Vobr named Kiwanis 2025 Farmer of the Year

CRESCO - At the age of 72, there is no letting up for farmer Robert Vobr, as he continues to farm his operation of approximately 700 acres––like he’s still age 50!

It may be hard to believe, but Vobr earned his start in farming as a Crestwood FFA member, obtaining profits from a project he embraced through the program. 

“I bought my first 80 acres when I was still in high school after selling my hogs,” said Vobr, who earned his Chapter Degree by raising livestock at his father Johnie’s farm while still in high school. “I took that money from my FFA project to get that land. I bought it on a contract for deed at 5% interest and $400 an acre.” 

That was a huge responsibility for a teenager to take on, but one that set a path for a lifetime of farming. 

 

Farmer of the Year

Having created that start while in school and having been farming for well over five decades is just one of the reasons Vobr has been named 2025 Cresco Kiwanis Farmer of Year.  

Nominated from a small committee of Kiwanis members, Vobr will be accepting the award at the Crestwood FFA Banquet to be held on Sunday, March 16 at the Expo Center (at the Howard County Fairgrounds), taking place at 12:30 p.m.  

 

Meets Love of his Life

With that first 80 puchased, it wasn’t long after that he met his wife, Jean, and  eventually married in 1974. In  that same year the couple purchased another 80 acres. The acreage came at a little lower price at $700 and helped him sustain the crops needed in building his operation and raising livestock.

He had met his wife at a dance at Crestwood High School in Cresco.

“She went to Notre Dame and I went to Crestwood,” said Vobr of the love of his life.  “I had asked one of the girls there if she wanted to dance, and she said ‘no’, so then I asked Jean, the prettier one of the two. Our first song was Tommy James & the Shondell’s Crimson and Clover.  We were married the summer of 1974 at the age of 22 and 20.  She passed just after our 50th Anniversary just last year. This award would have been one I would have loved to have shared with her.”

The couple had built up the operation over those 50 years, and had farmed over 1,700 acres at their peak. The Vobr Farm is currently in the 700-acre range, which all are owned by the family.  They also raise many head of cattle, fed by their own grain grown on the farm. 

 

Made his start working for Dad

Upon graduating from Crestwood and going to NIACC in Mason City for Ag, Vobr was planning to transfer to Iowa State University, but instead elected to work for his father, who needed help at the time.

Vobr, who was an officer for the Crestwood FFA as the Secretary his junior year and as President his senior.  He had earned his Chapter Farmer Degree as a freshman and his Iowa Farmers Degree as a junior.  It was while at NIACC that he landed the American Farmer Degree.

“I was the first in Crestwood FFA to get the American Farmer Degree on the Ag side and Dale Schwade (who was also in my class), was the first to get the American Farmer Degree on the business side,” pointed out Vobr.  “We both worked hard to make that happen. Pretty neat that we both received one that year.”

Getting with his Dad, the two of them farmed both acreages.  His father, Johnie, had a similar start, originally owning 200 acres, which is where the current farm sits, and then purchased 160 and 195, which were both purchased from the same individual who sold Robert his first 80. 

They always grew corn and later soybeans, but did change from hogs to cattle.