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Family Owned and Operated Gilbertson Farms Sends
You a Happy Hello
Come on and meet the family!
Gary, Annette, and their three children Mark,
Melisa and Carol
Gary was born and raised in Scandia. He grew
up in a farming family where he helped do the planting and milking
everyday. This farm was also where his mother Mae was born and
raised. On top of his farming career, Gary is a driver dock man
for Yellow Freight Systems.
In April of 1974 opposites were married. Gary
married Annette Lappe, a city slicker by every sense of the word
and once told her mother that she was never going to live on a
farm again. Hmmm? Annette enjoys working on the retail aspects
of the farm, and also works for US Bank Corporation.
Mark, the oldest of the three children, is a
graduate of Chisago Lakes High School and the University of
Minnesota with a degree in Agriculture. Mark works full time on
the family farm and has transformed the farm into what it is
today. Mark’s passion for farming was evident after his first trip
to the field with his dad at the age of 3 months.
Melisa, fondly known as the middle child, is
a graduate of Chisago Lakes High School and Southwest Minnesota
State University with a degree in Biology. Melisa is a 1LT in the
Minnesota National Guard, and is currently serving in Iraq. Melisa
helps with markets when ever she can. She is currently working on
her Masters Degree and Teaching Certification. She hopes to teach
middle school life science. Check her latest update from Iraq
below.
Carol, the youngest or precious as Dad calls
her, is also a graduate of Chisago Lakes High School and will
graduate in May, 2007 from St Olaf College with a degree in
Biology. She plans to continue her education in the medical
field. Carol helps with just about anything we need done on the
farm whenever she can. She has been glowing since her 22,
birthday as her “High School Sweet Heart” Nick Klimek asked her to
marry him. We look forward to welcoming Nick into our family.
Gilbertson Farms used to be a cash crop farm
growing a rotation of soy beans, field corn and alfalfa. However,
that farming grew into fresh produce when Mark took over the sweet
corn business from his Uncle Gerald. He sold the sweet corn at the
end of Grandpa and Grandma’s road. On his first day Mark and
Melisa made $25.00, which was a big deal to an 8-year-old and
6-year-old.
Next thing you know Gilbertson Farms gave up
its stand at the end of the road and began going to farmers
markets. Then, the first greenhouse bursting with what we thought
was a lot of flowers and later tomatoes. However, the limited
space caused the building of three more greenhouses full of
flowers. In the fields there are less cash crops, 80 acres of
sweet corn instead of 5, 5 acres of peppers, 3 acres of potatoes
and 2 corn roasters for fresh ready to eat butter sweet corn.
These roasters go to private parties, festivals and corporate
picnics.
Our latest additions are the restoration of
our old barn and a fall corn maze. While we were cleaning and
re-roofing, we found bricks dated 1917. We have found some history
of the place, but we are still looking for pictures of the
original structure which set in the creek bed and was moved after
being flooded several times. The old barn is now our retail area.
The corn maze brings fall adventures to all ages with a 10 acre
corn maze, peddle go carts, and fun things for the toddlers.
Hope to see you soon so that we can meet you!
Have a great day.
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Greetings
from Melisa
Hello Everyone!
It has been a LONG time since I last updated everyone on
my fun adventures in Iraq. I really haven't had too
much to write about lately. Easter was spent out on a
patrol which was thankfully a very boring day! |
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I have a group of soldiers who rotate
through the Trauma center at Balad Airbase. At the end
of February, I went up to visit the three soldiers I
have there permanently and bring back the group from
February's rotation. What the medics, doctors and
nurses do everyday at that hospital is simply amazing.
The hospital sees a lot of trauma patients from gunshot
wounds to blast wounds. Most American's end up going
through the hospital on their way out to Germany. For
someone like myself who does not work in the healthcare
field, it can be overwhelming. The hospital also gets a
lot of Iraqi civilians and a few insurgents (who are
given the same treatment as an American). It is really
sad to see the children full of shrapnel wounds, it
makes you mad because they are so young innocent and
don't deserve to be injured.
Sunday night, we were fed a delicious meal of steak from
Minnesota courtesy of Mancini's and others. There was
live video feed which let us watch our family enjoying
the same meal back in Minnesota. The only set back was,
my family pretty much had steak for breakfast and it was
a midnight snack for me!
Saturday I ran the Boston Marathon in Iraq. I only ran
1/2 because I haven't trained enough for a full
marathon. The morning started off with cool
temperatures, lighting, monsoon rain that came down
sideways and stung and strong gusting wind, and let's
not forget the blowing sand! Perfect weather! I had a
goal to finish in 2 hours 15 minutes, which I was on
track for until the last three miles. The last three
miles were all against the wind slowing me down, but at
least I finished. We were all given Medals, t-shirts
and certificates from the Boston Athletic Association.
I have decided to try a full Marathon and I plan to run
the twin cities marathon in Oct with Donna.
And now for the weather report: It has started to get
hot again, 85-90. Yesterday it hit 102. We have had
some weird thunderstorms that drop a ton of rain and
wind. Along with the wind comes the dust storms. I
hate the weather here, but I only have a few more
months.
I better get back to work!
Miss you all,
Melisa |
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