Ag United News

Hartford family carries on tradition

January 05, 2007 by Amy Bennett, Chamber News, Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce

One of the only constant things about farming is that it’s always changing — from technology to biology to sheer operation size.

But for farmers like Hartford native Dennis Steineke, the practice of neighbor helping neighbor will never change.

“He’ll never admit it, but he’s very traditional,” said Dennis’ wife, Heidi. “He still sees things the way it used to be, like looking out for your neighbors.”

The Steinekes keep the family farm tradition alive just north of Hartford. The Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce Agri-Business Division has named the Steinekes the Farm Family of the Year.

As a second-grader their son, Will, is too young to be involved full-time, but Dennis’ nephew, Justin Gillespie, is learning the ropes from his uncle. Both Will and his sister, Grace, help their dad where they can, however, such as assisting with chores and checking cattle.

Living in the country and working on the farm he grew up on wasn’t Dennis’ original plan. “I tried college and didn’t like it,” he said of his one-year stint at Augustana College. “The city life is not for me.”

He came back to the farm and went into business with his father, Frank, and worked with his dad until he passed away in September 2002. Dennis and Heidi met at her sister’s wedding dance and celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary in December 2006.

Heidi’s parents reminded her on her wedding day about how she had said she would never marry a farmer. “I don’t remember saying that,” Heidi said, “but I love living in the country. It’s a great place to raise kids.”

Though Heidi was raised on a farm, she doesn’t do much with the day-to-day operations. She has taught in the Sioux Falls School District for 16 years. She does, however, remember walking beans when she was growing up. “Now to be successful you’ve got to be bigger and you’ve got to use technology — you can’t make it otherwise.”

Everything changes, the Steinekes agree. Something you’re doing now could be obsolete in two years, Dennis said. Even the chemicals in fertilizer and seeds are continually evolving. “I hate to say it, but farming is easy now. Compared to what my dad and grandpa did, we’re lazy. They worked 10 times as hard,” Dennis said of how technology has significantly eased the physical work of farming. He said the amount of risk farmers face continues to be challenging.

Dennis raises corn, beans, alfalfa and hogs and cattle — “a little bit of everything.” He usually has about 3,500 hogs each year and a few hundred head of cattle. All the hogs are processed through John Morrell & Co. and Dennis sells the calves at the Sioux Falls Stockyards.

Everything seems to balance, Heidi says, “When something is down, something else is up.”

The Steineke family will be recognized as the Chamber’s Agri-Business Division Farm Family of the Year at the Mayor’s Round-up & Sale of Champions during the Sioux Empire Farm Show. They will also be honored in April at the Agri-Business Division Annual Meeting.

This is not the first time they’ve been put in the spotlight, however. In 2006, the family was included in promotional advertising for Agriculture United for South Dakota. When Ag United Executive Director Steve Dick called to see about shooting film at their farm to promote the organization, Heidi agreed. She never thought she would have to be in the commercials, however. A whole crew descended on their farm and included the entire family in the television commercial.

Much to the chagrin of the Steinekes, the commercial aired for quite some time. Heidi said when it first aired — which was during the 6 a.m. news one of the first times — their phone started ringing right away. The Steinekes jokingly threatened to stop talking to anyone who volunteered them to be in the commercial.

The family also expects to get some good-natured ribbing from their friends and neighbors this time around as well. Some of the people who nominated the family for the award also happen to be friends or people with whom the Steinekes do business with.

Dennis joked that if this keeps up, he’s not going to have anyone to talk to at all.