Lund Heritage Farm

Big Ole Olesson Lund (1843–1931) was born at the Lund farm near Rosendal, Norway. At the age of 21 he came to America, with three brothers, Little Ole, Jens, and Harold. Big Ole stopped near Norway Il., but ended near Story City, Ia. He worked on various farms in the area and saved his money. Little Ole ended on a farm N.W. of Randall Ia., Jens in Minnesota and Harold in California.

Sarah Knutson (1854-1941)came to America from Sauda, Norway, at the age of 16 with her parents and brother Knute. They lived on a farm north of Story City, Ia., near the Bible Camp, on the east side of the river. Sarah learned the American ways by working in different homes in Des Moines, Ia. She married Big Ole O. at the age of 24 and moved to a farm (he purchased 160 acres for $1500, which was northwest of Story City, Ia.) in 1877, this is the current Heritage Farm. Big Ole and Sarah had 5 children, Mary, Bertha, Ole C., Henry and Emily.

Big Ole O. took short courses at Iowa State College on how to make concrete water tanks, he made many of them for farmers in the area. By 1915 Big Ole O. bought a second farm where Ole C. and Mary lived until they bought their farm. In 1919 Big Ole O. and Sarah moved to a home in Story City, Ia. and both are buried in the Story City cemetery.

Big Ole’s daughter, Emily Lund (1891-1961), married to Ira E. Christenson (1886-1968) inherited the 160 acres in 1942. Then Luther (1925-2016) and Pauline (1931-2016) Lund purchased the farm from his great aunt, Emily in 1970 for $53,500. Luther and his son, Tim farmed the land until Luther retired in 2006. Tim and brother-in-law, Lynn Knutson farmed the land until Tim’s passing in 2022. Lynn and Joyce Lund Knutson continue the legacy currently.

Corn to Whiskey