Askegaard Organic Farm in Minnesota: History, What It Raises, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Askegaard Organic Farm near Moorhead in the Red River Valley is a sixth-generation family farm that has grown certified organic wheat, oats, soybeans and flax for about thirty years. OCIA Research and Education named Mark Askegaard and his daughter Beth McConnon its 2024 Outstanding Farmer of the Year, and the farm mills and packages its own flaxseed.
| Location | About 12 miles south of Moorhead, Minnesota, in the Red River Valley |
|---|---|
| Founded | Sixth-generation family farm; transition to organic began in 1995 |
| Sectors | Organic wheat, oats, soybeans and flax; cover crops; on-farm flaxseed milling and packaging |
| Scale | Acreage not published in the sources reviewed |
| Why it is notable | 2024 OCIA Research and Education Outstanding Farmer of the Year; about 30 years certified organic |
| Ownership | Family-owned; Mark Askegaard with daughter Beth McConnon |
| Official website | Askegaard Organic Farm official site |
History of Askegaard Organic Farm
According to an OCIA International profile, Mark and Barb Askegaard began transitioning the farm to organic production in 1995, mainly to protect their family's health and their neighbors from unnecessary chemicals. They chose OCIA after a neighbor who was also transitioning recommended it, since it was one of the first agencies certifying organic crops at the time.
Three decades later Mark and his daughter Beth McConnon run the operation, with Barb and other family members helping during spring and fall. Beth joined full time in 2013 and handles marketing, according to Agweek. In February 2024 OCIA Research and Education honored Mark and Beth as its Outstanding Farmer of the Year.
What Askegaard Organic Farm Grows and Raises
The farm grows organic spring wheat, oats, soybeans and flax, and relies on an extensive cover crop plan. Agweek reported clover interseeded with spring wheat and pollinator strips planted in soybean fields to attract beneficial insects, with a University of Minnesota soybean variety chosen for cyst nematode tolerance that can be sold into the organic market, mostly for soy milk, tofu and edamame. OCIA says the family plans to add perennial cover crops to the rotation.
Value-added work is part of the model. Agweek described the farm installing its own flaxseed mill and an automatic packaging scale in 2018, helped by an AGRI Minnesota Value Added Grant Program grant that covered 25 percent of the cost. OCIA confirms that flaxseed is milled and packaged on the farm. The farm also works with the Real Organic Project directory, which lists dried beans, flour, processed products and whole grains.
How Askegaard Organic Farm Makes Money
Organic grain and soybeans
Organic wheat, oats and soybeans are sold into wholesale food markets, with soybeans going mostly to soy milk and tofu makers, per Agweek. Organic production is a different market from conventional grain, which is why the farm chose that direction. Prices and volumes are not published.
Flax and milled flaxseed products
Before 2018 the farm sent flaxseed to a mill in Fargo. Installing its own mill and packaging scale let it handle flaxseed meal on the farm and sell packaged product locally, moving up the value chain.
Retail and wholesale relationships
OCIA says the farm sells retail and wholesale to grocery stores, food cooperatives, bakeries, hospitals and schools across the Midwest. Beth McConnon also markets through Instagram and Facebook, posting daily field photos.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Askegaard Organic Farm
First, organic production works best when the farm controls more of the chain. Milling and packaging flax on the farm turned a raw crop into a packaged product and opened new customers, and a state value-added grant reduced the cost of getting started.
Second, use soil biology as a management tool. Cover crops, interseeded clover and pollinator strips are practical ways to build fertility and manage pests without synthetic inputs. Pairing that agronomy with a family member focused on marketing and storytelling shows how a farm can reach buyers directly.
A farm that posts daily field photos so strangers can see where their flour comes from has made transparency a crop of its own, and the Red River Valley has plenty of fields to photograph. After the cover crops are in, visit farm.FM for farm satire, farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes, including affectionate teasing about flax that keeps showing up in places you did not plant it.
If the name is new to you, farm.FM is the nation's first satirical farm site, with Tractor Tunes country music for farmers on the side. One of its regular writers keeps a whole archive of stories like that.
How to Contact Askegaard Organic Farm
Website: https://www.askegaardorganicfarm.com/
Official site found through an OCIA International profile, November 2026. A street address, phone and email appear in third-party directories but were not confirmed on the official site, so check the site for current business contact details.
Askegaard Organic Farm Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Askegaard Organic Farm official site - Products and farm information
- OCIA profile: putting health first - History, crops and markets of the farm
- Agweek: organic farmers add oilseed mill - Flax mill, grant and crop details
- Minnesota Grown member page - State directory listing for the farm
- USDA NASS Minnesota organic production - State organic survey publication
Askegaard Organic Farm FAQ
Where is Askegaard Organic Farm?
It is about 12 miles south of Moorhead, Minnesota, in the Red River Valley, according to Agweek.
What does it grow?
Organic wheat, oats, soybeans and flax, plus cover crops, according to OCIA and Agweek.
Does it process anything on the farm?
Yes. Flaxseed is milled and packaged on the farm, according to OCIA.
How do I contact the farm?
Use the official site linked above. Confirm current business contact details there.
Askegaard Organic Farm shows how a Red River Valley grain farm turned organic production and on-farm flax milling into a durable family business. To compare it with other leading operations, read the Minnesota farms guide.