Aitchisons named 2015 Farm Family of the Year

They will be recognized at the Aug. 11 Koochiching County Board meeting in the courthouse in International Falls. Later in the season, the couple invites young and old to pick pumpkins in their pumpkin patch, ride on hay bales around their land, and enjoy apple cider and cookies in the heart of fall on the last Saturday in September. Their farm is located at 3654 Highway 53 about 10 miles south of International Falls

Growing together

The couple met when Terry, originally from Williams, Minn., was selling eggs and potatoes in Bonnie’s hometown of International Falls. A relationship began to grow and the couple would meet on weekends while Bonnie attended college, pursuing a degree in nursing.

“Not many couples can say they have been deer hunting for 53 years together and married for 49,” Terry said.

Terry and Bonnie, now grandparents to eight grandchildren, raised their three children, Melissa, Paula, and Rob, on their 40-acre homestead. Throughout their youth, the children participated in 4-H, with Bonnie serving as their director, and operated the family’s roadside market.

The couple now runs the farm themselves, along with their friendly greeter, “Pepper,” a 7-year-old German shorthaired pointer, and with an extra hand from their neighbors and a few locals from time to time.

“It’s a lot of sweat labor because we pick everything by hand daily,” Terry said. “For example, if we are going to have customers, we’ll just leave a note that says, ‘honk your horn,’ because we’ll be out there,” Terry said, pointing across the couple’s land.

The couple has participated in farmers markets in town where they have sold their homegrown food, which to name a few includes sweet corn, green beans, potatoes, tomatoes, and onions. They also support the local Salvation Army and local food shelf with their fresh produce. They are members of Minnesota Grown, a statewide partnership between the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Minnesota producers of specialty crops and livestock. It was created over 25 years ago by specialty crop growers to differentiate their produce from competitor’s produce from thousands of miles away.

Changing times

The Aitchisons have changed their offerings over the years.

“We’ve had beef cattle and pigs over the years,” Terry said.

“And 150 geese at one time,” Bonnie added.

The couple has held onto their chickens, which do well producing brown and green eggs.

Terry and Bonnie, now both retired, continue to keep up with the times by investing in equipment which aids them in their farming. Eight years ago the couple invested in a walk-in cooler and have also experimented in hydroponic growing — which uses tanks of water in which to grow vegetables.

With hydroponic growing, the couple is able to maintain complete control over the nutrient balance and season as it can be done indoors. It is likely that hydroponic growing produces better tasting, more nutritional fruits and vegetables, they said.

“We have experimented with lettuce and kale with hydroponic growing and it worked really well,” Bonnie said. “With the heat this year, it’s not.”

They also have taken their time in learning about the benefits of vegetable growing in greenhouses and growing tunnels, which Terry has built on the couple’s land.

“Growing this way gives us a chance to plant earlier, thus extending our season both ways. It’s more economical,” Terry said. “It’s been trial and error overall, and we are learning as we are going.”

“My favorite part,” Bonnie said smiling, “is just to come here and enjoy the fresh stuff we have.”

“Our seasons are short, but all of us growers try our best,” Terry said. “My hat goes off to them because they go for quality, and the local people support us all. If it wasn’t for that local support…it’s really rewarding, you know?”