Evans Farm: 125 Years & Counting

    Carol and Frank Evans, rural Britton, were recognized as a Quasquicentennial Farm owner by the South Dakota Farm Bureau  at the South Dakota State Fair in Huron this summer.  
    There must be a minimum of 80 acres consecutively owned by a family for at least 125 years to be awarded the Quasquicentenniel Farm Award.  A quarter of land owned by Carol and Frank Evans in Pleasant Valley Township, Marshall County has been in the Gronseth/Fiegel/Nelson/Evans family for 125 years.  The land was purchased by Carol’s great-grandfather, Torger Gronseth in 1898.  Torger immigrated to the United States in 1872 at the age of 14.  He eventually landed in Pleasant Valley Township and through hard work and determination he and his wife, Berthe Lea amassed acreage next to their original 1888 homesteaded land and were able to bequeath one quarter of land to each of their six children.  
    Their daughter Louise was given a quarter of land for $1.00, love and affection upon her marriage to George Fiegel and it was owned by them from 1920-1972.  Fiegel’s daughter Joyce and Orvin Nelson owned the acreage from 1972 until 2022 when it was purchased by their daughter Carol and Frank Evans.  
    Carol and Frank have resided part-time on on that quarter for the past 12 years and have renovated the 1920 farm house making it a haven for their Arizona family, local family and friends to visit.  
    Since 1984 when the farm recognition program first began there have been 3,171 farm and ranch families recognized as Century Farms. The 125 Year - Quasquicentennial recognition program started in 2010 with a total of 468 recognized over the last 13 years. The 150 Year Sesquicentennial recognition started in 2017 has awarded three farms this distinction. This year, twenty-two family farms were honored for 100 years, sixteen for 125 years and three for 150 years.