Martz and Larson Farms in Illinois: History, What It Raises, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Martz and Larson Farms in Maple Park, Illinois, farms about 7,100 acres of corn, soybeans and wheat and finishes about 7,000 cattle a year, including a 3,300-head feedlot. Mike and Lynn Martz were named 2026 Prairie Farmer Master Farmers, and Lynn and her father Ray Larson are the first father-daughter pair in the program. The farm ties crops and cattle together in a closed loop.
| Location | Maple Park, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Founded | Ray and Carol Larson started the farmstead in 1965 (Illinois Farm Bureau Partners) |
| Sectors | Corn; soybeans; wheat; cattle feeding; grain storage |
| Scale | About 7,100 acres; 800,000 bushels of storage; about 7,000 cattle finished a year (FarmWeek) |
| Why it is notable | 2026 Prairie Farmer Master Farmers; Ray Larson was named in 1970 |
| Ownership | Mike and Lynn Martz with son Justin and Lynn's parents and brothers |
| Official website | FarmWeek report on the 2026 Master Farmers |
History of Martz and Larson Farms
Ray and Carol Larson started the farmstead in 1965, according to Illinois Farm Bureau Partners. Mike Martz married their daughter Lynn and joined the operation, which now spans three generations and several households. FarmWeek reports that Ray Larson was named a Master Farmer in 1970, which makes Lynn and Ray the first father-daughter pair honored.
Mike Martz has also been active in the beef industry. FarmWeek says he helped pass a statewide beef checkoff in 2014, and he appears on the national Beef Board member list. Lynn serves on a soil and water conservation district board. The family hosts students and teachers through the Illinois Farm Families program.
What Martz and Larson Farms Grows and Raises
The farm grows corn, soybeans and wheat on about 7,100 acres and stores about 800,000 bushels. The cattle side finishes about 7,000 head a year, including a feedlot that holds 3,300 cattle at a time. FarmWeek notes that Temple Grandin designed the cattle facilities.
Illinois Farm Bureau Partners described a closed loop: corn goes to an ethanol plant, distillers grains return as feed, and manure goes back on fields at rates suited to each crop. The operation uses ultrasound to time cattle feeding, a nutritionist-designed ration and GPS soil tests and production records for multi-year planning. Those figures date from a 2012 profile, so confirm current practice with the family.
How Martz and Larson Farms Makes Money
Finished cattle
Finishing about 7,000 cattle a year turns the farm's own corn and co-product feed into beef. Illinois Farm Bureau Partners said the beef often reaches high-end restaurants.
Grain sales
Corn, soybeans and wheat are sold from the 7,100 acres, with 800,000 bushels of storage giving timing flexibility. Corn serves feed, ethanol, cornstarch and export markets.
Nutrient value from manure
Manure applied to fields at crop-specific rates replaces purchased fertilizer in part. The published coverage does not give dollar figures.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Martz and Larson Farms
The first lesson is that integration lowers risk. Feeding cattle gives the grain a home and the manure feeds the next crop, so the farm captures margin at several points instead of one.
The second is to build industry leadership into the business. Time spent on a checkoff, a conservation board and a farm education program brings credibility with buyers and neighbors. The third is to invest in storage and data: 800,000 bushels of bins and GPS records both support better timing and planning.
A farm where a family can get Temple Grandin to design the cattle pens has clearly thought hard about calm, and it shows in a corn belt that rarely stays calm. At farm.FM our farm satire crew admires the Maple Park loop where corn goes out, distillers grains come back and everyone claims credit. We keep the farm humor and ranch humor kind, with farm jokes about 7,000 steers who all think the feed bunk is the best seat in Kane County.
For context, farm.FM is the nation's first satirical farm site and the home of Tractor Tunes, country music for farmers. Its contributors each keep an archive, and this one is a good sampler of ranch humor and farm jokes.
How to Contact Martz and Larson Farms
No official farm website was found in November 2026, so this is a news report. Business contact details were not published. The Illinois Beef Association can route inquiries.
Martz and Larson Farms Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- FarmWeek 2026 Master Farmers - Details on the Martz farm and cattle
- Illinois Farm Bureau Partners profile - Martz beef cattle family farm
- WSPY local news - Maple Park couple named Master Farmers
- Beef Board member page - Mike Martz national beef checkoff service
- USDA Census of Agriculture - National and state farm statistics
Martz and Larson Farms FAQ
Where is Martz and Larson Farms?
It is near Maple Park, Illinois.
How much land does it farm?
FarmWeek reports about 7,100 acres of corn, soybeans and wheat.
How many cattle does it finish?
About 7,000 a year, including a 3,300-head feedlot, per FarmWeek.
What recognition has the family received?
Mike and Lynn Martz are 2026 Prairie Farmer Master Farmers, and Ray Larson was named in 1970.
Martz and Larson Farms shows how a family can link grain, cattle and ethanol co-products into one system. For more on Illinois markets, soils and programs, read our Illinois farms guide and the other profiled operations.