Autumn Ag 2018

Starting from the soil

Healthy agronomics starts from research, P. 2 FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2018

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2018

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Starting from the soil

A future of healthy agronomics blossoms from research

By Hannah Yang

hannah.yang@austindailyherald.com

Beyond what could be seen by the human eye, researchers and students will have the opportunity to find out what makes a healthy crop through the nutrients found in soils around Mower County.

After launching the three-year soils research project earlier this summer, stakeholders, such as farmers and students entering into agronomic studies at Riverland Community College, will be benefited from the information that’s gathered in the studies inside the new soils lab that was unveiled in June.

The soils lab, now fully equipped, is in use by the Mower County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) for storing and analyzing soil samples that have been collected from dozens of plots that represented different types of farmland in the area.

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“Riverland stepped forward and allowed us to utilize the lab to begin our work. We hope to continue to utilize that facility at Riverland down the road.”

Steve Lawler Mower SWCD Soil Scientist “We simply, at our facilities, didn’t have the room,” said Mower SWCD Soil Scientist Steve Lawler. “Riverland stepped forward and allowed us to utilize the lab to begin our work. We hope to continue to utilize that facility at Riverland down the road.”

This type of partnership doesn’t only benefit the work done by the Mower SWCD, but also for Riverland Community College. Students will be able to research several soil-health practices, including

cover cropping and tilling strips on a field before planting, and no tilling to reduce erosion. These types of studies will also be able to be applied for improving agricultural practices in the region.

What’s unique is that while officials from the Mower SWCD research the soil samples, Riverland students in agronomy courses will also be able to work with scientists and get real life experience in soil health studies that are applicable to

actual issues that agricultural producers encounter when planning for their cycles.

“Soil is a breathing, living thing,” said Dan Hoffman, interim director of Riverland’s Center of Agricultural and Food Science Technology. “For students to work with it and collaborate with other agencies is in a completely different league than reading from a textbook. ...once you put students in an educational facility, that helps the research and verification of authentic data and getting that data that can be used.”

In 2017, The Hormel Foundation granted Mower SWCD $98,000 to conduct soilhealth research and to observe the benefits of incorporating cover crops and other practices into farming operations, according to a previous story.

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The project will match the grant— about $200,000—with state “capacity” funds that are given each year by the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, and in-kind services from partner agencies.

Within the collaboration between the foundation and Riverland, the soils lab became multi-purpose with desks, chairs, lab tables and more that are connected into the Center of Agricultural and Food Science Technology. With this accessibility, Riverland instructors, such as Nick Schiltz and William Mekeel, will be able to incorporate the labs into their classroom studies.

“We are excited to be partnering with the Mower SWCD, as they’re bringing resources that we alone couldn’t do, and hopefully we bring them access too,” Hoffman explained. “Having students touch shoulders with scientists, research and using the lab in education and lab activities, that’s where this comes alive to them.

They’ll go out into the industry to work, or back to their home farms, and apply the skills they learn and think about conservation, food production and agriculture.

They’re setting themselves up for a life of learning.”

The infor mation gathered by these s t u i d e s, l e d by L aw l e r, m e a s u r e d soil-property change over time could help researchers quantify typical soil

Justin Hanson, district manager for the Mower County Soil and Water Conservation Distirct, talks about the partnership between the SWCD and Riverland Community College at the unveiling for the new soils lab at the college in June. Herald file photo properties in agricultural use before land-use changes to gauge different conditions. “The SWCD and Riverland

have been partners for a long time on various areas of interest, including soil and water resources,” Lawler said. “It’s

kind of a logical thing for us to have a soil lab in our county that would be educationally based.”

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Rural Hollandale family enjoys homegrown

By Eric Johnson

photodesk@austindailyherald.com

There’s no doubt that Stephanie Winter has a lot on her plate.

There’s preparing for a new business downtown and a family winery in South Dakota she has a major hand in running.

And there is gardening. All of it adds up to a self-sufficient lifestyle that gives her family a healthy piece of mind.

She wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I’ve always wanted to be able to grow and can food, preserve things,” Winter said. “I went from being a little kid growing things with my mom to our own property where I could grow fruits and vegetables.”

