NDSU Celebrates Honorees At 51st Harvest Bowl
North Dakota State University held its 51st annual Harvest Bowl on November 15 at the Fargodome in Fargo, North Dakota.
Each year, the Harvest Bowl program recognizes the spirit and dedication of agriculturists in North Dakota and western Minnesota.
The 2025 Harvest Bowl honorees from Burke County, Steve and Corrine Melberg, Battleview; Mountrail County, North Dakota are Kelly and Denise Hanson, Stanley; and Williams County, TJ Halverson and Jody Weflen, Tioga.
Steve and Corrine Melberg have dedicated their lives to agriculture in Burke County, with Steve farming and ranching for 60 years and Corrine for 52. Once operating a cow-calf enterprise, they now focus on raising durum and canola, having previously grown a variety of crops including small grains, sunflowers, peas, lentils and flax. They use both conventional and minimum-till practices, continuing to operate as a small family farm that relies on what many would now consider vintage machinery. Steve has served on church boards and the local Farmers Union board. Corrine stays active in church committees and Bible study, and helps organize community club plays as fundraisers for city improvements.
Kelly and Denise Hanson were the Mountrail County nominees. Kelly has been involved in farming and ranching in Mountrail County for over 35 years. He operates a cow-calf operation with retained heifer development and farms with their two sons. They raise wheat, canola, soybeans, peas and feed grains. Their farm uses a minimum-till/no-till program and incorporates cover crops to support soil health and livestock feed. The operation is a true multigenerational effort, with the fourth generation already engaged. Kelly is an NDSU graduate and is active in his community, serving on several boards. Denise recently retired from teaching and now manages the farm’s financial records.
TJ Halverson and Jody Weflen are the Williams County nominees. TJ is a fifth-generation farmer near Tioga, raising corn, soybeans, sunflowers, malt barley, small grains and pulse crops using both dryland and irrigated practices. His farm uses no-till, strip-till, rotational grazing and bale grazing methods to support soil health and biomimicry, applying compost extraction and microscopy to enhance the soil microbiome. TJ serves as chairman of the Williams County Soil Conservation District, vice president of the Pinnacle Board of Directors, and Williams County representative on the North Dakota Oilseed Council. He is a founding member of the Northwest Sportsman’s Association and active in 4-H. His fiancée Jody is equally involved in the farm and their children’s activities.
An agribusiness award recipient is also chosen annually. This award recognizes individuals who have distinguished themselves in the field of agriculture and business in North Dakota and beyond. This year’s award recipient was Carl Larson Sr., a 1962 NDSU graduate and co-founder of Larson Grain Company and Golden Growers Cooperative.
During the Harvest Bowl program, several scholarships were also awarded to outstanding athletes.