When we last heard from Ryan Mackenthun in 1994, as an FFA and 4-H kid at the Minnesota State Fair, the then-18-year-old was confident farming was in his future.
Nearly 30 years later, it’s still his passion.
MPR News guest host Tim Nelson catches up with Mackenthun about where life has taken him.
We attempt to make transcripts for Minnesota Now available the next business day after a broadcast. When ready they will appear here.
What do you remember about going to the fair as a kid? Is it still a big part of your life?
There are so many good memories about going to the State Fair. A lot of kids spend all 12 days at the fair, and I was one of them. I was there every day and working with the cattle and growing new friendships with other farmers.
And what did you exhibit? How did you get ready for that?
Growing up on a dairy farm, my dad was very invested in dairy. It was just part of my life and going to the county fair and State Fairs was just something we always did.
Did you always know farming was your passion?
Like most kids, you grew up in that lifestyle and just kind of becomes part of you. So I always knew I wanted to be a farmer. And we kind of pivoted away from the dairy industry around 2000 and now we do row crop farming.
Have you ever felt like you made the wrong decision sticking with farming?
No, the lifestyle is, you know, something as everchanging as the seasons. There’s new tasks, new challenges coming out throughout the entire year. So being a row crop farmer we diversified and joined a couple other farms here after my father passed away 10 years ago.
My brother-in-law, Nathan, started farming with me and we’ve helped mitigate some of the equipment costs and labor issues we’re seeing today. I have no regrets for being a farmer. It’s been a terrific experience.
How has the job changed over the last 30 years?
It’s amazing how technology has come along. My wife is an engineer, and it’s amazing to see our two career paths kind of colliding here recently with technology moving into the agricultural industry. You know, it’s presented new opportunities and new methods and new ways of new ways of doing things.
Source : MPR News