The love story of Megan Ternquist (Red River Farm Network, Grand Forks, North Dakota) and her fiancé Tanner Overby started in the streets of Binford, North Dakota. Labeled as the “Biggest Little Town in ND,” the town hosts a professional bull-riders event every June. Neither are exactly sure how they ended up talking, but they are sure glad they stumbled into one another. The two drove around after the bull ride to check out the crop, disagreeing about the supposed “waist-high” corn with Overby testing Ternquist’s knowledge of every small grain field along the road. Little did he know he was talking to a born-and-raised farm gal. Needless to say, their future date nights involved romantic tractor rides in the hayfield and long walks through mud-filled pens chasing cows. The couple’s future changed forever on a frigid, minus-30°F North Dakota day in January 2019. Ternquist was in New Orleans for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association convention when she received a message from Overby’s brother: Tanner was preparing to feed cows by greasing the feed wagon when both of his hands became entangled in a chain. He was life-flighted to St. Paul, and Ternquist rushed there to be by his side. From that moment on, the two knew life would never be the same, and they became closer than ever. Next, fast forward to August 2019. After 13 surgeries, a month-long stay in the hospital, and countless follow-up appointments later, Overby is back to a semi-normal life back on the farm. And now, jump forward a few more months to August: it was a typical Friday after work for Ternquist, who was helping Overby haul hay. The first load had already been unloaded, but for some reason Overby needed help with the next. With an uncertain look on her face, Ternquist agreed to help and walked around the truck to find Overby down on one knee, proposing marriage. She said, “YES!” and the rest is history. The couple will wed in June 2020 and plan to make their home on the Overby farmstead near Binford.
