Eminent Farmer
County: Roberts
John Meland, who has lived in Bossko township, Roberts County, since 1906, has been an ardent supporter of any movement for the betterment of agriculture in his community.
He served as a member of the local township board and the school board about 30 years, has been a director of a local farm cooperative nearly 40 years and has been a member of the county commissioners, the state legislature, director of the county farmer’s insurance company and a member of the county crop improvement association since its organization. He helped haul the lumber and dig the basement for the neighborhood Saaron Lutheran Church. He is a charter member of the church. He is a member of the Sisseton Masonic lodge.
He was one of the first to introduce Vikota oats, Mida wheat and Kota flax into the county. He was the first in his neighborhood to try growing corn.
Meland was born near Badger, Iowa, July 3, 1875. He attended country school near his home. Later he was a student at Tobin college in Fort Dodge and the School of Agriculture in Iowa State College in Ames.
He first purchased 200 acres in Bossko township. The home farm has since grown to 920 acres.
Meland was married in 1904 to Annie Evenson. The Melands had five children. All of the boys were 4-H club members, specializing in hog and crop projects.
The Melands built a modern home on their farm. They put in a hot water heating plant in 1913 and their own electric plant in 1917. They have one of the few natural gas wells in Eastern South Dakota.
Meland has always practiced diversification in farming. He made it a practice to feed about one carload of cattle of his own raising every year. For many years he raised Aberdeen Angus cattle and Black Poland China hogs.
Annie Meland died in 1950 and Meland has turned the farm over to his sons.