Farm Family of the Game: Layne and Darnell Ebeling of Martin County

Like a football team tries to maximize its strengths, Layne Ebeling and his cousin Cory know what each other does best on their farm in Martin County.

“He’s meticulous with the books. I’m good with the hogs and doing stuff outside,” Layne said. “At the end of the day, we get a lot done. We’re always moving ahead.”

Layne and Cory took over the farm from their fathers in the 1990s. Farming has always run in the family, and all of the Ebelings help on the farm today.

Layne and his wife Darnell and their sons Josiah and Logan will be honored during halftime of Saturday’s Gophers football game against Iowa in the Big Ten season opener as the Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA) Farm Family of the Game. The Farm Family of the Game promotion is part of a larger communications partnership between MCGA and the Gophers to raise awareness of agriculture with non-farmers and the general public.

In 1935, Ed and Mildred Ebeling started farming on the western edge of Cedar Township in Martin County. In the 1960s, they turned the management of the farm over to their sons and wives John & Dianne and Keith & Linda.

Cory and Layne have carried on the farming traditions that were started by their fathers and grandparents while also making the farm their own. Today, they grow corn, soybeans and raise hogs on the farm. Thirteen wind turbines also stand tall in the Ebeling’s fields and generate renewable wind energy on the farm.

The Ebelings also practice ridge farming to improve soil conservation and take advantage of modern farming technology to improve conservation efforts in other areas.

“One of the new tractors we have, it’ll pick the gear and the RPMs to run the most efficient and save the most fuel,” Layne said. “The other day we saved nine gallons of gas by letting the tractor do its thing versus running it wide open — like we used to do it. The technology out here is helping a lot.”

Layne is also involved in the Martin County Conservation Club and is active in Farm Bureau. Just as importantly, he welcomes any opportunity he gets to connect with non-farmers and tell agriculture’s story.

“There are so many things that people don’t understand about farming, just like I don’t understand a lot of things about their business,” Layne said. “Farmers need to engage and let people know that we’re growing a safe product. Anything we take off the land, we’re going to try and put back. We’re not going to waste it.”