Stories of the Heartland - April 2026 | Page 11

hometownsource. com / heartland / Stories of the Heartland • Sunday, April 19, 2026 Page 11

To their family, the auction business isn’ t only about offering locations to sell and buy livestock. It’ s about cultivating relationships and preserving a way of life that is rooted in the good ole’ days. In a world where time seems to be spinning faster, the Long Prairie Livestock Exchange remains a place where handshakes still matter, stories are passed down and time slows- if only for a Friday morning.

Changing trends

Having enjoyed the auction world for several years, Thelen has also seen the buyer and seller expectations evolve over the years. Over the last decade, he estimates the Long Prairie Livestock has sold a minimum of 600 dairy herds since a lot of dairy farmers have opted to get out of the milking industry.

In the early years of his livestock exchange business, it wasn’ t uncommon for about 20 farmers bidding on hay when bales were sold. Today, there may only be three bidders because there is less cattle that need to be fed, Thelen said.

While smaller farms may have moved away from livestock farming, Thelen said it isn’ t unusual for them to continue crop farming. Once harvested, the crops are then sold for profit. However, while the larger farms may need crops to feed their livestock, they often plant and harvest their own fields..

“ They don’ t buy it from the little guy that has the hay to sell, because they got their own land to support it. That’ s just a sign of the times,” Thelen said.

Folks from near and far gather weekly at Long Prairie Livestock Exchange to buy and sell cattle.

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