It’s been
109 years and the David and JoAnne Otto farm still remains a family legacy. In
1906, JoAnne’s grandfather, Albert Lehn, moved to the land and started a dairy
farm.
Albert’s
sons Otto and Bernard Lehn both ran the farm and passed it on to JoAnne and her
husband David Otto of Garfield.
David and
JoAnne have four children, Brian, Brad, Stacy and Stef. Brad is currently the
only child that lives on the now 68 acre farm and takes care of 54 beef cows.
The other three children visit often.
JoAnne said
the children want to keep the farm in the family; it’s just a matter of who
will take over next.
The barn and
house have been on the property since JoAnne’s grandfather, Albert, moved
there. Both buildings have seen renovations and have been added on to.
Because it
used to be a dairy farm, David used to milk up to 60 cows. “I learned there’s
life after milking,” he joked. It is now mostly a crop farm.
Along with
cattle and corn, the Ottos also raise peacocks.
The couple
has lived on the property for 49 years. “Bought it when we got married,” David
explained.
David not
only farmed for nearly 50 years, but also volunteered for the Leaf Valley Fire
Department for 40 years and teaches gun safety.
David and
JoAnne joke that her job for many years was to haul the kids around.
“We couldn’t
move if we wanted to,” JoAnne said with a laugh.
ABOUT THE
HONOR
The
Minnesota State Fair and Minnesota Farm Bureau recognized 221 Minnesota farms
as 2015 Century Farms.
Qualifying
farms have been in continuous family ownership for at least 100 years and are
50 acres or more.
From WDAY/WDAZ First News July 2015
