Building A Farm Business From The Ground Up

Jon Goetz has been recognized as a 2025 GroundBreaker of the Year Honorable Mention by Compeer Financial. Each year, Compeer Financial celebrates young, beginning, and small farmers for their dedication to agriculture and their community.

Goetz’s farming journey started with his grandfather’s land, which sparked his lifelong interest in agriculture. “My grandpa purchased the farm off his parents,” he explained. “That inspired me, but I’ve always enjoyed being on the farm.”

While studying engineering in college, Goetz started a hobby farm on a small portion of the family land. “It snowballed from there,” he said. “I went from being an engineering student to an engineer, and now to a full-time farmer and coach.”

Starting small, Goetz used modest equipment like his grandfather’s 1954 Ford Jubilee tractor. “We worked with a quarter-acre here and a half-acre there,” he said. “It was a lot of manual labor and elbow grease.”

He first grew garlic because it required minimal equipment and offered a good return on small acreage. “Garlic was a smart choice because we didn’t have heavy equipment,” he explained. “It allowed us to grow without major investments.”

Today, Goetz’s operation has expanded significantly. He now grows pumpkins, taps maple trees, manages beehives, and even pickles garlic scapes.

His dedication extends beyond the farm. As a wrestling coach, he integrates his team into his operation. “Many wrestlers work on the farm, and their programs receive a portion of our pumpkin sale proceeds,” he said. “It’s a way to support a sport that’s meant a lot to me.”

Looking ahead, Goetz plans to reduce pumpkin acreage to improve crop management while expanding into unique berries like thimble berries and gooseberries. “We want to offer something you can’t find at the grocery store,” he said.

In the next five to seven years, he hopes to purchase a larger farm to continue his family’s legacy. “I’d like to combine the land my grandpa purchased with the additional plots we currently rent,” Goetz explained. “Expanding the operation will help secure our future.”