A Day on the Farm is Worth a Million in Town
Aug 13, 2019
How did you get started?
After growing up on the farm, Roger began his venture in 1984. Four short years later, in 1988, Scott joined the operation. After attending Augustana College, Roger’s son, Jeff, made the move back to Britton in 2012 where he worked for Green Iron Equipment. Jeff later joined the Christenson Farm operation in 2014. They enjoyed a full 7 months with Roger & Scott’s Dad, Rollin, before an unfortunate passing. “It was fun with all 4 of us here to put the crop in the ground in 2014, and we were looking forward to having the full crew around for harvest.” Rollin passed on Sept 1, 2014, and the Christensons were faced with an extremely difficult harvest that ended up making them stronger as a team in the long run.
Where are they now?
Growth. Growth has been the biggest accomplishment Roger and Scott have seen since they began. The biggest change accompanying their growth? “Technology. There is so much more technology out there now. We went from getting a DTN screen in the shop to having the markets at the click of a finger out in the tractor. Knowing what time each radio station had the markets up was second nature to us. Now, it’s at our fingertips.” Text messages are even delayed from what you can see right away on your phone. “We actually each even have our own WiFi signal in the tractors. Technology has been a wonderful improvement in our farming operation. In 1988, you would’ve never dreamed we could handle as many acres with only 3 full time guys! Technology has given us the ability to grow in many ways.”
What is your advice to young farmers who are just getting started?
“You need to stay on top of your costs. Knowing what things cost and where your break-evens are is imperative to a farming operation.” The Christensons have the ‘best of both worlds’ when it comes to their generational roles in the farming operation. Scott and Roger farm off history. They’ve had many years of experience in raising crops. There are always tweaks every year that need be made, but they know the history of their land. Jeff; however, has the technology experience, education, and background to be able to take advantage of today’s technology that can assist in maximizing every acre. “Staying on top of the markets is definitely a must for any farmer. They change day-to-day so it’s important to keep up to date with what’s going on in marketing.”
How do you stay positive in such a trying farm economy?
When you walk into Christensons Farms’ office, you’ll find a picture on the wall that states, “A day on the farm is worth a million in town.” If you ask Roger, Scott, or Jeff what it takes to stay positive during such a tough ag economy, they’ll explain to you that it’s truly more than just a job. “A career of farming is not a year-to-year deal. You stick it out because you have a passion for what you do. If you care enough about farming, you stick it out while hoping for better years and better days. It’s your family. It’s your heritage. It’s not treated as just a business. Farming has always been cyclical. You must have faith that it will trickle up again. We do the best while we can when it’s down and appreciate the up-times!”
Preparing for a Late Harvest
We are preparing for the worst and hoping for the best! We’re expecting it to be a late, possibly very wet, harvest. We might be having our thanksgiving turkey in the combine!
Why Full Circle Ag?
“Reliability. Dependability. Customer service. There are other providers in the area, but we have always felt comfortable with Full Circle. Knowing that we can call someone, and they’ll be here, is huge. We’ve always been able to rely on Full Circle."
Thank you, so much, Christenson Farms for being our Producer of the Month! We appreciate you taking the time to meet with us and wish you a safe and prosperous growing season!
After growing up on the farm, Roger began his venture in 1984. Four short years later, in 1988, Scott joined the operation. After attending Augustana College, Roger’s son, Jeff, made the move back to Britton in 2012 where he worked for Green Iron Equipment. Jeff later joined the Christenson Farm operation in 2014. They enjoyed a full 7 months with Roger & Scott’s Dad, Rollin, before an unfortunate passing. “It was fun with all 4 of us here to put the crop in the ground in 2014, and we were looking forward to having the full crew around for harvest.” Rollin passed on Sept 1, 2014, and the Christensons were faced with an extremely difficult harvest that ended up making them stronger as a team in the long run.
Where are they now?
Growth. Growth has been the biggest accomplishment Roger and Scott have seen since they began. The biggest change accompanying their growth? “Technology. There is so much more technology out there now. We went from getting a DTN screen in the shop to having the markets at the click of a finger out in the tractor. Knowing what time each radio station had the markets up was second nature to us. Now, it’s at our fingertips.” Text messages are even delayed from what you can see right away on your phone. “We actually each even have our own WiFi signal in the tractors. Technology has been a wonderful improvement in our farming operation. In 1988, you would’ve never dreamed we could handle as many acres with only 3 full time guys! Technology has given us the ability to grow in many ways.”
What is your advice to young farmers who are just getting started?
“You need to stay on top of your costs. Knowing what things cost and where your break-evens are is imperative to a farming operation.” The Christensons have the ‘best of both worlds’ when it comes to their generational roles in the farming operation. Scott and Roger farm off history. They’ve had many years of experience in raising crops. There are always tweaks every year that need be made, but they know the history of their land. Jeff; however, has the technology experience, education, and background to be able to take advantage of today’s technology that can assist in maximizing every acre. “Staying on top of the markets is definitely a must for any farmer. They change day-to-day so it’s important to keep up to date with what’s going on in marketing.”
How do you stay positive in such a trying farm economy?
When you walk into Christensons Farms’ office, you’ll find a picture on the wall that states, “A day on the farm is worth a million in town.” If you ask Roger, Scott, or Jeff what it takes to stay positive during such a tough ag economy, they’ll explain to you that it’s truly more than just a job. “A career of farming is not a year-to-year deal. You stick it out because you have a passion for what you do. If you care enough about farming, you stick it out while hoping for better years and better days. It’s your family. It’s your heritage. It’s not treated as just a business. Farming has always been cyclical. You must have faith that it will trickle up again. We do the best while we can when it’s down and appreciate the up-times!”
Preparing for a Late Harvest
We are preparing for the worst and hoping for the best! We’re expecting it to be a late, possibly very wet, harvest. We might be having our thanksgiving turkey in the combine!
Why Full Circle Ag?
“Reliability. Dependability. Customer service. There are other providers in the area, but we have always felt comfortable with Full Circle. Knowing that we can call someone, and they’ll be here, is huge. We’ve always been able to rely on Full Circle."
Thank you, so much, Christenson Farms for being our Producer of the Month! We appreciate you taking the time to meet with us and wish you a safe and prosperous growing season!