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With combines rolling across the golden fields north of St. Claude, the Bruneau family is celebrating not only a surprisingly strong harvest, but over a century of farming on the same land.
“We’re four generations now, working on the fifth,” says Gerard Bruneau of N.G.B. Farms, where he farms alongside his father, three sons, and, occasionally, his two-and-a-half-year-old grandson Colter. “He loves being out here. I think he’ll be interested in taking it over, but he’s only two and a half, so we’ll see,” he adds with a laugh.
Despite a dry season, the crops have outperformed expectations.
“We were all surprised. With no rain, we figured it would be average, but this year's crops are really good so far.”
The Bruneaus grow wheat, canola, edible beans, and corn, along with managing beef cattle. At this time of year, wheat is already in the bin, and canola is nearly finished.
“We’re going to wait a week or so for the edibles, and then corn will be about a month and a half yet. We’re going about the same pace as other years. We’ve had some nice weather, so sunshine and low humidity would definitely be welcome for the rest of the month," he notes.
Farming, of course, is a full family effort. Four generations of Bruneaus were working or visiting the farm on September 8, from Gerard’s father down to young Colter, dressed in tiny rubber boots and his own set of Carhartt coveralls.
While it’s rare for the family to pause during harvest, they were able to take a short break to enjoy a Harvest Lunch Delivery hosted in the field and provided by Boston Pizza.
“We are very appreciative of all the sponsors. It gives my wife a big break, too. She’s always bringing our meals to the field, so I’m sure she was happy about this.”
The lunch brought together the entire Bruneau crew for a mid-day meal, offering a brief moment of calm in the middle of one of the busiest times of the year, and a fitting celebration of both a strong harvest and a strong family legacy.
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