Custer, MT – In a remarkable testament to multi-generational dedication, the Kuntz Farm in Custer, Montana, recently celebrated its 100th sugarbeet harvest. This milestone marks a century of farming legacy, with five generations having cultivated the land and the sixth generation poised to continue the tradition.
The Kuntz family’s journey began in 1926 with the current patriarch, Chad Kuntz, being the fifth generation, his father Cody the fourth, and his son Trent set to be the sixth. While sugarbeets are their primary crop, the farm also cultivates malt barley for Coors, silage, and dryland wheat.
The 2025 season presented a mix of challenges and successes. Excess moisture impacted grain crops, leading to good yields but poor quality, with malt prices falling to feed prices. However, the sugarbeet crop proved to be a significant win. Chad stated, “Beets are very good. I would suspect personally our probably our best crop of beets”. Cody emphasized the crucial role sugarbeets have played in the farm’s enduring success: “You can always depend on a sugar beat to to hold everything else up… sugar beets have been there for us for that many years”.
Over the past century, the Kuntz Farm has seen significant changes, particularly in scale and technology. Chad recalls raising 110 acres of beets as a child, compared to today’s 1,400 acres. Equipment has also evolved dramatically from three-row diggers and single-axle trucks to two 12-row diggers and eight semi-trucks, all leveraging GPS and auto-steer technology.
Precision agriculture plays a vital role in their modern farming practices, enabling them to reduce fertilizer waste and optimize nutrient application. Their sprayer uses GPS with sub-inch accuracy and section control, eliminating overlap. Helena Agri-Enterprises has been instrumental in this, providing services like soil analysis to create zones within fields. This allows for annual GPS-coordinated soil samples in the same spots, ensuring precise data for tailored fertilizer prescriptions that are then variable-rated onto the fields, minimizing waste and maximizing potential.
Water management is another area of focus, with the Kuntz Farm investing in pivots to enhance water use efficiency and reduce costs. Pivots allow for continuous irrigation with less demand on irrigation district canals and reduced runoff. They also provide the capability to apply nitrogen through the pivot as the crop needs it.
The future of the Kuntz Farm is clearly on their minds. Cody emphasizes the need to balance maintaining equipment with the bottom line to avoid obsolescence. The return of Chad’s son, Trent, after completing diesel mechanic school, has brought significant optimism. Trent expresses his deep connection to the farm, stating, “I’ve wanted to farm my whole life. It’s just very cool that I’m done with school now and I can actually do that”. Looking ahead, Trent hopes to “keep on pushing forward,” with aspirations for expansion while also being content with maintaining a steady pace.
In the high-risk world of farming, valuable partnerships are essential. Chad highlights Helena Agri-Enterprises as a key partner, providing not only crop protection tools but also crucial advice and support. Barry Marsh, a Helena sales agronomist who has worked with three generations of the Kuntz family, praises their progressive approach and willingness to embrace new ideas to achieve better crops. Helena’s focus remains on supporting growers to thrive season after season.
As the Kuntz Farm embarks on its next century of farming, their blend of deep-rooted legacy, innovative technology, and strong partnerships positions them for continued success in the ever-evolving agricultural landscape.
