Excerpts from the past…
1996
A Ford 9N tractor travels round and round a two and a half acre plot of ground hauling freshly picked strawberries and the people who picked them. Holmes City Berry Farm is located southwest of Holmes City and is owned by Cory Liepold of Heron Lake, MN, age 21, and his brothers, Lars, 17, and Darren, 11. The three brothers planted the field two years ago in the hopes that the ground would provide enough strawberries for them to sell. The oldest brother learned the trade while working on a strawberry farm in Heron Lake for seven years. He decided to start his own crop because the owner of the farm, Dean Schumacher of Heron Lake, told him that growing strawberries “could put a kid through college.” He put his theory to the test. When school is in session, he studies landscape architecture at South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD. Liepold and his brothers are happy with the results of their two year labor. The strawberries are luscious and the number of customers doubled since last year, he said. The three brothers don’t operate the business entirely on their own. Their parents, Jim and Lynne, also help out in the field as well as paying some of the first bills. Liepold and his brothers
intend to expand their strawberry crop next year to four acres.
2000
Darren is finally old enough to get his drivers license.
Lars- graduates from St Johns University in Collegeville, MN - Chemistry
Cory-graduates from Creighton University in Omaha, NE - MBA, MIS
2001
We have purchased a plot of land running along Hwy 27. The site is ½ mile north of our existing patch. The expansion will allow us to meet our customers’ needs without sacrificing berry quality while continually improving soil quality.
The fields will be ready for your berry picking pleasure in June 2002.
2002
Many of you know that three brothers started Holmes City Berries at the age of 9, 15 and 18. They are now 17, 23 and 26. Cory, 26, lives in Omaha, but spends most of his time away from home with his consulting job. On the weekends you can usually find Cory working with his two brothers at the berry farm. Lars, 23, has been working as a chemist in St. Paul. Recently he was accepted into a graduate program at the University of Montana in Bozeman. He is hopeful his summer breaks will find him back on the farm during berry season. Darren, 17, will be a high school senior this fall. He has been in the berry business for nearly half of his life and still loves the guidance of his older brothers… yah right!
2004
This year’s crop will mark the 11th year for Holmes City Berries, a family owned pick-your-own farm located on Highway 27, 10 miles west of Alexandria, MN. Since 1994, these three brothers have experienced the ups and downs of farming such a delicate fruit. They all agree that this year could be a stellar season with clusters of berries everywhere. Oldest brother Cory, 28, of Omaha, Nebraska said, “We have learned so much from this business. There is no such thing as cutting corners when your goal is to produce the best tastes in a Minnesota-grown berry. It takes thoughtful cultural practices to sustain soil health year after year,” said Lars Liepold, 25 of Bozeman, Montana. The only full-time summer resident of the 60 acre farm (six acres of harvested berries annually) is Darren, 19, a sophomore in college. How have these brothers kept the business going for 11 years? ”It has been two things, our parents and technology,” said Darren. “Dad and mom, Jim and Lynne Liepold of Heron Lake, have been great and our cell phones, digital camera and the Internet, well not a decision is made
without getting everyone’s input.
2007
We are very proud to announce that our family owned strawberry farm is now certified organic! Fortunately, the practical farming methods we have developed over the years have made the transition to organic production seamless. Now we can offer you the same great fruit with the added assurance your berries are free of synthetic pesticides
and our practices are environmentally friendly.
