For Johnson family, farming is in their blood

By KRISTIN DANLEY-GREINER Farm News writer

BOONE — What started as an 80-acre farm bought in 1919 has blossomed into a 255-acre family operation brimming with cattle as a part of a cow-calf operation plus corn and soybeans.

Tracy Johnson’s greatgrandfather bought the century farm, which he handed down to Johnson’s grandmother who set it up as a trust for Johnson.

Tragedy brought Johnson’s parents to the family farm years ago.

“My great-grandparents died in a vehicle accident, so my parents and I moved to the family farm when I was 4 or 5 years old,” he said. “I lived in the main farmhouse until my school district consolidated with another small town and my grandparents and parents said us kids weren’t going to sit on a bus and travel that far, so we traded houses. I was transplanted on the other family farm five miles from school and that’s where I graduated from.”

When Johnson graduated from high school, his grandfather passed away. His grandmother didn’t want to stay on the family farm, and she asked her grandson to move to the farm and she moved to an acreage across from his parents.

Once he was old enough to farm as a newly anointed adult, Johnson tore down the original farmhouse and built a new home.

“So I moved to the family farm around 1985 on my own as a young adult, and then in 2005 or 2006 I built the new house. That’s also when I got married and had an instant family with three kids,” Johnson said.

The main barn still sits on the farm ground, plus Johnson added a machine shed to complement existing outbuildings.

“Growing up, we had hogs and cattle, and row crops plus hay ground,” Johnson said. “Taking over the family farm was just something I knew I would do one day. It’s in our blood. I’m the oldest grandchild and the only one in the area farming. My siblings don’t have any interest in farming, and my cousins who farm started their operation in southern Iowa in cattle country.”

It’s an honor to have his family’s operation be declared a Century Farm, Johnson said. The property is located at 1812 100th St., Boone.

“Just this year, I recently added on to it. A farm next to it came up for sale and I acquired it,” he said. When the farm ground was bought in 1919, Johnson’s grandfather paid $138 per acre.

-Submitted photo

THE JOHNSON CENTURY FARM started as an 80-acre farm bought in 1919 and has blossomed into a 255-acre family operation, brimming with cattle as a part of a cow-calf operation plus corn and soybeans.