North Dakota
North Dakota State University Extension agent has passion for passing along agricultural knowledge
LANGDON, N.D. — Bailey Reiser’s rural upbringing inspired her to share agricultural knowledge through the generations.
The 26-year-old North Dakota State University Extension agent for agriculture in Cavalier County, North Dakota, taught agriculture education at Mount Pleasant School District in Rolla, North Dakota, for two years before accepting a position with NDSU in 2022. In her Extension position, she teaches children, teens and adults about a variety of agricultural topics.
Young farmers and ranchers
According to the 2017 U.S. Census of Agriculture, the average age of American farmers that year was 57.5. Only 9% of farmers were under 35 years old, according to the Census. Agweek and other Forum Communications’ newspapers are highlighting young farmers and ranchers in the industry to look at what the future holds for agriculture.
Reiser’s passion for agriculture comes from her immersion in it at a young age and being nurtured by her high school agriculture education teacher.
During Reiser’s youth on her parents’ hobby farm near Carrington, North Dakota, she was the caretaker of a variety of animals, including horses, cattle and goats. She learned about production agriculture by spending time with her father, Doug Retzlaff, who worked for a farmer and sold crop seed. She got hands-on exposure riding in the combine and on the tractor with him and watched him interact with farmers during his seed sales.
Reiser’s interest in agriculture grew at Carrington High School where she took agricultural education classes and was in FFA and 4-H.
“I did crop judging and all of the other judging, but crop judging was where I found a little niche,” Reiser said. “I really got inspired to do agronomy or something along those lines.”
After graduation from Carrington High School in 2015, Reiser attended NDSU where, during her senior year, she decided to become an agricultural education teacher.
She wanted to give youth the same opportunities that her high school agricultural education teacher had offered to her. Besides crop judging, that included volunteer work, fundraising and attending state and national conferences.
Contributed / North Dakota State University Extension
Reiser’s high school crop judging experience helped prepare her for her college agronomy classes.
“It gave me that really good base,” she said.
After she graduated from NDSU in the spring of 2020, Reiser taught agriculture education for two years at Mount Pleasant School District in Rolla, North Dakota. She was at the NDSU Extension office in Cavalier County gathering weed pesticide guides for her crops judging students when she learned about an opening for the agricultural agent position.
Contributed / North Dakota State University Extension Service
Reiser applied for the position and started working for Extension during the summer of 2022. Her background teaching high school students helped prepare her to give agricultural presentations to farmers and communicate with them during events such as pesticide applicator training, Reiser said.
She also continues to teach agricultural education in her role as NDSU Extension agent for agriculture in Cavalier County through her work with first through eighth-grade students at St. Alphonsus School, a private school, and eighth graders at Langdon Area Schools, a public school.
The two schools don’t have an agriculture education program so her work gives them exposure to a broad range of topics including plant and animal sciences.
“Being able to add agricultural aspects to daily lessons is really good,” Reiser said. For example, in January, one of her lessons at St. Alphonsus was on dairy so she taught the students how to make butter.
Reiser hopes that her agricultural lessons will spark an interest in students to learn more about agriculture. A couple of students at Langdon Area High School have expressed interest in learning more about agronomy so she plans to connect them with NDSU Extension specialists in the field.
Reiser plans to use her teaching skills to introduce more Extension programs for farmers, such as Annie’s Project, an agricultural leadership program for women. She recently offered a session of “Stop the Bleed,” a farm safety program, which was well-attended and plans to schedule additional sessions.
Contributed / North Dakota State University Extension
She enjoys the day-to-day work with farmers during the growing season when she heads out to fields to help them with diagnosing crop disease and insect problems. If she doesn’t know the answer, she has a wide variety of resources in Extension who assist her.
The farmers appreciate her work, which she finds rewarding.
“I really like what I do, and you get the excitement and joy from the reactions you get, ‘Thank you for helping me out with this,’” Reiser said.
She looks forward to implementing additional agricultural programs during the next year.
“I learned the ropes this last year — now it’s time to implement some,” she said.
Ann is a journalism veteran with nearly 40 years of reporting and editing experiences on a variety of topics including agriculture and business. Story ideas or questions can be sent to Ann by email at: abailey@agweek.com or phone at: 218-779-8093.
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) — Isaiah Griffin had 18 points in Western Illinois’ 69-66 overtime win against North Dakota on…
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) — Isaiah Griffin had 18 points in Western Illinois’ 69-66 overtime win against North Dakota on Saturday.
