The Calvin and Anne Schow family of McIntosh has been named Polk County’s “2023 Farm Family of the Year” by the University of Minnesota. Calvin Schow has been a grain farmer ever since he can remember. He met Annie in 2004, and they were later married. In 2010, the couple applied for a program with the Natural Resource Conservation Service, which helped them receive their first greenhouse. Annie started with a small gardening effort for the family and then began sharing produce with the community and friends. The Shows are sold at farmers’ markets with the help of Annie & parents.
The Schows has six greenhouses and about five acres of outside gardens. They plant and produce a variety of fruits and vegetables that appear in farmers’ markets from May through October. Calvin grows grain used as feed for butcher cows and layers. They also have six beehives that produce raw honey.
The family sells produce and eggs at farmers’ markets in Crookston and Detroit Lakes and to restaurants in Grand Forks and Crookston. They also deliver eggs to outlets in Bemidji, McIntosh, and Solway.
Calvin, Annie, their children, Karlie and Nick, along with Annie & parents, Felie and Ray, and sisters Charlotte and Hally, all contribute to the farm & operation in roles big and small. Karlie and Nick do the egg picking and help with the farm animals. Felie and Ray use produce farming, and Charlotte and Hally generate the farm & social media content. Community involvement is vital for the Schows. They frequently share their produce to raise money for community needs and events. They also help supply affordable food through SNAP and food shelters that accept fresh produce, such as the food bank in Detroit Lakes. They also enjoy being part of the annual Santa Claus Day and Easter egg hunts for little kids.
The families will be officially recognized in a ceremony Thursday, Aug. 3, at the annual Farmfest near Redwood Falls, Minn. Profiles of the 2023 honorees and information on the recognition event can be found on the University’s farm family website, https://extension.umn.edu/farm- families.
Honored families are chosen, one per county, by local University of Minnesota Extension committees based on their demonstrated commitment to their communities and to enhancing and supporting agriculture. “These farm families are a major driver of Minnesota & economy and the vitality of Minnesota & rural communities,” said Bev Durgan, dean of the University of Minnesota Extension. “The University of Minnesota is proud to recognize these farm families’ contributions to agriculture and their communities.” Along with Farmfest, University units sponsoring the recognition event include the University of Minnesota Extension, Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station, the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, and the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Farmfest runs Aug. 1-3 at the Gilfillan Estate, near Redwood Falls, Minn. Event hours are from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $8.00 in advance or $10.00 at the gate, and those 17 and under are admitted free. More information on Farmfest is available at https://www.ideaggroup.com/farmfest.
Note to editors: Photographs of families who attend the Aug. 3 recognition ceremony will be posted online at https://extension.umn.edu/farm-families after Aug. 15.
For more news from U of M Extension, visit www.extension.umn.edu/news or contact Extension Communications at extnews@umn.edu. The University of Minnesota Extension is an equal-opportunity educator and employer.
