A thousand acres, a few good friends, and a whole lot of faith are keeping a 105-year-old farmer going just south of the border.

Earl Mallinger operates a 1,000-acre beet farm outside Oslo, Minn., where he was born in 1917. Through the years he's seen a lot of good and bad while working the land, including plenty of years with difficult flooding along the Red River, he tells WDAY TV from Fargo, N.D.

"We had six in a row and nine in 11 years," Earl said, talking about the big floods he's seen over the years.

As he's gotten older he hasn't slowed down. In fact, he just gave up the game of golf at the age of 102. He finds his way most mornings to a local diner where he meets up with friends to visit and plays cards every day as well.

"Remember that God is in control. You have got to have Him with you."

He calls himself a "windshield farmer" now as he mostly checks the land and crops from his truck. But at the age of 105 he is Crystal Sugar's oldest producer, WDAY says. "I don't like to be alone, I like to be out with people and look at the crops," he says.

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"I like the fresh air for one thing and I like to see the crops grow and see what God has done. A fella has to have a lot of faith when you have a little seed and you get a crop like this."

Mallinger tells AgWeek that he's seen it all over the years, from farming with animals to using modern equipment. He says that he would encourage young farmers to work hard and keep God at the centre.

"If you didn't inherit land from your parents, start small. Work hard and don't spend too much money and you'll be successful," he says. "Remember that God is in control. You have got to have Him with you. Also, don't forget to stop and smell the roses. I didn't work much on Sundays and I still made a good living."

Oslo, Minn., is approximately 175 km south of Winnipeg, just off of I-29.

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h/t: CBN News