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Saint Louis County Farm Family

Smith, Johnson, Peterson and Snyder

In 1854, Reuben Smith homesteaded three sections in the Yellow River Valley in Allamakkee County, IA.  Eight generations of his descendants are still on the land in the valley today.  In 1981, sixth-generation farmer Phillip relocated and started his farming operation in Duluth. He later met and married Joyce Johnson, a widow with four children.  The younger two, Medin and Cindy learned to drive tractors and handle square bales and sheep.  Three more children, Ruth Peterson, Holly, and Ben Snyder, were added to the family.  The family got their initiation into farming as a University of Minnesota Extension-inspired project growing raspberries, raising sheep, and later sweet corn.

After a history of raising lambs, the farm acquired a small herd of Red Angus cow/calf pairs and a flock of Tunis sheep. Today, their focus is on regenerative agriculture, as the family rotationally grazes their livestock on about 100 acres of rented pasture/hay mix. They also rent an additional 150 acres of hay ground and partner with another neighbor on harvest and transportation. They are also a Minnesota Ag Water Quality Certification operator.  The farm operation is now run by Phillip, Joyce, and Ben with his wife, Camille, and three children.  

The Smith, Johnson, Peterson and Snyder families are members of the St. Louis Livestock Association, the Northeast Minnesota Forage and Grasslands Council, the Gnesen Community Center, and their church. They are also uniquely connected to their neighbors. They partner with as many people as possible to provide moral, physical, and emotional support whenever the need arises. What truly matters for the Smiths, Johnsons, Petersons, and Snyders is how their farming operation adds to people’s lives. Phil and Joyce have 19 grandchildren.

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