Center Piece Newsletter- Summer 2015

A Family Legacy - David and JoAnne Otto

 

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

Millerville Butter Days 2015

Cindy Terwilliger 1st place butter carving

Doug Schaffer 2nd place butter carving

Bernadine Schiele Grand Marshall

Blonde and Bohunk

2015 Millerville Butter Days

American Legion

Bentley Quinn kids games

Bob's Backhoe

Brandon Fire Department

Claire Boesl  girls glove winner

Face Painting

Judy Kelly balloon artist

Kids bounce house

Kids pedal pull

Kids pedal pull

Kids pedal pull

Millerville Creamery

Millerville Fire Department

Parade Unit

Pig races

Pig races

Sydnee Byrne singer of the National Anthem

Tablet winner Jon Dingwall

1920s J.C. Metcalf Mill Cement Gear Found in Brandon MN

Cement mill gear found in June of 2015 by a trenching crew that was working for Gardonville Telephone Co-Op. It was found near the building of West Central Concrete which was the original site of the J.C. Metcalf Mill.

 J.C. Metcalf Mill in the 1920s.  The mill was located where the present West Central Concrete is located at 101A Cty. Rd. 82 NW, Brandon MN.

J.C. Metcalf Mill in the 1920s.

Concrete gear is 16 inches in diameter, width 6 inches with a weight of 80 lbs.

 

The cement gear has iron rods running through it.

 

This cement gear can be seen at the Brandon History Center. 

 It was donated by Diane Richter, present owner of the property. 

Creamery to Apartments In Brandon 1973

The old creamery stood vacant for three years in hopes that a manufacturing firm would use it.  Instead Kay Larson and Connie McHenry are converting the structure into 11 apartments. In the remodeled building the front entrance has been moved to the south side of the building but the north side awning has been left intact.  The creamery was original built in 1929

Connie McHenry claims that she has mastered everything from hauling planks up ladders to painting all the nooks and crannies.  However, she still admits difficulties dumping a loaded wheelbarrow.

Both Connie McHenry and Kay Larson claim that they started with little knowledge of what the entire project involved but both had done extensive remodeling in their own homes.

 

Kay Larson's only free day away from the project is Wednesday when she and Connie leave their paintbrushes for a needlepoint class in Sauk Centre.

During the week you'll find Don McHenry serving as senior high principal but on the weekends he becomes his wife's chief painter.

The entire newspaper article can be seen at the Brandon History Center

 

Lt. Colonel Kristi Roers

Lt. Colonel Kristi Roers was the speaker at the Memorial Day Program which was held at the Brandon High School on May 25, 2015.  Lt. Colonel Roers was introduced by Brandon American Legion Commander Lydon Sletto.  Kristi Bakken graduated from Brandon High School in 1980. Following high school her academic preparation and education was at Concordia College 1980-1982, Jamestown College 1982-1984, and graduated from Creighton College in 1986 receiving a Bachelor of Arts in nursing and a registered EMT.  She then spent eight years in the United States Air Force on active duty as a staff nurse and in a coronary care unit.  From 1993 to the present she has been a clinical nurse educator in the Air Force Reserve.  Lt. Colonel Kristi Roers retired from the Air Force Reserves in September of 2014 after 30 years of service.

 

A video of the Memorial Day Program including the entire speech given by Lt. Colonel Kristi Roers can be viewed at the Brandon History Center.



Brandon-Evansville Graduating Classes of 1965 and 2015

Portions taken from the  Brandon-Evansville Graduation 2015 Program