through Facebook or because they travel to Sioux Falls every so often.”
Ben said he wouldn’t be in business without the support of his wife, Carolyn. “She and my sister, Stacy White, have been very supportive especially with the rapid growth. There certainly wasn’t a lot of sleep the first couple of years for me. My sister, Molly Schenkel, supervises our marketing.”
The donut shop on wheels is an excellent opportunity for group fundraisers, with a percentage of sales going back to nonprofit groups or teams.
“I grew up with lots of family, our own and extended, working on our family farm. I’ve always thought ‘It would be nice if Flyboy could be like that.’ And it’s happening – so far it includes a couple of my sisters, a couple nieces and a nephew, and, of course, many eager taste testers.”
20 The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | September 2022
Ben's mother, Gloria Duenwald, loves to teach her grandchildren how to replicate her time-honored bread recipe.
Ben and his family - which includes 8th grader Brianna, 7th grader Alexa and 5th grader Kelsey – have multiple reasons to be proud of the business they have built and the team of employees who work together every day to serve fresh donuts, coffee and now homemade bread and buns.
Being a “systems guy” with a farminspired entrepreneurial edge, “I always knew I wanted to own something because ownership is in my blood. I can always kind of envision what the next phase will be. And then you just kind of creep into it. I knew when I started with just one location that we would eventually have four locations –but we did it quicker than what I thought we would.”
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GROWING UP IN PARKER
Mark and Kathy Kasten with sons, Ethan, Shane and Alex; and Shane’s wife, Abigail.
COUNTY FAMILY
Growing up in Parker, I was blessed to have both sets of grandparents close by. I can still vividly remember the “ting” that Grandpa Woody’s 1968 Ford F100 would make when you slammed the door. Every time I smell fried potatoes it brings me back to being in Grandma Garry’s kitchen. My parents played a major role in providing me with the example of what a good person is. And, as the saying goes “Beside every good man is a great wife” – that couldn’t be truer of my wife of over 25 years, Kathy. I wouldn’t be where I am today without her care and support.
22 The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | September 2022
My wife, Kathy, is an accounting specialist with Electric Supply Company of Sioux Falls. We have 3 sons. Shane and Abigail were married in July 2021 and currently in live in Houston, Texas. Alex is a senior at South Dakota State University studying advertising and marketing. Ethan is a senior at Parker High School and is busy with football, basketball, school play and Math Club.
When I look back at my childhood, I remember the independence I felt while growing up in a small town. My friends and I spent all day, everyday riding our BMX bikes up and down the streets of Parker; catching bullheads out of the Vermillion River; playing wiffle ball until we burned basepaths into the lawn; practicing the perfect “cannon ball” off the high dive at the Parker pool. Looking back, I wouldn’t trade those days or experiences for anything.
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PEOPLE WHO HAD A PROFOUND INFLUENCE ON MY LIFE
Mark Kasten is heading into his 13th year as a State Farm agent in Parker and Freeman. He’s a graduate of Parker High School and South Dakota State University.
TURNER
The definition of success is very subjective – every person asked that question would have a different answer. Advice that I would give to young person is to pursue your passion. Whether it’s playing the guitar, farming, cars, whatever it might be, pursue your passion and you won’t work a day in your life!
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WHAT WOULD PEOPLE BE SURPRISED TO LEARN ABOUT YOU?
September 2022 | www.agemedia.pub | The Farming Families Magazine 23
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR CAREER?
DEFINE A SUCCESSFUL LIFE
TELL US ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Being from a small community like Parker, volunteering is a very important part of what makes a community strong. Since moving back to Parker in 2002, my wife and I have been a part of many organizations and groups. I am proud to say that I coached all three of my boys in Pee Wee Football – 9 years in total. I have coached baseball, basketball, and been a part of the Parker Development Corporation and the finance council of St Christina’s Catholic Church. I have been a member of the Parker Volunteer Fire Department for over 10 years now.
