Prairie Horizons Farm is located at 31008 State Hwy 29 Benson, MN
We steward 480 acres of original remnant and restored native prairie and perennials, sequestering carbon, raising healthy animals and plants, and keeping water clean. Our land has been certified organic since 2006, and is home to about 100 cattle, 34 goats, a feisty German Shepherd and abundant life in, and above, healthy soil.
PRODUCTS
We raise 100% grass-fed and grass-finished beef on certified organic pastures and certified organic orchard fruits, garlic, berries, hazelnuts, and vegetables in season. Native prairie teas gathered from our land and preserved items made from farm produce–they make great gifts!
HISTORY
5th generation Minnesota farmers Luverne and Mary Jo Forbord have been owner/operators of this beautiful farm since 1985, when they purchased the land from Luverne’s parents. The farm was initially Hilltop Holsteins, a Grade A dairy operation that they ran with the help of their children, Meriah, Joraan and Jaiden.
In 2000, weary of harmful pesticides and herbicides killing the biodiversity in and around their farm, they began the transition to grass-based organic agriculture and have never looked back. They sold the dairy herd and stopped growing corn and soy, instead focusing on perennials, organic practices, their cattle operation and planting a diversity of native prairie grasses.
Forbords maximize solar energy and plant diversity to feed their cows. Grazing “cocktails” of many grasses and legumes and special ‘finishing’ pastures where cattle load up on nutrients and protein before they become hamburgers and steaks. They always have fresh water and move to a new pasture each day during the growing season.
More than 300 acres are now planted to diverse mixes of perennial grasses, legumes and forbs, with fencing and water lines built for rotational grazing of Angus cattle bred to do especially well on pasture. The cattle move to fresh pasture each day from spring “green up” through ground freeze, usually April through November. One hundred acres of original native prairie are also managed through rotational grazing. They began to transition their land to certified organic in 2003 and have maintained organic certification for more than 20 years.
Learn more about Prairie Horizons in the
West Central Tribune.
MEET THE FARMERS
Luverne and Mary Jo Forbord are both 5th generation Minnesota farmers honored to steward beautiful lands and abundant life. We grew up on farms and have been farming together for 44 years. Our land has been certified organic since 2006. In 2018 we opened our farm store to sell products from the farm directly to our community. In 2025 we closed the farm store to focus on supplying customers with quarter, half and whole beef.
Luverne and Mary Jo enjoy cross country skiing, music, goats, dogs (Roja), history, clean water, prairie plants and pollinators, eating good food and sharing it with others.
Luverne Forbord is a lifelong farmer on the land where he grew up and has decades of experience with dairy and beef cattle, row crop farming, grass-based agriculture,, diverse perennial systems, rotational grazing and managing to promote a healthy and diverse climate-resilient ecosystem.
He has observed and managed the farm with great care, has deep and extensive knowledge of the land and continues to evolve the farm toward sustainability.
Luverne has served as a director and chairman of the board of Chippewa Valley Ethanol Cooperative, one of the first, most successful and most diversified farmer-owned, value-added, new generation cooperatives in Minnesota.
Mary Jo Forbord is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist with experience in clinical, administrative, community and food systems dietetics. She is a past president of the Minnesota Dietetic Association and a past chair of the Hunger and Environmental Nutrition Practice Group of the American Dietetic Association. In 2011 and 2015, she received the Excellence in Hunger and Environmental Nutrition Leadership awards.
Mary Jo is a past Executive Director of the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota and led Morris Healthy Eating at the University of Minnesota, Morris for 11+ years. She continues to work at revitalizing food cultures by reconnecting people with their food, land and water.
OUR MISSION
We are dedicated to sharing delicious food, protecting life and diversity on the farm, and keeping (y)our water clean for future generations.
Prairie Horizons Farm LLC 