Three generations work, play, together

ALEXANDRIA, Minn. — Every day, three generations of Krohnfeldts step foot into the barn to continue a family tradition that began in 1943.

Kevin Krohnfeldt and his wife, Steph, own and operate their family farm near Alexandria. They milk 75 Jerseys and farm 350 acres with Kevin’s parents, Burnell and Loretta, and Kevin and Steph’s two children, Kelsey and Cole. The Krohnfeldts were recognized as the 2025 Douglas County Farm Family of the Year.

“We never expected this award because there are so many other farmers that deserve it just as much,” Kevin said. “We went to FarmFest in August to receive the award, and that was a pretty cool deal to see so many folks being celebrated from all over Minnesota who do what we do every day.”

The Krohnfeldts are active with their church, Zion Lutheran Church and School, where Steph is also the coach for the grades 4-8 boys’ basketball team.

“The older basketball boys come in the summer to help unload straw,” Steph said. “Their highlight of the day is the yummy meal and 4 p.m. cookie break prepared by Grandma Retta. They get so excited knowing she is doing the cooking. Having the guys, and sometimes their sisters or dads, come help with straw is a unique way to teach them grit and follow through while having fun on a farm.”

The farm also hosts the kindergarten class from Zion Lutheran Church and School to their farm every year.

“We break the class into three groups: one group in the barn, one group on a hay ride and one group on the swing set by the house,” Steph said. “We started doing that ever since Cole was in kindergarten.”

In preparation for the visit, the classroom would incubate and raise chicks, and then the kids would bring the new chicks out to the farm to live.

“It was a fun way to give the kids memories on a farm,” Steph said.

Since doing these visits, Steph started a Facebook page about their life on the farm. She continues to post regularly to create a voice for people who have not had much to do with farms in a while.

“The good stuff has to be told right along with the challenges of farming,” Steph said. “That way people actually see real folks they know caring for animals or dealing with equipment problems. So many opportunities and connections have been made since sharing our lives with social media.”

Both of the Krohnfeldt children participated in FFA. Back in 2024, their adviser asked if the large animal production and precision ag classes could take a few field trips to their farm so the students could get a first-hand experience.

“He knew we did no-till, and that we hosted the kindergarten class every year, so he asked if we would mind telling the class about our farm and about the no-till,” Kelsey said, “So, they came here, we crammed 20 high schoolers into the barn and showed them the whole operation.”

Alexandria Area High School agriculture students still come out to the Krohnfeldt farm.

“I have friends at school that ask me about no-till and often at school events, Dad will have others come up to him and ask about no-till,” Cole said.

Kelsey and Cole are also members of the County Line Ramblers 4-H Club, and Kelsey is a Douglas County dairy princess, along with her cousin, Emma Krohnfeldt. Kelsey and Cole help on the farm nights and weekends outside of school and activities. Kelsey has joined the Alexandria FFA Alumni and said she is looking forward to creating agricultural opportunities for the students in the program.

“Mom and Dad and Grandma and Grandpa do morning chores, but we help out at night with milking, feeding, calf chores and whatever needs to be done,” Kelsey said.

Kelsey is currently a freshman at Alexandria Technical & Community College, double majoring in accounting and business management. Cole is a junior at Alexandria Area High School. Both Kelsey and Cole have expressed interest in becoming the fourth generation on the Krohnfeldt farm.

The Krohnfeldt farm was established by Kevin’s grandparents, Harold and Irene as a 17-cow dairy, farrow-to-finish operation where they farmed 90 acres. In 1981, when Burnell and Loretta took over, they sold the hogs and expanded the dairy to 60 cows. Kevin assisted his parents on the farm, while also working as a technician with Midwest Machinery in Alexandria. When Kevin and Steph took over in 2015, Kevin stopped working in town to focus on the farm.

In addition to expanding the herd, Kevin, who said he was always looking for ways to be more efficient in milk production and land stewardship, began to incorporate cover crops and no-till practices.

“I was just curious and wanted to see what would happen (with cover crops),” Kevin said. “Initially we applied liquid manure and put the oats cover crop out there to help hold nutrients in the soil. The following year we no-till planted corn into that field.”

Each year, the Krohnfeldts planted a few more acres of cover crops using a variety of species with the goal of keeping their fields covered whenever possible.

“Being in between Lake Miltona and Lake Ida, we didn’t want any soil or nutrients to run off and mess with the lakes,” Steph said.

Kevin said everyone has their tendencies when it comes to farm work, but pitches in where needed to get the work done. This includes Burnell and Loretta, who retired more than 10 years ago, but who still come to the barn daily.

“I milk every morning and sometimes the evening too,” Burnell said. “My grandfather had a farm with Jerseys, so it has been a family tradition. I do all the breeding and help with field work too.”

Kevin, Steph, Burnell and Loretta do the milking and daily chores. Kelsey and Cole help with the calf chores and any other tasks that need to be done.

 “We play often, strive to work hard, and always keep on farming,” Steph said. “We go on a vacation once in a while, and we enjoy the outdoors together. You have to have some faith, fun and family time to recharge and work at keeping our livelihood going.”