Zastrows farm strong for 100 years
by Karin L. Nauber
Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.
~Henry Ford
If the words of Henry Ford are true, then the Zastrow brothers of Long Prairie have a very successful partnership.
The four brothers—Roger, Wally, Joe and Tom—have worked on the home farm since birth, basically.
“We work together a lot. We have always worked together. This is pretty rare,” noted Wally.
This year, their family farm celebrates 100 years and has been named a Century Farm for Todd County.
While there was another owner of the land before the Zastrows, Ferdinand Zastrow was the founding father of the family farm.
Ferdinand was born on June 10, 1864 in Germany. His father was Karl Zastrow and his mother was Amalie (Lubke) Zastrow.
Ferdinand originally settled on land in the Round Prairie area. He bought the land where Wally lives now and built the house there from 1900-1906.
The first recorded deed on the property that the family calls “home base” was on April 10, 1866.
The Pike Rapids Hydro Electric Power line easement was done on May 24 1916, although Roger is unsure if that was when the farm got electricity or not.
On October 2, 1920 the property deed was recorded in Ferdinand’s name.
He paid $26,190 for the farm which was a lot for that time, but the brothers believe that it had something to do with a mortgage on the property.
He had purchased the farm for his son Edwin.
On March 25, 1948, the farm was deeded to Ferdinand’s son, Edwin.
On April 18, 1963, Donald Zastrow became the deed holder.
On April 25, 2005, the farm was deeded to Roger and his youngest brother Tom.
The brothers now own four farms all within about a mile radius. They formed a partnership called Zastrow Farms Partnership. . . .
Comments