Preston pleased to see grandparents’ farm through 100 years and counting

Gary and Linda Preston have proudly carried forth the family farm started by Gary’s grandparents, Alex and Eda Johnson, in 1916. The farm was officially recognized this summer as a Wisconsin Century Farm, holding 100 (or more) years of continuous family ownership.

Guernsey dairy cows and later Suri Alpacas made their home on the farm for over 90 years. The Prestons replaced the original farm house with their current home in 1979.

Located at S602 Sand Road, the Johnson/Preston farm once straddled the Mondovi/Gilmanton town line with a total of 225 acres.

Pictured in this 1950s aerial shot, the farm appears as it did while owned by Alex and Eda Johnson. Gary Preston has many fond memories of time spent on his grandparents’ farm as a youth.

Alex and Eda Johnson on their wedding day, Sept. 18, 1912.

Adell and Roy Preston were the parents to Gary Preston and his three brothers, Chuck, Butch and Lynn.

Gary Preston (center front) is pictured on the farm with his three older brothers (left to right) Lynn, Chuck and Butch. The photo was taken by their neighbor, Janice Mikelson, now of Mondovi.

The Johnsons milked 22 Guernsey cows until Gary remodeled and expanded the barn in 1983 to increase the herd to 40 cows.

Paul Haugland—who became close with the Preston family in the 1970s and spent many hours helping out on the farm—worked with a Guernsey calf bearing the “Garylin Guernseys” name on a blanket.

The “picture crew” on a visit to the farm during which they took photos of the Prestons’ Guernsey cows for use in Tri-State Breeders advertising.

Gary Preston is pictured with one of his Alpacas, Privateer, after earning first place color champion honors (brown) at the Midwest Alpaca Jamboree in Mason City, Iowa, in 2006. Suri Alpacas made their home on the Johnson/Preston farm for eight years.

Preston pleased to see grandparents’ farm through 100 years and counting

Tue, 12/19/2017 - 15:49 mheditor

by Beth Kraft

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Preston pleased to see grandparents’ farm through 100 years and counting

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