Warren Wiltse

Warren was born in Elliott, ND.  His family farmed several miles NW of there until they moved east of Lisbon the year he turned eight.  Warren attended college in St. Paul for two years, in 1950, he married his wife Betty.  Warren did whatever he need to do to make ends meet from farrowing sows, to selling seed.

In the 60's, he and his brother took over their father's farm as his father retired.  They raised Herefords, crossed with various other breeds, through artificial insemination.  They bought a who new line of equipment that utilized the 3-point hitch on a tractor.  Trees were planted to protect the land, as they remembered the "dirty thirties", when the dust darkened the sun.  To make the land more tillable, programs were developed to drain through SCS.  Soil bank contracts expired and the tillable acres were expanded.  They also experimented with narrow row soybeans long before it became popular. 

In the 70's, things changed again, as they purchased a 4-wheel drive Steiger and larger farm equipment.  Other innovations were the twin rotor combine in 1976, while the fallow fax strips were implemented to reduce soil erosion.

In 1975 he and his brother split their farm to accommodate their sons.  His oldest son then joined the farming operation.  In the 1980's the farm was still getting larger and labor was reduced with the addition of the air seeder.  Winter wheat was started with no-till.  The later years of his farming life became easier physically, but the hours were sometimes longer as the acres grew.

In 1983, his second son joined his older son in the farming operation.  He and his wife retired, having already lived in Lisbon since 1979.  He continued to help run errands and equipment when needed.

Warren is a very active member in the Lisbon First Baptist Church, Kiwanis, Gideon's and a volunteer for Hospice of the Red River Valley.  His is a cancer survivor, and has participated in the Relay for Life. 

Warren and Betty have two sons, Dan and his wife Gaye; Jon  and his wife Kathy and several grandchildren to enjoy.