Stephanie, along with her husband Travis and her children, Ambrose and Ryan, moved from Faribault to a small acreage north of Hollandale around six years ago.

Sustainable answer acre Newly introduced to continue research on soil health was Sustainable Answer Acre, an eight-acre research farm near Lansing that was offered by Northern Country Coop in collaboration with farmers, Mower SWCD, Riverland Community College and the University of Minnesota.

“The benefit of this is that we have a partnership among private, public and education institutions to address environmental concerns,” Lawler expressed.

“It’s a wonderful partnership and it’s not one-sided. It’s a collaborative and that’s the greatest thing about it. We show each

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Almost immediately, Stephanie set her sights on how she was going to utilize the land in terms of planting, which follows a lifelong attraction to gardening.

“I’ve always been into gardening,” she said. “I went to school for landscape design.”

It was freeing in a way, especially when Stephanie saw all the room she now had available as opposed to what she had available to her in Faribault. “… There was not a lot of space to mold a garden into something this large,” Stephanie said of their time in Faribault.

“I was able to do something I really love and it changed a lot for my family, too,” she continued.

It also meant that her family was able to change over to a self-sufficient lifestyle, something she had wanted for a while. It allowed the family a comfortable state of mind that they alone were accountable for:

growing their own food source.

“I know where it comes from,” she said.

“There are no pesticides and herbicides.

There are so many health risks when things are sprayed with chemicals. We make most of our foods from scratch, make our own meals.”

Among these benefits, of course, is the health of her family as well as spending less money on produce sold in stores.

“Our kids have taken to healthier foods and getting away from junk foods,” Stephanie said. “And the economy really pushed us in the direction to grow my own food. It pushed me into growing more.”

There is also one other benefit to growing so much.

Stephanie’s produce is spread over much of the property and it includes a 20 X 70 foot strawberry patch.

other that we can work together on sensitive environmental issues. There is no possible way that we can achieve goals and outcomes on our own without partnerships.” Sustainable Answer Acre aims to provide long-term research on environmental issues pertinent to the area’s agricultural producers, such as the effects of nitrogen in soil and nitrogen leaks and movements, according to Lawler. There’s hope that research can begin within next year and that researchers will be working with existing farmers in the acreage to use conventional farming methods, using best management practices.

“That testing, hopefully will begin next

spring,” he said. “This piece of land is being offered as an outside lab for Riverland students, who will utilize it beginning this fall when the soil science curriculum begins.”

A key aspect of Sustainable Answer Acre is bringing farmers and producers into the fold, as they’re the ones to implement agricultural practices, as well as “guiding” the testings of treatments that researchers are studying, Lawler said.

“They’re really going to guide the testing and treatments that we are going to study,” he said. “It’s largely guided by farm recommendations, soil health components, cover crops and fertility meth-

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Early preparations for Stephanie Winter’s garden, after the family moved in to their property north of Hollandale. Photo provided ods. Farmers will make use of those treatments.”

While much of this research is still in its early stages, Lawler hopes that this type of study will be beneficial to the food producers in Mower County.

“It’s this base data that will hopefully inform farmers on the decisions they make as they look at systems in soil health,” he said. “We just don’t have good base data and seeing if those decisions affects the soils, if at all. That’s the beginning of that study and the agronomic decisions made by local farmers. We don’t normally collect this kind of data, and it’ll be unique.”

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Dairy farm stress webinar series availabe for viewing Austin Daily Herald

newsroom@austindailyherald.com

Farming is one of the most stressful occupations in the United States.

This is particularly true for dairy farmers as they are experiencing an extended period of low milk prices.

To help dairy farmers deal with stress, the Four-State Dairy Extension Group hosted a series of three webinars that discussed how to recognize the signs of stress, how to deal with dairy farm families experiencing stress, analyzing a dairy for profits, the profitability of various dairy systems and what FINBIN says about production costs.

The webinars have been archived and remain available to be viewed through the Four-State Dairy Nutrition and Management Conference website at www. fourstatedairy.org/webinars.html.

The topics discussed in the webinars included: •Recognizing and Managing Stress in Dairy Farmers •Do you know your cost of production

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Stephanie Winter stands outside in her family’s backyard where a majority of their food is grown, giving them a piece of mind of where their food is coming from and its quality.

