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Photo by Charlene Corson Selbee
The picturesque Myhre farm at 19240 Old Highway 76, Caledonia, will be recognized as a Century Farm at the Houston County Fair on August 20 during the awards ceremony.
The Century Farm program recognizes historic, multi-generational family farms that have been in continuous family ownership for at least 100 years. The program is co-sponsored by the Minnesota State Fair and the Minnesota Farm Bureau.
Sidney Myhre, who lived on the family farm his entire life, would have been “tickled” to have the family farm recognized as a Century Farm, according to his family.
Styrk Myhre, pronounced “Sturk,” and his wife, Amanda (Lybeck) Myhre, purchased the 100-acre farm from Styrk’s mother in 1922. Fittingly, the name Styrk means “strength.”
Styrk’s grandson, David Myhre, recalled some of the challenges the family faced before Styrk purchased the farm.
When Styrk’s mother lived on the farm, the family was building a new house when it was struck by lightning and burned down. They built another house, but just before they were ready to move in, it, too, was struck by lightning and burned down. The family eventually went bankrupt.
Styrk then purchased the farm and owned it for 25 years.
“There are lightning rods on all the buildings,” David explained.
David’s parents, Sidney and Marion, purchased the farm in 1947, the same year they were married. They owned it with pride for 74 years, and both lived happily on the family farm until they were 100 years old. After the purchase, Styrk and Amanda moved to the farm across the field.
Marion (Alpee) grew up on a farm not far from the Myhre farm. Sidney and Marion had four children, two daughters and two sons. Their son Gerald lived on the family farm with his parents after serving in the U.S. Air Force, until his death in 1986.
Dairy farming was the main operation on the Myhre farm. At its peak, the family milked as many as 70 cows.
After his son died, Sidney stopped milking and sold the cows as soon as he could. He then rented out the farm to his brother but continued helping him for the rest of his healthy life.
Lynn Myhre said that her in-laws were extremely hard-working. Their days started at 5 a.m. and continued until 10 p.m.
“One hundred acres took care of four kids and two adults,” David said.
The current owner is Styrk’s grandson and Sidney’s son, David, and his wife, Lynn. They have owned the farm for five years.
The farm eventually grew to 255 acres and continued to be farmed through the 1990s. Today, the land is rented to a family member.
David proudly explained that Styrk’s four sons farmed interconnected parcels of land.
During a recent visit to the farm, David and Lynn’s son Jeff was out mowing the yard, helping keep the property looking as pristine as it did when Sidney and Marion lived there, reflecting the family’s continued commitment to preserving the farm and its appearance.
Sidney was proud of the farm and took excellent care of it, his family said.
As David and Lynn walked around the property, they pointed out Marion’s flower beds and shared stories about the family home. The house is a Sears Craftsman-style kit home that was brought to Caledonia by train. The two-story house has a small attic with a high ceiling that was once ideal for drying clothes.
The family hopes the next generation will carry on the tradition. Jeff would like to move to the farm and continue the family legacy. His teenage son, Joe, is a storm chaser — fitting for a farm where history has shown that lightning really can strike twice in the same place.
For the Myhre family, the Century Farm designation is more than recognition of 100 years of ownership. It is a celebration of hard work, family, memories and a tradition they hope will continue for generations to come.
Congratulations to the Myhre family for 100 years of traditions – and here’s to the next 100 years.
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