5 City Sisters and a Farm
Our farm has been in our family since 1901, and our maternal grandparents, Oscar and Gen Christianson, farmed it for most of our lives. The farm was passed down to our mother and father, and when they passed away in 2015, we (5 sisters) inherited the 110 acre organic family farm.
Our first major decision was to keep the farm and continue the legacy. None of us, though, are ready to move to Bemidji, MN (4 hours north). All 5 of us live within a 10 mile radius of each other in the northern suburbs of Minneapolis, surrounded by our families, and fully involved in careers and church.
What can 5 city women do with a farm?
We currently rent out the farmhouse to a wonderful family who has a heart for farming and an appreciation of the land. We also have a local farmer use the upper pastures and fields for cattle and hay. There is still plenty of field space surrounding the farmhouse, and when we heard that organic garlic is a rare commodity in the U.S, we jumped in with both feet. This is our 3rd planting season and we are learning and growing more knowledgeable with each new season.
History
The Farm was established in 1901. Ludvig and Regina Christianson farmed the land and raised their family there for about 40 years. Their son Oscar and his wife Geneva farmed the land and raised their family on the farm for approximately 45 years.
Their daughter Shirley and her husband Lowell Vaughn didn’t actively farm the land but did get it certified Organic in 2015.
Now, we five Vaughn Sisters are designing the best use of the land for the next generations.