Wallace Knock

Growing up the second youngest of seven on a Clark County dairy farm, Wallace “Wally” Knock was his dad’s shadow.

“I was dad’s tag-a-long. Wherever he went, I went. If he was in the tractor, I was in the tractor. You could have asked me any time while I was growing up what I wanted to be, and I would have said, “I want to be a farmer, just like my dad,’” explained Knock, of his respect and relationship with his dad, Arthur Knock.

Arthur got his start in farming during a time of transition, Knock recalled. “Dad was handpicking corn for a neighbor with a horse drawn wagon. Not too long after that, we have a picture of him sitting on a brand-new John Deere tractor. His hat is turned backwards, and he is grinning from ear-to-ear.”

When the time came for Knock to pursue his dream career, it was also a time of transition. It was the late 1970s. High interest rates and low markets were driving many off their family farms. Arthur was struggling.

“My dad was having a difficult time financially and the sacrifices he had to make had an impact on the rest of my life,” Knock said. “For the rest of my life, debt has been a four-letter word.”

Seeing his dad’s struggles on the farm, motivated Knock to leave South Dakota State University at the end of his freshman year. He ended up farming with his brothers, Paul and Richard. They operated a dairy and crops farm. “It was a struggle to earn enough for three families. A lot of times family discussions around the table started and ended with money.”

In 1995, Knock and his wife, Kathy, purchased a farm that had originally been homesteaded by her family in the 1800s.

Arthur had a saying Knock and his brothers put into action on their farm, “It might not work but try it anyway.”

They began milking their cows three times a day, which did increase production, but they did not continue because finding someone willing to milk at midnight was difficult. They were also among the first Clark County farmers to implement no-till farming practices.

“This was definitely the biggest thing to pay off in fuel savings and conservation,” Knock said.

Today, Knock’s son, Jared, and his wife, Katie, live and raise cattle on the farm with him and Kathy.

Jared is one of four children he and Kathy raised on their farm. Their other three children are Eric, Ashley and Jennifer. Three of their children are South Dakota State University graduates. In addition to their off-farm professions, all four children and their spouses remain actively engaged in production agriculture. The Knocks have 15 grandchildren.

Living the life he aspired to since childhood is something Knock does not take for granted. It inspires him to give back.

“I’ve always felt we’ve been blessed with a life and lifestyle where we could raise our kids on the farm, and in a small town and in a school where everybody knows each other. And I want to help maintain this for future generations.”

Throughout his farming career, Knock made time to give back, serving in leadership roles with: Willow Lake School Board, Clark County Commission, South Dakota Wheat Growers/Agtegra Cooperative, Dakotaland Feeds, SD Value-Added Agriculture Development Center and the National Council for Farm Cooperatives. In 2025, Knock was inducted into the South Dakota Cooperative Hall of Fame.

In each of these leadership roles, Knock said he has been intentional about listening to others, treating all with respect and following his mom, Inez’s advice.

“My mom told me when I got to serve on the very first board, “it doesn’t make any difference what the rest of the people feel, you do what’s right,’” said Knock, who was recently recognized by South Dakota State University colleges of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences and Education and Human Sciences for his service and leadership with the 2025 Eminent Leader in Agriculture, Family and Community Award.

“I never did have a problem being a Lone Ranger,” Knock said. “This goes all the way back to grade school. We had our first mock election in 1972. It was between Richard Nixon and George McGovern. I was the only kid in our class of 35 who voted for George McGovern.”