Minnehaha County small farmer makes big impact on area communities

Dan Paulson planted his first big garden in 2015. Immediately, he knew it wasn’t big enough.

Paulson, who now lives on an acreage near Sherman with his wife, Karla, finally has the garden he has dreamed of since he was a boy working for neighboring farmers near Valley Springs.

It’s large enough that he and his wife sell their produce at the warm-weather farmers market in Garretson.

It’s large enough that he can supply the Garretson School District with pumpkins for every teacher and student.

It’s large enough that soon he’ll be tapping the maple trees on his property, preparing to fill 12-ounce bottles with sweet syrup.

It’s large enough and diverse enough that Paulson, who operates Farm 484 — named for its location on 484th Avenue in Minnehaha County — has been named the 2024 South Dakota Specialty Crop Producer of the Year. The award came from the South Dakota Specialty Producers Association and the state Department of Agriculture & Natural Resources, honoring a specialty crop producer for making an outstanding contribution to local production.

SDSPA said that as a dedicated local farmer and community steward, Paulson exemplifies the values of hard work, generosity and sustainability.

“For years, Paulson has worked tirelessly to cultivate and provide fresh, locally grown vegetables, produce and maple syrup to his community,” the announcement said.

“His commitment to producing high-quality, nutrient-rich crops has not only contributed to the local food economy but has also supported the health and well-being of countless families. His crops, which include a wide variety of seasonal produce, are sought after for their flavor and quality, making him a beloved figure among local residents and businesses alike.”

Paulson, who spent his professional career as a certified public accountant in Sioux Falls, has focused on his garden full time since 2022.

He’s ready for another growing season.

“I’ve got my garden all planned out. The first three rows are potatoes, with four rows of sweet corn, and this year I’ve got 46 kinds of pumpkins to plant,” Paulson said. “The biggest year, I had 55 kinds but this year only 46.”

Feeding others is a longtime passion for Paulson. He serves on the Charis Ministry Partners board of directors. On Thursday nights, its mobile food pantry, Food to You, travels to one of four Lutheran churches in Sioux Falls, distributing groceries to those in need. Volunteers aid anywhere from 70 to 130 families per stop.

Originally, Paulson thought the potatoes and squash he grew could be distributed through Food to You. But the organization also purchases in-season produce from Feeding South Dakota, and the Paulsons decided to refocus their efforts.

Instead, they started bringing their produce to area farmers markets, first in Dell Rapids and since 2021 at Garretson. The last farmers market of the season in Dell Rapids is a pumpkin festival, and the Paulsons’ pumpkin patch became part of that. When they moved to the Garretson farmers market, the Paulsons decided to switch directions because the area already had two small farms that depend on pumpkin sales for income.

Now, after their two daughters and grandchildren, who are the Paulsons’ neighbors, and extended family have chosen their pumpkins every fall, the couple takes several hundred pumpkins to the Garretson school. That way, everyone who wants to decorate a classroom or their steps at home will have one, Paulson said.

“It’s great to be able to do that,” he said. “It’s more fun to do that than selling them.”

Paulson started tapping maple trees for syrup at the urging of a brother in Minneapolis and after taking classes on it and learning from neighbors. Last year, the couple produced 200 bottles of syrup.

Two hundred pounds of the potatoes he raises are donated to his church, Zion Lutheran in Garretson, where every fall the spuds are turned into lefse for a fall festival fundraiser. “His contributions not only support the church’s fundraising efforts but also preserve a beloved cultural tradition that brings together generations of community members,” the SDSPA announcement said.

Paulson also raises specialty crops such as Indian corn and gourds. The corn swatches are tied together for ornaments, and in the winter, he makes squirrel feeders in his workshop, cutting corn in pieces and stringing it on wire.

While he loves to grow broccoli and cauliflower, that’s a never-ending battle with bugs, Paulson said. He prefers not to spray his crops, so those items are better off grown in greenhouses, he said.

He also grows apples, peaches and pears in his orchard and has patches for rhubarb, asparagus, strawberries and raspberries.

“I grow a little bit of everything and not a lot of everything,” Paulson said. In the past two years, he has won 24 ribbons for his produce at the South Dakota State Fair.

And while the Paulsons also tend a flock of 30 chickens, selling the surplus eggs, not everything on their acreage needs to feed their family or anyone else’s.

“We have a cat barn that is home to 15 cats,” Paulson said. “We get strays all the time because we keep it heated during the winter, and once one arrives, they never leave.”