Our Story
The first of many farming generations in the Appelgate Family, Levi Appelgate began farming in Tama County just east of Chapel United Methodist Church. Levi’s son, Frank Appelgate, started farming in Marshall and Tama Counties in the 1920’s.
Floyd Appelgate, son of Frank Appelgate started on 160 acres in 1946 and moved to the current home farm in 1966. He supplemented his farming income by selling Pioneer Seed Corn. Floyd never actually retired from farming and was active retrieving parts and chocolate milkshakes for as long as he could drive.
Floyd’s son, Merle, rented his first piece of ground just before he finished his last trimester at Iowa State in 1979. Shortly after, he began farrowing sows in an old wooden barn and continues to raise hogs in modern production facilities.
Merle’s son, Kaleb, rented his first 40 acres during his junior year of college. The acres have slowly grown and in the fall of 2017 he his wife, Taylor, constructed a modern swine finishing facility.
The next generation loves riding during planting and harvest time, checking the pigs and is well on the way to continuing the Appelgate tradition of excellence in agriculture!