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2 • october 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

ANKATO M

FEATU RES september 2012 Volume 7, Issue 10

magazine

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24

16

Tricks, treats and tips A few sweet suggestions for your Halloween festivities.

The march of time Robb Murray explores the real Halloween horror: Seeing his kids grow another year closer to outgrowing Halloween.

36

A Mankato pioneer Marvin Nichols died 74 years ago in a tragic lab accident at Minnesota State University. This month, we remember his legacy.

Hidden treasure MSU’s Darlene and William Radichel Herbarium houses 10,000 species of plants in the heart of campus.

On the cover: Ashly Schmaltz of North Mankato-based HalloweenCostumes.com cooks up this month’s cover. Many thanks to the company, which also provided makeup, costume and props.

Photo by Pat Christman MANKATO MAGAZINE • october 2012 • 3

ANKATO M

DEPARTM E NTS

magazine

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6 From the Editor As leaves fall, celebrations rise 9 From the kitchen Canned pears 10 Familiar Faces Rick Otto of Zanz Mexican Restaurant 12 Artist Insight Ruth Koestler 27 That’s Life Channeling Gomie 28 Garden Chat Say it ain’t so Garlic Lady!

30 Places in the Past Farm hands: Antique farming methods 32 Things to Do, Places to Go Events to check out in October 34 Good Health Safe driving at night 35 Happy Hour Fall is the time to down sloe 44 The Way It Is Long time gone

Coming up in the November issue of Mankato Magazine ...

Can you smell what the Mankato Magazine is cooking? What better month than November — when kitchens everywhere are filled with the smells of roasting meats and baking sweets, and families across the land give thanks at the table — to celebrate food?

We’ll take some tips from pros who know.

We’ll enjoy foods from Paris to Mexico. We’re planning a feast.

And we’re hoping you’ll join us at the table.

34 4 • october 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

35

COUNCIL FOR THE

MANKATO magazine

september 2012 • VOLUME 7, ISSUE 10 PUBLISHER EDITOR ASSOCIATE EDITOR

James P. Santori Joe Spear Tanner Kent

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Nell Musolf Pete Steiner Jean Lunquist Grace Webb Marie Wood

PHOTOGRAPHERS

John Cross Pat Christman

PAGE DESIGNER

Christina Sankey

ADVERTISING MANAGER

David Habrat

ADVERTISING ASSISTANT

Barb Wass

ADVERTISING DESIGNERS

Sue Hammar Christina Sankey

CIRCULATION DIRECTOR

Denise Zernechel

Mankato Magazine is published monthly at 418 South Second St., Mankato, MN., 56001.

To subscribe, call 1-800-657-4662 or 507-625-4451. $19.95 for 12 issues.

For editorial inquiries, call Tanner Kent at 344-6354, or e-mail tkent@mankatofreepress.com.

For advertising, call 344-6390, or e-mail mankatomag@mankatofreepress.com.

6 • october 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

From The Editor

By Joe Spear

As leaves fall, celebrations rise Autumn appears to be one of the most celebrated seasonal transitions in Minnesota’s four-season year.

It’s surprising in a way. Conventional wisdom would suggest people would be more excited about the winter-to-spring transition after we endure the hardships and hassles of a Minnesota winter.

But people just seem to celebrate a bit more in the fall at things like harvest festivals, Oktoberfests, and of course, Halloween, the holiday that appears to grow exponentially every year for commercial activity. People also find ways to party every Sunday in autumn courtesy of the NFL and local pubs.

The autumn weather offers a more definitive transition as well. The leaves change color without fail, even though they change at different times and are either bright of subdued depending on the amount of rain we’ve had.

The natural transition in spring is less definitive. You don’t really know if the snowfall is gone for sure until sometimes late May. You could be mowing your lawn on April 1 like this year, or not until June 1. There is no hallmark spring holiday either. Memorial Day has more to do with the beginning of summer.

We always seem to be able to count on several weeks of pleasant fall weather.

We haven’t really been hit with an October snowstorm since 1991, and that was on Halloween. Sometimes there are great days in early November.

So in this month’s edition we’re moving through the autumn landscape both figuratively and literally. Our feature on Farmamerica — the Minnesota Agricultural Interpretive Center — shows via live demonstrations how agriculture had become so much a part of southern Minnesota.

The center aims to give people “a sense of the history and a caring about the tradition and how the tradition provides a basis for the current lifestyle,” says Executive Director Jim Gibson.

“The connectivity between past and present and future is tenuous,” he says.

