Three area farms served by Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-op recently received certifications from the Historical Society of Michigan. The Budzinski and Reimann farms received certification as Centennial Farms, being owned by the same family for over one hundred years, and the third (Hardies) received Sesquicentennial Certification, owned by the same family for over one hundred fifty years.

In February, 1906, John and Praxeda (Skiera) Budzinski purchased 120 acres in Munro Township, Cheboygan County.  Son Fabian, the youngest of 17 children, married Agnes Wozniak in 1946, and soon after, Presque Isle Electric brought electricity to the farm.  Fabian and Agnes purchased the farm in 1957 and they raised beef and dairy cattle, hay and grains. They sold milk to the Onaway Cheese factory from 1964-1975. In 1984, Fabian and Agnes’ son, Kenneth Budzinski built a home on one acre of the farm, where he lives with his wife, Veronica, and family. Kenneth and his son, John, work the approximately 90 acre farm, raising cattle, hogs and chickens, along with corn, grains and garden vegetables.

In May, 1919, Edward and Pauline (Wanke) Reimann purchased 120 acres in Inverness Township, Cheboygan County. They raised hay and operated Reimann’s Dairy, delivering milk with a horse and milk wagon. In 1937, Edward and Pauline’s son, Harold and Jeannette (Wheelock) Reimann, purchased an additional 140 acres, increasing the farm to 310 acres. In 1953, Edward and Pauline sold their farm to son Harold and Jeannette (Wheelock) Reimann, who continued dairy farming and raising grains, corn and hay with the help of their sons Ted and Richard.  In 1995, Edward and Pauline’s grandson, Richard and Lois (Trudo) Reimann bought the farm. They discontinued the dairy business, and continue to raise small grains and hay today.

In October, 1869, William Hardies, Sr. purchased 160 acres in Belknap Township, (Hawks) in Presque Isle County for farming.  In 1973, William’s great-great grandson Roger and his wife Ruth Hardies, became joint owners of the farm with Roger’s father Elmer Hardies. Today, Roger is retired, but the fourth-generation farm still produces hay, corn, wheat, kidney beans and soybeans.

 

Photo 1 – The John and Praxeda Budzinski Centennial Farm.  Pictured (L to R) are the Kenneth Budzinski Family with Cheboygan District Directors John Brown and Sandy Borowicz.

Photo 2 – The Edward and Pauline Reimann Centennial Farm. Pictured (L to R) are Lois and Richard Reimann, PIE&G CEO Tom Sobeck and Cheboygan District Director Sandy Borowicz.

Photo 3 – The William Hardies, Sr. Sesquicentennial Farm.  Pictured (L to R) are Presque Isle District Director Sally Knopf, Roger Hardies and Presque Isle District Directors Raymond Wozniak and Alan Berg.