Rooted in five generations of history, we provide food that’s good for you, good for the land, good for our world.
About
Glacier Ridge Farm is five generations of hard work, perseverance, and vision. We believe in a farm that promotes a healthy ecosystem, and a place that’s welcoming and hospitable to everyone.
What is regenerative agriculture? Regenerative ag uses practices that promote healthy ecosystems from the water and soil, to the food produced. We rotate crops and animals to benefit soil health, leave wild areas so that we can all thrive here, and integrate wildflowers and warm season grasses to combat climate change, promote a healthy ecosystem, and provide diverse forage for our animals and for the wildlife who call this area home.
Regenerative agriculture is hard and time-consuming. But we know its worth it. We hope that you’ll sit for a spell and share this place with us.
In recognition of our commitment to these values, we are the proud recipients of a 2024 grant from American Farmland Trust’s Brighter Future Fund.
History
The farm we now know as Glacier Ridge Farm began in the late 1890s when the Preheim family fled persecution in Russia (present day Ukraine). Beneficiaries of the Homestead Act, federal legislation that forcibly took Indigenous lands by encouraging settlement throughout the ‘frontiers’ of the United States, the family settled in southeastern South Dakota. They lived first in sod homes while building the permanent home - a home that still stands and houses the family today. The history of this place is fraught - built by immigrants fleeing persecution, seeking and finding safety and religious freedom, this place is also a representation and lasting legacy of settler colonialism, Indigenous removal and ethnocide. We honor the family who had the courage and strength to move across the globe to make a new beginning, while we acknowledge the generational harms to others.
As the fifth generation on this land, we continue to steward the legacy, while we innovate and look towards the future generations who rely on our work today. We are transitioning crop production to organic certified, which is a three year long process. We are upgrading fencing, looking into renewable energy options, and planting diverse mixtures of native warm season grasses and prairie flowers. While you’ll find us running antique tractors to accomplish our work here on the farm, we look at the cutting edge science and longstanding wisdom that enables us to produce food that’s good for you, good for the land, and good for our world.
Hours and Location
Freeman, SD 57029
We are a working farm and open to the public by appointment or designated event only. Please join us for a scheduled tour, book a stay with us, or check out our other events. If you are a photographer or videographer and would like to discuss working with us, please send us an email.
gr-farm@outlook.com
All images on this website are courtesy of Amanda Reinke and Nate Preheim. They are not available for use.