It’s a statement that’s all too true, and regrettably so. History at the very least informs the present and leaves people with an appreciation of those who came before to build the place we now know.

In the 1860s, Blue Earth County farmland went for about $1.25 an acre.

Latest prices have been in the $5,000 to $8,000 range, numbers that suggest farming has become even more important to the region than we may recognize on a daily basis.

While places like Farmamerica help us respect the traditions of the past, the Halloween holiday allows us to celebrate traditions of the past in new ways.

The annual Halloween party at Pet Expo in Mankato draws dozens of people and their pets in for a night of treats, activities and a costume contest. Connie Murray of Pet Expo reports about 120 entrants at last year’s event.

Tom Fallenstein helps those revelers do it right with his business in North Mankato. His company hires nearly 800 temporary employees to help process costume orders.

“We ship all over the country,” Fallenstein says. He notes presidential years are even better because masks of scary politicians are in high demand.

There appears to be no shortage of those folks this year.

So there seems to be a certain enthusiasm for autumn events wherever you are. People seem to be finding a reason to celebrate the waning daylight hours in a sort of odd anticipation of winter. It’s almost a dark, logicchallenging kind of celebration.

Have at it. M Joe Spear is editor of Mankato Magazine. Contact him at 344-6382 or jspear@mankatofreepress.com.

October Almanac

This day in history

Brochures Annual Reports Catalogs Magazines Posters Hard and Soft Cover Books Direct Mail and More!

Oct. 8, 1908: The Free Press reported that the small town of Lafayette (population: 300) was “visited by a disastrous conflagration” when half of the downtown business district burned in flames. The fire started in H.J. Molitor’s drug store when workers were boiling a large kettle of tar for the roof. When the fire erupted, the town’s gasoline fire engine was not Courtesy of Nicollet County Historical Society. working and it took 30 minutes to The aftermath of 1908 fire in Lafayette. get water on the fire. Damages were estimated at $50,000 with eight businesses and three family homes lost.

Oct. 12, 1923: A guilty verdict was handed down for Mrs. Earnest Mahlke, who was convicted of third-degree assault for apparently turning a garden hose on Bobbie McGuire, the 23-month-old child of a neighbor. Witnesses gave conflicting testimony, but the jury ultimately agreed that Mahlke sprayed the child with a hose after he walked across her lawn. Mahlke, who denied the allegation, said she caught the child pinching a piece of her freshly baked pie. Even after discovering the pilfer, Mahlke said she offered only a light reprimand and never turned the hose on the youngster.

Oct. 21, 1924: Alderman F. J. Mahowald “sprung a sensation” on the Mankato City Council when he accused police chief Phil Lundmark of distributing contraband whiskey to his police officers. Mahowald made his comment during the meeting after Mayor W. A. Beach denied a license to operate a soft drink parlor to a man who had been acquitted of a theft charge and convicted of speeding. Beach said the man was unfit for the license and Mahowald responded with his accusation, offering as evidence the fact that he knew personally one of the officers who was given whiskey

by Lundmark. After the meeting, Beach told The Free Press that Mahowald should have brought formal charges “like a man.” Mahowald stood by his comment and Lundmark chose not to comment.

Oct. 24, 1901: Oliver Lovett of Madison Lake was arrested for attempting to derail a Chicago & Northwestern train as it traveled through Eagle Lake by placing a tie on the tracks. The conductor was able to avoid a crash because the coating of frost on the rails allowed the train to push the tie aside. Apparently, Lovett was disgruntled after being discharged from his job with the rail line the previous year. The Free Press account described him as one “who looks like a hard-working man with not much brain power to spare.”

DIY Showcase

Corporate Graphics Your Printing Solutions Company

1750 Northway Drive North Mankato, MN 56003 800-729-7575 8 • october 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE www.corpgraph.com

With fall under way, do-ityourselfers will have plenty of time to contemplate — and complete — their next projects. For some relatively simple furniture ideas, look for an old door to find inspiration. Jackie Hoehn, of Stone Valley General Store in St. Peter, is an expert in repurposing vintage items into one-of-a-kind treasures. She offered this idea for turning an old door into an entryway bench: 1) Find a solid door with no windows or cutouts.

2) Find an old end table with a drawer and remove the legs.

3) Fix the end table to the bottom of the door to serve as a sitting bench; Hoehn likes to have the drawer pointing to the side.

4) Upholster the end table, or simply add a pillow, for comfortability.

5) Add functional flair with coat hooks or a mirror.

Pinterest photo

From

the

Kitchen

By The Washington Post

Rewarding subject: Canned pears

C

anning is an activity that continues to empower home cooks.

