The land holds our past. And future.

See how the Heiss family carries on a legacy rooted in resilience

Just outside a small town in northeast Nebraska, Kyle Heiss is raising more than just crops. He’s raising the next generation. His two sons, Parker and Maguire, have grown up on the same farm where Kyle was raised – and where Kyle’s father, Rodney, was raised before him. Together, they’re continuing a family legacy that’s nearly 100 years in the making. 

For Kyle, farming has never been just a job. It’s part of who he is, and who his family has always been. “My granddad bought this place in 1928,” says Rodney Heiss, Kyle’s father. “I was raised here with six siblings. Then Kyle grew up on this same farm, and now his kids are being raised here too. My grandson even lives in the house I grew up in. That’s five generations on this land.”

That kind of legacy doesn’t happen by accident. It takes dedication, sacrifice, and a deep belief in the value of this way of life. Kyle didn’t start farming during an easy time – quite the opposite. Interest rates were sky-high, and money was tight. But Rodney remembers pushing through.

“I bought my first farm in the eighties,” Rodney says. “I couldn’t have done it without my dad. You learned real quick how to get what you needed out of the dirt and make every dollar count.”

That was the foundation Kyle grew up on. Watching his dad work hard day in and day out, he saw what it meant to stick with the farm, even when it was tough. He went to college and worked off the farm, but deep down, he knew he wanted to return. 

“I wanted to do something on my own, but not away from my dad,” Kyle says. “I wanted to build something with him. Something that mattered.”

Now, Kyle is doing what he’s still passionate about: farming and raising his family on the land he loves. His oldest son, Parker, is already stepping into the role. At 21, he’s moved back home after college and is farming full-time alongside his dad.

“Ever since I was young, I’ve always been drawn to farming,” Parker says. “Even in high school, I knew the plan. Go to school, come back, and be part of the farm.”

For Parker, coming home wasn’t just a career move. It was something deeper. The ground he turns over with his dad is the same ground his dad

 turned over with his grandpa. It’s the same land filled with memories –from riding in his grandpa’s old pickup to learning lessons passed down through the years. 

“Those memories mean a lot to me,” Parker says. “Just being with Grandpa, learning from him, hanging out on the farm, it made a big impact. It’s what I wanted for my future too.”

Today, Parker and Kyle work side by side through the changing seasons. They’ve come to appreciate the small victories - getting the crop in the ground, keeping it irrigated during the heat of summer, and feeling the relief when the last field is harvested. 

“The best part is when the crops are finally out of the field,” Parker says. “It’s like a weight is lifted. You know you’ve made it through another season.”

Parker isn’t the only one beginning to see the meaning behind this life. Maguire, Kyle’s youngest son, is 15 and starting to understand the bigger picture.

“Farming kind of keeps the world going,” Maguire says. “At my age, it’s important to see how it all works and why it matters.” 

For Kyle, hearing that from his youngest son hits home. The family farm has changed a lot over the years, especially in terms of technology and workload, but the heart of it is still the same. And that heart is what he’s most proud to share.

“When I was a kid, we’d milk cows and feed livestock, and then we were done for the day,” Rodney says. “Now, the work never really ends. But even with longer days, we wouldn’t trade this life for anything.”

Technology has played a big part in keeping the younger generation interested. Rodney says today’s equipment is so advanced it’s almost like having a video game in front of you. For Parker and Maguire, that tech adds another layer of connection to the work.

But it’s not just about the tools - it’s about the mindset. Planting a seed, caring for it, and watching it grow takes patience, belief, and a lot of heart. That’s something Kyle lives by, and it’s something Rodney still feels every time they head into the field.

What keeps Parker and Maguire connected to the farm isn’t just the work itself. It’s the meaning behind it. It’s the passion built up within the family over time. It’s the stories they’ve come to realize aren’t just tales from the past, but real experiences turned into lessons, and lessons turned into treasured memories. 

It’s the stories shared over fence lines, the quiet lessons learned riding alongside their dad, and the steady rhythm of a life built around seasons, not schedules. For them, farming is more than a responsibility. It’s a chance to walk in the footsteps of the generations before them.

There’s a special pride in working land that has shaped your family’s story. Kyle sees it in his sons - in the way they show up, care and listen. That pride started with Rodney, who still remembers planting his first field and says every harvest, no matter how many he’s seen, still feels like a small miracle.

“When you put that seed in the ground, you want it to do well,” Rodney says. “You stay with it, no matter what. Through good seasons and bad ones. And once you get it going, you just want to keep making it better.”

That sense of commitment is what keeps the Heiss family going. They know farming isn’t easy. Long hours, tough decisions, and years of trial and error are part of the deal. But so is the reward: Rodney and Kyle making it through another season as seasoned farmers, and Parker and Maguire learning through another year of growth. 

“It means something to be able to do this with your family,” Kyle says. “To build something together, to pass it on, that’s what makes it all worth it.”

There’s a quiet strength in the way the Heiss family works. They’re focused on a common goal, and it shows in the results after every harvest. They don’t seek recognition. They look for results. They believe in showing up, sticking it out, and leaning on each other when the work gets heavy. 

 “The faith of a farmer is doing it again next year, even when the last one didn’t go your way,” Rodney says. “You plant because you believe something good can still come out of the ground.”

That sense of purpose has quietly passed from one generation to the next. From Rodney to Kyle, and now to Parker and Maguire. It’s a way of life

 shaped by patience, hard work, and family.

What they’re building isn’t just a farm. It’s a foundation for the next generation to continue the lifelong legacy. A legacy rooted in family and tradition, with roots planted in 1928, and still growing stronger today. 

"It's a special way of life," Rodney says. "And I hope we can always keep it that way."