Webinars give farmers dealing with stress a chance to get much-needed information.

Metro Image

and where the dairy industry is headed?

•Making Production Decisions During Challenging Times The webinars were presented and sponsored by extension specialists from ISU Extension and Outreach, University of Illinois, University of Wisconsin and University of Minnesota.

For more information, contact Jim Salfer at salfe001@umn.edu or (320) 2036093.

Eric Johnson/Austin Living

That means a lot of food for her family, but it also means a lot of work. A 100 percent organic operation means a lot of weeding, the canning takes work, the harvesting, the planting.

But Stephanie sees the benefits. She sees the exercise and the well-being of being outdoors.

“Gardening isn’t just about being healthy,” Stephanie said in reference to the food itself.

“But the exercise as well. You’re getting satisfaction of just doing

Find this story and more in the SeptemberOctober Austin Living Magazine.

stuff all day long that changes you.”

With so many benefits to taking on this self-sufficient lifestyle, it’s hard to imagine that there is even more, but Stephanie insists there is and it has to do with her own peace and piece of mind.

“It’s kind of like my place of peace,” Stephanie said. “I don’t have to think of anything else.

Gardening is kind of my way of getting my thoughts out and focusing on gardening.”

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2018

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Manure to fuel? CenterPoint wants to sell you ‘renewable’ natural gas

By Cody Nelson MPR News/90.1 FM

Methane is one of the worst greenhouse gases out there for climate change — almost 30 times stronger than carbon dioxide.

But if CenterPoint Energy has its way, some of the would-be pollutant will become a renewable form of natural gas for customers in Minnesota.

The utility submitted plans Thursday for a pilot program to sell renewable natural gas to its Minnesota customers. It’s one of the first U.S. companies to try such a program.

If the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission signs off on the plan, CenterPoint could sell renewable natural gas in Minnesota next spring.

To create the renewable natural gas, methane is gathered from sources like decomposed landfill trash, manure or decomposing crops. It’s then processed and

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Centerpoint Energy is currently working on turning methane into a renewal fuel. MPR News refined into a form that’s chemically identical to traditional natural gas.

Most methane produced is released into the air directly or burnt off, adding green-

house gases to the air either way. Harnessing it as fuel would reduce those emissions.

Renewable natural gas would be more expensive than traditional natural gas at about $3.89 per therm compared to about 62 cents per therm. CenterPoint customers would decide how much to spend on the renewable natural gas each month, if the plan moves forward.

The reason to switch is for the environment. CenterPoint says swapping in renewable natural gas decreases greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 percent.

“We’ve heard from our customers that they want to have options for how they get their energy and that many of them are interested in using more renewable energy,” Nick Mark, CenterPoint’s manager of conservation and renewable energy policy, said in a statement. “I’m excited to roll out this innovative program for Minnesota customers interested in supporting renewable forms of energy.”

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Minn. man celebrates 50 years as dairy cattle judge Associated Press

GARDEN CITY — John Schroeder had gentle suggestions for a 7-year-old with tear-stained cheeks who made her first appearance in the 4-H judging arena.

“When you get big enough you want to hold her head up nice and high,” Schroeder told Emma Appel as she showed her dairy cow Jewel at the Blue Earth County Fair.

Emma was upset that her dad couldn’t make it to watch her but left the ring with a smile as Schroeder congratulated her on a strong first showing.

Emma was the only entrant in the division for the youngest dairy cow show competitors. Some of the other divisions also only had one entrant.

Julie Tesch, interim Blue Earth County 4-H program coordinator, said he was worried Schroeder wouldn’t agree to judge again this year when he learned there wouldn’t be many participants. But he didn’t hesitate.

“He replied, ‘I don’t care the size of the show. Those youth deserve the same opportunities as large counties and I am happy to help,’” Tesch told the Mankato Free Press. “That right there sums up

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John Schroeder.”

This summer marks Schroeder’s 50th year judging dairy cattle. It’s more than 50 if you count his years as a student judge.

The lifelong dairy farmer from rural Courtland got his start on the University of Minnesota judging team. He got his first invitation to be a professional judge soon after graduating in 1969.

