This Friday meet Walt Bones, a retired fourth-generation farmer from Parker, South Dakota. The Bones’ family operation is a diversified partnership spanning multiple generations. While the partnership has grown and evolved many times over the years, the family’s commitment to land stewardship, conservation, and community service has remained steadfast from generation to generation.
Generational Stewardship
The Bones family’s farming history in South Dakota began when John T. Bones homesteaded northeast of Parker in 1879. Since then, the farm has been passed down with the guiding principle that “God was careful and creative when he created this earth…we must also be careful and creative in our obligation to the stewardship of it.”
The operation has grown considerably since the original homestead and consists of Hereford Ranch, Hexad Farms and MDM Farms. While Walt is now retired, his brothers, Steve and Jim, and brother-in-law, Lyle VanHove, and nephews, Mike VanHove, Matt Bones and Dan Bones, continue to run the family’s crop, beef, and dairy operations. Despite the changes in the years since the original homestead, Walt and his family remain stalwart stewards of the land.
“Our parents instilled in us the importance of leadership and commitment, and we have done the same with the next generation,” Walt said.
Working with USDA
With their focus on conservation and environmental stewardship, the Bones family is part of the Evangelical Environment Network and participates in a variety of programs with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Farm Service Agency (FSA) to implement conservation on their farms.
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Photo Credit: gettyimages-vwalakte
Categories: South Dakota, Crops, Livestock, Beef Cattle, Dairy Cattle