Submitted photo The Fitzner family today. Front row L to R: Tyler Fitzner, Jerry Fitzner, Gloria Fitzner and Riley Fitzner. Middle L to R Zachary and Megan Fitzner Back Row: L to R: Michele Fitzner, Chad Fitzner, Heather Johnson, Brad Fitzner, Scott Fitzner and Alaina Fitzner.

COURTLAND – Gerald “Jerry” and Gloria Fitzner, of Courtland, were recently honored with the Sesquicentennial Farm award from the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation. The Farm Bureau honors Minnesota families that have owned their farms for at least 150 years, are at least 50 acres in size, and are currently involved in agricultural production.

The Fitzner farm at 45998 531st Avenue, Courtland, has been in the Fitzner family since 1874 when Jerry’s great-grandfather Louis Fitzner purchased the 160 acre farm from David and Martha Swan for $10 per acre. Louis was born in Germany. Soon after the purchase, Louis married Maria.

In 1890, Louis and Maria Fitzner purchased an additional 40 acres from a neighbor to make their farm a total of two hundred acres.

Louis and Maria had six children. They raised three boys and three girls: Mary, Louis, Ida, Emma, Martin, and John. They owned the farm from 1874 to 1940. They raised corn, beans, alfalfa, oats, and wheat. They had dairy cattle, hogs, chickens, horses, and steers.

In 1940, Louis and Maria Fitzner’s son, John purchased the farm. John and his wife Ida ran the farm from 1940-1957. They raised three sons: Waldemar, Wilbur (Jerry’s father) and Marvin. They continued with similar crops and cattle on the farm.

Submitted photo The Fitzner clan gathers outside the original farm house around 1900.

John passed away in 1958. Ida continued to own the farm until 1959 when she sold it to her son Marvin (Jerry’s uncle). Marvin and his wife Elaine owned the farm from 1959-1970. They raised seven children: Sharon, Kathleen, Ronald, Mary, John, Cynthia, and Nancy. They also continued the tradition of corn, beans, alfalfa, oats, and wheat. They also had a Holstein dairy, Hereford beef, hogs, work horses, chickens, and sheep.

In 1970, Jerry and Gloria Fitzner purchased the farm from Jerry’s uncle Marvin. They just bought 80 acres in 1970, another 80 acres in 1975, and 40 more acres in 1977. They raised three sons: Scott, Chad, and Bradley.

Jerry’s brother Mark lives on a farm about one mile from the original Fitzner farm with his wife Kathy. They raised two sons, Shaun (wife Karlie) and Tim (wife Amanda), and have eight grandchildren.

“Jerry and I have farmed together ever since we were born,” said Mark.

“Our Dad would not let us farm separately. He said you better get along and farm together,” said Jerry.

Submitted photo An aerial view of the Fitzner farm taken in 2021. The farm has been in the Fitzner name since 1874, meaning it is no longer a century farm, it is a sesquicentennial farm.

In 1981, Jerry and Mark combined herds and incorporated their farm operations into Fitzner Brothers Inc. When they started milking, the cows were in stanchions, but they moved to a milking parlor in 1981. They milked between 120-125 cows and had about 300 head of cattle. “It was a lot of work, but our sons learned how to work, There really wasn’t any time off,” said Mark. They milked until 1995 when they sold the cows.

The Fitzner Brothers farm operation was not just Jerry and Mark. Their hardworking wives and families helped to keep things going. Grandma Ida would help too by babysitting for Jerry’s and Gloria’s sons and Mark’s and Kathy’s children. The wives did everything from milking, plowing, fieldwork, helping make hay, getting the kids to school, and anything else that needs to be done to keep a farm operating successfully.

Jerry’s and Mark’s sons did feed the cows before going to school. On the weekends, the sons cleaned the barns. At times, they had eight barns going with cows, steers, and young stock.

“While in full production with the cows, we baled about 10,000 bales per year. We had about 120 acres of hay and 100 acres of straw that we baled into square bales,” said Jerry. The men milked in the morning and women at night so that the men could keep on with baling and other farm projects.

“Jerry and I lived in a trailer house on the farm site when we were first married. Each morning, Grandma Ida would come to the trailer house about 5:30-6 a.m. to take care of our son, Scott, so that I could go outside to help with the milking,” said Gloria.

“Pretty good for a city girl who was never going to marry a farmer,” said Jerry.

“I was trained well,” Gloria added. “There was only one time I did not like farming. We had some really hard times and Jerry left for two months straight to go trucking and when he came home, he put all the money into the farm corporation. While he was gone, I had to milk in the morning and at night. Got the kids off to school. Would go out and clean out the barn. It was a lot, but we got through it.”

“It is all about faith in God and family. That is what it is all about,” said Jerry.

“If it would not have been for the wives, we would not have made it,” added Mark.

In 1987, a fire took the original 22-room farmhouse. Jerry and Gloria lost just about everything.

“It is no fun to stand outside and watch everything burn. But it worked out and it turned out to be blessing because we built a new house in 1988. Our old house was not insulated and had old wiring. However, it is tough to watch your house burn, said Jerry.

Gloria’s mother Irene Vogel lived in a trailer house on the farm site at the time of the fire. “She graciously moved into an apartment in New Ulm so that we could live in the trailer house with our family while we built our house. Irene returned to the trailer house after we moved into our house. We also received support from my parents, Wilbur and Doris Fitzner who lived nearby, and many other family members, church members and friends,” said Jerry.

“My parents were very involved in the farming operations and allowed us to stay on the farm. They helped with anything they could. My Dad even drove tractor yet at age 91,” said Jerry.

Only one original building is still on the original farm site. It is what used to be called the “summer kitchen.” “This is where they would cook in the summer so they would not burn wood in the house and heat up the house. Later it turned into a smoke house when we butchered on the farm,” said Jerry.

Currently the Fitzners raise corn and soybeans. They do not have cows or any other animals. “We just have twelve cats and eighteen chickens on the farm now,” said Gloria.

Jerry’s and Gloria’s sons, Scott, and Chad, were both in the Air Force. Scott retired from the Air Force and now works as a consultant for a company that works with the Air Force. Chad is the lead mechanic at the St. Paul airport which has a plane for the National Guard. Scott and his wife Alaina have two children, Megan and Riley. Chad and his wife Michele have two sons, Tyler and Zachary.

“Brad has worked his way into our corporation and will take over the farm in the future. He has been a farmer from day one. I could not keep him out of the tractors. He has always loved farming,” said Jerry. “He also works for Nicollet County with road maintenance.”

Mark added, “And, with the computerized combine, Brad is the best one to drive it.”

“Brad has a special friend, Heather Johnson. She works at the Mankato Clinic,” added Jerry.

Jerry and Gloria continue to live on the farm. Gloria’s 97-year-old mother Irene Vogel lives with them.