Alumni Profile: Brent ’02 and Marykae (Christiansen) Broberg ALND ’02

Brent ’02 and Marykae (Christiansen) Broberg ALND ’02 found their way to Concordia Nebraska through a combination of family ties and sports. Brent played basketball for the university, and Marykae played volleyball. 

Brent has a bachelor of arts degree in biology from the university. They both said that the lifelong friendships they made at the university are priceless. Brent cites former Concordia Nebraska basketball coach Marty Kohlwey for helping him to be honest with himself and figure out what he really wanted to do with his life. 

“My time at the university helped my faith grow,” he said. “It was great to be around others who shared their faith without hesitation.” 

Brent has been farming and ranching since graduation day, he said. Born and raised in Tilden, Nebraska, Brent returned to his family farm with Marykae after their time at Concordia Nebraska to raise Charolais cattle, corn and soybeans. Brent and his father Loren own their Charolais cattle herd together. They hold an annual purebred Charolais bull production sale each February. 

“My time at the university helped my faith grow. It was great to be around others who shared their faith without hesitation.”

In 2014, Brent and Marykae founded Broberg Organics, LLC, a USDA-certified organic worm casting production company. After a downturn in the hog market, Brent was researching alternative opportunities and wondered if they could use their old hog buildings to raise worms to sell for bait. But instead of raising worms for bait, he became interested in vermiculture: the intentional cultivation of worms used to break down organic materials as part of a composting process called vermicomposting. During digestion, beneficial microbes are transferred from worms into their manure, called castings. Purchasing 28 2 ½ gallons pails of worms of African night crawlers led to a lot of trial and error and experimenting with worm types and worm bedding, but the Brobergs now offer worm castings for agriculture, landscaping, organic companies and home gardening. Broberg Organics products are used widely by organic farmers and the hemp industry. Worm castings are sold in one ton super sacs. 

An excellent soil building fertilizer, worm castings are organic and odor free. The castings improve soil structure and aeration and promote microbial and bacterial activity. Safe for pets and children, worm castings can be used for vegetable and flower gardens, turf, soil enhancements, soil amendments, large and small scale farms or indoor farming. 

“We are blessed,” said Brent. “I am my own boss and am free to go to my kids’ activities. Also, I help feed the world.” 

Brent and Marykae have been married for 22 years. They have three daughters: Karlee, Miley and Sadie. Brent coaches youth basketball, and Marykae coaches youth volleyball. They are active members of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Tilden, where both Brent and Marykae volunteer extensively. 

The biology program at Concordia University, Nebraska is a home for students who want to pursue their chosen vocation not for the sake of wealth, but for the sake of the Kingdom of God and the people He has placed here for us to serve. Classes and labs are taught by faculty with the highest degrees in the biological sciences who are committed to education and their students.