September 5, 2017 at 3:32 p.m.
Holtegaards revel in family farm memories
Family recognized as Olmsted County Farm Family of the Year
The Holtegaard family received the 2008 Olmsted County Farm Family of the Year award. All five Holtegaard children agree that their time working on the farm helped them grow as individuals and strengthened their character. Front row: Roger and Melinda. Back row from left: Annabelle, Courtney, Nathan, Portia and Marjorie. (photo by Krista Sheehan)
This year, the Holtegaards are being rewarded for their hard work as a family on their dairy farm. They received the 2008 Olmsted County Farm Family of the Year award and were recognized Thursday, Aug. 7, at Farmfest in Redwood County, Minn. According to the Farmfest Web site, "families receiving honors have demonstrated a commitment to enhancing and supporting agriculture and agricultural production."
As a kid, Roger Holtegaard worked on his parents farm and participated in 4-H. When he started testing milk in 1974, after graduating from high school, he had found a niche for dairy.
"That's where I really got more interested in cows - listening to other farmers and seeing all the cows," Roger said.
He then began dairy farming with his dad and in 1977, he married Melinda, who now is a teacher at Sunset Terrace Elementary School in Rochester. Roger and Melinda have five children: Courtney, a nurse at the Mayo Clinic; Nathan, who is dairy farming with his dad after attending North Dakota State University; Portia, a senior at Viterbo University studying biology and pre-vet; Annabelle, 17 and a junior at Century High School in Rochester; and Marjorie, also 17 and a junior at Century High School.
When their kids were old enough, they all became in involved in 4-H like their dad - even in the same Dresser Valley club. From meetings, to projects, to service activities, to softball, the Holtegaards became heavily involved, especially in the dairy and dairy steer projects.
"The kids were always going to some activities," Melinda said. "It made them try different things and it connected them with other kids."
At school, the Holtegaards continued their enthusiasm for involvement. All five took piano lessons and other extra curricular activities including soccer, dance, choir, band, hockey, wrestling, track and swimming.
In between these 4-H and school activities, the Holtegaards made time to work on their family's Blue Horizon Dairy Farm. They milked cows, drove tractor, cared for the calves, fed the cows, and tended to the chickens and turkeys.
"The family has always been involved," Roger said. "Over the years we all helped out because hired help is hard to come by."
All five Holtegaard children have agreed that living on a farm has strengthened their character.
"For us, we had to be responsible, dependable and have a good work ethic to get everything done and do well in everything else," Courtney said. "In hindsight, I'm really glad I grew up on a dairy farm."
Portia agreed, especially after she experienced living off the farm for the summer while completing an internship on a horse farm in Florida.
"As a young adult, other people appreciated that I grew up on a farm because of my hard work ethic," Portia said.
She also appreciates her family even more after working off the farm.
"It's a lot easier working with family because you can say what you feel," she said.
But the success of working together as a family for the Holtegaards is the result of a combination of different factors.
"Communication was really important because we were so busy with everything," Courtney said.
Roger said it is also hard work and lots of dedication.
"You just have to have it in you to do a good job," he said. "And we all depended on each other."
Now with Nathan's return to the farm, Blue Horizon Dairy Farm will continue another generation and has expanded to milking 240 cows in their double six herringbone parlor.
"I don't mind upgrading with the younger generation coming in," Roger said.
And especially since they're still working together as a family, they can continue to create memories to look back on while working on the farm.
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