He’s since judged approximately 350 shows, mostly for 4-H and FFA. For 25 years Schroeder also coached the New Ulm FFA dairy judging team, continuing after his own children were grown.

“I just enjoy talking cows and teaching kids,” he said.

He judges the bovines on how well their physical attributes match breed ideals.

He judges their handlers on how well they control and display their entry and how they answer questions about their animal.

“I have a passion for beautiful cattle and I like working with young people,” Schroeder said.

Schroeder has judged fair shows in twothirds of Minnesotan’s counties. He also has been to Wisconsin and South Dakota

a few times and judged at the Minnesota State Fair several times.

In his prime, Schroeder judged up to 10 shows a year. This year he’s down to two.

He’s warned Tesch that this year might be his last.

“My age is catching up with me,” he said.

Tesch said she remembers Schroeder judging her when she was a youth.

“I always remembered his kindness and helping me become a better showperson,” she said.

Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial 11th-grader Matt Thofson was named this year’s dairy show grand champion. The Vernon Center area teen said Schroeder gave him good advice on how he could improve his showmanship and which member of his herd he should select to take to the State Fair. “(Schroeder) comes from a dairy farm.

He’s seen a lot of cattle. He knows what to look for,” Thofson said.

When an aging body forces him to retire from judging, Schroeder said he will be content to come back as a spectator.

“Maybe it’s time for someone younger to step in,” he said. “I have done my share and have had a great time doing it.”

Minnesota Farm Bureau Continues Tradition at the Minnesota State Fair Austin Daily Herald

newsroom@austindailyherald.com

The Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) State Fair exhibit continues the tradition with the Minnesota Farmers CARE theme.

MFBF believes it is important to understand how food is grown and where it comes from. The display this year is focused on food labeling and helping answer the tough questions that involve food.

MFBF has created an opportunity where Minnesota farmers will be volunteering all 12 days of the State Fair at the MFBF building where fairgoers can meet farmers who are raising and growing their food and ask them questions.

This year’s garden theme is a pollinator-friendly flower garden to share the importance of pollinators in agriculture. Stop by the MFBF building to get ideas for your garden.

Adults and children can all learn something new about Minnesota agriculture. The State Fair runs through Sep. 3.

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Statewide sugar beet yields projected to be down about 4 percent

By Adam Belz Star Tribune

The Minnesota sugar beet crop is expected to be smaller this year, due to the long winter and rainy start to the summer.

Yield forecasts are down more than a ton per acre — a decline of about 4 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture — as farmers gear up for the fall harvest.

“We are looking at a smaller crop than average,” said Kyle Petersen, a farmer near Murdock and chairman of the Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative. “It is a definite issue, there’s no question.”

The cooperative’s pre-harvest, when

farmers start pulling small numbers of sugar beets out of the ground, will start in early September. Full harvest starts in early October, and the cooperatives are already looking for seasonal labor to help with the harvest.

The Southern Minnesota Sugar Beet Cooperative is now accepting online applications. Beginners can earn $12.94 to $13.94 per hour and should be prepared to work 12-hour shifts seven days a week in October. Seasonal jobs at several locations are listed on the cooperative’s website.

The long winter and rainy start to the growing season have been a problem for

corn and soybeans in western and southwester n Minnesota too, but soybean yields are expected to be up compared to last year.

According to the USDA’s latest crop progress report, yields for sugar beets are 29.3 tons per acre, compared to 30.6 tons per acre last year. When beets are planted later in the growing season, their tap root has less time to develop, which prevents the crops from gathering nutrients and hurts overall yields.

“It’s just a case where we’ve had excessive moisture,” Petersen said.

Northwest Minnesota, where the American Crystal Sugar Co. is dominant, has

been drier, and yields there are “at or above our five-year average,” said Tyler Grove, general agronomist for American Crystal.

American Crystal is also now taking applications for seasonal labor. Pre-harvest started a week ago to prepare for the larger crop.

If anything, beet farmers in northwest Minnesota and North Dakota would like to see more rain.

