Brian Severson Farms

Nestled in the rolling countryside of Illinois, Brian Severson Farms stands as a testament to what happens when farming returns to its roots. This isn't just any farm - it's five generations of hands in the soil, of knowing that good food begins with respect for the land.

Back in 1866, when Lars Severson made the long journey from Norway to settle in Garfield Township, he couldn't have known his family would still be tending Illinois soil more than 150 years later. But some callings run deep in the blood. In 1989, Brian Severson moved just a few miles west to Goodfarm Township, carrying with him not just farming know-how, but the wisdom of generations.

Something wasn't sitting right with Brian as he watched modern agriculture drift toward GMOs and chemical dependence. While the big ag companies pushed forward, Brian stepped back - way back - to methods his great-great grandfather would recognize. In 2007, his first patch of certified organic sweet corn broke through the soil, and a revolution began on this small family farm.

Today, the Seversons' fields wave with organic oats, wheat, popcorn, field peas, soybeans, and buckwheat - real food making its way from their fields to restaurants and store shelves from Chicago to St. Louis. But unlike the industrial farms focused on volume at any cost, the Seversons have a different measuring stick: taste.

This pursuit of flavor has led them back to heirloom varieties - those nearly forgotten crops that fed our ancestors before the post-WWII "Green Revolution" changed farming forever. While the rest of agriculture raced to produce more bushels through synthetic fertilizers and modified plants, the Seversons held fast to what matters most - growing food that nourishes both body and soul.

When your farmer is also your miller, something magical happens. Brian oversees every step from selecting seeds to grinding grain, treating each decision as part of an intricate dance with nature. The type of soil, the timing of planting, the careful harvest and storage - these aren't just tasks on a checklist but expressions of a deeper commitment to goodness.

The iron horse tracings that hang on the Severson barn tell the whole story. Passed down through generations, these simple decorations carry the weight of tradition. "Because my father had them hanging on his barn," Brian's grandfather explained - words that capture the essence of this family's approach to farming. Not rejecting modern tools, but honoring age-old wisdom that understood food as a gift from the earth, not just another commodity.

In a world that moves ever faster, Brian Severson Farms invites us to slow down and remember what real food tastes like - the kind that's grown with patience, harvested with gratitude, and offered with pride by a family that believes some traditions are worth preserving.

DISCOVER MID-WESTERN BOUNTY FROM BRAIN SEVERSON FARMS 

FARM-FRESH RAW ROLLED OATS