Stories of the Heartland - September 2025 | Page 7

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have teeth left. They get one set of teeth to chew cud. His cows live most of their life in the barn except for the half hour when the barn is cleaned and they graze the field.

When I walked toward the fence to see the cows, one cow came over, then they all came.

“ Cows herd up for protection,” Mike said.

On the crop side, soil differences affect yields even within a mile.

“ Each farm can have radically different soil. Just one mile away, a farmer might successfully grow one corn variety and I could not grow it at all, and vice versa. You learn the rhythm of your farm,” Mike said.

The Orbecks rotate crops to prevent diseases and viruses, planting corn where soybeans grew the year before.

For corn and soybeans, the Orbecks till when they plant and when they re-harvest, but they no longer till in between. Instead, they use herbicides, which Mike said have dissipated by the time they harvest.

“ Twice a year, we have an agronomist inspect the fields. He then tells us what to spray depending on the soil type,” Mike said.“ I take the advice into consideration, but ultimately I decide.”

Of the 750 acres, 600 are cropped fields and 150 acres are noncropped land consisting of the house, barns, pastures, roads and woods. The biggest crop in terms of acreage is corn, followed by alfalfa, soybeans, oats and rye. Each crop is planted annually, except alfalfa, which is a perennial lasting three to five years.

Their land has produced 170 bushels of corn per acre in recent years. Their blue silo holds 12,000 bushels of corn, enough to feed cows for two years. Most grain goes to livestock feed or elevators. Mike sells corn to a feed mill to feed turkeys, soybeans to a crusher in Mankato, and rye to an elevator for straw, livestock bedding and winter cover.

Of sustainable practices, Mike said,“ You keep costs as low as you can. Don’ t buy equipment that’ s fast, just what you need to keep expenses low. I don’ t buy at auctions because you overpay. I get buyer’ s remorse when I do.”

The Orbecks have nine tractors, including Mike’ s father’ s first tractor, a 1956 Massey-Harris 333 with 33 horsepower.

A creek runs through the farm where Mike once kept ducks and geese, but bald eagles grabbed them. The eagles don’ t bother the chickens, which free range and lay eggs all over. The seven hens eat barn bugs. The five barn cats eat mice but don’ t bother the chickens. The animals all work together.

There seems to be a secret to having a successful farm, family members said:

Gladys:“ It’ s important to have an open mind and not be afraid of work.”

Betty:“ Farmers are like gamblers. They take a risk every year as they depend on the weather.” Bob:“ You have to be diligent.” Mike:“ Dedication and endurance is what I think is needed to keep a farm going. My parents did it and so I am now farming.”

“ The farming community may be getting smaller, but it is a close-knit community,” Mike said.

He enjoys giving back. Mike has been a member of Minnesota Farmers Union since 2007 and has been president of the Stearns County chapter for the past 10 years. In 2023, he was named Distinguished County Leader at the MFU State Convention.

In addition to the MFU, Mike belongs to the Irrigators Association of Minnesota and the Minnesota Soybean

Stories of the Heartland • Sunday, September 21, 2025 Page 7

Growers Association. These connections, he said, have given him opportunities he would not have otherwise had.

In 2024, Sen. Aric Putnam, chair of the Minnesota Senate Agriculture Committee, visited the Orbeck farm.

“ Senator Putnam wanted to find out what farmers do from actual farmers and not just from what others tell him,” Mike said.

Life on the farm requires planning and scheduling of outside help, while the animals dictate the daily rhythm. Beyond the Orbecks and their helpers, the network includes an agronomist, milk tanker truck driver, veterinarians, a milk inspector, a mechanic and the semen tank representative.

For the farm to continue, young family members must be interested in farming. Mike has two teenage nephews who help when they are available.

“ We’ re keeping our eyes open for opportunities to see how many of the next generation might want to farm and what roles they want to play,” Mike said.“ Possibly one of the 108 family members invited over for Thanksgiving dinner every year might want to continue the farm’ s legacy.”

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