“This’ll be our third year of kind of dry conditions up here,” Grove said.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Among farmers, support rises for expanding federal Conservation Reserve Program

By Adam Belz

Star Tribune via Associated Press

One sticking point in the haggling over the Farm Bill is the Conservation Reserve Program, a federal payout to farmers for converting cropland into grassland.

U.S. farmers pulled millions of acres out of the program when corn and soybean prices were soaring in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Congress responded by lower-

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ing the national cap on acres in the program by 36 percent over the past 10 years.

But now, facing dismal commodity prices ahead of the fall harvest, farmers are looking to put more land back into conservation.

Theres a lot of support for raising the cap, said Thom Petersen, head of government relations for the Minnesota Farmers Union. It takes some corn and beans off

the market and its also good conservation.

Raising the cap may be difficult. Since 2007, Congress has lowered the nationwide cap on acres from 40 million to 24 million. Over that same period the number of acres in the program in Minnesota fell by nearly half, to just over 1 million.

What Ive been trying to do is figure out how to get more acres, said U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson, the ranking Democrat on the

House Agriculture Committee.

With the Farm Bill set to expire Sept. 30, lawmakers are trying to reconcile a House version of the bill that raises the cap to 29 million acres and a Senate bill that raises the cap only slightly, to 25 million acres.

Peterson said his staff was negotiating with Senate staff on Friday.

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Moe family honored for farm conservation Austin Daily Herald

newsroom@austindailyherald.com

The Moe family of Waltham Township, consisting of Rod Moe, his wife, Colleen, and daughter, Rachel, was honored as the 2018 Conservationist of the Year for Mower County by Mower Soil and Water Conservation District at the Mower County Fair’s opening ceremony on Aug. 7 Rod Moe started farming with his father in 1985 — the same year he graduated from high school. His family then built a house and started life on the farm in 1987.

Continued from Page 8 The House version is able to raise the cap more than the Senate version because it also aims to cut the cost of the program, said Peterson. He added the program in its current state is all screwed up.

The House version of the bill would require that farmers are paid no more than 80 percent of per-acre rental rates in their county for land in conservation. Now the government payouts in contracts usually 10 years are locked in according to a fiveyear Olympic average, which eliminates the high and low values and averages the rest.

Moe realized he would be losing rented acres for his farming operation when the landowner unveiled his plans to convert cropland into prairie.

When the landowner asked for his thoughts, however, Moe told him, “I’d be more disappointed if you didn’t put that land into the conservation program.

That’s what you should do with that land.”

That conservation-minded perspective has guided Moe in his farming for years.

This has involved Moe making changes to his farm that stand differently than oth-

er area farms and the way his late father, Richard, approached farming.

“Rod is a little bit of a different cooperator in that he has been quietly adopting conservation practices and transforming his farms into a sustainable model for what he thinks is the right thing to do,” said Justin Hanson, district manager for Mower Soil and Water Conservation District. “He embraces the challenge of figuring things out for himself and trying innovative ways to farm.”

Whats going on is were paying too much. Were irritating the farmers, Peterson said. Were paying way more for CRP than what the land is worth.

The other cost-saving measure in the House version of the bill is to force farmers to pay more of the cost of seeding the land with the grasses known as cover that are now required for the land to qualify for the Conservation Reserve Program.

Theyve been demanding that cover be all these mixtures that have $500- to $600-an-acre seed in them, Peterson said.

The reason that that has been successful is that the government paid 100 percent.

The House version of the bill stipulates that the government share only 25 percent of the cost of seeding the land with grass, though Peterson said its more likely to land at 50 percent.

Farmers are in favor of raising the acreage cap and generally agree that reduced payments per acre for the program make sense, said Bill Gordon, a farmer near Worthington. They want to ensure that when farmers do want to put acreage in conservation for soil and water quality reasons, they can.

I even have some land around rivers and streams that I want to put into buffer strips, Gordon said, that right now I

The Moe Family of Waltham was honored for Story continues through Page 10 their work in farm conservation. Photo provided cant enroll.

Lower payments to landowners who put their land in the program are what Peterson calls a market-based solution that will push only marginal farmland into conservation, rather than good farmland.

Dave Schwerin, a sugar beet farmer near Wood Lake, Minn., said thats important to him that the program doesnt compete with farmers for the land.

