- New Ulm, MN
Katie Yarger
Farmer, Mom, + Ag Advocate
We’re YARBROS Ag & Livestock — our family farm just outside of New Ulm, Minnesota. The name stands for “Yarger Brothers,” after our two boys, Case and Beau, who are the fifth generation to grow up surrounded by agriculture, although we are farming on our own. Our farm includes row crops, hay, Shorthorn cattle, and Suffolk sheep, along with some custom planting and harvesting, a pumpkin patch, and a few small side projects like tallow rendering. Leon and I are building this operation from the ground up while both working full-time jobs, raising our boys, and doing our best to carry on a legacy of hard work, faith, and pride in rural life. I currently work full time at Madelia Health in my hometown of Madelia, where I wear many hats as the Executive Administrative Assistant and Recruitment and Retention Specialist. I often joke that I work so I can afford my hobbies — our beef cattle and, of course, my boys who are active in 4-H. My days are spent in the office, but the moment I get the chance, I’m helping my boys with their beef and sheep projects, lending a hand to my husband on the farm, or — in the summer — out baling hay. I also have a passion for marketing and public speaking, and I love jumping into those opportunities whenever they come my way
Do you farm with family?
No, we are beginning on our own! This year was our first year farming.
What are your hobbies?
I love using my creativity through marketing — I’ve helped design signs, banners, logos, and other promotional materials, and I really enjoy bringing ideas to life visually. Public speaking is another passion of mine, especially when I get to talk about topics close to my heart like agriculture, rural life, or community involvement. In my downtime, I love watching cattle auctions and livestock shows, taking our side-by-side out on adventures, and spending time with my family.
Why is sharing information about agriculture and farming important to you?
Gosh, I think the biggest thing I’d want people to know about me and our farm is that it’s built on grit and unwavering faith. We live in a world where many people are far removed from the farm, and our story is one of perseverance. My husband’s family farmed for generations, but when he was in middle school, they had to step away from it. They kept the land but sold the equipment, and for years a family friend farmed it while Leon helped whenever he could. It took a lot of grit, prayer, and faith to get to where we are today — finally farming our own crop with our own equipment. Being a beginning farmer isn’t easy, but it’s proof that with determination, it can be done. I think it’s so important to share stories like ours because everyone’s path in agriculture is unique. Sharing those experiences helps bridge the gap between farmers and consumers — giving people the knowledge they need to understand where their food comes from and make informed choices. And to me, that’s a win for agriculture and for all of us who love it.
Tell us a quick story from the farm.
If you visit our farm’s Facebook page, you will find a picture of my boys with coolers full of beef! We aren’t just raising stock show kids… we’re raising future beef producers. From the start, we’ve wanted our boys to understand not just how to care for cattle, but why it matters. That means they’ve been part of it all- the early mornings feeding, the halter breaking and washing, the long drives to pick up semen, being there for AI, calving, preg checks, vaccinations, and even the hard days of loading cattle for the butcher. And today, they got to see the other side of it, picking up the finished product. During COVID, we even processed our own beef, so Case and Beau have truly grown up with a front-row seat to the entire process (even if they were too young to remember all the details back then). This picture says it all: two proud boys with 491 pounds of homegrown beef. We kept half a beef from the two animals we just sent in, and while the freezers are full, what really fills us up is knowing they’re learning the full circle of responsibility, respect, and purpose that comes with raising cattle.
WE ARE COMMONGROUND –
