A Millennial in Minnesota

Continuing to post samples from my favorite farmer video channels, I’m taking you to Minnesota this time—so in the Midwest—and one of the four top corn-producing states in the nation. (All states grow corn, but more than 50 percent of all U.S. corn is grown in Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and Minnesota.) Contributing to that remarkable abundance of Midwestern corn is fifth-generation farmer Zach Johnson, known on YouTube as the MN Millennial Farmer.

Each of the farmer channels offers something different and has a different focus and approach, while still always including the key elements of family, history, and love for the land. Zach’s approach is more technical, offering explanations of what various tasks involve, what problems farmers run into, how things are taken care of, how equipment works, how to know when crops are ready to harvest, and more (though not all of these in every video). His videos are marked by enthusiasm and humor. And they are a wonderful source of insight into just how much work is involved in farming–but also how rewarding it is for those who love it.

Corn is not the only crop raised on Zach’s family’s farm, but since this blog is called Midwest Maize, I figured I’d offer a video that does show corn being harvested. Every video I watch makes me more grateful for the food I have and for the farmers who make it available.

Welker Farms and the Beauty of Farming

I’ve decided to adopt Montana as part of the Midwest. The type of farming, the love for the land, and the history of families working together to feed the world make it feel similar to what I’ve discovered while traveling around the Midwest. And Montana is a next-door neighbor of the northern Midwest.

On the 100-year-old, family-owned and -operated Welker Farms in northern Montana, this love/land/family combination is made gloriously visible through the efforts of fourth-generation farmer Nick Welker, who, in addition to farming, creates glorious videos that reflect the majesty of the location and of the work. He also creates fun video of rebuilding farm equipment–because keeping things going is a big part of successful farming. But in this video, it’s the epic vision of harvest season on the sprawling Welker property that is recorded. This is a really beautiful piece of work.

If you enjoy eating regularly, it’s good to remember that this is why. Because 80 percent of all crops in the U.S. are grown on family farms. They may be big farms, like this one, but they are operated by a handful of people who love farming and have, in most cases, been doing it for generations.