Borgard/Albertson Century Farm

The following is the narrative presented for our family's submission as a Oregon Century Farm.

Conard M. Borgard was born in South Dakota in 1896 to Norwegian immigrants. Due to his fragile health as a newborn, his family relocated to the milder climate of Oregon’s coast, where they purchased a farm on Lampa Creek in Coos County. Conard and his wife, Mildred Hope Welch, whom he married in 1929, began dairy farming, continuing the tradition his family brought from Norway. They raised four children, with their eldest, Faye Lavelle Borgard, eventually purchasing the farm from her mother. Faye married George W. Albertson in 1950, a logger who learned the dairy business from Conard. The couple lived on the farm, and Faye worked for Mountain States Power Company for 47 years. Their son, Eric Albertson, continued the family tradition, moving into the original farmhouse with his wife Betty in 1978. They raised their children, Scott and Erin, on the property, marking the third generation to live on the farm.

The farm has seen significant evolution over the decades. Originally focused on dairy, with a preference for Jersey cows, operations shifted to dairy in the mid-1990s under Kurt Albertson’s management. Today, Eric continues to run the farm, which now produces hay and silage, supplementing the farm’s income with custom services for local farmers. The farm’s orchard, once home to a diverse array of fruit trees, now maintains a few resilient trees, whose fruits are still harvested and preserved annually.

The farm will soon welcome the next generation of family as Scott and Jessica Albertson and their family return to establish "Enlisted Roots," a grass-fed farm operation that will focus on dairy, beef, chicken, pork, and eggs. Their vision for sustainable agriculture and direct farm-to-consumer relationships promises to carry the family legacy into the future, enriching both the land and community. Eric Albertson is the grandson of founder C.M. Borgard.