Perseverance In The Kalcevic Family

The common thread that ties more than a century of wheat farming together in the Kalcevic family is perseverance. With agriculture experience that starts with memories of feeding team horses to hitch to moldboard plows to prepare the fields for planting, brothers Jim and John Kalcevic’s farming story is one of family, innovation, and most importantly, perseverance.
As the third generation of Kalcevic Family Farms, Jim and Johnny have seen the agricultural industry transform from an enterprise of “Just wanting to feed your own family,” says Jim, to quite literally helping to provide food for the world.
When asked how they have been able to keep the family business successful through five generations, Jim and Johnny are in agreement: honor
“We just persevered. Crop ruined by hail? Put some cattle on it. Adapt, spread your risk, and just persevere.” Johnny adds, “If you wait to change until you’re forced to, you’ll fail. Learn from the experiences of those who came before, and then just try to do better.”
That predisposition to adaptation has served the Kalcevics well, both in the field and the marketplace. Converting the farmland to no-till, trying and then utilizing newer technology for harvest such as combine stripper heads, and leaving field residue to catch and hold more moisture are just a few of the ways the family strives to incorporate conservation into their operation.
Changing consumer tastes have also shaped the business plan for the Kalcevics. Says Johnny, “You’ve got produce a product people want, otherwise what’s the point?” Jim remembers when the only wheat variety they planted was Hard Turkey Red (?). Now, with consumer demands for higher protein, better-baking flour, among others, you’ve got to fulfill several different needs at once, says Jim. “The future of marketing is being aware of what you’re consumer wants, anticipating those needs, and striving to produce the highest quality product you can,” says