The Sjostrom family has been named the 2023 Nicollet County Farm Family of the Year by the University of Minnesota.
Lowell and Steve Sjostrom formed Sjostrom Farms in 1980 as a partnership between the father and son duo. They started out with milking 80 cows, running 500 acres and keeping back the youngstock. Since then, their operation has grown in many ways. Now, with milking 100 cows, keeping back youngstock, raising dairy steers, running 900 acres of corn, soybeans and alfalfa, producing custom round bails and harvesting corn silage, Sjostrom Farms is a much larger family affair.
Steve is now joined by his wife Deb and son Jacob who help him run the operation. Son, Lucas, provides them with many of their homegrown dairy steers. Lowell is retired but still plays an integral part on the farm and helps out daily supervising and feeding the cows. His wife, Adrianne is tasked with the important job of keeping an eye on him. Jacob’s wife, Lindsay delivers food and parts.
In addition to running the operation, Steve, Deb and Jacob are highly involved in the community. Steve serves as the president of their church’s council, serves on the cemetery board, Heartland Corn Products Board, serves as the Bernadotte Township treasurer and is a member of the Nicollet County Corn and Soybean Growers, DHIA and Lafayette Lions. Deb served as the past president of their church, is on the Nicollet County ADA Board, Bernadotte 4-H leader, Winthrop Parade organizer, and Lafayette Lions. Jacob is the Nicollet County DHIA treasurer and on the Nicollet County ADA Board.
The families will be officially recognized in a ceremony Thursday, Aug. 3 at the annual Farm Fest near Redwood Falls, MN. Profiles of the 2023 honorees and information on the recognition event can be found on the University’s farm family page. The Sjostrom Family will also be recognized at the Nicollet County Fair on Friday, August 11 at 1:00 p.m.
Honored families are chosen, one per county, by local University of Minnesota Extension committees based on their demonstrated commitment to their communities and to enhancing and supporting agriculture.