Faith and the Fields: North Dakota farmers push through a late start

FORT RICE, N.D. (KFYR) - The North Dakota Ag Department indicates most farmers are finished planting, and conditions were mostly favorable.

But when your days begin with soil under your boots and end with the wide-open North Dakota sky, you learn pretty quickly that farming isn’t for the faint of heart.

Matthew Rebenitsch, the owner of Gumbo Flats Ranch, knows that truth well.

“I always say farming and ranching is one of the greatest lives, but the hardest living,” he said. “We take our family to work with us. It’s a great way of life.”

This year, like many before it, came with no shortage of challenges. A cold snap in May put planting behind schedule across much of the region. And in agriculture, time isn’t just money, it’s everything.

“It’s actually a little bit behind because we got so cold in May. We’re shooting knee-high by the Fourth of July,” Rebenitsch explains, referencing the old benchmark for corn growth.

North Dakota’s long summer daylight hours are usually a boost for growers. But that advantage comes with its own kind of pressure.

Dr. Frayne Olson, a crop marketing specialist at North Dakota State University, said the short season forces farmers to make every hour and every acre count.

“Our compensation is, yeah, our growing season is relatively short, but in the summertime the days are long,” Olson said. “We’re going to have to have some pretty good yield or yield potential to offset.”

Even with all the uncertainty, there’s something deeply rooted in the rows of every field: resilience.

“We do so much, then God has to help us,” Rebenitsch said with a smile, reflecting the quiet faith that guides so many in agriculture.

It’s not a life of guarantees. One summer storm, one hail event, and everything can be lost. And yet, every spring, the tractors roll out again.

“If we don’t get a crop or we get hailed out, we could lose everything. It’s not for the weak-hearted,” Rebenitsch said.

For North Dakota’s farmers, it’s not just about growing crops; it’s about growing a legacy that endures season after season, challenge after challenge, carried forward by strong hands, hopeful hearts, and the unshakable belief that the land will give back if you give it your all.

Rebenitsch said he’s made changes this year to improve soil health and reduce salt levels. While he’s optimistic, the next few weeks will be critical in determining whether this season turns out to be a win.

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