People who live to be 100 years old are incredibly unusual. A person living to age 105 is even more unusual. However, one Minnesotan guy has managed to do both. Seven brothers and sisters made up Earl Mallinger’s huge family when he was born in 1917. Mallinger was raised by his farmer father. His father, who was French by birth, struggled mightily to survive in America. When he first arrived in the United States, he also went to school to study English. Mallinger joined his father in the family business in 1932, after completing the eighth grade. He seen his father working arduously to establish their farm with a horse and buggy, and now Mallinger doing the same.
Mallinger is the oldest crystal sugar beet farmer at 105 years old. In Minnesota, where he was raised, he owns a thousand acres. Mallinger, formerly the International Potato Grower of the Year, no longer performs manual labor. He makes all decisions regarding the farm, though. He also grows wheat and soybeans in addition to beets. Mallinger is still very busy in his fields, even if he doesn’t do everything he used to around the farm. He travels about in the neighbor’s car to inspect farms and speak with workers.
He plays cards five days a week or plays golf when he isn’t working. The 105-year-old is encouraging young farmers to work hard and practice modest living now that he is enjoying his business and life differently than he did in the past.
Mallinger claimed that his active lifestyle is the reason he is still alive. He said, “I suppose what keeps a guy alive at 105 is to be working.” He also mentioned that he learned to work hard from watching his father do so.
In his own words, “Dad was a tremendous hard worker and taught me how to work.” He was open to trying new things, and in 1926, he planted his first crop of potatoes. When they understood what a chance it would be, they put sugar beets to their land. He claimed that in 1927, field workers from the new factory went to every farm and spoke with the farmers about raising this novel new crop called sugar beets. When we first started, we had 30 acres of sugar beets, and Mexican people assisted us by hoeing the weeds, according to Mallinger. “They purchased the beet seed from Germany, while we purchased it from the manufacturer. It arrived from Germany in enormous burlap bags, he said.
Mallinger acknowledged that success did come eventually. “I won the title of North American Seed Potato Grower of the Year in 1993. It meant a lot to me to receive the prize, which I did in Portland, Oregon,” Mallinger added. He claimed he never stopped farming after all these years because it was his favorite activity. The farmer declared, “I never stopped farming because it is so much fun.
His advice for farmers is straightforward. “Start modestly if you didn’t inherit land from your parents. You’ll succeed if you put in a lot of effort and restrain your spending, he advised. Also, remember to pause occasionally to smell the roses. The 105-year-old continued, “I didn’t work much on Sundays, but I still made a fine life.
Watch his motivating video below:
