“You Gotta Stay Active”: 102-Year-Old Man Continues To Farm

Harwood man wont be retiring anytime soon

WEST FARGO, N.D. — Farmers of all ages were packing in at West Fargo’s Big Iron Farm Show to talk about the latest crop yields and to check out the newest technology.

For one Harwood man, this isn’t his first time at the show.

“Well Big Iron has been 30 years now,” Earl Mallinger Says.

He’s also not new to farming.

“No, 1938 is when we started farming,” Mallinger Says.

That’s because Earl is 102 years old and farming has just been something that has always been a part of the family.

“My dad started in 1917, and I was two weeks old when we moved out to the farm,” Earl Said.

After his family built a big old house on the family farmstead, Earl was put to work pretty quickly.

“When I was two or three, my job was to open the gate when people come down the road,” Mallinger Says.

He hasn’t lost a step since then.

“I started tilling about 12 years ago,” Earl says.

People who get to work with Earl love having him around.

“It’s been pretty fun it’s a guy that’s been around farming for 90 some years he’s seen everything from horse drawn to early tractors it’s totally different then what the guy started with,”  Ellingson Water Management Mike Enright Says.

He’s got a lot to share.

“He’s always got some kind of story from back in the day, and he’s the one your rolling for to see who pays for breakfast in the morning rolling dice just having fun with,” Enright Says.

He gives his all every day in the field.

“You would never think he’s that old you know he scoots around, and he’s all over the place he’s definitely a young 102,” Mark Says.

If it’s up to Earl, he says he won’t quit anytime soon.

“You might as well stop living too then you gotta keep active,” Earl Said.