125:. Hays brought Grimm's alfalfa to the masses. A deficiency in Grimm's alfalfa was its inability to resist bacterial wilt. In the 1940s, more resistant strains were developed, and Grimm's alfalfa was no longer widely used. However, Roger Stein of the Carver Park Reserve discusses the importance of the alfalfa grown by Grimm in stating, "You could say that all North American alfalfa comes from parents that originated on this site." It is estimated that Grimm's alfalfa is the basis for the United States' third largest crop (hay) accounting for 60 million acres (240,000 km) and a value of $ 3.4 billion annually.
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alfalfa seeds on his newly purchased land. The winters in
Minnesota were harsher than in Germany. The winter killed much of his crop. Each year, he would save the seeds from the plants that survived and replant them the following spring. After many years of this practice, he no longer experienced winterkill on his crop.
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When Grimm arrived in
Minnesota in the fall of 1857, he brought with him more than just his family. Grimm also carried with him a small bag of "ewiger klee" or "everlasting clover" seeds. These seeds were the best producers from his farmstead in Germany. The following spring, Grimm planted his
60:, as one of seven children to Valentine and Mary Grimm. His childhood was spent in a part of Germany known for its rich agricultural heritage. His formal education was limited to the perfunctory training that would have been given to youth training for a career in farming.
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In an homage to the significance of Grimm's alfalfa to Carver County, many of the housing developments in the area once occupied by farmland are now named in its honor. Neighborhoods and school names include: Clover Ridge, Clover Fields and Clover
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In 1872, Grimm passed the original farmstead onto his son Frank. He then moved to modern-day Chaska and continued to farm. His second farmstead is still occupied and farmed by Grimm's descendants. Wendelin Grimm died on
December 8, 1890.
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Renovation on the original farmstead was completed in 2001 and celebrated with an open house. Events included era-appropriate activities like wool spinning and a speech by a Grimm descendant, great grandson
Clarence
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At the age of 27, he married
Julianna Segner (June 15, 1821 – October 28, 1897) of Steinback, Baden, Germany. They farmed in Germany until 1857 when, with Julianna and their children, Grimm relocated to
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in 2008. To celebrate, the state requested citizens to nominate the most significant events and/or people in
Minnesota's History. Wendelin Grimm and his alfalfa made the final list of 150.
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A bronze monument in
Wendelin Grimm's honor was erected at the original homestead property on June 10, 1924. Over 400 people attended to commemorate Grimm's contributions to agriculture.
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Many of Grimm's neighbors noticed the superiority of his crops and the health of his cattle. One of them, Arthur B. Lyman, worked to bring Grimm's alfalfa to the attention of
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by way of New York. Wendelin and
Julianna had a total of ten children, seven born in Germany and three born in the United States, only four of them reaching adulthood:
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229:, Carver Park Reserve, Carver, Minnesota: Minnesota Historical Society, Suburban Hennepin Park District, 1994
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27:(October 18, 1818 – December 8, 1890) was an American farmer. Grimm is best known for his innovative
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Johnson, Charles (March 1997). "The birthplace of winter-hardy alfalfa".
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300:, St. Paul, Minnesota: Minnesota Historical Society, pp. 21–33
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241:"National Register Property Details: Grimm, Wendelin, Farmstead"
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The
Wendelin and Julianna Grimm Farmstead: A Reuse Study
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Edwards, Everett E.; Russell, Horace H. (1938-01-10),
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that resulted in North
America's first winter-hardy
320:. US Environmental Protection Agency. 2009-09-10
268:. Lower Minnesota River Watershed District. 2006
85:The Grimms homesteaded property near modern-day
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81:Caroline (Grimm) Glatzel (2/4/1859-12/29/1905)
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78:Ottilia (Grimm) Kelzer (11/23/1856-2/25/1925)
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366:"Hometown: Clover Ridge, Chaska, Minnesota"
298:Minnesota Historical Society Annual Meeting
318:"Major Crops Grown in the United States"
266:"The Kelzers Continue Farming in Chaska"
437:Emigrants from the Grand Duchy of Baden
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427:People from Carver County, Minnesota
392:. Minnesota Historical Society. 2007
99:National Register of Historic Places
20:Wendelin and Julianne Grimm, undated
340:"Wendelin Grimm: The Famous Farmer"
183:. University of Minnesota Extension
75:Joseph Grimm (4/18/1848-1/29/1929)
72:Frank Grimm (10/18/1846-9/25/1925)
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442:Immigrants to the United States
178:"The History of Grimm Alfalfa"
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338:Orsen, Susan (October 2001).
291:"Wendelin Grimm and Alfalfa"
245:Minnesota Historical Society
176:Kelzer, Frank (1957-09-01).
151:sesquicentennial anniversary
364:Miller, Jason (July 2005).
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390:"MN 150: Wendelin Grimm"
66:Carver County, Minnesota
33:Wendelin Grimm Farmstead
123:University of Minnesota
432:Farmers from Minnesota
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119:Professor Willet Hays
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58:Grand Duchy of Baden
346:. Prints Publishing
109:Farming innovations
95:Carver Park Reserve
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210:(Print): 11.
208:Farm Journal
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185:. Retrieved
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422:1890 deaths
417:1818 births
29:seed-saving
411:Categories
396:2010-11-03
375:2010-11-04
350:2010-10-31
324:2010-11-06
304:2010-11-05
272:2010-11-08
251:2010-11-03
187:2010-11-08
158:References
142:Preserve.
91:farmstead
43:Biography
54:Külsheim
138:Kelzer.
121:at the
37:alfalfa
247:. 2009
129:Honors
294:(PDF)
181:(PDF)
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