This fall marks the 101st harvest on the Bainbridge family farm near Ethan. As their combine rolls across fields of corn, the family says their farm is much more than a family business; it’s a legacy.
Born and raised on the farm his sons Matt and Neal now run, third-generation farmer, Lewis Bainbridge says he has a lot to be grateful for this harvest.
“This would be harvest number 70. So, this is definitely a happy dance that we are fortunate enough to continue in this endeavor because a lot of family farms for a whole array of reasons, mostly because the next generation does not want to do this,” says Lewis Bainbridge. “So, I’m just really, really gratified my family has chosen to continue on.”
Today, Lewis is driving the grain cart as the family harvests corn. And although he continues to help wherever his sons need him, 2020 is the first growing season he and his wife Charlene, have entrusted all their farm acres and management decisions to their sons.
“I have a huge degree of confidence in their abilities and their management,” Lewis says. “The part that makes me smile and my wife smile is that they have built on what we started.”
No-till farming is chief among the farming practices Lewis introduced to the family’s fields in the early 90s as he was farming with his dad, Gordon.
“We aren’t blessed where we farm if you will, with abundant topsoil,” says Neal Bainbridge. “So, I mean, if we’re gonna keep this thing moving long term, we got to do everything we can to protect what we have.”
Neal is Lewis and Charlene’s 36-year-old son. As he drives a load of corn from field to grain bin, Neal reflects on the conservation practices he, his dad, and brother Matt implement to stop erosion and runoff, build topsoil and conserve moisture for today and the next generation.
“Once you start having kids and the older the kids get - you start thinking a little bit more about the long term,” Neal says.
Neal and his brother, Matt say that while their older sister Heidi built her career as a healthcare professional, they always knew they would return to farm fulltime after college.
“Must be in our blood or something. We really enjoy it.”
That’s Neal’s older brother, Matt.
“From the time I was a little kid, I would come out and ride with my dad or my grandpa and on a lot of the same fields. And to see how excited and how much pride everybody had in having a good crop and doing a good job,” says Matt. “So, you know I think it’s probably a little more than some other business just because we have such a strong tie to our land and trying to improve it and trying to do the best job we can.”
Today, it’s his toddler son Zach or one of Neal’s three daughters who rides along in the combine with him. Matt says he enjoys each season on the farm, but harvest is special.
“It’s the payoff at the end of a busy year. I guess we get to see if all the little things you did or hopefully you did right all year are paying off for you at the end,” says Matt.
Matt explains how decisions made six or more months ago can impact the number of bushels of corn they will yield at harvest.
“The seed variety is kinda where it all starts out,” Matt says. “You know, each variety is a little bitt different, and how it handles the environment and growing season and everything. And you get to see how your weed control worked out. If you have nice clean fields or not and you really get to see it all come together at the end of the harvest.”
Looks like their decisions, management practices and Mother Nature cooperated this growing season. Matt says so far corn yields are better than average.
According to National Ag Statistics Service estimates, South Dakota farmers will harvest about 4.92 million acres of corn this fall.