Farms are slowly vanishing from the local landscape, but the Borger Farm in Kunkletown marks 20 years and three generations of family to help farm owner Jeff Borger.

The farm is famous for its sweet corn stand at the West End Fair. Borger works with his sons, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren. There is no shortage of help to run the stand.

“I have so many memories of coming to help get the stand up and being at the fair working. It never seemed like work,” said daughter-in-law Alyce Borger.

When asked why he wanted to be a farmer, Borger said he was always involved with it because he grew up on farms and was always helping.

In the early ’70s he bought the farm where his family was living and started to farm on his own.

Although he knew how hard the work would be, at the end of the day when he stopped and looked at all he had accomplished he said, “I always felt good.”

Few farms can make a living just off their farm, most of the farmers have a side job to help pay for health insurance and other expenses, Borger said.

“I really don’t think people realize what it takes to make a living farming,” he said. “You are at the mercy of the weather, on the growing season, too hot or too wet and the selling prices. I mean friends who are farmers that I know they’re all up in age and very few have passed farms down to their kids, but even then it’s difficult for them to keep it.”

“I think our area here and especially Monroe County does very little for farm people, it is all about promoting tourism,” he said.

Fortunately, there are some farmers like the three generations of the Borgers who realize farming and agriculture is essential to sustain our planet.

“When the farms are gone they are just gone,” Borger said.