Six couples will be honored Friday, March 21st, as the 2024 class of Kansas Master Farmers and Master Farm Homemakers, in recognition of their leadership in agriculture, environmental stewardship and service to their communities.
Among those are Larry and Boni Butel of Overbrook. The Butel family has been a constant farming presence in the Overbrook area for 140 years. In 1987 Larry took a position as a grain merchant with Cargill, based in North Dakota. Once his parents decided to wind down their farming involvement, Larry changed course and in 1988 headed home to take over the family’s Century Farm. The Butel Farm currently has half of its acreage in rotational corn and soybean production and the other half in hay ground and pasture. They also background, or graze, several hundred steers during the course of the year.
Larry serves as board chairman of the Kansas State Bank of Overbrook, as well as the president of the Wakarusa Watershed District and treasurer of the Free State Electric Cooperative. He’s also been in leadership positions with the Regional Farm Cooperative, Kansas Livestock Association and the FSA County Committee. Boni is currently the board chairman of the Overbrook Community Foundation, both are active in Gideons International and Rotary International.
