2025 President’s Cup Winners – Carl & Linda Montgomery

Idaho Farm Bureau Federation's 2025 President's Cup Winners - Carl & Linda Montgomery of Eden, Idaho

I'm Carl Montgomery. I've been farming in Eden in Jerome County, Idaho.

And I’m Linda Montgomery, his wife, and we've been married 55 years.

Carl: I grew up on the same farm that I've farmed for my 55... well, for the 55 years plus. My grandfather bought that farm in about 1914 and the Montgomery's have farmed it since.

Linda: I was born and raised in Jerome County and I always said I would never marry a farmer, but he went to a Farm Bureau event and that's how we connected.

Carl: It was a county Farn Bureau banquet about 1969, no 68? Yeah, Yeah, 68 right out of college. We didn't meet at the banquet. There was a flyer for this singles group, and she was part of the group that organized that singles group. And so, when I went to that first meeting that's when we first became acquainted.

Linda: I was working for the Jerome County School District and there was probably 25 of us that were single and in those days you didn't go any place alone. And so we formed this group. We went bowling, dancing, plays, movies and then we just kind of connected. And then I went to work for Carlin Gold in Newmont Gold in Nevada, and he came down to see us a couple of times and we came back and got married.

Carl: Our farm has been in the family for about 110 years. I think I first drove a tractor when I was about four years old, and it just progressed from there. As I got older, dad had more jobs for me to do and I loved doing it. And over the years I did more and more stuff. I was involved in 4H, I showed black angus steers, as well as some crops sometimes, and in FFA. I knew I wanted to farm. I went to the University of Idaho, got my degree in plant science and agriculture.

Carl: They were building I-84 through southern Idaho, and they wanted to build the freeway where it is now. So it went through the farm, it took a number of farmsteads out there. Our farmstead was one of them that had been there. We had corals and a couple houses and everything. The whole thing is gone, except Dad had one pear tree, or peach… apricot tree I guess it is… that was too far away for the 500 feet that the freeway needed. It still

stands. The entire farmstead was moved to where it is now. We moved it east and up the hill.

Linda: I was raised 6 miles north of Jerome on a dairy farm. And then my father retired and we moved to town. Through high school I always worked for Image King Company as a bookkeeper, or started his Safeway at $0.25 an hour checking groceries. During this time I attended business college, got a degree in accounting, did some graduate work at the Idaho State University, became the bookkeeper and administrative secretary for the Jerome School district. And then I volunteered for the Valley School District for 30 years as the PIO officer. I've been qualified as a professional volunteer because of the organizations that I've worked with. I have sat on South Central Public Health District for almost 35 years, the longest one in the state of Idaho, and I also serve as a director at large of the National Association of Local Boards of Health. It's a good example for your children by my volunteering with the schools and the different organizations. My children have been able to see what it is to give to others.

Linda: We have a son, Ken, who is married to Darci Fremer. We have one granddaughter, Alaina, who's 20, is currently studying in Italy. We get pictures and Facebook time from her from Italy almost weekly. Our daughter (Mary Lynn) is working for the State Department in Washington DC right now. Her next post will be in Casablanca in Morrocco for three years and this is why she's in DC learning Arabic. It will be her fourth language. Our son is the founder and executive director of Design Tech High School in San Mateo.

Carl: And that school has done very well. It's been recognized nationally and internationally for what it's doing.

Linda: And this is how they're giving back, and they claim it's because of the example that we gave them of giving to others.

Between Carl and I in our 55 years of marriage, either one or both of us have been on a county, district or state board. When Carl was a county commissioner, Jerome County Farm Bureau's bylaws prevented any elected official from serving, so he stepped down as president and about two years later I became county president for Jerome County. It was the first time a woman had ever been selected into that position, and I remember Bill Brown always asked me what it's like different to be a county president, and be a female? And my response is to him, ‘There isn't the line at the break times because I was the only female at county president meetings.’

After all these years what do you admire respect most about your partner in this adventure?

Linda: You should go first so I know what to counter. -Laughs - What I admire most about Carl, his ethics. He always takes the highest road. He's been an example of great pride for his children. His easygoingness, we’re opposite personalities. I am a get it done person. Let's do it now. He's the one that says it'll work, it'll work. This type of thing, so we kind of complement each other. We had a philosophy when we got married, he earns the money and I spend it… Is what I do and I am more efficient than he is and such, but he's never… If he ever gets mad, I'm not only leaving the state of Idaho, I'm leaving the country because it's going to blow up. I've never seen him mad. – Laughs -

Carl: I look, with what she just said, I would say we complement each other very well. She, when she sees something needs to be done, it needs to be done, and it needs to be done right. And if I mess up a little bit, she makes sure I get it straightened out. There are a lot of things I would not have done, I probably wouldn’t have done some of the things in Farm Bureau if it hadn't been for the fact that she says you should do that, I think that'd be a good idea. It's just… it's a good relationship.

Who gets the last word when you guys are?

She points at him - Laughs

Carl: Uh…

Linda: My fingers were crossed.

Carl: OK, that's fair, because… Laughs

Linda: We usually come to a mutual agreement.

Carl: My time in Farm Bureau has been very good for me for a number of reasons. It expands my horizons. I understand more what's going on in other sectors of the agricultural community, which is important and some of my positions gave me a chance to do some traveling with some, like the governor's trade missions and some of those things. And that gives you a better feel for not only what's going on in agriculture, but other cultures. It's been real good for me. I hope I've given back to the organization as well. Obviously, we've been involved in Farm Bureau for 50 years and we've been in almost every facet of it. It's great appreciation for the fact that they're recognizing us for what we've done.