Louise is from Souris, North Dakota, a small rural farming community about 2 miles from the Canadian border in the center of the state of North Dakota. Her brother farms the 500+ acres of their family farm, which her grandfather and grandmother homesteaded in the late 1800's. This rural farm upbringing has made a lasting impression on Louise and has taught her a lot of fundamental environmental, ecological and practical farming practices her entire life.
When it was her turn to move from the farm she went to college at North Dakota State University and graduated with a landscape design and horticulture B.S. During her time at NDSU, she and I married in 1984 and had our first child Aaron while we were attending college. After graduation, we moved to Duluth, and Louise worked for several years at LHB Engineers and Architects doing seismic monitoring for rock blasting for the I-35 tunnels and several other developments around Duluth and the Twin Cities. After 9 years in Duluth, and having our second child, Amy, we decided to pack up and move to Crosby. What Louise loves most is her own landscaping business working with many clients around the area. She has helped numerous people beautify their properties and establish lasting friendships with her clients. This to me is one of her greatest qualities. Of course we all know what she does in her spare time... artist, gardener, farmer, wife, mother, gramma, etc.... |
Shayne was born and raised for most of his childhood in the Crosby Ironton area. His family spent some time in Iron River, Michigan where his father Grant was employed by Hanna Mining Company. He was back to school in Deerwood by second grade. His Grandmother Eva and John Emil (Pat) Johnson ran the Trolley Drive In, Deerwood where Shayne got lots of experience as the fry cook, and his sister Shawna as a car hop.
Shayne attended North Dakota State University in Fargo and we met in a horticulture class. He was one of five in the first class that graduated from NDSU with a Landscape Architecture degree! After many years working in the civil engineering departments for LHB in Duluth and WSN in Baxter, he is now employed at the Department of Natural Resources in the Baxter office. He is patiently awaiting retirement where we can move closer to Pillager and the family farm to raise the veggies to feed not only our families, but yours as well! Grampa G's farm in Pillager was so named after his Grandfather George Gerrels and his father, Grant. So there are two G grandfathers and I tease Shayne that he is the apostrophe S! His dream of being a full-time farmer will come true eventually! We're using all these years until then as practice! |