Bisek Family
The Bisek family farm was purchased in 1989 in Pembina Township by Ray and Betsy Bisek. Over the years, Ray and Betsy and their children, Nicolas, Monica, Peter and Patricia, raised fruits, vegetables, small grains, row crops, sheep, poultry and rabbits. The farm also welcomed Head Start and elementary school children for visits and brought livestock to community events.
All of Ray and Betsy’s children were active in 4-H and FFA, with Ray and Betsy volunteering at both the club and county levels. Ray and Betsy were University of Minnesota graduates, as are their sons, Nicolas and Peter. Their daughter Monica and her husband now operate a crop production farm in Mahnomen and Polk counties. Betsy passed away in 2007, leaving a strong legacy of agriculture and community service.
Today, Ray raises wheat, corn and soybeans using conservation tillage and cover crop practices. His professional career has been rooted in agriculture, including service as the Mahnomen County Extension agent, a high school vocational agriculture instructor, a technician for the Mahnomen County Soil and Water Conservation District, and a field reporter for the USDA Farm Service Agency. He has held leadership and membership roles with the Minnesota Association of Extension Agricultural Professionals, the Mahnomen County Agricultural Society, the Mahnomen County Livestock Association and the Mahnomen County Farmers Union.