WAVERLY, Minn. — Garret and Amber Duske along with their kids — Emmit, Hazel, Colton and Charlotte — have focused on making their farm more efficient so they have more time to give back to the community and be with family.
“You could constantly stay busy for 16 hours a day seven days a week,” Garret Duske said. “I don’t see enjoyment in that. I didn’t get married and have kids to not be able to see them.”
The family’s hard work and dedication were recognized when they were named the 2024 Wright County Farm Family of the Year.
“I didn’t know there was such a thing until last year when a good friend of ours got it,” Duske said. “I thought it was cool and it was pretty neat and nice to get recognized.”
The family milks 94 cows in a tiestall barn. The farm is operated with the help of Duske’s dad, Cliff, and his uncle, Keith. They also raise approximately 350-400 feeder cattle youngstock to around 400 pounds and grow 600 acres of crops.
The Duske farm has been in the family since the 1930s and Duske is the third generation to own the farm. Through the family’s long presence in the area, Duske has come to know many people, which amplifies the importance of community to him.
Cliff and his wife, Wendy, made an impact on Duske’s life and are the reason Duske said he wants to help others as much as he can. Growing up, Duske watched nearly 70 kids, between his parents fostering and running a daycare, come through his childhood home over the years. He said this is where he learned to give back whenever he could.
“You see all these kids and what they come from, and if I can change a life by being in an organization, helping out at church or donating food to someone (I will),” Duske said.
With time investments into the farm, the community and his family, Duske focuses on balancing his time and knowing what can wait to get done on the farm.
“We made a big point over the last 10 years of making it more efficient, as in, if something happened to (my dad) or my uncle I could run the farm by myself,” Duske said.
“It would be the spring or the fall when I need help.”
The Duskes have been members of Albion Evangelical Free Church for seven years. They used to teach a Sunday school class and now Amber helps with Awana on Wednesday nights, a class for kids from 3 years old through sixth grade. Through their church, the Duskes also donate food to be given to people in need.
The family is involved in Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted FFA Alumni. They also volunteer at a fundraising tractor pull, which was started by Duske’s nephew in 2019. The proceeds from the pull go to support agriculture education and the HLWW FFA chapter. It is held on Memorial Day weekend each year. Duske said many people who win donate the money back to the fundraiser.
“2021 was our record year,” Duske said. “We have over 100 hooks every year. Attendance is full and we get a lot of people in the community to come and help and volunteer their time to run gates and sell tickets.”
Even when it comes to community involvement, Duske still aims to manage his time so he can be home at night.
“It’s been fun to do, (but) we don’t want to be up until 2 in the morning,” Duske said.
The Duskes’ kids are active in FFA, football, basketball, band and choir. Duske strives to be at as many games and concerts as possible.
“I try to be milking by 3 at night so I can go to my daughter’s games, I don’t want to miss them,” Duske said. “We just try to make (the farm) family friendly. I still want to be a family farm … so I have to expand with what I have here.”
There will always be work to do on a farm, Duske said, but he believes it is important to know when to take a break. He values being able to spend extra hours with his family or helping people in need.
“I enjoy helping other people out because I have been blessed with so much myself,” Duske said. “I wouldn’t have what I have if it wasn’t for God. I look at the world and people complain about what they don’t have. I look at it and say thanks for what I do have.”
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