By Robb Murray
GREEN ISLE — For Travis and Nathan Dahlke, who spent Saturday in their father’s muddy farm field, it was just like old times.
They hauled and heaved and got plenty dirty for the better part of a day, just like they did when they were kids bailing hay on the family farm.
Their recent presence here, however, has a somewhat different purpose. And this time, they’ve brought a few busloads of friends to help out.
The Dahlkes, both graduates of Gustavus Adolphus College, have started an organization that grows food for area food shelves. Hands For Harvest recruits volunteers to help with the big job, as it has proven to be, of harvesting an acre of potatoes on the Dahkle family farm.
The brothers planted the potatoes last spring, and have slowly been getting the word out to family and friends. Their volunteer base, along with their spuds, has been growing.
More than 100 volunteers have come to either the spring planting or fall harvest, or helped with weeding and cultivating over the summer.
Ultimately, they’re hoping to contribute about 15,000 pounds of potatoes to several food shelves.
They’ve so far been working with two: Greater Lake Country Food Bank and Prism. They’ve also worked with the McLeod County Food Shelf in Glencoe.
The work has been hard, but the brothers say it’s been worth it.
“We grew up here, so we know it’s a lot of work,” Nathan Dahlke said, “but you’re out here with your family ... and a lot of our friends have been coming out regularly.”
Amanda Aamodt, Nathan’s girlfriend, said she’s enjoyed it so far.
“It’s been a really awesome experience,” she said. “It’s much different than living in the city.”
Peter Sonnek, who met the brothers through their Golden Valley church, said it was nice to get outdoors while helping out a good cause.
“I grew up on a farm,” said Sonnek, who grew up in Easton. “It’s kind of nice to get back out in the country.”
Friend Audra Hovick said Travis’ explanation of Hands For Harvest is what got her to come out.
“I just really believed in what Travis was saying and his whole vision for the farm,” Hovick said.
Luke McDevitt had a different opinion.
“I thought this was a pretty good idea,” he said, pausing for dramatic effect. “ ... Until I got out here.”
That gave the group a good laugh.
“It is hard work,” he added, “but it’s for a good cause.”
Travis Dahlke graduated from Gustavus in 2000. He works as an IT specialist at an Eden Prairie firm that specializes in shipping. He’d been attending Bethel College’s seminary program, and just completed that program in May.
The potato project and Hands for Harvest grew out of a internship he did for his seminary program.
Nathan graduated from Gustavus in 2002, and has worked several years for Target Corp.’s main offices in Minneapolis.
The brothers hope Hands for Harvest can eventually become their full-time jobs. They’re already planning bigger things for next year. They may try carrots or squash, and it all will go to food shelves.
Down the road, if all goes well, they hope to add acreage. They may ask other farmers in the area to donate an acre and, if they have enough volunteers, their contributions to food shelves could increase dramatically.
“To donate one acre here and there would go a long way,” Travis said.
Julia Wendt, Travis’ girlfriend, said she learned something about Travis a few months ago. On a car trip that went nowhere near Green Isle, Travis took a detour that led them an hour west to the rural Green Isle potato field, just so Travis could check on the potatoes.
“That’s when I knew how much this meant to him,” she said. “It’s great to watch him as this comes to fruition. It’s really fun to see the excitement in him.”
Both brothers say they’re still hoping more volunteers will come forward. They were hoping to complete the harvest this weekend, but they may end up coming out next weekend, too.
“With the economy the way it is, we know people can’t always give money,” he said. “This is a way people can give of their time. We know people are always willing to give.”
Visit www.handsforharvestmn.org to find out more about the group and for information about volunteering.
