The story of Zink Farms began when Doug's great-grandfather, Gustav Zink, first came to America from Germany in 1888.  He eventually filed a homestead claim in Foster County, North Dakota, in 1893, and purchased the northwest quarter of the same section a few years later.  He and his wife, Anna, had six children, all born in the little 12X16 house that had been purchased with the property.

     As the years passed and the original Zink farm grew, Gustav's son Oscar (Doug's grandfather) decided to purchase a farm of his own nearby -- a half section of land near Carrington.  Oscar and his wife Elaine raised their family of four children there, one of whom was Virgil, Doug's father.  Oscar was always looking for ways to improve his farm and farming methods, and Virgil was constantly working by his side. 

     When Oscar and Elaine moved to town in  the late 1960's, Virgil took over running the farm.  By that time, the farm had increased substantially, and Virgil and his wife Illa continued to prosper there, raising five children, one of whom was Doug, the current owner and manager of Zink Farms as we know it today.

     After getting a degree in economics at NDSU, Doug started seriously farming with his dad in 1981.  He began buying nearby land of his own, and rented more and more land as it became available.  Today he farms over 20,000 acres in and around Foster County, North Dakota.   Doug's goals, along with his wife Brenda's, have always been to learn and use the latest technology, equipment and knowledge to improve their farm and farming methods.  Those goals, along with hard work and close attention to

agri-evolution, have made Zink Farms the success that it is today.