Larsen Family Farm
The Larsen family has been farming for five generations. The Larsens’ home farms have been in the family for 150 years. Glen and Kay Larsen’s son, Martin, took over the operation beginning in 2010 when his dad and his Uncle Tom began the transfer of the farm to Martin. Three years later the Larsen family began using cover crops and by 2016 the farm was 100 percent no-till with cover crops.
Martin now farms a three-crop rotation of corn, soybeans, and food-grade oats. In addition to crops, Martin and his family raise beef and meat goats and sustainably harvest trees. Martin’s son, Rudy, has begun to help with fieldwork. Rudy will be the sixth generation of the family to farm the land in southern Minnesota’s Olmsted County.
Martin helped organize the Byron Area Farmers Group that meets regularly to plan, share and learn conservation farming techniques including using cover crops, no-till, small grains and diversification. Martin shares his story at conservation meetings across the state to help other farmers adopt soil health and conservation farming practices.
Last summer Martin donated many hours to Oxbow Park in Olmsted County. He sawed special lumber for Oxbow Nature Center that will be part of the nature center for years to come.