Johnson’s LaPrairie Experimental Station

Johnson’s LaPrairie Experimental Station is a five (5) acre parcel located in Grand Rapids Township, T55, R25, Section 14 now within the city limits of the Laprairie, Minnesota.  Murrle and Elizabeth Johnson purchased this property in the early 1960's.  Today the property is used for agricultural research to support our Balsam Township farming operations.

The land at our research station was originally owned by John G. Fraser and Grace K. "Arbo" Fraser.  These folks were some of the very first farmers to settle in LaPrairie, Minnesota.  Furthermore, they were some of the very first farmers to settle and operate a farm in Itasca County.  Their farm (dairy operation) was located in the Prairie River Valley of which Mother Nature so graciously gifted the region with deep, black, Chorizen soil.  This is the same soil type common to the Bread-basket region of Russia (Ural River Valley) and the Red River Valley along the Minnesota and North Dakota border.  They had a very large dairy farm very near where the Calvary Cemetery is now located.   Their farm dates back to circa 1885.  The McCormick Deering Model 4-A horse drawn manure spreader shown here was used at the Fraser dairy farm from about 1930 to the early 1960's.  It was donated to Johnson Farm's by the grand daughters of John G. Fraser.  The grand daughters parents were Ronald A. "Sandy" and Ruth Fraser who lived on the LaPrairie farm after John passed away and Grace, who lived their long after John's death, retired from farming.  As of this writing the grand daughters still own about 20 acres of the original farm including the main home and the bunkhouse.  The barn and out buildings are now gone.