Norgaard Centennial Farm

Niels Norgaard homesteaded in the Brorson area in 1908, then moved and filed on the current farm, section 20, in January 1914. Niels married a neighbor, Lydia Christensen and together they had three children; Margaret, Ervin and Orvald. Niels retired from farming at age 74.

Ervin and his wife Luella took over the farm which their son Daryl now farms.

Ervin and Luella met in Tyler, MN when he went to visit relatives. They had an apartment in Sidney for a couple of years while Ervin worked at Holly Sugar. They moved back to Minnesota for a time, where their oldest daughter Bev (White) was born. Back in Sidney in March of 1943 when Bonnie (Neu) was born, Ervin had to walk to the hospital to see her, the snow was as high as the eaves on the Yellowstone Mercantile. Nina Keller and Daryl Norgaard completed the family.

As the four siblings recall, life on the farm was full of adventure. They all helped with whatever needed doing.

Each of Ervin Norgaard's four children has four children of their own. Daryl has David, Matt, Kristin and Aaron. Aaron and Matt help out on the farm when they can. Matt lives only about ½ mile away. He is married to Ashley Wagner and they have a son, Owen; the fifth generation in the Brorson Community.

The Norgaard farm has produced wheat, barley, oats, and safflower over the past 100 years as well as raising cattle, pigs, and chickens. Several of the original structures still exist on the farm today. Four going on five generations of hard working individuals have kept the farm in the family. Like every other farm, the Norgaard farm has good years and bad, but farm life is still the best environment in which to raise a family.

Bev, Bonnie, Nina and Daryl feel fortunate to all live in the Sidney community where they can enjoy family and still visit the farm their grandfather homesteaded 100 years ago.