I have always looked up to people who have owned and operated businesses in rural America. In the back of mind, I always wanted to own my own business and back in 2009 the stars aligned and the opportunity to join State Farm Insurance presented itself. I’ve never looked back. I’m very happy with the agency that my team of Roberta Ransom and Bridget Johnson and I have been able to build.
WHAT DOES YOUR FAMILY DO FOR FUN?
Raising 3 boys, most of our time was spent at a sporting event of some sort. As a family, we also enjoy
People probably don’t know that straight out of college, I was a news photographer and satellite uplink engineer for KELO-TV from 1995-2002.
The State Farm team at the Mark Kasten Insurance Agency: Roberta Ransom, Mark Kasten and Bridget Johnson.
spending time golfing at Par Mar Golf Course, hunting South Dakota prairies, UTV/ATVing in the hills and spending time in our pontoon on Lake Madison.
Visiting Country Apple Orchard in Lincoln County has been a tradition for hundreds of families over the past 38 years.
outskirts of Harrisburg and five miles south of Sioux Falls on Minnesota Avenue.
“It’s been a tough couple of years for orchards going back to 2018 when it was so wet. The orchard was flooded out which killed some trees and it started some disease because they weren't able to spray like they wanted to,” Greg said. “Then we moved into drought in ’21 and ’22. So it's been tough on the trees and these old trees don’t just bounce back – a lot of them are 33 years old. This year, we planted over 300 new baby trees and took out a whole block of old and aged-out trees. Our plan is to plant a hundred to several
By Bob Fitch
Opened in 1984, Country Apple Orchard has about 6,000 trees with 16 varieties of apples, including Connell Red, Cortland, Fireside, Haralson, Haralred, Honey Gold, Honey Crisp, Jonathon, McIntosh, Paula Red, Regent, Red Cortland, and Sweet Sixteen. Harvest begins in mid-August and continues to late GregOctober.saidthe
Greg and Katie Jones in the orchard with The Meadow Barn in the background. Photo courtesy Country Apple Orchard.
ORCHARD IS AT THE CROSSROADS OF AGRICULTURE AND FAMILY FUN
Greg and Katie Jones purchased the orchard about 1½ years ago and plan to help families continue the tradition far into the future.
There is an abundant apple crop this year, although the apples are a little smaller because of the drought.
LINCOLN COUNTY FAMILY
orchard has a bumper crop of apples this year. While an early hail storm caused some deformities and the drought limited apple size, rains were just timely enough to help the crop finish strong. The orchard is located at 27249 SD-115 on the western
24 The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | September 2022
While Country Apple Orchard has long been more than an apple farm, there’s no doubt developers have been eagerly awaiting the chance to put apartments, houses or retail businesses on the high-traffic stretch of road. “We wanted to preserve the property as an orchard, number one, for our wedding barns (see article on page 27), but also because it’s a really cool thing to have in the area. So it was something worth saving as an ag space.”
At today's real estate prices, apples alone won’t pay the mortgage. “So that's why we had to make the Fall Festival more of a big deal. And that's really what pays the bills. The apples are a nice attraction and it's really pretty out here. But there's no way you could ever pay for this land on apple picking or apple processing,” he said.
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hundred trees every year for the next five years at Beforeleast.”purchasing
“We visited the festival part here when our kids were younger and we felt it had the potential to be enhanced and be larger like we’d seen in other metropolitan areas. I think we turned it into a pretty good three-quarters-of-a-day entertainment spot for families,” Greg said. Country Apple Orchard is open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in September and October. Tickets to enter the festival portion of the orchard are $14 for anyone 35 inches or taller. Season passes are also available. There’s no admission fee for people stopping with the sole purpose of purchasing apples.
