Singlestad is named Waseca’s outstanding young farmer

The Waseca County Outstanding Young Farmer award is presented to a farmer between 21–39 years of age who utilizes innovative methods, has made improvement in farming operations, and demonstrates service to community organizations and conservation practices. This year’s winner was Waseca area farmer Mike Singlestad. He was recognized during the annual Farm and City Luncheon Thursday, March 21.

 

“He’s committed to excellence; it is evident in every facet of his work,” Mark Scharf said of Singlestad as he introduced him.

 

“Thank you to all of those close family and friends who have supported me through all of my farming activities,” Singlestad said. “Especially my parents: Before I could walk, they would take me out to the barn in the stroller and let me sleep outside while they helped the mother cows give birth.”

 

Mike grew up on a farm just north of Waseca, harvesting corn and soybeans and also operating a farrow-to-finish hog operation. He is the fourth generation to farm on the acreage which was purchased in 1946 by his great-grandfather Sever Singlestad and his grandfather Geb Singlestad.

 

Growing up, he was active in 4-H and FFA. He graduated from high school in 2003 and went to college at SDSU in Brookings, South Dakota, graduating with a degree in environmental management. While there, he was on a soils judging team.

 

During college in the summer and a few years after, he worked at the Southern Minnesota Research and Outreach Center in Waseca. In 2012 he started contract finishing hogs with Big Gain in Mankato. A year later, in 2013, his parents sold him part of the family building site and the old farmhouse. He liked working with pigs; in 2015 he tore down some of the first hog barns his parents owned and replaced them with a new wean-to-finish barn.

 

Mike raises about 3,800 head of wean-to-finish pigs each year. When purchasing the family swine operation, he made significant remodeling investments in the facilities to ensure long-term viability for his operation. One of his most recent investments has been the integration of solar power to improve the energy efficiency of his swine operation.

 

In 2018, he started renting land from his parents. He raises corn and soybeans and farms with his parents Scott and Vicky and his brother-in-law, Craig Baxter.

 

He is also willing to make significant changes in his cropping operation. He works with McPherson Crop Management, an area independent crop consulting organization, to utilize his manure production to its maximum extent and to implement best environmental practices in his production methods.

 

He has also worked part-time at the Costco Depot near Owatonna for three years as an equipment operator.

 

Working with his Farm Business Management Instructor, Mark Wehe, Mike has learned record keeping methods which utilize modern computer systems, including PC Mars. Mike has grown his operation and has matured as a manager. He is always open to new ideas and methods.

 

Mike is very active in the community. He currently serves on the Waseca County Farm Bureau board, where he was vice president for four years and president for four years. In his role, he works with a very progressive group of Waseca County producers advocating for farm policies that benefit the progressive agricultural community. He is currently a member of the Minnesota Soybean and Corn Growers organizations.

 

Mike is also active in the Tuscan Lodge, the area Masonic Lodge: He is currently the group’s secretary, but has served in many other important roles in the lodge. He has been a mason in the lodge for more than 20 years.