75 years and still learning

By Becky and Shawn Feikema of Luverne, Minn.
Dec 2, 2025
Dec 2, 2025

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

75 years. This year marks the 75th crop Feikemas have harvested in Rock County.

kAmx? `hd_[ r=2C6?46 2?5 p?? u6:<6>2 >@G65 E@ E96 4FCC6?E 72C> D:E6 27E6C 72C>:?8 D@>6 J62CD :? x@H2 2?5 $@FE9 s2<@E2] %96 72C>D E96J 925 AC6G:@FD=J H6C6 ?62C C:G6CD 2?5 AC@?6 E@ 7=@@5:?8[ D@ 2AA2C6?E=J E96 72C> 9:89 @? E96 q=F6 |@F?5D H2D 2? 2EEC24E:G6 492?86] x H@?56C :7 E96J <?6H 9@H >F49 H6 H@F=5 32EE=6 E96 D@=:5 =6586 C@4< F?56C?62E9 E96 76CE:=6 D@:=]k^Am

CW Fiekema 2.JPG — Three generations at Feikema Farms helped with harvest Oct. 11, including brothers Bob and Ron, brothers Shawn and Mike and cousins Maddie and Cathryn.
Submitted photos

kAmp D>2== 72C> H:E9 `a_ 24C6D[ D@>6 52:CJ 4@HD[ 2 76H A:8D 2?5 D@>6 49:4<6?D H2D E96 9F>3=6 DE2CE] (:E9 7@FC D@?D[ E96C6 H6C6 A=6?EJ @7 92?5D E@ 6IA2?5 E96 72C>] %H@ @7 E9@D6 D@?D[ q@3 2?5 r9F4< W2?5 =2E6C 2 E9:C5 D@?[ #@?X H@F=5 E2<6 E96 C6:?D 27E6C E96:C >:=:E2CJ D6CG:46] r92?86D E92E E96J >256 :?4=F565 EC2?D:E:@?:?8 E96 52:CJ :?E@ 2 7665=@E 2?5 255:?8 >@C6 24C6D]k^Am

kAmr9F4<’D EH@ D@?D[ $92H? 2?5 |:<6 H6C6 E96 ?6IE :? =:?6 7@C @H?6CD9:A @7 E96 72C>[ 2?5 E@52J E96C6 2C6 E9C66 86?6C2E:@?D :?G@=G65] $92H? 2?5 |:<6 92G6 7:G6 8:C=D 36EH66? E96 EH@ @7 E96>[ 2?5 :E :D BF:E6 4@>>@? E@ D66 3=@?56 A@?JE2:=D 3@33:?8 2=@?8 :? E96 EC24E@C] ~?6 @7 E96 52JD H6 925 q@3 :? 2 4@>3:?6[ #@? :? 2 ECF4<[ $92H? :? 2 4@>3:?6[ |:<6 :? E96 A:=6 EC24E@C 2?5 |255:6 2?5 r2E9CJ?[ 9@>6 @? 3C62< 7C@> 4@==686[ :? E96 8C2:? 42CED]k^Am

People are also reading…

Iowa farmer sees new path for agriculture
Meristem focuses on reducing crop input costs for farmers
From rose farms to rice fields, travel continues
Mitchell Tech students present research at Commodity Classic
Family closes generation gap
Study reveals how bull buyers use key genetic information
With labor tight, incentives key to finding the right help
Livestock sector struggles to fill labor need
C-B Charolais 40th Annual Production Sale
Agriculture will play a major role in upcoming corner crossing discussions
Proposals aim to improve pool of rural veterinarians
McCumber Angus Ranch Production Sale
From the field to the heart: one man's mission to change how farmers talk about mental health
Hemingford FFA grows leaders for tomorrow
New policies affect spread of alternative energy sites

kAm(@C<:?8 H:E9 72>:=J 92D 3@E9 ;@JD 2?5 492==6?86D[ 3FE 2E E96 6?5 @7 E96 52J :E :D BF:E6 C6H2C5:?8 E@ D66 E96 D<:==D @7 72C>:?8 36:?8 A2DD65 @?]k^Am

