In any size operation, Certified Seed is an easy management decision that complements the other key inputs. With more and more chemicals we use, we can save ourselves quite a bit of input costs if we can start out right away with clean and weed-free seeds. You have to work a little harder to keep everything clean and sanitary, and it probably carries over to your whole operation. Cereal grain seed sales have not been that tremendous of late, with low grain prices and soybeans and corn replacing some wheat and barley acres. But we haven't given up.
Wheat needs to be grown and is nice in the rotation.
Haefner cleans his own Certified Seed on the farm and retails directly from the farm. Albert Haefner, who took over the farm about 1946, after the dirty 30's, planted a new shelterbelt and experimented with grassed waterways and contour farming. His wife, Virginia, passed away in 1982. John was born in 1961 at Mobridge, spent his active life on the farm, attended Lund Rural Elementary School for 2 years, and Glenham School for 10 years. He began farming in 1980 and renting from his father in 1986, eventually taking over.