A special presentation honoring the 2026 Pipestone County Farm Family of the Year took place Aug. 8 at the Pipestone County Fair.

DeGroot Farms of rural Hatfield is this year’s chosen recipients.

Three generations continue to operate the family farm, an enterprise started by Bert and Lucy DeGroot in 1956.

Seventy years ago, the late couple purchased property on 180th Avenue, east of Hatfield, and set down roots. Today, their grandson and his wife, Mik and Angie DeGroot, live on the original farm and continues an agriculture legacy that now has an expanded and more specialized production focus.
“(Bert and Lucy) purchased 320 acres, raising corn, oats and hay,” Angie said. “They also had a few dairy cows, beef cows, pigs and horses.”

Today, DeGroot Farms consist of 1,100 crop acres and focuses on raising cattle. The DeGroots operate a custom feeding operation, raising 700-800 head of cattle annually, along with a 65-head cow-calf herd and show cattle enterprise.

Mik’s parents, Jay and Vi, live a half-mile north of the original farm. Jay started farming in 1967, with Mik having fond memories traveling down the road to visit his grandparents’ house and being rewarded with “the smell of homemade buns.”

The farm experience stuck with Mik after graduating from Pipestone High School and the earning of an animal science degree at South Dakota State University in Brookings.

Crop farming is Mik’s main passion after joining the DeGroot Farms  operation in 1993. He said a lot has changed since he began farming 33 years ago.

“Machinery is bigger. Crops are bigger and everything is so much faster than it used to be,” Mik said. “We went from plowing the ground to no-till and strip till.”

Livestock became a focus when Mik and Angie’s children — Shayna, Tucker and Tyler —  were in elementary school and joined the Pipestone County 4-H Program.

“The kids started with bottle calves in Cloverbuds,” Angie said. “Each of them developed a passion for showing cattle, and that is when we started growing our herd and taking it to another level.”

More than a decade later, the DeGroots attend several large open cattle shows each year as a way to promote their cow-calf herd of primarily purebred Shorthorn and Maine Anjou.

Tucker, who lives in Lake Wilson with girlfriend, Brooklyn Harding, and son, Ryker, joined DeGroot Farms in 2022.

“Tucker’s true passion in cattle,” Angie said. “He is hoping to expand our herd and grow the cattle sale operation.”

The DeGroots use artificial insemination on the majority of the cows in the cow-calf herd and sell the offspring as show cattle prospects. In the past, the show prospect sales took place by private treaty. That will change later this year when the DeGroots will have their first on-line sale later, selling 10-12 head of purebred heifers.

Selection as this year’s Farm Family of the Year has left the DeGroots honored and grateful for the recognition of what they do for a living.

“Agriculture is what this country was built on,” Mik said. “Most people who were not raised on the farm don’t understand where their food comes from. As farmers, we are held to a very high standard of practicing sustainability and excellent animal welfare.

“The work is endless on the farm, but very rewarding. We are proud to take a small part in helping to feed the world.”

Future plans have Tyler DeGroot, who works for a local farmer, joining the family operation.
Shayna and her husband, Cody, and daughter, Collins, live in Platte City, Mo.

About the Farm Family program
The University of Minnesota Farm Family Recognition Program honors farm families from throughout Minnesota for their significant contributions to the agriculture industry and their local communities.

The program, coordinated by the U of M Extension, the College of Feed, Agriculture and Natural Resources Sciences, and College of Veterinary Medicine began in 1979.

Each county’s Extension executive committee selects a local family to receive the honor, presented annually at the Pipestone County Fair.
Farm Families of the Year are also recognized annually at Minnesota Farm Fest.

“This year’s Farm Families of the Year reflect the impressive strength and incredible variety of agriculture in our state,” said Extension dean Bev Durgan in a press release. “The University of Minnesota is proud to honor these families and their innovation and dedication to Minnesota agriculture.”