• Giant hay bale maze and sand tractor tire mountain
• Petting zoo and kiddie train rides
the orchard, Greg and Katie did a lot of research on apple production. They had connections with orchardists in Minnesota and they’ve worked with Hoversten Orchard in Renner. “We've had a lot of outside help on apple care. Sometimes it seems like we’re fighting an uphill battle overcoming some of the insects and disease,” he said.
• Apple cannons (additional fee)
• Corn pit, corn maze and rubber duck races
For 2022, the petting zoo is bigger with a greater variety of animals; a Ferris wheel has been added; and there are more vendors displaying their crafts and other wares. Instead of an arcade, they’ve added a “farm-cade” that includes a gravity wagon, basketball hoop area, giant chess board, ring toss and more.
September 2022 | www.agemedia.pub | The Farming Families Magazine 25
• Pumpkin display and sales
For most families, apples are just the beginning of the experience. Greg and Katie have ramped up the family fun element, expanding into a full-fledged Fall Festival. The enterprise features many other products and family-friendly activities including:
MORE THAN APPLES
• Caramel apples, honey, candy, kettlekorn, pie and more
• Zip line course and South Dakota’s largest jumping pillows
• Pony rides (additional fee)
After a visit to Country Apple Orchard, the kids might best remember the apple cannon or corn pit. However, a side benefit for agriculture as a whole from farms with an agritourism element is that they expose consumers to a small taste of how and where food is grown.
MORE FUN TO COME
“We're also going to be adding a Christmas tree lot in 2023. That will stretch out our season a little bit. The orchard’s Fall Festival shuts down on Oct. 31; and then the week of Thanksgiving, we can open up with a ‘winter wonderland’ Christmas tree lot. At some point in the future, we hope to have a Christmas light show,” Greg said.
The Country Apple Orchard Fall Festival provides a full-day of family fun including a zip line, pony rides, pumpkins, a corn pit, apple cannon target shooting, and duck races. Festival photos by Jon Klemme.
More Information: www.countryappleorchard.com
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“We have a great relationship with our neighbors to the south who run Christmas Tree Acres. They're retiring next year and they asked us if we were interested in taking it over. So we’re moving their operation over here next year. We’re planning to supersize it like we did with the Fall Festival – it will be more of an event to come out and pick a Christmas tree and do some fun winter activities.”
“Trust in Tomorrow.” and “Grinnell Mutual” are registered trademarks of Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company. © Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company, 2022.
Purchasing County Apple Orchard followed on the heels of Greg and Katie Jones establishing The Meadow Barn in 2016. The Meadow Barn and The Veranda are unique wedding venues next door to the orchard.
Share the road with your local farmers during harvest season. They’re focused on their job, so don’t forget to do yours. Drive carefully. Trust in Tomorrow.®
WEDDINGS AT ‘THE MEADOW BARN’ NEXT TO THE ORCHARD
Greg is a native of Chester, S.D., and Katie is a native of Hawarden, Iowa. They wanted to raise their children – Sydney, 13, Harper, 10, and Carter, 8 – closer to family and live in South Dakota. Starting The Meadow Barn was a natural progression from their experience working at wedding venues across the country.
“Trust in Tomorrow.” and “Grinnell Mutual” are registered trademarks of Grinnell
September 2022 | www.agemedia.pub | The Farming Families Magazine 27 EOE
The Meadow Barn wedding venue is west of Harrisburg.
TRUST US TO VALUE YOUR SAFETY
TRUST US TO VALUE YOUR SAFETY
The backstory: Greg and Katie have 30 combined years’ experience in special events and hospitality. Prior to opening The Meadow Barn, they owned and operated With A Twist Bartending while living in Denver. It grew to be one of the largest bartending services in the country. In addition to Denver, the operation traveled to Minneapolis, Omaha, Chicago, Sioux Falls and Michigan. The couple worked at thousands of weddings and collaborated with
beautiful venue that doesn’t require a lot of ‘extra’ decorating,” Katie said. The timber-framed barn reception space has a Douglas Fir roof trellis, seating for up to 400, elegant chandeliers, and a loft overlooking the festivities. Wedding ceremonies are held outdoors next to the apple orchard, which also makes a great backdrop for photos.
some of the best wedding venues in the Midwest for over 15 years. That experience laid the groundwork and was a natural progression for them to open The Meadow Barn west of Harrisburg.
