The Official Newspaper for Foster County
The Official Newspaper for Foster County
Mary and Dennis Swanson are the 2023 NDSU Harvest Bowl agricultural recipients from Foster County.
Sheila and Curtis Weisz were recognized as the 2023 Harvest Bowl recipients from Wells County.
The success, dedication and hard work of outstanding agriculturists in 53 counties in North Dakota and six counties in Minnesota were honored during the 49th annual Harvest Bowl program at North Dakota State University on Nov. 10.
The Foster County honorees are Dennis and Mary Swanson. They farmed and ranched for 28 years, raising a variety of grain crops and livestock. Over the years, they raised sheep, hogs, beef and bison.
They implemented a minimum-till operation, growing diversified crops and utilizing non-crop land and crop residues for livestock grazing and feed.
Dennis was a founding member of the North American Bison Cooperative, which sought to add value to bison meat with a rancher-owned processing plant. He received the Foster County Soil Conservation award and was runner-up for the North Dakota Bison Producer of the Year.
During Dennis' farming career he was active in several commodity organizations and served as President of the North Dakota Corn Growers Association and then Chairman of the North Dakota Corn Utilization council. Dennis also served as President of the North Dakota Buffalo Association.
Dennis retired from farming in 2002 and began working at Wholesale Ag Products in Carrington. Dennis worked as an area sales manager and seed specialist for 20 years and retired in 2021.
Dennis is co-chair of the Carrington Garden Club and president of the Kvernes Lutheran Church Council.
Mary earned a bachelor's degree in education from NDSU. She retired from Bremer Bank after 37 years. Currently, she is a substitute teacher in Carrington and New Rockford schools. She serves as the church treasurer and is Sunday school teacher, and is secretary of the Carrington Garden Club.
The Wells County honoress are Curtis and Sheila Wiesz. The Weisz farm grows small grains and row crops. Their family farm was an original homestead started by Sheila's family in 1884.
After the death of Sheila's father, they took over the operations full-time. Currently, they farm with both of their sons. Over the years, their farming practices changed with a transition to minimum- to no-till being implemented.
Curtis has been an ambulance member and EMT for over 20 years and is a member of the Bowdon Ambulance Service. He has been a director of Northern Plains Electric Cooperative for 21 years and currently serves as board vice chairman.
Curtis is a member of the CHI St. Alexius Health of Carrington, Quality and Values Committee and CHI St. Alexius Health West Region and Executive Committees of Carrington, Devils Lake, Dickinson, and Williston hospitals.
Curtis has been a 4-H engineering judge for over 20 years at the Wells County Fair.
Sheila has been the administrative assistant for NDSU Extension/Wells County for 22 years.
