Loncorich Family Farms in Stewart is University of Minnesota’s 2023 Farm Family of the Year for McLeod County.
“What stood out about the Loncorich family this year was not just their agricultural expertise, but their exceptional teamwork and dedication to community,” University of Minnesota Extension crop educator Taylor Herbert said. “They represent the essence of what makes farming resilient and vibrant in McLeod County.”
For more than three decades, the Farm Family Recognition Program has been paying tribute to farm families throughout Minnesota for their contributions to the agriculture industry and their local communities.
Mike Loncorich has lived on the farm his whole life, working alongside his parents, Leonard and Frances (Decker) until 2002, when Mike and his wife, Barb, took over the farm’s operations. Now the farm is run by Mike and Barb Loncorich, their sons Dean and Scott, and their families.
“There’s a lot of good families in the county,” Mike Loncorich said. “It’s just an honor to be selected.”
Crop consultant Curt Burns nominated the Loncoriches and has known the family his whole life.
“I nominated the Loncorich family because of their adaptation to change of how we farm in today’s agricultural world,” Burns said.
What sets the Loncorich family apart is their unwavering determination to do things their way, Burns said. They have embraced self-reliance. With a focus on precision agriculture methods, they have mastered the art of applying their own fertilizers, implementing drain tiling techniques, and marketing their home-grown beef and chickens directly to consumers’ dinner tables.
“They are always looking for new methods on how to farm with higher yields with lower input costs, sometimes the new methods do not bring a return on investment, but they are not afraid to try to better their farm operation,” Burns said.
The Loncoriches grow corn, soybeans and a small amount of wheat on their 3,500 acre farm. In 2017, the family started raising Holstein bottle calves from birth to finish, which are sold at market. They also raise 30 angus cows which are USDA certified to sell as freezer beef ranging from 1 pound to a whole cow to local families and customers.
“We decided to expand into cattle to provide more opportunities for everyone in the family to contribute,” Scott Loncorich said. “Now, there’s always something to do, whether it’s baling, spreading manure or feeding the cows. It allows everyone to be more involved in the farm.”
Dean and Stephanie Loncorich, along with their children Olivia, Dalen, and Landon, are deeply involved in 4-H, FFA, Boy Scouts and their local church. Meanwhile, Scott, Bethany, and their sons Wyatt and Austin have embraced farm life, joined 4-H and actively participate in the family’s farming business. The family also consists of daughter Whitney and her husband Greg Kaiser, who both work in the medical field, along with their children Taylor, Whitney and Grady.
Olivia shows the family’s cows.
“Olivia really, really loves it,” Dean said. “Especially to show the cows. She quit all the sports she was playing to show cattle, which is her jam. She washes and blow dries them every day.”
In recognition of their achievement, the Loncorich family received a certificate along with a banner featuring their family photo to display on their farm. While the award does not come with monetary rewards, it’s the pride of being named Farm Family of the Year and the recognition from their peers that makes it truly special, according to Extension’s Herbert.
“They are a family that works together, plays together, and sticks together,” Burns said.
All counties in the state participate in the Farm Family of the Year program, with each county selecting a deserving family that exemplifies the values and dedication essential to the agriculture industry.