CRP should not compete with cash rent, Schwerin said. I dont want CRP to be raising my rent and taking good farmland out of production.

Adam Belz 612-673-4405 Twitter: @adambelz

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Troms named Mower County Outstanding Wildlife Conservationists Udolpho Township couple boosts wildlife habitat along Cedar River Austin Daily Herald

newsroom@austindailyherald.com

Mower Soil and Water Conservation District’s Board of Supervisors honored Ken and Gloria Trom of Udolpho Township as the 2018 Outstanding Wildlife Conservationist for Mower County. The award was given Tuesday, Aug. 7, at the Mower County Fair’s opening ceremony.

After renting land to area farmers for more than 50 years, Ken was seeing the green of oats and more than two dozen other plant species starting to sprout from the earth. Last year, the Troms enrolled the

Continued from Page 9 Today, Moe and his family farm about 800 acres, even though he works a full-time job during the day and helps with custom farming work in the area.

Especially since 2011, Moe has been significantly involved with conservation programs and practices, including nutrient-management planning; cover crops; strip tillage; and native grass buffers.

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last 96 acres of their cropland in Udolpho Township into the federal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) to convert it back into prairie earlier this summer, providing a large area of new habitat for numerous types of animals, birds and insects.

“I always had a vision for this land,” Ken said of the land he bought in 1961 as part of 120 acres overall. He saw the benefits of prairie a few decades ago when about 60 acres was enrolled for a time in a state conservation program.

Located northeast of the village of Lansing, the Troms’ property consists of 152 acres overall, including former crop and pasture land, their home property, and about 45 acres of woods along the Cedar

River that attracts lots of wildlife.

Upon purchasing the initial 120 acres, Ken planted five rows of trees on about three acres of uphill farmland once a conservation contract for that land ran out. That area now boasts a thick strip of mature trees and bushes, including white pines towering more than 100 feet tall.

While he intended to farm his land, Ken said he always rented it to farmers. He was busy with agri-banking and, in 1967, the Troms also started a landscaping and tree nursery business at their home that ran until 2001.

Over the years, Moe voluntarily established vegetative buffer strips on his land, including along ditches that aren’t under the new state buffer law. Earlier this year, Moe enrolled about six acres into pollinator prairie through the federal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).

Moe is also part of the voluntary Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that

encourages agriculture producers to enhance conservation systems by improving, maintaining and managing existing conservation activities as well as undertaking new conservation activities.

“He is the reason that we get into this line of work – to have the chance to work with people who operate with a high level of integrity and adopt conservation practices because they believe in their value,” Hanson said.

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Ken and Gloria Trom were named the 2018 Outstanding Conservationists by Mower SWCD. Photo provided

Local SWCDs annually nominate farmers, individuals, conservation organizations and other groups for implementing conservation practices and improving the natural resources.

The family will be honored, along with other Soil and Water Conservation District honorees, in December at the 82nd annual convention of the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

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Making the most of local produce Fresh, local produce is in its prime, making now the perfect time to take part in the farm-to-table movement. Whether you join a community supported agriculture (CSA) group or shop at your local farmers’ market, it’s easy to taste the elevated flavor profile of just-picked fruits and veggies.

Make the most of the season with these tips for storing, cooking and savoring fresh produce.

their peak, and plan accordingly.

Once you’ve shopped, prioritize your goods. Use tender greens and any ripe fruits and veggies right away. Roots, bulbs and squash tend to last longer and can be saved for later in the week.

Next, properly store produce to help to extend its life. If fridge space is limited, consider cooking down greens by either partially boiling or sautéing prior to putting them away, depending on what recipes you’ve selected for those items.

Plan, Prioritize, Prepare

Smoothies, Sauces, Soups

By StatePoint Media

Plan what produce you will purchase ahead of time. Many farmers’ markets and CSAs distribute eNewsletters or flyers that highlight what’s available. You can also search for seasonality charts in your region to get an idea of what items are at

Smoothies are a delicious, easy way to pack a lot of produce and nutrition into a meal.