Griffin had three steals for the Leathernecks (4-7). Karyiek Dixon scored 17 points while shooting 6 of 10 from the field and 5 for 6 from the line and added 18 rebounds. Lucas Lorenzen shot 3 for 13 (1 for 9 from 3-point range) and 7 of 8 from the free-throw line to finish with 14 points.
Eli King led the way for the Fightin’ Hawks (4-9) with 13 points, two steals and four blocks. Greyson Uelmen added 13 points for North Dakota. Garrett Anderson had 11 points and six rebounds.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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North Dakota
Community rescues grieving North Dakota widow — by harvesting their late pal’s 1,400 acres of crops
In North Dakota, farmers aren’t neighbors — they’re family.
When a sudden car crash tragically took the life of a beloved community member, the goodhearted folks of Antler came together to carry out one final act of kindness: they harvested his crops.
Randy Fyllesvold was killed in September, and his grieving widow, Kharra, and their two sons were left reeling, in no condition to deal with the 1,400 acres of corn and soybeans still in the fields surrounding their home.
That’s when the close-knit community stepped in.
Two of Randy’s pals — Wyatt Thompson and Andy Gates — decided to organize a large-scale harvest of their late pal’s crops.
First, they put out a call for help.
And the people answered. In a flash, more than 75 volunteers from surrounding communities were rolling onto the farm on 12 combines, in 40 trucks, all loaded with other equipment — along with willing hands.
They worked together like a well-oiled machine, and the massive effort was locked up in just a couple days.
Kharra said being among so many people harvesting her husband’s final crop was “nothing short of breathtaking” and she feels blessed to be the recipient of so much love and support in such a harrowing time.
But they wouldn’t have it any other way.
“To know Randy was to love Randy,” said buddy Wyatt Thompson told local station KFYR. “..The reach that he had was kind of endless.”
Kharra said she’ll never forget what they did for her.
“As I stood in the shop and looked around before the final Randy Fyllesvold corn harvest started, I was flooded with memories we created with all of you,” she wrote in a heartfelt Facebook post.
“The day was full of emotion, but I found so much peace in watching it unfold … but from the bottom of my heart, thank you. I will always remember this and Randy would be so proud.
“God Bless all of you and the boys and I love each and every one of you. 12 combines, 7 grain carts, over 40 trucks all for you Randy.
“I know you are smiling down.”
Donald R. Snyder Sr. 82 of Grand Forks, North Dakota died Tuesday, December 9, 2026, at Villa St. Vincent in Crookston, Minnesota.
Don was born on June 3, 1943, the son of Harrison and Gladys (Whittier) Snyder in Van Hook, North Dakota. He attended school in Van Hook and New Town, North Dakota. Don served in the United States Navy from 1960 – 1964 and was stationed in Hawaii during his time of service as a Military Police officer. He attended ND Police Academy and where he worked in Wattford City, ND and later was the Chief of Police in Parshall, ND. Don attended Minot State University and received a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1972.
Don was united in marriage to Greta Huseby on November 22, 1991, in Lake Tahoe, Neveda. He worked as a social worker in child welfare in North Dakota for thirty-five plus years in various roles in the state in Rugby, Minot and Bismarck as a Regional Supervisor to State Director in foster care. Don spent the many years taking care of family’s needs in North Dakota.
After retiring from Human Service in North Dakota, he worked for Multiband Inc. and Orangehook Inc. Don retired from OrangeHook Inc. as the Senior Vice President, responsible for HR Department.
Don enjoyed fishing (deep sea, rivers and lakes), hunting, woodworking (cabinetry and interior), coaching Tee Ball and soccer, and volunteering for the local honor guards. He was proud of his service in the military and always showed his gratitude for fellow veterans.
Don’s faith and family were his priority. He read the Bible six times and shared his faith with his family and friends. Don and Greta were active members of University Lutheran Church.
Don is survived by his wife, Greta Snyder; three sons, Donald Richard Snyder Jr., Scott (Nancy) Snyder and Tracy (Staci) Snyder; grandchildren, Megan (Rory) Selk, Katelyn Snyder, Gavin Snyder, Whitney (Chris) Crofts, Kaylee (Jon) Gappmaier and Jordan (Jen) Snyder, thirteen great-grandchildren, Kinley, Iyla, Jude, Gabby, Rowan, Sophia, Hunter, Kimber, Isaiah, Benjamin, Porshea, Addie and Mollie; numerous nieces and nephews.
Don was preceded in death by his parents, two daughters, Tunya and Mishell Snyder, granddaughter, Jessica Snyder and two infant sisters.
Visitation will be held from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at Amundson Funeral Home. Memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at Amundson Funeral Home.
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