Talk about rewarding: You can sail past the produce department’s rock-hard tomatoes, extend the shelf life of your farmers market favorites and reduce your household’s food costs and waste; and when was the last time you turned down a gift of DIY dilly green beans?

Aviation Pickled Pears Makes about 5 pints or 10 half-pints Pickling is a great way to preserve fruit for use in sandwiches or as hors d’oeuvres, as you would a sweet cucumber pickle or cornichon. These pears pair well with an aged Comte cheese or spicy Sottocenere cheese.

The syrup here tastes like an Aviation cocktail, with juniper berries and lemon complements. It can infuse and flavor even the most ho-hum-tasting fruit.

MAKE AHEAD: You will have leftover syrup, which can be strained, if desired, and used to macerate sliced fruit or in cocktails. The jars can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year. Adapted from “Jam On: The Craft of Canning Fruit,” by Laena McCarthy (Viking Studio, 2012).

Ingredients 5 cups sugar 2 cups apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar 1/2 cup water One 3-inch piece peeled fresh ginger root, diced (a 3-ounce piece) 1 vanilla bean, split 2 ounces creme de violette liqueur 20 whole cloves 20 whole juniper berries Peel of 1 lemon, cut into 5 or 10 pieces Peel of 1 orange, cut into 5 or 10 pieces 4 pounds pears (about 8 1/2 cups peeled, cored and thinly sliced) Steps Wash and rinse 5 pint jars or 10 half-pint jars; put them into a stockpot with a rack or towel inside; cover the jars with water (by an inch or so) and bring to a boil over high heat; turn off the heat.

Let the jars stand in hot water until you are ready to fill them.

Place new lids and rings in a small saucepan and cover with several inches of water. Heat over medium heat, but do not let the water come to a boil; turn off the heat. Let stand in hot water until you are ready to use them.

Combine the sugar, vinegar, water, ginger, vanilla bean and creme de violette in a 6-to-8-quart nonreactive (glass or plastic) pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Reduce the heat to medium and boil gently for 10 minutes.

Discard the vanilla bean (or dry, reserve and add to a jar of sugar

to make vanilla-infused sugar).

Drain the jars, lids and rings.

Place 2 to 4 whole cloves, 2 to 4 whole juniper berries, 1 lemon peel slice and 1 orange peel slice in each jar. Pack the pear slices tightly into each jar, leaving a generous 1/2 inch of headspace at the top.

Ladle the hot syrup into each jar to cover the pears, still leaving 1/2 inch of headspace at the top of each jar. Use a clean chopstick to gently stir the contents of each jar, releasing any air bubbles.

Wipe the rims of the jars so they are free of any food particles or syrup. Place the lids on the jars and gently tighten the rings.

Return the water in the pot (used to sterilize the jars) to a boil over high heat, with the rack or towel still inside. Use a jar lifter or tongs to place the jars upright in the boiling-water bath, making sure there is at least 2 inches of water above the jars.

Process for 12 minutes.

Use the jar lifter or tongs to transfer the jars to a countertop to cool completely. Once cooled, the lids should be slightly depressed at the center; that is the sign of a successful seal. M MANKATO MAGAZINE • october 2012 • 9

Familiar Faces

Interview

by

Tanner Kent Photos

by John

Cross

Rick Otto (right) has owned Zanz Mexican Restaurant in Mankato for 25 years. Running the restaurant has been a family affair. His business partner is wife Marie Simmonds while daughter Molly Otto (left) is a manager.

The secret to success

Mankato’s Mexican mainstay, celebrates 25 years — and one terrific Chilito

H

ow to describe the Cheese Chilito at Zanz Mexican Restaurant?

They are timeless, remaining relatively unchanged during Rick Otto’s 25-year tenure as owner. They are unique, as Otto claims no one has yet to duplicate the taste. And they are 10 • october 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

delicious. Why else would people buy them in bulk and store them in the freezer until the next time they visit Mankato?

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of Zanz Mexican Restaurant, the Mankato Magazine asked Otto to share some of the experiences and insights he’s collected as the owner of the

Madison Avenue icon.

He shared plenty — but don’t ask for the Chilito recipe.

That’s one secret he won’t share.

Mankato M a ga z i n e : Can you tell me a little about the history of Zanz in Mankato?

Rick Otto: Z a n z Mexican Re s t a u ra n t opened in 1974 as Zapata, part of a chain of fast food restaurants.

About 10 years later, corporate changed the name to Zantigo. In 1987, Pepsi Cola acquired the Zantigo chain of 90 stores and converted them to either KFC, Pizza Hut or Taco Bell.

