Home and farm are one and the same for most farm families.
kAmu@C }63C2D<2 >F=E:\86?6C2E:@?2= 72C>6CD y@6J y@9?D@?[ b` J62CD @=5[ 9:D 72E96C s2??J y@9?D@?[ dg[ 2?5 y@6J’D 8C2?5A2 #@86C y@9?D@?[ g`[ E96J 4@?D:56C 6249 52J H@C<:?8 E@86E96C 2E E96 72>:=J 72C> :? rC2:8[ }63][ 2 3=6DD:?8]k^Am
kAm“p== @7 FD H@C<:?8 E@86E96C 92D :ED DECF88=6D[ 3FE E96 C6H2C5 :D 8C62E6C E92? 2?J DECF88=6[” y@6J D2:5] “x’> 6IEC6>6=J =F4<J E@ H@C< D@ 4=@D6=J H:E9 >J 525 2?5 8C2?5A2[ 2?5 E@ 92G6 E9:D 3@?5 H:E9 E96>]k^Am
kAm“x’> 6I4:E65 E@ 4@?E:?F6 E9:D EC25:E:@? H:E9 >J @H? <:5D D@>652J]”k^Am
kAm~? E96:C 72C> ?@CE9H6DE @7 ~>292[ E96 y@9?D@?D 8C@H 4@C?[ D@J362?D 2?5 D@>6 2=72=72] %96J 2=D@ 92G6 2? p?8FD 4@H\42=7 96C5]k^Am
The tradition of families working together is a vital part of Nebraska’s farm and ranch history. The Johnson men, (from left) Danny, Roger, and Joey, of Craig, Neb., have been farming together for decades, and they’re just one of many who continue to find strength in combining family and business.
kAm%649?@=@8J 92D 42FD65 2 A:G@E2= 6G@=FE:@? E@ E96:C @A6C2E:@? D:?46 vC2?5A2 #@86C’D 62C=J 72C>:?8 52JD] y@6J ?@E65 9:D @H? 86?6C2E:@? :D G6CJ E649\D2GGJ]k^Am
kAm“%96 5:776C6?E E649?@=@8J @? E96 72C> 92D :>A24E65 FD 2 =@E — 6DA64:2==J H:E9 A=2?E:?8 2?5 92CG6DE[” y@6J D2:5] “(96? 525 H2D CF??:?8 E96 A=2?E6C 2?5 4@>3:?6[ 96 ?6G6C 925 v!$] }@H :E :D D@>6E9:?8 E92E x FD6 6G6CJ 52J H9:=6 A=2?E:?8 2?5 92CG6DE:?8] xE 567:?:E6=J 92D :ED A@D:E:G6 2?5 ?682E:G6 :>A24ED H9:=6 H@C<:?8 H:E9 >J 525 2?5 8C2?5A2] %96J FDF2==J ;FDE =62G6 E96 E649?@=@8J E@ >6]”k^Am
Joey and his faithful farm companion Gus do the 4-wheeling rounds. (Photos courtesy the Johnson family)
kAmvC2?5A2 #@86C 962CE:=J 28C665]k^Am
kAm“y@6J’D :?E@ E92E E649?@=@8J DEF77] %96 J@F?86C @?6D 42? 25;FDE E@ :E[ E96J’C6 ?2EFC2= H:E9 E92E DEF77] xE’D 36J@?5 >6 ?@H[ x’> E96 8@A96C[” 49F4<=65 #@86C y@9?D@?] “x’G6 D66? 2== @7 E96D6 492?86D :? >J =:76[ H:E9 E96 >@56C? 6BF:A>6?E] x7 :E H6C6?’E 7@C y@6J[ H6 H@F=5?’E 36 23=6 E@ 5@ H92E H6’C6 5@:?8 E@52J]k^Am
kAm“x 4@F=5?’E 5@ :E ?@H — H:E9@FE E96> 3@E9]”k^Am
kAm#6>:?:D4:?8 23@FE 564256D 8@?6 3J[ #@86C D2:5 E92E 2E 2? 62C=J 286[ s2??J 2?5 y@6J H6C6 6249 6I4:E65 23@FE 5:88:?8 :?E@ E96 72>:=J 72C> 3FD:?6DD]k^Am
kAm“s2??J[ >J D@?[ DE2CE65 :? `hgc 2?5 366? H:E9 >6 6G6C D:?46] y@6J H2D 2 ?2EFC2=] w6 H2D 3@C? E@ 36 2 72C>6C[ 2?5 H2D 96=A:?8 3J 286 7:G6[” D2:5 #@86C[ H9@ H:== ?6G6C 7@C86E E9@D6 >@>6?ED[ H2E49:?8 9:D D@? E6249 9:D 8C2?5D@? E96 D2>6 E9:?8D] “~?6 52J[ J62CD 28@[ y@6J H2D CF??:?8 E96 8C2:? 42CE[ 2?5 x H2D CF??:?8 E96 4@>3:?6] w6 D2:5[ ‘vC2?5A2[ 42? x CF? E96 4@>3:?6n’k^Am
kAm“x 2D<65 :7 96 H2D C625J[ 2?5 96 E@@< @G6C 7C@> E92E 52J] x’== ?6G6C 7@C86E E92E 52J]”k^Am
kAms2??J D2:5 96’D 6IA6C:6?465 E96 FAD 2?5 5@H?D @7 72C>:?8 H9:=6 H@C<:?8 @? 2 >F=E:\86?6C2E:@?2= 72C>]k^Am
kAm“x’G6 D66? 3@E9 E96 8@@5 2?5 325[” 96 @3D6CG65] “(96? x DE2CE65 E@ C62==J 86E :?E@ 72C>:?8[ 42D9 C6?E H2D Sg_ 2? 24C6 2?5 ?@H :E 42? 36 2D 9:89 2D Sb__ 2? 24C6] p=D@[ E96C6 H2D 2 =@E @7 D92C6 4C@AA:?8[ 2?5 ?@H E96C6 2C6 >@C6 =2?5 @H?6CD 42D9 C6?E:?8 E96:C =2?5]”k^Am
kAm%9@F89 E96 72>:=J >2EC:2C49 — #@86C’D H:76 $9:C=6J — A2DD65 2H2J :? u63CF2CJ `hhc[ E96 @E96C y@9?D@? H@>6? 2C6 G6CJ DFAA@CE:G6 @7 E96 72>:=J 3FD:?6DD[ 2=36:E D@>6E:>6D 369:?5 E96 D46?6D]k^Am
kAms2??J’D H:76 |:DE: 96=A65 H:E9 2? 62C=J 9@8 7:?:D9:?8 3FD:?6DD[ 5@:?8 >@DE @7 E96 AC@46DD:?8 F?E:= `hhh] $96 ?@H H@C<D @77 E96 72C>]k^Am
kAmy@6J’D H:76 pD9=J? :D 2 4@D>6E@=@8:DE 2?5 92:C5C6DD6C[ 2?5 6?;@JD 96=A:?8 2E E96 72C>]k^Am
kAm“x CF? E96 2F86C H28@? 7@C E96> 5FC:?8 92CG6DE 2?5 3C:?8 >62=D E@ E96 7:6=5[” pD9=J? D2:5] “r2EE=6 :D 567:?:E6=J >J 72G@C:E6 A2CE @7 E96:C @A6C2E:@?]”k^Am
As with all other jobs, harvest on the Johnson farm is a team effort.
