Don and Judy Pfarr’s only worry about hosting this year’s Rural Life Sunday celebration at their farm in Le Sueur is the weather.

“If we have the weather, it’ll be an easy, fun day,” Don said.

The Mass and activities will be held outside at their legendary family pond. The 40-acre lot where Pfarr’s Pond is located was purchased after Don and Judy were married in 1962 and now is a popular area for neighborhood celebrations and school reunions.

The two are members of St. Anne in Le Sueur.

Judy remembers years ago taking the entire family camping every weekend at the pond.

“The neighborhood, everyone came. The kids would swim all day long,” Judy said.

The June 24 archdiocesan-sponsored event begins with Mass at 2 p.m. with Bishop Lee Piché as celebrant.

After Mass, activities such as horse rides and a petting zoo organized by the local 4-H group will be available for families who attend. For safety reasons, swimming will not be allowed.

Judy said families can also choose to take a horse-drawn wagon ride from the parking area to the pond.

“We thought with people parking out there, they can get a ride and enjoy the countryside a little bit,” she said.

Father George Grafsky, pastor at St. Anne, had to pull some strings to make it possible for the Pfarrs to host since their farm is located in the Diocese of New Ulm, but he said he could not have chosen a better family for it.

“I asked the parishioners at St. Anne’s where we could host this event and everyone said Pfarr farm. They are such wonderful and joyous people,” Father Grafsky said.

The 2,000-acre Pfarr farm has been in the family for more than 100 years. Don’s parents, Bill and Susan, started the farm and later passed it down to their four sons who each received a section.

“So his [Don’s] brothers were all in one area here,” Judy said.

Both Don and Judy said the farm was a wonderful place to raise a family. All four of their children — Larry, Doug, Barb and Brenda — shared the chores when they were home, whether that was working in the field with their father or milking the cows in the milking parlor.

Don said, “It keeps you busy” when describing balancing farm work with family life.

Keeping the faith

Over the years, the farm changed to the point where the Pfarrs now no longer milk but just breed and sell Holstein heifers. They also grow, along with their son Doug, soybeans, corn and alfalfa. And, with change comes strong faith.

“I think you better believe something; of course, things have changed a lot. I mean with my folks, no matter what it was we went to church,” Don said.

He further explained faith as “a part of who they are” and that it is difficult to imagine the farm continuing to flourish today without it.

“In your crop, you just hope and pray that you have just enough to feed the livestock, so we would have just enough to get us through,” Judy said.

The Pfarrs want families attending the event to understand and appreciate the beauty of rural life and to see where their food grows.

“As the trees start greening and the grass and crops start growing, everything is a different shade of green,” Judy said. “I love it.”

Rural Life Sunday

What: Mass with Bishop Lee Piché and picnic

When: 2 p.m., Sunday, June 24

Where: Pfarr’s Pond 38276 320th St.,     Le Sueur

In case of rain:?Mass will be at St. Anne in Le Sueur, 211 N. 3rd St.

Directions:

Go south on Highway 169 to County Road 8. Go west on County Road 8. Immediately turn north on County Road 18 and go about 8.5 miles.