Eminent Farmer
County: Marshall
Mervin Ogren has been a progressive agricultural leader in his community, county and state. With the philosophy "plan for the future, but work for today," he became a leader in adopting new technology.
Ogren began farming in 1931 on the family farm that his grandfather homesteaded. In 1984 Ogren and his brother, Ralph, received the Century Farm Award.
He started his farming practice with seven stock cows and after years of crossbreeding had a registered and commercial herd of 200 black polled Amerifax and Angus cattle. Ogren also raised feeder cattle, dairy cows, sheep and hogs. He was a progressive cattle feeder and put up one of the first "blue" silos in the area.
He was the first farmer in the community to use commercial fertilizer. He was one of the first farmers in his county to establish grass waterways. He rotated his crops, practiced grassland management and inter-seeded tame grasses in native pastures. In 1955 he received the Marshall County Soil Conservation Award.
He began the Langford Fireflies 4-H Club in 1952 and served as the club's leader until 1974. Ogren served on the Marshall County Extension Board for 21 years and served as its chairman for many years. He received the 4-H Alumni Award in 1990.
In addition, he served on the Northeast South Dakota Community Action Board of Directors for three years and helped create job opportunities in northeast South Dakota.
Ogren has been a member of the Angus Association and the Beef Friesian Association, has been on the Scandinavian Fire Mutual Insurance Board of Directors since 1949 and is active in his church.
Mervin and his wife, Gay, have seven children: Carl of Colfax, Washington; Carol of Britton; Ron of Wessington Springs; Ann of Sisseton; Don and Faye both of Langford and Robert of Burnsville, Minnesota.