Share the road with your local farmers during harvest season. They’re focused on their job, so don’t forget to do yours. Drive carefully. Trust in Tomorrow.®
“Trust in Tomorrow.” and “Grinnell Mutual” are registered trademarks of Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company. © Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company, 2022. Share the road with your local farmers during harvest season. They’re focused on their job, so don’t forget to do yours. Drive carefully. Trust in Tomorrow.®
TRUST US TO VALUE YOUR SAFETY
“The Meadow Barn is a naturally
“We designed our barns so they’d be timeless. You can do a barn dance here and ‘farm-it-up.’ But you can also have a black tie corporate event or an elegant wedding and it works the same. We like that style and it goes with
“Having your wedding in a beautiful apple orchard is a unique experience. We love welcoming couples to our little slice of heaven and helping them craft their big day,” Katie said.
More
The Meadow Barn bridal suite includes hair and make-up stations. The groom’s loft overlooks the reception hall. According to Katie, “Customers love our transparent pricing, open vendor options, and the location near Sioux Falls.” Several years after opening The Meadow Barn, they added The Veranda, which offers space for smaller celebrations with the outdoors as a focal point.
events.forinaddedvenueweddingVerandaThewas2019small
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Joneses aren’t stopping with two spots to hold weddings. They’re currently finishing the installation of the former Beaver Creek Lutheran Church building between the orchard’s festival area and The Meadow Barn and The Veranda. Next door to the church will be the vintage Eggers School House, a country school located by Renner for many years. Both the church and school buildings were located at Heritage Park on the campus of Augustana University for many years, but had to be moved for the construction of Augie’s new hockey stadium.
The Beaver Creek building will be used exclusively for wedding services and the school house will be used as a bridal dressing room.
the orchard where we chose to build,” Greg said. “When we were in the bar catering business, we saw people who converted actual barns into wedding venues. The amount of headache and money they expended to make something function in a way it wasn't designed to … we just thought it was best to build it for what we want to do which is weddings.”
The former Beaver Creek Lutheran Church is being added as another wedding option. The historic Eggers school house is in the background. Information: www.themeadowbarn.com
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3. Using a paring knife, cut a 1-in.-wide cone-shaped piece from top of each cupcake; discard removed portion. Fill cavity with apple mixture.
DIRECTIONS:FROSTINGINGREDIENTS:INGREDIENTS:
From tasteofhome.com FROM
• 4 medium tart apples, peeled and finely chopped (about 4 cups)
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• Thinly sliced apples, optional
1. Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions for 24 cupcakes; cool completely.
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• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
CUPCAKE
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
4. In a large bowl, combine the 5 frosting ingredients; beat until smooth. Frost cupcakes. If desired, top with apple slices to serve.
• 1 package yellow cake mix (regular size)
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
2. In a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Add apples and brown sugar; cook and stir until apples are tender, 10-12 minutes. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat; cool completely.
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 tablespoons butter
APPLE PIE CUPCAKES THE KITCHEN
So is with our lives... Those who want to live meaningfully and well must help enrich the lives of others, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches. And those who choose to be happy must help others find happiness, for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all.
One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.
-Author Unknown
Call it power of collectivity. Call it a principle of success. Call it a law of life. The fact is, none of us truly wins, until we all win!
OUR PHILOSOPHY
of Sioux County
“Why sir,” said the farmer, “Didn’t you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn.”
There was a farmer who grew excellent quality corn. Every year, he won the award for the best grown corn. One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew it. The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors. “How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?” the reporter asked.
Proverbs 11:24-25
of Minnehaha CountySeptember 2022
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