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Gary and Lori (Nordlum) were united in marriage in July 1978. They purchased a farmstead formally owned by Elmer Bredlie, in Roome Township, near the small town of Eldred Minnesota (10 miles southwest of Crookston). They were blessed with two daughters, Amber, born in 1980 and Autumn, born in 1983. He and his family are members of First English Lutheran Church in Eldred.
Gary served on the board of the West Polk County Soil and Water Conservation District for 12 years from, 1980 to 1992, serving as chairman, from 1989 to 1991. Other past boards he has served on have been West Polk Farm Bureau Association and First English Board of Trustee's. Currently, Gary is a member of the Sugar beet Research and Education Board of Minnesota and North Dakota, and University of Minnesota Crookston Ag Advisory Committee.
Gary was instrumental in bringing computer technology into the farming operation. As a self taught computer programmer, integrated the computer for financial and field record keeping since 1981. During the years 1990 to 1993, Gary sold over 400 copies of his developed software program "Field History Manager" (distributed by Red River Software, Fargo, ND), to the farm market.
Since the adoption of precision agriculture concepts, in 1993, Gary has traveled across the United States, and Canada, (well over 60 conferences and meetings) encouraging and informing other farmers how this technology which can help themselves and the environment. Gary has also traveled to Brasilia, Brazil with Dr. Aziz Rahman, in 1999 and 2000, teaching one week hands-on seminars on the concepts of this new technology (see news story).
Besides his farming duties, Gary serves as a consultant / teacher at the University of Minnesota, Crookston, and Upper Midwest Aerospace Consortium (UMAC), Grand Forks, ND, on issues pertaining to precision agriculture.
Awards and honors bestowed on Gary are:
- Willis Eide award for Outstanding High School Athlete, 1971
- Little All American, for Junior College's in Football, 1973
- Crookston Jaycees, Outstanding Young Farmer, 1978
- Torch and Shield Distinguished Service Award, University of Minnesota, 1993
- Football Hall of Fame, University of Minnesota, Crookston, 2001
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