One of the awards given at the Pierce County Fair on Friday, July 26, was the Pioneer Farm Family Award. Receiving the award this year was the Michael Weeder family. The following family history was read during the awards ceremony.
The first generation of the Weeder Family Farms was started by Adolph Weeder. Adolph immigrated to the United State in 1892 and later married Rose (Poeffel) in 1907. He acquired a half interest in the farm on Feb. 20, 1919, and officially moved to Pierce County in the spring of 1924. Later in 1932, the other half interest was acquired for a total of 128 acres. Adolph and Rose raised nine children (three sons and six daughters). The only child born while on the farm was Andrew in December of 1924.
The farm was passed on to Andrew Weeder in 1970. Andrew had married his wife Annabell (Kalvelage) in 1945. On the farm, they raised five children, Carol, Roger, Daniel, Michael and Jacqueline. They raised various livestock, including cattle, hogs and chicken, and also produced corn, beans, alfalfa and oats. Andrew did briefly leave the farm in order to serve his country during World War II in 1945.
Michael married his wife Sharon (Doerr) in 1981 and are blessed with five children: Brett, Clint, Crystal, Michele and Ethan. They moved to the farm in the summer of 1991. Upon Andrew’s passing in 2015, the farm was passed to Michael Weeder. Michael continued the farm operation with cattle and hogs, and also produced corn, soybeans and alfalfa. Today, Michael continues the family legacy with Weeder Family Farms along with his grandson Keaton Weeder (son of Clint and Hollie Weeder) helping on the operation.
