Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
2009 Farm Family Of The Year: Dale And Jean Bye
 |
By Lisa Hare
lisa.hare@yankton.net
"We thought someone was playing a joke on us,” Jean Bye said, referring to the news that she and her husband, Dale, were receiving the Yankton Area Farm Family of the Year Award.
But last Tuesday at the Beef & Wine Gala held in Yankton, there were more tears than giggles during the slideshow presentation of the Bye family’s history as they were honored for winning the award, and they knew it was no joke.
“We’re fourth-generation farmers on this land,” Dale said at the ceremony.
Dale’s grandfather, Charles Bye, immigrated to the U.S. from Norway when he was just 17 years old in 1881. And in 1888 he bought the farm that the Byes still farm today.
“(Charles) lived all his life on this farm, and so did Dale’s dad, Glen,” Jean said, adding that her husband, like his father and grandfather, also had spent his entire life on the same land.
“It’s a good life,” Jean said. “It’s a good way to raise kids, have them working beside you.”
Jean recalled that farming when she and Dale were raising their children was very different from the way their sons and grandchildren farm today.
“Dale and I always say, ‘Grandpa Glen wouldn’t believe this,’” she said, laughing about how computer technology on the farm has become a mainstay.
Jean, a Yankton native, met Dale on a blind date and the two married in 1952. They lived on a neighboring farm until 1948 when Dale bought the family farm when his father passed away.
They had four children, three sons and a daughter, and the sons all stayed to carry on the Bye tradition of farming.
“Our daughter married a serviceman, so she didn’t get to stay here,” Jean said.
The Byes have 16 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.
“Three of our grandchildren help out on the farm full-time,” Jean said. “They’re not scared to work.”
Though Dale and Jean have since moved to town with son, Jim, living on the home place, Jean said they haven’t really retired.
“Dale is out there every day,” she said. “He says he has the best of both worlds — he gets to run all the expensive new equipment without making any of the payments.”
Jean added that the best part of farm life was always the independence she and Dale knew as a farm couple.
“We were our own boss and got to spend a lot of time together,” she said.
“There were many times I’d help out in the field — sometimes during haying season we’d bale all through the night,” she recalled, adding that now their sons do the same.
Since (almost) retiring, Dale and Jean enjoy spending time volunteering with numerous community projects, and with the VFW and Habitat for Humanity.
“We’re just not happy unless we’re busy,” Jean said.
But last Tuesday at the Beef & Wine Gala held in Yankton, there were more tears than giggles during the slideshow presentation of the Bye family’s history as they were honored for winning the award, and they knew it was no joke.
“We’re fourth-generation farmers on this land,” Dale said at the ceremony.
Dale’s grandfather, Charles Bye, immigrated to the U.S. from Norway when he was just 17 years old in 1881. And in 1888 he bought the farm that the Byes still farm today.
“(Charles) lived all his life on this farm, and so did Dale’s dad, Glen,” Jean said, adding that her husband, like his father and grandfather, also had spent his entire life on the same land.
“It’s a good life,” Jean said. “It’s a good way to raise kids, have them working beside you.”
Jean recalled that farming when she and Dale were raising their children was very different from the way their sons and grandchildren farm today.
“Dale and I always say, ‘Grandpa Glen wouldn’t believe this,’” she said, laughing about how computer technology on the farm has become a mainstay.
Jean, a Yankton native, met Dale on a blind date and the two married in 1952. They lived on a neighboring farm until 1948 when Dale bought the family farm when his father passed away.
They had four children, three sons and a daughter, and the sons all stayed to carry on the Bye tradition of farming.
“Our daughter married a serviceman, so she didn’t get to stay here,” Jean said.
The Byes have 16 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.
“Three of our grandchildren help out on the farm full-time,” Jean said. “They’re not scared to work.”
Though Dale and Jean have since moved to town with son, Jim, living on the home place, Jean said they haven’t really retired.
“Dale is out there every day,” she said. “He says he has the best of both worlds — he gets to run all the expensive new equipment without making any of the payments.”
Jean added that the best part of farm life was always the independence she and Dale knew as a farm couple.
“We were our own boss and got to spend a lot of time together,” she said.
“There were many times I’d help out in the field — sometimes during haying season we’d bale all through the night,” she recalled, adding that now their sons do the same.
Since (almost) retiring, Dale and Jean enjoy spending time volunteering with numerous community projects, and with the VFW and Habitat for Humanity.
“We’re just not happy unless we’re busy,” Jean said.
 |
||
| Column: Economic Recession Still Here |
Article Rating
Reader Comments
Submit a Comment
We encourage your feedback and dialog, all comments will be reviewed by our Web staff before appearing on the Web site.
Not registered yet?
