Old Tractors, New Tech, and the Heart of a Farm Family with Laura Ehnle (Illinois)

Third-generation farmer Laura Ehnle farms just north of Peoria, Illinois, on the same 160 acres her grandparents started after her great-grandfather immigrated from Germany. While most of the second generation moved west, the farm remained in the family. Today Laura’s three grown children all live within thirty minutes, and the grandkids are eager for combine rides and packed lunches when harvest comes around.

The transition to Laura and her husband came earlier than expected. In 1988, her dad underwent emergency bypass surgery, and her husband stepped in to plant that year’s crop. By 1995, the handoff was complete with a straightforward machinery buyout. Laura admits she never expected her father to step aside so smoothly, but he did. That clarity shaped her philosophy on succession today: don’t wait until your kids are fifty, trust the next generation while their young enough to truly build.

Their farming philosophy blends tradition and technology. Older tractors like 4020s, 4450s, and 8300s still see regular use, alongside the original Farmall M, but they’ve invested heavily in yield monitors, GPS, and accounting tools. Laura has tracked yield data since 2000 and manages the farm’s books with modern software that tracks field-level profitability. Auto-steer is the one piece of technology she says she’d never give up. Running older iron means the occasional repair day, but avoiding the constant push for brand-new equipment lets them focus on efficiency where it matters most.

Of course, not every year goes according to plan. The year that still stands out for Laura is 2009. Planting ran late, fields stayed wet, elevators were jammed with trucks, and harvest stretched all the way into December. “There was nothing pleasant about that season—just grit and logistics,” she recalls. But it hardened their perspective and made them more grateful for normal years. Tornadoes, droughts, and machinery breakdowns have left their mark too, but the farm has weathered each storm with persistence and family support.

Beyond equipment and yields, people come first. Laura and her husband believe in treating others with respect, whether it’s thanking scale operators, surprising landlords with sweet corn in the summer, or dropping off cinnamon rolls at Christmas. “You’ve got to take care of the people who take care of you,” Laura says. It’s an ethic that has helped their family maintain strong relationships with neighbors and landlords, even as agriculture becomes more complex and competitive.

Laura’s pride isn’t measured in yield alone—it’s found in the moments that can’t be bought. Her husband runs the combine, she runs the cart, and her dad—now replaced by their son—hauls loads. Radios are mostly for chit-chat because after years of working together, they can anticipate each other’s moves without speaking. For Laura, the memory of a harvest sunset on land once owned by her husband’s grandfather is etched in her mind. “Dad was trucking, I was loading, my husband was cutting,” she recalls. “I thought: how lucky am I to work with my husband and my father doing something we love? Years later, our son replaced Dad in that picture. That’s legacy.”

When it comes to advice, Laura is direct: be grateful for the opportunity, treat people right, know your numbers, and hand off sooner than tradition says. Farming, she believes, isn’t a monument—it’s a relay. Each generation has to leave the farm better than they found it, not just by acres and yields, but by culture, values, and resilience.

🎙️ Pass the Mic

• Previous guest’s question (host kickoff): What was your most challenging year farming, and how did it make you better?

• Laura’s question for the next guest: With consolidation accelerating, what are your hopes and dreams for the future of farming and agriculture?

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