Dana and Katy Blume Family
The Blumes are a fourth-generation farming family. Dana’s great-grandparents farmed and did blacksmith work. His grandfather, Leonard Blume, ran the local John Deere shop and farmed with Dana’s dad and uncles. Dana’s father, Dale Blume, and his brothers split up the farm in 1988 and that allowed Dana to join the operation. In 1996, Dana rented his first piece of farmland, 140 acres, and planted wheat. Dana and Katy met as students at the University of Minnesota Crookston and were married in 2000.
Dana and Katy farm 3,200 acres. Dana’s father farms another 2,000 acres and his brother, Dominic Blume and hired man, Tanner Lehman, run another 1,000 acres. The Blumes’ oldest son, Cole, recently graduated and is farming an additional 140 acres. The extended Blume family farms about 6,400 acres of corn, soybeans, and sugar beets. Dana and Katy are members of the Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative, and their sugar beets are processed in Wahpeton, ND.
Dana and Katy have four children who are all involved in the operation to some degree: Kilee, Cole, Addison and Charlie. Kilee is a senior at NDSU majoring in communications. Cole will be attending NDSCS in Wahpeton and plans to return to the family farm. Addison is a junior at Herman-Norcross Community School, is active in sports, 4-H, FFA, and loves showing dairy and beef cattle. The cattle are leased from another family. Charlie is a freshman at HNCS, plays hockey, is active in 4-H and FFA, and loves hunting, driving tractors and mowing lawns.
Dana has been a member of the Herman Fire Department for 23 years and the Herman School Board for 18 years. He has served on the St. Charles Catholic Church Council, MN Soybean Growers Association, and various local co-op boards. Katy is the coordinator of faith formation at church, board member of Herman Foundation, and is involved in local 4-H and FFA programs.