The Horstmanns named Wadena County Farm Family of the Year
- Trinity Gruenberg
- 2 days ago
- 1 min read
by Trinity Gruenberg
The Benjamin (BJ) and Amber Horstmann family from Wadena has been awarded the title of Wadena County Farm Family of the Year.
Amber is a 2005 graduate of Bertha-Hewitt High School, raised on a pig and hobby farm in Eagle Bend and actively participated in 4-H. BJ, a 2005 graduate of Wadena-Deer Creek High School, grew up working on a dairy farm. His parents had a hobby farm.
BJ purchased his own farm, initially starting with commercial cows before transitioning to registered Herefords.
Amber and BJ met through a mutual friend during a town festival.
“I always wanted to farm with my kids. Lo and behold, BJ had a farm when we met,” she chuckled.
Their children, Adam (14) and Chloe (16), have been involved in 4-H for nearly ten years and are active members of the Wadena-Deer Creek FFA. Their youngest child, Stellan, is 21 months old, and his older siblings dote on him.
The older kids primarily show sheep but also participate in showing goats, calves, and poultry. Next year, they plan to show pigs and rabbits.
Amber co-leads the Junior Citizens 4-H Club, which she started in 2021. The club meets in Wadena and includes members from Wrightstown, Sebeka, and Hewitt, among others. There are approximately 21 kids in the club, with activities ranging from static exhibits to horses and cows...
