History:
Joseph & Rose (Widrick) established Evergreen View Farm in 1924 as a diversified dairy farmstead. Joe planted the original apple orchard and pressed fresh cider in the fall. A devoted beekeeper, he attributed his healthy constitution and living over 100 years to eating a spoonful of pure honey daily. He and his wife Rose tended a large garden and often had extra produce to sell and give away. Daughter Doris named the farm "Evergreen View" because of the scenic view of Whetstone Gulf State Park. Joe's son Elmer was born in the farmhouse and grew up helping with the farmwork. In 1953, he & wife Gladys Mae (Yousey) bought the farm and expanded the dairy operation, building a more modern barn and milkhouse. The last draft horses were sold and replaced by modern machinery, tractors, and a vacuum pipeline system for milking. Elmer enjoyed his varied flock of poultry and Gladys tended a large garden. They raised six children on the farm.
Son Sidney and wife Beth Elaine (Roggie) farmed with Sid’s parents for 6 years, then bought the farm in 1990 and continued the dairy operation. It was a wonderful place to raise a family and daughter Marci and son Bryan have many memories of their childhood on the farm, helping with the farmwork, playing with the farm animals, swimming in the creek, and snowmobiling in the winter. In 2007 the Nafzigers sold the dairy operation. Marc & Mary Lou Bonbrest bought the farm and planted the Christmas trees over the next several years. In 2013, Bonbrests contacted the Nafziger family before putting the farm on the market. Though the Nafziger family hadn't foreseen they would return to the farm, they believed in the potential of returning to the land they loved. Evergreen View Farm is now a 3rd and 4th generation farm under the partnership of husband Sidney and wife Beth and daughter and son Marci & Bryan. The farm has seen a change in focus from conventional dairy to a diversified visitor-friendly farm. It’s part of the family's farming philosophy to keep the operation modest in scale with long-term sustainable growth.
Through the seasons, the Christmas tree business complements a vegetable garden, berry plants, apple orchard, live landscape trees, maple syrup, sweet corn, lumber, eggs, dairy goats, heritage breed chickens, ducks, and Tamworth pigs. Aspects of the farming operation are complementary to form a diversified whole. The family says, "Returning to this land has given us a strong sense of family, heritage & legacy. It gives the kind of deep-down satisfaction and gratitude that comes when you mix hard work with a dream and your own piece of land. We each have our own set of skills that we bring to the business. It’s a true family farm. It is something we are all striving for."
