Bill and Susie Rosenau Family
Bill Rosenau’s great-great grandparents first settled in Faribault County in 1873 and started farming. In 1891, Bill’s great-grandparents purchased another farm in the county and that is the home farm of the Rosenau family today. Bill's grandfather was pulled out of school at age 12 to help his dad on the farm and his son, David, Bill’s dad, took over the operation in the mid-1960s after returning from service in the Marine Corps. David and his wife, Paula, ran a farrow-to-finish operation and built a finishing barn on the farm in the early 1970s. David and Paul continued with a beef herd that is still on the farm today. Bill and Susie started farming with Bill’s dad in 2012.
Currently, the Rosenaus farm 300 acres of corn and soybeans and have a 30 head cow/calf operation. There’s about 75 acres of pasture around their building site. The Rosenaus rotationally graze their cattle. The farm is also home to some 4-H chickens and rabbits.
Bill oversees the day-to-day operation of the farm. Susie helps with a variety of tasks when she is not working. David still comes to the farm almost every day to help. He does some of the morning feeding and bedding, spending the rest of the day working on whatever needs to be done. Bill’s mom, Paula, runs for parts, helps watch the kids and helps with meals for the family during harvest.
Bill and Susie’s oldest daughter, Kylie, was a 4-H participant; she now studies biochemistry at South Dakota State University. Bill and Susie’s son, Carter, helps with chopping stalks and other field work. Carter shows cattle in 4-H and is involved in FFA. The Rosenaus’ daughter, Brooklyn, plays tennis, basketball and softball, participates in dance, and plays the piano, flute and violin.
Bill works full time at First Bank Blue Earth as an ag and commercial loan officer; he’s a member of the Blue Earth Fire Department, a member of the City of Blue Earth Economic Development Authority, a member of Kiwanis, a youth baseball and basketball coach, and a former elder at the family’s church.
Susie is a pharmacist at United Hospital District and a past member of the Blue Earth Area School Board. She was a founding member of the Blue Earth Area Tennis Association and coached girls’ basketball. Susie has taught Sunday School, community ed classes, serves on the high school’s post prom committee, and has joined her kids as Relay for Life participants since 2009.