kAm%96 y@9?D@?D 92G6 >2?J >6>@C23=6 DE@C:6D[ 2?5 AC@F5 >@>6?ED]k^Am
kAm“x C6>6>36C W324< :? E96 `hf_DX @FC 72>:=J H2D 762EFC65 @? u2C> u2>:=J @7 E96 (66< @? r92??6= e[” s2??J D92C65] “%92E H2D 2 9F86 9@?@C[ E@ 86E A:4<65 E@ 8@ E@ ~>292 2?5 E2=< 23@FE @FC @A6C2E:@? :? rC2:8]”k^Am
kAm%96D6 52JD[ #@86C[ ?@H D6>:\C6E:C65[ 96=AD @? E96 72C>[ 3FE 2=D@ CF?D 9:D @H? “72C>6C 4@7766 D9@A” :? rC2:8[ @FE @7 2 >6E2= 3F:=5:?8 96’D @H?65 7@C J62CD] w:D 5@8 $<66E6C 92?8D @FE H:E9 E96 8FJD H9:=6 E96J G:D:E]k^Am
kAm“%96 D9@A :D @A6? D6G6? 52JD 2 H66<[ 2?5 H6 >66E 6G6CJ 52J[” #@86C D2:5 @7 9:D 9@33J 4@77669@FD6] “x’== 4=@D6 2C@F?5 ?@@?[ 8@ 9@>6[ 92G6 =F?49[ >2J36 E2<6 2 ?2A[ 2?5 @A6? :E FA 2E b :? E96 27E6C?@@?] %96J 2== <?@H E96 562= — x >2<6 E96 4@7766[ D@>6@?6 2=H2JD 3C:?8D 4@@<:6D[ @C 42<6[ 2?5 E96J DE2J 2?5 E2=< 2D =@?8 2D E96J H2?E]”k^Am
kAm#@86C :D BF:4< E@ A@:?E @FE[ E92E 72C>6CD @7 2== 286D[ 2?5 @E96CD 4@>6 :?E@ 9:D 4@7766 D9@A]k^Am
kAm“x’G6 >6E 2 =@E @7 ?:46 A6@A=6[” 96 D2:5] “p =@E @7 DEC2?86CD DE@A E@ E2=<[ E@@] qFE[ E96J’C6 ?@E DEC2?86CD @?46 E96J’C6 :? 96C6]”k^Am
The regulars gather for a mug and some shop talk at Roger’s coffeehouse in Craig.
Katy Moore/Midwest Messenger
kAm#6>:?:D4:?8 23@FE 72C>:?8 H:E9 9:D D@? 2?5 8C2?5D@?[ #@86C 24<?@H=6586D[ “tG6CJ 52J 2:?’E 2 D>@@E9 52J] (6’G6 925 @FC FAD 2?5 5@H?D] v6?6C2==J[ x H:?[” 96 49F4<=65]k^Am
kAm(:E9 2?@E96C ?6H 8C2?5323J @7 9:D @H? 5F6 E@ 2CC:G6 E9:D DAC:?8[ s2??J C67=64E65 @? 3@E9 E96 A2DE 2?5 7FEFC6 @7 E96 y@9?D@? 72>:=J 72C> :? }63C2D<2[ 2?5 H92E E96J 92G6 244@>A=:D965 H@C<:?8 D:56\3J\D:56 7@C D@ >2?J J62CD]k^Am
kAm“%96 `hg_D H6C6 92C5[ 3FE :7 J@F H@C< 92C5 2?5 5@ H92E J@F 92G6 E@ 5@[ J@F 42? 86E E9C@F89 :E[” 96 D2:5] “w2C5 H@C< 2=H2JD A2JD @77]”k^Am
kAmk6>mp>J w252496< 42? 36 C624965 2E k2 9C67lQ>2:=E@i2>J]9252496<o>:5H6DE>6DD6?86C]4@>Qm2>J]9252496<o>:5H6DE>6DD6?86C]4@>k^2m]k^6>mk^Am
Be the first to know
Get local news delivered to your inbox!
