For Travis and Nathan Dahlke, who spent Saturday in their father’s muddy farm field, it was just like old times.

They hauled and heaved and got plenty dirty for the better part of a day, just like they did when they were kids bailing hay on the family farm.

Their recent presence here, however, has a somewhat different purpose. And this time, they’ve brought a few busloads of friends to help out.

The Dahlkes, both graduates of Gustavus Adolphus College, have started an organization that grows food for area food shelves. Hands For Harvest recruits volunteers to help with the big job, as it has proven to be, of harvesting an acre of potatoes on the Dahkle family farm.

The brothers planted the potatoes last spring, and have slowly been getting the word out to family and friends. Their volunteer base, along with their spuds, has been growing.

More than 100 volunteers have come to either the spring planting or fall harvest, or helped with weeding and cultivating over the summer.

Ultimately, they’re hoping to contribute about 15,000 pounds of potatoes to several food shelves.

They’ve so far been working with two: Greater Lake Country Food Bank and Prism. They’ve also worked with the McLeod County Food Shelf in Glencoe.

The work has been hard, but the brothers say it’s been worth it.

“We grew up here, so we know it’s a lot of work,” Nathan Dahlke said, “but you’re out here with your family ... and a lot of our friends have been coming out regularly.”

Amanda Aamodt, Nathan’s girlfriend, said she’s enjoyed it so far.

“It’s been a really awesome experience,” she said. “It’s much different than living in the city.”

Peter Sonnek, who met the brothers through their Golden Valley church, said it was nice to get outdoors while helping out a good cause.

“I grew up on a farm,” said Sonnek, who grew up in Easton. “It’s kind of nice to get back out in the country.”

Friend Audra Hovick said Travis’ explanation of Hands For Harvest is what got her to come out.