Other 2026 farm families (home county) include:
•Kurt and Lanette Elbers, Rock
•Blair and Tami Hellewell,
Murray
•Matt and Teresa Widboom, Nobles
•Dan and Kelly Porchardt, Lyon
•Micah and Koreas Eidem, Lincoln
•Mikayla and the late Ethan Quade, Cottonwood
•Brian and Melanie Post, Jackson

Mavis Fodness | Freelance reporter

Sandy Dierks of rural Slayton often asked her parents for a horse.

She grew up in the town of Worthing, S.D., in the 1970s with parents who weren’t “animal people” who were unlikely to buy a horse for their daughter. More than five decades later, in 2020, the now-adult Dierks became a horse owner.

“It’s been a lifetime dream,” she said.

Husband, Dale, rekindled Sandy’s dreams of owning a horse when the two married in 2019 and moved to his acreage north of Slayton near Lake Shetek. Her new home had the makings for a horse.
“He had this barn that was just full of old junk and stuff,” Sandy said. “I’m like, how about if we have some animals?”

With the barn recently cleaned, the couple had just said “I do” when they received a pair of miniature donkeys as a wedding present. Soon after, the herd grew to include miniature horses, much to Dale’s hesitation who grew up riding full-sized horses. He said his impression of miniature horses wasn’t positive.

“I’ve heard minis are mean. I didn’t want anything to do with them,” Dale said with a slight grin to Sandy.
“Now they’re our big babies,” she added. “He’s like ‘Oh I love them.’”

At just under three-feet tall, the miniatures have been a good fit for the retired Dierkses.
“To me they’re just more fun,” Sandy said. “They’re easier to handle and train.”

A business, Dierks Minis — DM, soon blossomed to include over a dozen mares, stallions, jennys and jacks.

Fed just grass hay and kept off pasture, the herd is kept in dry lots to avoid health issues. Breeding is done by hand to keep track of lineage and know which pairings lead to sound foals. Interaction with the foals happens at birth.

“You’d be surprised how many you buy and they are not friendly,” Sandy said. “You pay thousands of dollars for an animal and you can’t even touch it.”
Customers pay between $1,500 to $4,000 for a Dierks mini and are guaranteed the foal will be friendly and trained before the sale is complete. The pinto- and appaloosa-patterned foals, which have become a focus for the Dierkses, garner the higher prices due to customer-demand for a more colorful mini.

Many of their minis become service animals or they learn to pull carts or are entered into performance shows. The majority of their foals are purchased as pets.

About a dozen foals are born at Dierks Minis each year. Each are trained to lead and stand quietly. All learn to willingly lift their feet for hoof trimming. Because of their friendly natures, the waiting list has grown to 25 potential buyers for this year’s crop.

Videos of the small foals running and playing around their mothers are frequently featured on the Dierks Minis social media page. The videos are just snippets of what the Dierks enjoy most about being horse owners.

“It’s just fun to watch them,” Sandy said. “They’re just kind of my pets. I go out there and sit in the hay with them. To me, it’s heaven.”

By Mavis Fodness

Sixteen years ago Paul and Rochelle VanderWoude completely changed their farming focus.

Gone were the cows the couple milked for 30 years as they began focusing on organic farming their 240-acre farm northeast of Pipestone.

Since the transition, the couple have become mentors to others interested in switching to organic farming.

On June 20, the VanderWoudes hosted tours and expert speakers about growing cash crops without the use of synthetic chemicals. Forty-three people attended the couple’s first-time hosting an event at their farm.

“There is a little more interest due to the cost of chemical inputs — the profit margin is greater with farming organically,” Paul said.

Along with the plot tours of the VanderWoudes’ organically-grown corn, soybeans and oats, a decision panel with organic farming experts from South Dakot and Minnesota was conducted.
As host, Paul VanderWoude wanted those in attendance to know the benefits of farming organically.

“By benefits I mean the cleaner living — you don’t have to worry about killing yourself with chemicals. The soil becomes healthier, which is healthier for plants, which, in turn, grows healthier food,” he said.

In 2010, when the VanderWoudes made the decision to farm organically, they relied on others in the organic farming field for help in both making the transition and for the continuing support to expand the use of the farming practice.

A grant through the Transition to Organic Partnership Program assisted in covering the expenses at the VanderWoude farm last month. Co-hosting the event was the Minnesota Organic Crop Improvement Association.

