Larsen Farms receives Outstanding Conservationist award.

Shown from left, Leah, Leta, Lisa, and Burke.

Larsen Farms receives Outstanding Conservationist award.

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief.

SCOTTVILLE — Larsen Farms of Victory Township was awarded the Mason-Lake Conservation District’s 2017 Outstanding Conservationist Award Thursday during the district’s annual meeting and dinner. Larsen Farms is owned by Burke and Lisa Larsen, along with their daughters Lindsay, Leta and Leah.

Larsen Farms began in 1957 by Warren Larsen, who graduated that year from Scottville High School (now Mason County Central). Warren’s father, Harold was the Michigan State University extension officer for Mason County and recognized his son had an interest in farming. Harold and his wife, Agnes, moved to West Sugar Grove Road and bought 13 cows. In the early ‘60s, a milking parlor was built and for the next 52 years Warren and Judee (Vanden Heuvel) raised a family of two sons, Bruce and Burke, and two daughters, Brigitte and Beth.

Burke graduated from MCC in 1987 and then enrolled in Michigan State University’s Institute of Agriculture, a certification program. Burke married Lisa (Bailey), also an MCC graduate and they made their home down the road from the family homestead while Burke started working towards taking over the farm. 

Warren died unexpectedly in August 2013 at the age of 74 and Burke has continued the tradition of operating a high quality dairy farming business while expanding it and adjusting to the demands of modern agricultural practices. Today, the farm milks about 500 cows with an additional 500 calves and young cows in the herd.

This is not the first award from the conservation district to honor Larsen Farms. In 2004, Warren received Outstanding Conservationist and in 2014, he was awarded the conservation district’s Legacy Award after his death. In 2016, the farm became verified by the Michigan Agricultural Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP); the first in the county to be verified in three systems: farmstead, cropping, and livestock.

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