Jeanine Flatten was just 19-years-old when she started working for the local USDA Farm Services Agency (FSA) office.
Her dad, she said, had been to town, heard that the office was hiring and came home to tell her to go down and apply. She was in secretarial school at the time, so she thought she’d at least go and see what the job was about. It was a good job with great pay, especially for a rural area and she loved the people she’d be working with. Flatten has been with the agency ever since.
“I’ve loved the benefits, the pay, the gig. In a small town, it used to be one of the best gigs to get. And it’s been fun to serve the farmers of Moody County,” she said.  
This next month, however, will be the end of a 37-year run.
Flatten will retire one month after coworker Joe Knippling, who has been with the office himself the past 33 years, retires as well. Knippling, once Flatten gave her retirement date, set his own. He said he didn’t want to be in the quiet, small office just east of the Courthouse square, without his longtime coworker.

His last day at the office is this Friday.
“I’ll miss the staff, I’ll miss the farmers, but I won’t miss the computer,” said Knippling, with a chuckle.
Knippling found the job with the local FSA office in 1990 because he wanted to continue to work with farmers but get out of the field, literally, himself — he had decided to quit farming and needed another career. He interviewed for the job he currently holds as well as a position in another FSA office. He stayed locally, he said with a smile, because he was hired here first.
Knippling and Flatten together, along with the rest of their team, have since helped countless farmers throughout the region with their visions and goals for their operations. Nationwide, FSA and NRCS staff provide support to producers through disaster assistance, safety net, farm loan, and conservation programs.
This week and next month however, their job will be to clear their desks to make way for those who will follow in their footsteps. Knippling plans to travel and otherwise enjoy not having to be near a computer.
Flatten laughed and said she isn’t sure what’s next, she’s still trying to figure out what she wants to do when she grows up. But she’s going to miss some of the work, most of the farmers, and none of the stress.
As the two wrap up their time with the local FSA office and celebrate, an Open House is planned for this Thursday from 4:30 to 7:30 at The Merc in downtown Flandreau. The event is open for anyone that might want to stop by and wish the team well and celebrate a job well done.