Douglas County farmers Debra and Brent Johnson have seen good and bad years of farming. As fourth-generation farmers, they did their best to keep going.

“The first years were tough,” Debra said. “They had high interest rates and farms were in trouble. We went on the custom harvest run in those years to supplement our farm income. I definitely feel that we survived those years by doing that.”

Now retired from custom harvesting, the Johnsons farm soybeans, corn and wheat. They’ve also added land, parts of which their family have picked rock on for 150 years.

“My parents worked side-by-side through the hard years,” she said. “I could see their passion to farm, and they wanted that lifestyle for their children. They impressed upon me, wise choices, hard work and love of the land.

Working on the farm with two of her children, she also does bookwork for farms in the area. During harvest, their third child helps, too.

“I’m very thankful to enjoy living and earning a living on our farm,” Debra said.

Debra’s the scholarship chair and runs social media for the Douglas County Corn and Soybean Growers board. She’s been on the board for nine years and is a longtime MSGA member.

“MSGA is a great organization to be part of, as they advocate on behalf of all soybean growers,” Johnson said. “I’m especially grateful for the support of the farmers by improving profits by monitoring government policy that is favorable to us.”