Becky Harhaj, owner of Red Rooster Farms in Good Thunder, was the guest speaker for Raise a Toast. Her story from city life to farm living highlighted adaptability, belief, and perseverance.
The air inside the Farmamerica event center was thick with the aroma of honey-lavender glazed carrots and savory steak crostini as 67 community members gathered for the third annual “Raise a Toast” dinner on January 16. The event, curated to celebrate and connect women within the agricultural industry, combined high-end farm-to-fork dining with stories of grit, transition, and community strength.
Kari Wadd, the program coordinator for the event, noted that this third year brought a fresh energy to the gathering. “The layout is different this year,” Wadd explained, emphasizing a shift toward a more interactive experience. “The goal is for guests to be more engaged, especially with the ‘Glam Cam’ where they can capture these moments and take home a physical memory.”
The event was a collaborative effort involving several local youth and businesses. Waseca County Dairy Princesses distributed complimentary jewelry handcrafted by Sticks and Stones. Members of the JWP FFA acted as event assistants, greeting guests and handling coat checks, and a Jasmine with the group led the opening prayer. Brew’d Awakening served custom drinks like the Blackberry Mule and Spiced Strawberry Snowfall, utilizing tonics from Sweet Haven Tonic.
In an adjacent room from the main hall, the “Glam Cam”, provided by Casey Stori, spun to capture 360-degree memories—later printed and pressed by Tara and Megan of Magnetic North. In the main hall, raffle prizes featured predominantly female-led businesses donating hand-painted creations by FarmAmerica’s own Hilary Kruger, wine from Indian Island, and more. Raffle prizes—which featured hand-painted creations by Farmamerica’s own Hilary Kruger and wine from Indian Island—served as the backbone of a celebration of the female-led business that formed local economies.
The sentiment of the room remained clear: agriculture is not just about the food on the table, but the passionate women who helped put it there. A commitment to local agriculture and produce was evident on every plate throughout the evening. Infinity Catering provided a menu where nearly every ingredient—with the exception of the goat cheese—was sourced from local producers. Guests enjoyed a sophisticated spread of salad lollipops & steak crostini for appetizers, parmesan-crusted chicken with honey-lavender glazed carrots as an entree, and Amanda with the Tattooed Baker and her “Treat Trolley” featured a build-your-own cake station complete with whipped cream and a medley of sweet and savory toppings.
The highlight of the evening was guest speaker Becky Harhaj, owner of Rebel Rooster Farm in Good Thunder. Harhaj’s story is a testament to the persistence and passion required to successfully pursue a life on the farm. Just a decade ago, she was a hairstylist living in South Saint Paul. Today, she manages a diverse farm featuring beef cattle, dairy goats, rabbits, and an extensive variety of poultry like chickens, quail, peacocks, and guineas.
Admittedly, Harhaj confessed knowing “next to nothing” about farming life, so the transition from city-slicker to country life came with a haystack-tall list of lessons to learn, “I knew next to nothing about raising cattle,” she told the crowd. “I had never even used a riding lawnmower, and now I can butcher animals. I didn’t know much, but I was confident this was the right move for my family.” Harhaj described a whirlwind transition: finding the “perfect pasture” after seeing three symbolic signs at a local thrift store, taking a “crash course” in farm life by touring other operations, and moving onto the farm on a Friday only to have a barnyard of animals delivered the very next day. Her farm’s name, Rebel Rooster, was inspired by a large black rooster she adopted from a local farm that served as the family’s first mascot.
It may have been an absolutely extreme evolution to everyday living for the Harhaj family, but moving away from the big city to live in rural southern Minnesota is a decision the matriarch stands by to this day. Years of study and passion have led to successful stints at Farmers Markets in the region, and Becky hopes her story can inspire others to pursue similar dreams, “You can change your life to do what you want to do,” Harhaj encouraged. “There are resources along the way. I’ve taught myself a lot, even learning how to weld during the winter months. I wouldn’t trade this life for anything.”
To close the ceremony, Executive Director Jessica Rollins credited the continued success and growth of Farmamerica to its dedicated staff, including Morgan Mudgett (Social Media), Hilary Kruger (Admin), and Randy Wadd (Grounds), as well as its Board of Directors. Though she vowed to “not shed any tears” during her speech, an impassioned call honoring the women of agriculture and the dedicated efforts to their communities brought Rollins to, in fact, shed a few tears.
