By Norma Dittman Eighty members of the Busch family gathered together for a reunion on Saturday, July 11th, at the 125-year-old family farm, located five miles south of Fulda. The reunion was organized through a request from Carol Busch’s 92-year-old sister- in-law, Delores, of Lakeville, MN. She recalled the large reunion in 2001 when 250 people attended the farm’s centennial celebration. Knowing that the land has now been in the family for 125 years, Delores felt that it was time for another celebration.
Currently living on the farm are Kevin and Leann Busch who enthusiastically agreed to host this year’s get-together. The couple, along with Kevin’s mom, Carol, shared a few details regarding the 125th celebration. As kinfolk arrived, they were given name badges. A catered meal had been prepared for all in attendance. “I imagine there will be a lot of catching up to do!” Carol commented with a smile, when she previously talked about the upcoming reunion.
The Busch Family Farm has a rich history that began when Leonard Busch (Georg Leonhard Busch) was born on December 4, 1873, in Zandt, province of Bavaria, Germany. Fifteen year old Leonard came to the United States in 1888. After working for several years in Illinois for his future wife’s uncle, George Conrad, Leonard followed Mathilda Dierks’ family to Minnesota.
He and Mathilda married on December 4, 1898 and farmed southwest of Fulda. On October 14, 1901, the couple purchased the 80 acre homestead for $3,200.
Many changes occurred during the years that Leonard and Mathilda farmed the land. In 1907, they constructed a barn. A new house replaced the one room kitchen, dining room and small bedroom in 1913. A granary and corn crib were added to the farm site in 1918.
More land was acquired on March 29, 1920 when the Busch’s purchased the 80 acres that was just across Highway 59. The cost was $12,000.
Many more buildings were added including the hog house which was constructed in 1925.
The farm’s first tractor, complete with steel lugs, was a Ferguson that was purchased about 1927.
In 1929, the Busch family watched as the new U. S. Highway 59 was laid. (The original highway was one mile west of the current road, and was a gravel road.)
Due to a neck and back injury, Leonard was forced to quit farming, and the farm was rented to their son George. In March of 1946, George purchased the quarter section of land. Continuing to improve the farmstead, George built a new garage, milk house, chicken house, machine shed and another granary. He also remodeled the inside of the house and added the first indoor plumbing in 1955.
Busch Family: 125 Years The year 1970 came, and George decided it was time to retire from farming. He moved into the city of Fulda and rented the farm to his son Lyle.
Lyle and his wife, Carol, moved onto the family farmstead. The couple spent many days working together on the third-generation family farm. Carol recalls hauling wagon loads of corn and unloading it. “That was just one of my jobs during harvest,” she said.
Lyle and Carol moved into Fulda after the 2001 Centennial Celebration of the Busch Farm Site.
Lyle and Carol’s son, Kevin, moved onto the farm. He began farming in 1985, and shared a heart-breaking story of his first year of farming. “Dad called me and said that there was a quarter section in the same section of our land that was for rent. He asked if I wanted to farm. It was definitely what I wanted to do, so I planted my first crop that spring. On July 3rd, we had a storm that totally hailed off all of my crops. THAT began my battles with Mother Nature.”
After that experience, Kevin started working at First National Bank in Fulda. “I’d be sitting in my office thinking, ‘I’d rather be farming. It really wasn’t for me.’” He, and his wife, Leann, were married on the farm on July 1, 2006. “It was a beautiful day,” Leann said. “It got hot and then it rained. The old wives tale is that if it rains on your wedding day you will always have good luck. Carol was a great help as we prepared for our wedding day. We certainly have been blessed.”
Kevin added, “We have been blessed throughout the years. With good years, and some not so good. This year is my last crop, my 41st crop, as I am retiring from farming. The farmland will be staying in the family with a family member being the next generation to farm it.”
When asked about changes that have occurred over the past 25 years on the Busch farm, Kevin paused and said, “If I could have one wish, it would be to have Grandpa George back for a day to see the guidance systems that we use now. He wouldn’t believe it!”
“When I purchased my first guidance system, I convinced Dad to use it. He was a bit resistant to it,” Kevin said with a chuckle. “It took a bit of convincing for him to drive it, but by the end of the day, he told us he wouldn’t ever drive a tractor without it.”
“The other thing that I think Grandpa George would have a difficult time believing is the bushels per acre that we get now,” Kevin commented. “There was a time when 40 bushels was great, nowadays that is not a good yield. But, it still all depends on weather for what the harvest brings us.”
The Busch’s anticipation of the 125th celebration revealed a strong devotion to family ties, and gratefulness for the longevity of soon-to-be five generations that have been farming Southwest Minnesota land that was first purchased by their ancestor Leonard in 1901.
