Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/873545
farm406 20 teve Bahnmiller steps out on his front porch as the sun is rising. He pauses to take in the Bears Paw Mountains etched on the northeastern horizon. Seeing his family's fields stretching before him, he feels so fortunate to live on a farm with magnificent scenery and to do his work there. Putting away his moment of reflection, he knows that it's time to move to the practical. He remembers his father's quote and also possibly his grandfather's and great- grandfather's, "We're burning daylight!" It's past time to start a new day. Life was not easy for Steve's great- grand parents. Israel and Margaretha Bahnmiller grew up and lived in Odessa, Russia. They had eight children. It took several attempts to find a permanent life for themselves. In 1899, they tried Siberia, but the growing season was too short. They moved back to Odessa and then to Germany. Next some family members moved to Manitoba, Canada. Israel died in Canada in 1914. Around 1917 four of the children, Daniel, Margaretha, Fred and Gotthilf—who took the name Bob, and their mother, also named Margaretha, settled in the Big Sandy, Montana, area. Fred and Bob bought a quarter section 13 miles P R O G R E S S I V E FA R M E R STEVE BAHNMILLER S Steve and Michelle now find themselves at the heart of the Bahnmiller farming operation. Working as a team to get the work done, each person has a job to do, especially during harvest. BY SUZANNE WARING PHOTOGRAPHY BY SARA YOUNG