SESQUICENTENNIAL FARM

After Knut and Martha Broughton were married in a small church in Bruflat, Norway in 1868, they immigrated to the United States. After living in Wisconsin for three years, the Broughtons moved to Lyon County in Minnesota and purchased a piece of land nestled among rolling hills 8 1/2 miles northeast of Minneota where they began farming in 1871.
The farm has remained in the family ever since and has now qualified as a Sesquicentennial Farm.
Dennis and Linda Broughton, who currently operate what is called Southview Farm, will be recognized at the Lyon County Fair in Marshall this summer where they will receive a certificate signed by Governor Tim Walz, Minnesota Department of Agriculture President Thom Peterson, and Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation President Dan Glessing.
The 200-acre Southview Farm was recognized as a century farm in 1985, although it was 114 years old at the time, when Garfield and Adeline Broughton were farming it in 1985.
"The farm will be 151 years old this summer," said Sarah Broughton-Settle, Dennis and Linda's daughter who has researched and kept records of the farm for the family. Sarah and her husband, Earl, who live in a separate house on the property, will eventually take over the farm and become a fifth-generation operator. Sarah also filled out the required paperwork to apply to become a Sesquicentennial Farm.
There will be 36 family farms in Minnesota recognized as operating in agriculture for at least 150 years this summer, although the Broughton's farm is the only one in Lyon County.
To qualify as a Sesquicentennial Farm, a family must have operated a farm of 50 acres or more for at least 150 years,
Initially, Knut and Martha (Stamperstuen) lived in a dugout home on the property along the Yellow Medicine River until they eventually built a home (since torn down) south from where the current house and barn sits. They operated a crop farm from 1871-1901.
Knut and Martha had five children, three sons and two daughters, and gifted each of them a farm.
George Broughton, their second oldest child, took over his parents' farm in 1901 with his wife Inger. They farmed dairy cattle and crops during their time. In 1914, George built the home that Sarah and Earl live in, not far from Dennis and Linda's home they had built.
Knut passed away in 1922 at age 77. Martha passed away in 1936 at age 96.
George and Inger ran the farm from 1901-1930 when George passed away at age 59. Inger continued to own the farm with her son Garfield running it until her death in 1955.Garfield and his wife, Adeline, then owned and operated the farm with dairy cattle, pigs, sheep, chickens and crops from 1955 until Garfield's death in 1996.
While working on the farm in 1952, Garfield was involved in an accident that left him blind.
"My dad (Garfield) was going to remove a stump with a stick of dynamite and the fuse was short and it blew up while he was tossing it," said Dennis. "He lost his sight and his right hand and wrist."
Neighbors and relatives helped to get the crops in for Garfield that first year after the accident.
"I remember I used to sit on his lap and steer the tractor for him when I was five years old," said Dennis. "He would run the tractor and I would tell him when to stop and turn. He bought a three-bottom plow and an Allis-Chalmer tractor that I could steer pretty easy. He would also get help from cousins and other people on the farm."
When Garfield passed away, Dennis and Linda then took over operating the farm in 1996 and have raised cattle and crops over the years.
The farm is in a picturesque setting, filled with wildlife that venture down to the river for water.
"We see all kinds of animals," Linda said. "Deer, wild turkeys, pheasants, owls, raccoons, you name it."
"It's beautiful out here," said Dennis. "It's fun to watch all the deer come into the yard. I used to shoot deer, but I don't even want to shoot one anymore."
Knut and Martha, George and Inger, and Garfield and Adeline, along with several of their children, are buried in St. Lucas Lutheran Cemetery outside of Cottonwood.