Brian Ober
Featured Grower
Hi, my name is Brian Ober and I farm with my brother, Trent, and my son, Cody where we operate as Ober Brothers Farm.
Tell me about your farming operation?
We have 1,100 acres where we grow sugar beets, wheat, barley, and hay. We also run 150 cow-calf pairs.
What brought you into farming?
My great-grandfather started the farm in 1909, which makes me a fourth-generation farmer. I grew up farming and knew that was what I wanted to do, so I began a year after I graduated High School, or for the past 40 years.
What chores did you have growing up on a farm?
Growing up, I would feed the cattle, pigs, chickens and take care of the 4-H Calves. In my teens I would cultivate sugar beets and change wheel lines.
How have advances in technology such as machinery, genetics, or chemicals, affected your farm or competition?
I think Roundup Ready sugar beets is the best technology that has come about. We no longer have to spray micro-rates, cultivate the beets, or hoe them -- which reduces the labor we need and the problems we have.
If my dad were alive today, he would say ‘we have it pretty easy, compared to what we used to do to grow sugar beets.’
How have advances in technology such as machinery, genetics, or chemicals, affected your farm or competition?
I was in 4-H for eight years growing up, and my kids were in 4-H for thirteen years -- I was also a leader of a club for a few years, too.