The Family
Frenzen roots run deep in the Cedar River Valley northwest of Fullerton. Galen’s great-grandfather Hans Frenzen, an immigrant from Germany, settled in the valley with his family in 1902. Galen’s grandfather Frank Frenzen came to the farm where Galen and his family now live on March 1, 1929. Other than for his years in college, this is the only place Galen has lived.
The Frenzens have always been in the cattle business. The first registered Herefords were added in 1952 as 4-H and FFA projects for Marlin and Galen. Commercial Angus cross females were added in 1968. Registered Angus made their appearance in 1979 when Galen married Gwen Logan, the daughter of the late Harold, Sr. and Dorothy Logan of Blackgates Angus Farms at Diller, Nebraska. Galen and Gwen’s family consists of their daughter Genna and her daughters Kiera and Kinsley Bremer, daughter Tessa, and her husband Cody Adams and their children Austry, Clint, and Cash, and son Eric.
The first registered Angus were a few select bred heifers purchased at complete and mature cow dispersions. Emphasis was on soundness, milk, fertility, and performance. Originally, Galen was in partnership with his brother Marlin, and lifelong friend, Dr. Loren Faaborg of Scottsbluff. Marlin passed away in 1992 and the partnership with Loren was dissolved in 1995. The operation is now owned and operated entirely by Galen, Gwen, and their son Eric. There are approximately 250 registered Angus, both spring and fall calving, along with 200 registered Polled Herefords. Farm land consists of irrigated and dry land corn and soybeans plus dryland alfalfa. Irrigation water is surface water permitted from the Cedar River.
The herd has always been rigidly culled with emphasis on fertility, calving ease, performance, milk, soundness, and positive carcass traits. No creep is fed to any of the calves and all cows are expected to bring in a big calf on their own and breed back with very little supplemental feed – except when the snow gets deep. Extensive A.I. has been used along with embryo transfer. All animals are ultra-sounded as yearlings for carcass information and EPD accuracy. Top herd sires have been purchased and sires have been selected from within their own herd.
An annual production sale is held the fourth Tuesday in March where spring, fall yearling, and two-year old bulls are sold. Also selling are select yearling and bred heifers, plus two-year old pairs. Females and club calves are also available at private treaty. Younger bulls are kept back specifically for private treaty later in the year. All sale bulls are genomically tested to improve the accuracy of EPD’s. We use EPD’s as a tool. We are not a numbers chaser.
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