Wagar Farms’ 191-Year Legacy: Family, Seed Sales & Service in Michigan

Following a tradition is like living history in real time. Mike Wagar, owner of Wagar Farms in Climax, Mich., likes things that way. He can be practical about certain foundational aspects of running his farm, knowing that sometimes you do things because that’s how they were always done.

“My dad and grandpa had certain ways that worked quite well for them, and I don't think there's a reason to always change the program.”

At 58, he’s starting to plan for a consultative role on the farm by the time he’s in his mid-60s. Like his dad and grandpa before him, Mike loves farming but has no desire to work until he can’t. He’s already handed over the day-to-day work in his seed business to his daughter Ashley and son-in-law, Kyle. He and his wife, Julie, have another daughter, Emily. Her husband, Brandon, farms with his family.

“Kyle and Ashley run the dealership,” says Mike. “It’s in my name, but they do it. And Ashley is coming back from town to farm with us, so we're excited about that. Kyle is a dairy nutritionist and will help with seed sales when he can.”

The Wagar family, left to right: son-in-law Kyle, daughter Ashley with their two kids, Kayce and Natalie; grandparents Jan and Chuck; Mike and Julie; Emily and Brandon; plus, Wagar farms employee Matt Bolhuis and his son, Ryker.

The family farms about 1,800 acres of corn, soybeans and wheat on land Mike’s parents bought in 1965. Wagars have farmed in Kalamazoo County Michigan since 1834, or for about 191 years, making Mike the sixth generation. He became a Dairyland Seed dealer by sticking with his district manager, Bob Purlee, who sold seed to Mike’s dad and grandpa.

“If Bob switched companies, we just followed him. No reason to change,” Mike says. “When Dairyland incorporated Brodbeck into its business, Bob asked if I wanted to be a seed dealer.”

Mike agreed but also thought Ashley and Kyle might be interested.

“Well, dad doesn’t really like to sell things,” Ashley says. “Although he’s the best at it.”

She and Kyle had just graduated from college and had jobs in town but figured they could make some extra income with the dealership and make new connections. “Logan Bracy, our new DSM, has been a big help getting me in front of more people. Having a great DSM is crucial for us.”

Mike agrees. “Our increasing sales come from what we call the ’Logan influence.’”

Kyle offers a simple formula for retaining seed customers. “Keep them happy. Retaining customers is like retaining farm ground. Keep them happy and you can keep them as a customer.”

Last year, customers were delighted with their results from DS4488V and DS-4510Q. “4488V was our lead hybrid for sales. That thing is an amazing hybrid for us to grow and sell,” says Mike. Popular soybeans varieties included DSR-2444E and DSR-2633E.

Dairyland Seed corn plot on Wagar Farms in 2025.

Mike heaps praise on Dairyland Seed’s Wabash service center and the role it plays. “If you’re short of seed, get a hold of Greg Montel, and you’ll have your seed in less than 36 hours. Everything runs smoothly there. Very few errors. The bags come in perfect condition. They work on our schedule. Right down to the guys who drive the trucks, they are all great people.”

Dairyland Seed, he says, knew what it was doing when they kept the same group of people from Brodbeck.

Mike’s career in farming began on a day in 1985 when his dad, Chuck, nearly died and couldn't work. Mike was 18. “He had a stroke. That kind of sealed the deal for me farming,” he says. His dad, only 46 years old at the time, wasn’t expected to survive. But after spending all that winter and part of spring in rehab, he recovered fully and returned to the farm. By then, Mike was settled in.

Chuck Wagar, Mike’s dad, sits atop his 560 diesel tractor with his dog, Iggy. The year is 1963.

But the experience compelled Mike to explore succession planning, something he’s been on top of it ever since. “The biggest thing that has changed from my dad’s era is the amount of time you use a lawyer. My dad survived and everything turned out all right, but it makes you aware. If you’re not prepared, you can end up in a nightmare situation.

“My family has never been the type to want to hang onto the reins too long. My dad always said he wasn’t going to work forever. My grandpa was the same way. He farmed through the Depression, and my uncle took over his operation when my grandpa retired as soon as he could draw Social Security. And then he drove tractor for my uncle and dad till he was 90. You could say it’s a family tradition.”

There’s another one, Ashleys says. “Grandma’s pie.”

“Oh yeah. Oh yeah,” Mike adds cheerfully. “There’s peach, Dutch apple, rhubarb.”

“She’s got to teach us how to make those pies so we can keep it going,” says Ashley, seemingly eager to add this tradition to her full plate.

Mike would love to see Ashley and Kyle run the operation someday. And he wouldn’t mind seeing his daughters and sons-in-law join forces. Regardless, he’s keen on one day being the guy who just makes management suggestions while Ashley make the final decisions.

“You know, that's kind of my goal. That's how my dad and grandpa did it and it worked quite well.”

There’s one task Mike isn’t waiting years to hand over. “The financial part, the book work. I’m the only one who knows it. Over the winter, I want to get Ashley up to speed on all that.”

Handing over duties can free up time for one of Mike’s favorite hobbies, studying U.S. history. His grandpa, “a history nut,” got him interested. As a kid, Mike enjoyed touring battlefields. On a recent vacation, the family visited Savannah, Ga. “It’s just like a living history site, one of the coolest places for me.”

Mike’s intrigued by the past. He searches Kalamazoo County history to see what farmers did 130 years ago. Sifting through birth records, military service records and auction billings can help him piece together pictures of past lives. If history repeats itself, Mike might just be better prepared for what lies ahead.

As for Ashley, she feels like she’s just starting to write her story. It begins with a BS in crop and soil science, a budding seed dealer business, a 125-acre farm she shares with Kyle, and some time-tested traditions.