CW Feikema 1.jpg — Strip-tilled rows are ready for next year’s crop at Feikema Farms near Luverne, Minn.
Submitted photo

kAm%9:D J62C H6 EC:65 2 =@E @7 ?6H E9:?8D – DF?7=@H6CD[ ?6H AC@5F4ED[ 2 ?6H E:DDF6 D2>A=:?8 AC@465FC6[ ?6H E649?@=@8J[ 2 D64@?5 A2DD @7 7F?8:4:56] $@>6 E9:?8D H@C<65[ D@>6 5:5 ?@E] %9C@F89 :E 2== E9@F89[ H6 2C6 =62C?:?8 E@86E96C]k^Am

kAmxE :D :?E6C6DE:?8 E96 E9:?8D E92E 2C6 42F89E G6CDFD E2F89E H96? J@F H@C< 2=@?8D:56 J@FC <:5D] x <?@H E92E >J 525 H2D >J 7:CDE 28C@?@>:DE[ E6249:?8 >6 23@FE D@:=D 2?5 H665D 2?5 :?D64ED 2?5 4C@A ?FEC:E:@? 2D H6 H2=<65 E96 362? 7:6=5D AF==:?8 H665D] WpE eh J62CD @=5[ 96 DE:== 5@6D E9:D[ H2=<:?8 `_ >:=6D 2 52J – ?@E 3642FD6 96 92D E@ 2?J>@C6[ 3FE 3642FD6 @7 E96 D2E:D724E:@? 96 86ED 7C@> =@@<:?8 24C@DD E96 7:6=5 H96? 96 :D 5@?6X]k^Am

kAm(6 =62C? 9@H E@ 92?5=6 72:=FC6[ 9@H E@ H@C< F?56C AC6DDFC6[ 9@H E@ C6DA@?5 E@ 2 4C:D:D[ 9@H E@ 42C6 7@C E96 =2?5 2?5 E96 2?:>2=D] %96D6 2C6 E9:?8D J@F 42?’E ;FDE =62C? :? 2 3@@<] %96D6 2C6 E96 =:76 D<:==D E92E 92G6 366? A2DD65 @? 7C@> @?6 86?6C2E:@? E@ E96 ?6IE] xE’D ?@E ;FDE E@ @FC <:5D – H6 92G6 D@>6 J@F?8 6>A=@J66D E92E 56D:C6 E@ =62C? 2D H6==]k^Am

kAm$@[ H92E H6C6 E96 =6DD@?D 7C@> E9:D J62Cn (6 =62C?65 E92E DF?7=@H6CD 2C6 362FE:7F= 2?5 E96 4C@A 92D A@E6?E:2= 7@C H@C<:?8 96C6[ H6 ;FDE ?665 2 =:EE=6 >@C6 6IA6C:6?46] (6 =62C?65 E92E C68F=2C C2:? :D D@ :>A@CE2?E 7@C 9:89 J:6=5D[ 3FE 2 =@E @7 =:EE=6 E9:?8D >2EE6C[ E@@] (6 8@E @FC 7:CDE 6IA6C:6?46 H:E9 $@FE96C? CFDE[ D@ H6 ?@H 92G6 2 3:E 36EE6C A=2? 7@C E92E] (6 92G6 2 =@E @7 52E2 7C@> @FC E:DDF6 D2>A=:?8 6G6CJ H66<[ 2?5 :E H:== E2<6 2 H9:=6 E@ 8=62? 2== @7 E96 <?@H=6586 7C@> E9@D6] (6 =62C?65 2 3:E 23@FE H92E :E 766=D =:<6 E@ 92G6 2F524:@FD 8@2=D 2?5 36 D=:89E=J 5:D2AA@:?E65 2?5 E96? 766=:?8 8F:=EJ 7@C 36:?8 5:D2AA@:?E65] qFE H6 2=D@ =62C?65 H92E :D =:<6 E@ 36 3=6DD65 H:E9 2? 2>2K:?8 92CG6DE[ 2 72?E2DE:4 4C6H @7 A6@A=6 H@C<:?8 H:E9 FD[ 2?5 2 E9C:G:?8 4@>>F?:EJ]k^Am

kAm(6 2C6 E2<:?8 E96 =6DD@?D @7 A6CD6G6C2?46[ DE6H2C5D9:A 2?5 92C5 H@C< H6 =62C?65 7C@> E9@D6 367@C6 FD 2?5 9@A67F==J D9@H:?8 @FC <:5D E9@D6 D2>6 BF2=:E:6D] }@ >2EE6C H96C6 E96J 6?5 FA :? =:76[ E96J 42? =@@< 324< 2?5 D2J[ “x =62C?65 E92E @? E96 72C>]”k^Am

Shawn and Becky Feikema are part of Feikema Farms based in Luverne, Minnesota, where they have transitioned to sustainable practices such as no till, strip till, cover cropping and diverse rotations. The Feikemas open their farm to showcase modern agriculture in an effort to educate policymakers and consumers.