Celebrating 142 years, eight generations
MERNA - “About every quarter in Custer County has a story,” Roger Safranek said. “Our story began one mile west of here.”
Roger, along with his brother, Jerry, and a host of other family members, shared that story as well as good food, good conversation, fun and appreciation of employees Sunday while celebrating 142 years of farming and family.
According to the obituary for Herman Julius Marten in the Feb. 15, 1940 Custer County Chief, Herman was born in Germany in September, 1864. At the age of four, he came to America with his parents and three sisters, Johanna, Augusta and Amelia. The family settled in Illinois where Herman assisted his father, J. Fredrich, at coal mining.
In the fall of 1882, Herman and J. Frederich traveled west in search of a place to settle. Fredrich secured a tree claim near Merna in Custer County and the two went back to Illinois. In 1883, Herman returned to Custer County, traveling by railroad as far as Grand Island and then completing the rest of the trip by team and wagon to break ground at the farm.
In the spring of 1886, his parents and Augusta joined him. Augusta married and returned to Illinois. Johanna had died of burns at the age of 12 in Illinois.
In 1890, Herman’s third sister, Amelia Marten Safranek, left a failed marriage and brought her three children - John, 9, Theresa, 7, and Paul,
5 - to the farm. Amelia eventually bought out her siblings’ share of the homestead.
In December, 1926, she traveled to Callaway to help her daughter, Therese Safranek G’Schwind, with five sick children. Amelia became ill and died. The ownership of the homestead passed to her sons, Paul and John, followed by John’s son, Arthur, and then to Roger Safranek in the 1980s.
Over the years, members of the Safranek family purchased additional land. However, the original quarter is still in the family. The sod house is gone and the homestead is cropland, irrigated by pivot, one mile west of the Roger and Sharon Safranek home.
The celebration on Sunday was held in a newly built steel frame building at Safranek Farms. “Last year about this time, two feet of snow fell,” Roger said.
“It collapsed this building on itself. Myers Construction helped lift it up so we could get the equipment out.” He said the floor is the “old” floor but the walls, beams, supports and roof are new.
Unfortunately, the oldest living member of the Safranek family wasn’t able to be present there. Herman Safranek, father
of Jerry and Roger, will turn 98 before the end of March. He lives at Brookestone View in Broken Bow and chose to not attend due to age and weather. “He said to send him pictures,” Roger said.
Set up in the building for the children were three bouncy houses, a basketball hoop and a petting zoo. Miniature donkeys named Stella and Pistol garnered a lot of attention, but it was Cora the Kangaroo that
was the center of it all. Owner Kati Pearman of Milburn bought the oneyear old kangaroo a few months ago. “I think they (the sellers) were just looking for a good home for her,” Pearman said.
Cora lives in the house and backyard, co-existing with Pearman’s other animals – dogs, cats, ducks, pigs and donkeys. “Roxie is the famous house hog that broke the Internet,” Pearman said and referenced a clip of Roxie falling off the sofa.
After a catered meal, the Safraneks recognized long-time employees with engraved crystal awards. Mick Solomon began working full time for the Safraneks in April, 1974. Herman hired him. “There’s been a lot of changes,” Solomon said. “I was an inch taller, 50 pounds lighter and my hair wasn’t white and I had more of it!” He added, “They’ve been good to me. They are excellent employers. I’m happy to be here 50 years.”
Charlie Olson of Sargent, head mechanic at Safranek’s Farm, was recognized for 27 years and Steve Oman was recognized for 20 years. “I said I’d help them out through planting and then I stayed,” Oman said.
Also noted was family friend Warren Rink of Wichita, Kan., who started helping at harvest more than two decades ago. “He has come back for harvest now for 26 years,” Roger said.
“That’s what farming is all about,” Brent Safranek said while thanking the employees. “Guys taking ownership and doing the work.”
Family present for the event were Roger and Sharon Safranek,
their son Brent and wife Leslie, and their children Hadlee, Kade and Cruze. Hadlee is married to Dylan Davis and the couple is expecting the second member of the eighth generation later this year. Also present were Jerry and Karen Safranek and their sons Kevin and wife, Martha, and Craig and wife, Kelli; Kevin and Martha’s son Collin and wife, Olivia, and son, Elliott; and Craig and Kelli’s son and daughter, Rhett and Shaylyn.
Unable to be there were Roger and Jerry’s
father, Herman; Roger and Sharon’s son, Troy; Kevin and Martha’s daughter, Kourtney and husband Logan Hutt; and Roger and Jerry’s sister Joyce and husband Jim Mooberry.
Most of the sixth and seventh generations members are either involved with the family farm or planning to be. Seventh generation member Shaylyn Safranek is currently studying agronomy and precision ag at Northeast Community College. It’s definitely her plan to return to the land claimed by her family in 1882. “I want to continue with what we’ve built here,” she said.