MM: How and why did you decide to become the owner?

RO: I started working at Zantigo in 1977. I met my wife there; she started in 1975. When we found out Zantigo was for sale, we had to purchase it. If not, it would have been closed.

We felt the quality of food was far superior to any other fast-food Mexican restaurant. The younger customers had nicknamed us “Zanz,” short for Zantigo. We purchased the restaurant on June 1 and changed the name to Zanz Mexican Restaurant MM: You’ve now been the owner for 25 years. Can you share any secrets, or lessons you’ve learned along the way?

RO: Yes: fresh, quality ingredients. We use only top-quality, namebrand ingredients and only 100 percent real cheese. No imitation cheese and no cheese sauce. We believe if you put out a quality product, people will come in for it.

MM: What makes Zanz different than other Mexican restaurants?

RO: Like I said before, top-quality, name-brand ingredients and we cook our taco meat, Mexican beans, mild and diablo Chili, rice and even our enchilada sauce on site and from scratch. Nothing comes from a commissary. We even fry our own chips, taco and tostada shells.

Zanz Mexican Restaurant is a Mankato icon known for its Cheese Chilitos.

MM: What is your most popular food item?

RO: By far, the Cheese Chilito. Other restaurants have tried to copy it but no one can. In fact, in 1987 when Zantigo disappeared, the Minneapolis Star & Tribune had a contest to see if any one could duplicate the Cheese Chilito. But no one could.

MM: Your Cheese Chilitos have gained a cult-like following. I’ve heard stories about people buying them in bulk to take back home for their freezer. Are those stories true? And, why do your Chilitos taste so good?

RO: Yes, those stories are true. They can be frozen and reheated in the microwave. I wish I had kept track of how many states our chilitos have traveled to. I bet it’s at least 38. I had one customer who lives in Texas buy 100 chilitos and ship them to her son who lived in Florida. We do not ship for liability reasons, but it can be done.

MM: The simple, unchanged decor at Zanz has become almost as well-known as the food. Is there a practical, or artistic reason for keeping the decor as it is?

RO: We have a lot of customers who come in and reminisce about their college days and love the fact that we have not changed anything. So, we decided not to change the decor.

MM: What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

RO: Serving second- and third-generation customers and meeting new ones. Holidays are especially fun to work and greet our old friends coming back to town to visit family and us. M

MANKATO MAGAZINE • october 2012 • 11

Artist Insight

By Nell Musolf Photos

by John

Cross

Natural rambler Artist, thrift store manager does a little bit of everything

R

uth Koestler describes herself as a “rambling, random artist.” But to any observer, a more apt description might be jack of all trades and master of many.

Koestler, a petite brunette who bubbles with enthusiasm for life, is an artistic personality who has tried her hand at a wide variety of mediums over the years.

“It seems like I’ve dabbled in all areas of arts and crafts over the years,” Koestler observed. “I’ve done scrapbooking, jewelry making, watercolor painting, photography, calligraphy, sewing and ceramics. In the 1990s I made and sold wood crafts.”

Koestler’s artistic preferences range from painting masters to local talent featured at the State Fair. She majored in art while in college at Minnesota State University and minored in photography.

She recalled that no one else in her family had a great deal of interest in artistic pursuits and considers her gift for creativity a fluke — but one she is grateful to have. While growing up in the small, central Minnesota town of Eagle Bend, Koestler entered every contest that her art teacher told her about and also kept busy with extracurricular activities at her school, especially play productions.

“I was always involved in the behind the scenes’ aspect of school plays such as set design,” Koestler said. “Once I got to college I was focused on drawing, painting and photography.

After college my focus was on crafts.”

Koestler’s artistic bent came in handy when she owned a painting business with her husband in the early 2000’s. Koestler had attended a faux finishing class while in Nebraska and was able to incorporate what she learned into helping out with the family business.

“I used faux finishes and also hand painted murals into our work,” Koestler said. “I loved the options, techniques and results of faux finishing.” While she has enjoyed trying out and learning how to do numerous different art forms, Koestler stated that she is most fond of photography. She bought her first camera, a Canon, when she was fresh out of high school and photography became a hobby that she immediately enjoyed. Koestler is especially fond of getting outside and shooting nature scenes and subjects such as flowers, grapes, pine trees and sunsets figure prominently in her work.

“There is always beautiful subject matter in nature,” Koestler said.

12 • october 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

Ruth Koestler bought her first camera — a Canon — when she was fresh out of high school. Photography is just one of her creative pursuits.

