The Frenk family - Innovating agriculture across 17 generations

The farm, which produces grain, maize, barley and wheat, thrives off of the energy and life deeply rooted in its long history. As the seventeenth-generation farmer, Thomas Frenk feels a strong sense of responsibility, not just towards his father and his three children, but towards the farm itself. He works hard to secure the future of the farm for generations to come. 

Thomas loves being a farmer. “It’s the best job in the world – and the most important one,” he says. “You need a farmer three times a day for every meal.”

A farmer is also a mechanic, a vet, a gardener, and a chemist. “It’s more than just a job - it’s who you are,” says Thomas. He hopes his eight-year-old son Tim will become the eighteenth-generation farmer. If he does, Thomas promises he won’t be alone.

“A farm stays. Only the farmer changes. Passing the farm on, even stronger, is the soul of farming.” 

Thomas Frenk

Lara, the oldest of the three children, is passionate about the future of the farm and the planet.

“The farm means a lot to me as I grew up here. It has influenced me and how I look at things. As a farmer, one is dependent on the ecosystem and the environment,” she explains.

When the 16-year-old graduates from high school, she wants to study natural science. “I think all of us have the same goal: We all want to protect the environment, preserve our planet and keep our environment healthy,” Lara says.

“Sometimes I have to explain to my friends why I don't like throwing away food. I know how much work it takes to make a loaf of bread.” 

Lara Frenk