Since the transition, the VanderWoudes have seen significant improvements in the soil’s water retention and an overall improvement in soil health without the use of synthetic chemicals or fertilizers or the planting of generically modified seeds.
The practice is being use by the next generation in the VanderWoude family.

Son, Levi, began farming organically in 2017 with 35 acres. He now rents 180 acres from Don DeWeerd, a neighbor who helped his family with the transition from dairy farming to farming organically.
“I believe the future is bright for organics,” Paul said. “More and more people are becoming more conscious of the food they are putting in their bodies.”

While Paul completes the fieldwork, Rochelle assists with the paperwork necessary for the operation of their organic farm. The couple believes the change they made 16 years ago has been the right one.
“There is true joy working with nature rather than against it,” Paul said. “(And) seeing life return to the soil and the benefits others get from our organic product.”

By Mavis Fodness

Daily posts by Rita Vander Kooi of rural Worthington are providing insights to readers worldwide about family and dairy farm life in Nobles County.

MarriedAndFarming, her Facebook and Instagram sites, has 50,000+ followers.

“I truly believe that the story of farming is meant to be shared. Transparency builds trust,” Vander Kooi said.

Her own farm story began 45 years ago on a 50-cow dairy near Pierz, Minn., where she learned to care for livestock and milk cows alongside her parents and four siblings. In college, she met her husband, Joe, when both earned degrees in animal production systems at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul. They married in 2003, and together operate Ocheda Dairy with their five children.

Vander Kooi embraced her passion for agriculture by becoming involved in the various local and national dairy industry organizations. Vander Kooi created the blog, “So She Married a Farmer,” after attending a workshop sponsored by the Midwest Dairy Association in 2011. The blog, still available online, was a way to connect with consumers and keep moving the family business forward.

“I work hard to make sure that I continue to drive change. I love that the work I do encourages those around me, and we sell such a wholesome and nutritious product,” she said. “I just love taking care of cows.”

Ocheda Dairy consists of 2,500-cows, a custom silage cutting business and a cash crop enterprise. Vander Kooi herself carefully monitors the cows’ health and nutrition and makes sure the farm’s 25 full-time employees feel appreciated.

“I work closely with cows and people,” she said. “I have always been a compassionate person, so it is a great role for me.”

Vander Kooi’s day begins in the early mornings with the majority of her barn chores finished by noon.
“So I can be there for my family’s needs the rest of the day. It doesn’t always work out that way but I try to achieve balance in that way,” she said.
Also part of her routine is to make daily social media posts, a task she has completed over 1,000 days in a row.

“Working with cows and reading my Bible is my daily routine,” Vander Kooi said. “I love that having a page stretches my creative side, and I love to write. Moreover, agriculture has such a great story to tell — passionate people working hard to provide the best care for their land and animals. I am so proud to share this message.”

Her family often assists Vander Kooi by supplying pictures for her daily posts to MarriedAndFarming. Husband, Joe, and their oldest children, Vince, 20, and Liv, 18, frequently share pictures of their work around the farm that become posts by Vander Kooi. Events involving the younger children, Ava, 15, Violet, 11, and Vic, 7, also become shared moments with readers.

Most recent posts included information about stray voltage, distiller’s grain, a trip to an Idaho farm, corn planting, explaining a cow producing 17 gallons of milk a day, value of algebra in developing feed rations and how a disposable breeder’s glove became the best vessel to bring nightcrawlers to school.

“We are more than just our work, and so you will find faith interwoven in my posts,” Vander Kooi said. “My most important calling (other than being a servant to God) is motherhood. So naturally, my kids and our family life are shared as well.”
She doesn’t intentionally write about controversial topics. At times, some posts go viral (some have garnered more than 1 million views) and Vander Kooi is not afraid to educate readers on agricultural practices when pressed.

“If they are trying to learn more and understand, I take a great deal of time to break the subject down for them and give them lots of details. If it is just a keyboard warrior trying to ruin my day, I block and delete and don’t look back,” Vander Kooi said.