A farmer at heart

BROWERVILLE, Minn — A farmer is all Trevor Lisson has ever wanted to be and now he is living that reality every day with his family alongside him.

“It’s a dream to be able to raise my family on the farm,” Lisson said.

Lisson and his wife, Alexandria, have four children — Thomas, Colbe, Marie and Sophia — and a baby due in February.  The Lissons were named the 2024 Todd County Farm Family of the Year. They were recognized in June at the Todd County Fair in Long Prairie and in August during Farmfest in Redwood Falls.

“Thomas is very much a farmer,” Lisson said. “They all love riding along with me in the tractor.”

Lisson milks 52 cows in a tiestall barn and farms 210 acres of corn, soybeans and alfalfa at his dairy farm near Browerville. He is active with the Todd County Dairy Herd Improvement Association, his church, Sacred Heart Church, and the school. While Lisson grew up on a dairy farm, his road to owning his own farm was winding.

“I’ve always wanted to farm,” Lisson said. “My grandpa always told me dairy farming is where it’s at. That has always stuck with me.”

When Lisson graduated high school, his dad, Al, was not ready to retire. Lisson attended college for electrical work, but his dream was still set on farming. In 2012, right after college, Lisson started renting his uncle’s dairy farm near Staples. He was able to purchase some cows by working for his dad and another farmer while in college.

After a few years, Lisson outgrew his uncle’s farm site and found another one near Staples to rent. However, his herd did very poorly at the new site and stray voltage was found. After the stray voltage was addressed, Lisson’s cows recovered slowly, causing Lisson to look for yet another farm.

Finally in 2019, Lisson found a dairy farm near Browerville that was going to be up for sale. After visiting the farm, Lisson said he knew he had found a farm to call home.

“It’s just been great since we moved here,” Lisson said. “To have a farm of my own and and see the fruits of my labor every day is such a great feeling.”

The farm’s previous owners had high-quality cattle and it is Lisson’s goal to have high-quality cattle too. Lisson works closely with his veterinarian and nutritionist to optimize cow comfort and health. Lisson said he also carefully selects bulls when breeding his cows and chooses them based on type and production traits.

“My 10-year goal is to hit a 100-pound (milk) tank average,” Lisson said. “Last winter I held at 96 for quite a while. Being able to see the cows doing that well is a great feeling.” 

Lisson said above all, his favorite thing to see on the farm is his family.

“To raise a family on the farm is everything,” Lisson said. “The kids learn so much by being on the farm.”