And if you’re processing the toughest whole foods, like dark, leafy greens, be sure to use a high-powered blender such as the Ascent Series A3500, which offers five program settings,

Story continued from Page 10

In the mid-1990s, the Troms planted prairie grasses on a former pasture outside their home.

That section now attracts numerous monarch butterflies and other species.

They also have about a dozen bluebird

That business, he said, established many windbreaks in rural areas in Mower, Freeborn, Dodge and Steele Counties in Minnesota and Mitchell County in Iowa.

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including one for smoothies. A recipe for the “Everything Smoothie,” which incorporates a wide variety of produce found at your farmers’ market, is available at vitamix.com.

Take advantage of tomato season, preparing pasta sauces to enjoy now or freeze for those months when they aren’t readily available from local growers. Try adding red and green bell peppers, and even carrot shavings, to boost the nutritional value of a veggie Bolognese.

Soups make use of veggies now and later.

Warm weather calls for cool concoctions like gazpacho or cucumber dill soup. A cabbage soup that combines hearty potatoes, onions and carrots can be made for cool fall nights or stored in your freezer for winter.

Remember that nearly all parts of pro-

duce are usable. Vegetables like beets, carrots, kohlrabi and turnips have edible greens that make an excellent addition to morning smoothies or a nutrient-rich stirfry. Compost any remaining scraps.

Don’t be afraid of bruises or dents. Greens with slightly wilted leaves can be blended with a bit of water and frozen in ice cube trays for future use in soups or smoothies. If you see a great deal on fruit like strawberries or cherries, buy them and combine with sugar and pectin for an easy freezer jam, or dry them out for on-the-go snacks.

Shopping for whole foods at farmers’ markets or joining a CSA is an opportunity to help local farmers and explore your culinary interests. The availability of specific fruits and vegetables ebbs and flows; capture each at its peak to enjoy the bounty throughout the year.

houses scattered on their property; the Troms counted about 35 baby bluebirds last year.

Ken worked several years ago with the Cedar River Watershed District to construct two stormwater-water retention

ponds built along the Cedar River to stabilize deep ravines and treat runoff water.

A long-time member of the Austin chapter of the Izaak Walton League, Ken also has advocated at the state Legislature for agricultural conservation.

Use it Up

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2018

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2018 Princess Kay crowned Photos by Matt Addington Rebekka Paskewitz, a 20-year-old college student from Browerville, Minnesota, representing Todd County, was crowned the 65th Princess Kay of the Milky Way in an evening ceremony at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds on Aug. 22.

Paskewitz will serve as the official goodwill ambassador for nearly 3,000 Minnesota dairy farm families.

She is the daughter of Alan and Vicki Paskewitz, and attends the South Dakota State University, where she is pursuing a degree in agricultural education.

National Barrow Show Windsor chop dinner to be held Austin Daily Herald

newsroom@austindailyherald.com

The annual National Barrow Show Windsor pork chop dinner will be held Sunday, Sept. 9, in Austin.

Dine on a Hormel Windsor pork chop, coleslaw, baked beans, dinner roll and beverage, all for just $10 per person. The meal will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., in the Plager Building on the Mower County Fairgrounds. Tickets for the dinner are available for purchase at the door on Sept. 9.

The meal is organized by the Austin Area NBS Committee. Event sponsors include Austin Hy-Vee Food Store, Minnesota and National Pork Board/Pork Check-off, Austin Holiday Inn and Con-

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2018

ference Center, Days Inn, Y-Waste Removal, Riverland Community College-Ag and Food Sciences, Mower County Fair Board, Austin Area Chamber of Commerce, and Discover Austin.

All proceeds from the lunch help offset expenses associated with hosting the National Barrow Show in Austin. The 72nd annual show will be conducted Sept. 8-12, at the Mower County Fairgrounds.

The National Barrow Show is held annually by the National Association of Swine Records, and is assisted locally by the Austin Area NBS Committee. The local group is comprised of representatives from several organizations, including the Mower County Fair Board, Austin Area Chamber of Commerce and Discover Austin.

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DANIEL O’DONNELL, GRAND JUBILEE SHOW, A TRIBUTE TO FRANKIE VALLI & THE FOUR SEASONS, DIXIE STAMPEDE DINNER SHOW

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