Koestler has gotten more involved with photography over the past decade and has done senior pictures and weddings as well shooting whatever nature has to offer.

Koestler also employs her artistic skill as the manager of the Neighborhood Thrift Shop in North Mankato.

Koestler thinks of what she does at the store as “hands on” art work that is probably closer to interior design than any other art form.

“I do all the displays and lay out the

merchandise,” Koestler said. “When I started working there, I wanted to bring our store to more of a boutique style than it had been before.”

Koestler’s touches can be seen throughout the Neighborhood Thrift Shop and she credits the three years she spent as a professional organizer as a big help in assisting her mission of making the store as shopper friendly as possible.

“We’re a smaller thrift store in the area so we’re hoping to create our niche through what we do with our proceeds,” Koestler said. The Neighborhood Thrift Shop is operated by PACT Ministries (People And Christ Together). With a goal of providing low costing clothing and household items to people in the community, PACT purchases food including fresh produce to distribute to people in need.

“Monthly, we feed between 200 and 500 people through our Food for All program,” Koestler said.

Koestler has lived in Mankato for 30 years. She plans to continue trying new art forms, keeping up with her photography and making the Neighborhood Thrift Shop a great place to find reasonably priced clothing and household goods. Most of all, Koestler plans to live by what she believes and what she believes is that life matters.

“I have a quote on our refrigerator from Erma Bombeck that goes like this, ‘When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would have not a single bit of talent left and could say, I used everything you gave me.’” Opportunities, time with people, gifts and abilities all qualify for making the most of what we’ve been given,’” Koestler said. M

North Mankatoan Ruth Koestler describes herself as a “rambling, random artist.”

Tricks, treats and tips for Halloween fun

By Nell Musolf

Trick or treat we scream and shout Halloween is all about Halloween, Halloween Such a spooky time!

— Children’s Poem It’s that time of year again when children — and more than a few adults — are looking forward to the spookiest night of the year.

In Mankato, there’s more to Halloween celebrations than mere candy corn and carving pumpkins. Celebration ideas abound, from scrapbooking opportunities to costume parties for Fido.

14 • september 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

Photos courtesy HalloweenCostumes.com

Tom Fallenstein, CEO of HalloweenCostumes. com in North Mankato, said political masks always sell in election years.

Superheroes and mythical creatures remain popular with youth.

Mankato, said that his company hired approximately 800 t e m p o r a r y employees to help process all of the costumes orders for H a l l o w e e n .

Fallenstein reported that the company does 80 percent of its business during the two months prior to Halloween.

“We ship all over the country, but for people living in Mankato we do offer free, next-day shipping,” Fallenstein said.

Fallenstein also noted that since this is an election year, he expects that political masks will be even more popular than

t s r i f s e m u Cost

O

f course, one of the most important things to do before Oct. 31 rolls around is find just the right costume to wear on the big night.

While many people like to make their own costumes, those of us less adept at sewing must rely on HalloweenCostumes.com and Halloween Express for help.

Tom Fallenstein, CEO of HalloweenCostumes.com in North

usual.

“We sold a lot of Obama masks in 2008,” he said.

At Halloween Express, manager Josh Turner noted that political masks don’t do quite as well with the patrons that he sees. “We sell a lot to kids and college students,” Turner said.

“They aren’t that interested in political figures.”

Turner said that police officers, fairies and superheroes have been big sellers at Halloween Express. Costumes for couples are also popular.

“We do see a lot of couples coming in looking for outfits. We have a ball and chain costume, ketchup and mustard and Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head that are popular with couples,” Turner said.

Get in the m

Montgomery Orchard Corn Maze

The Montgomery Orchard has a two-part corn maze that covers six acres. Orchard is open Fridays-Sundays and corn maze is open through Halloween weekend. Visit www.montgomeryorchard.com for more information.

Michael’s DIY mini albums

Keep all your Halloween memories in a safe place with Michael’s free craft class on making a mini album from paper lunch bags.

Held 2-4 p.m. on Oct. 14 at Michael’s, 1901 Madison Ave. For more, call the store at 507-386-0333.

Farmamerica haunted maze and mill

Ghosts and goblins are in the air at Farmamerica, 7367 360th Ave., in rural Waseca. Haunted corn maze and feeding mill from 6:30-9:30 p.m. on Oct. 12, 13, 19 and 20.

Also, celebrate Halloween the old-fashioned way with pumpkin carving, magic shows and trick or treating during Farmamerica’s All Hallow’s Eve Party noon-4 p.m. on Oct. 27.

ood

St. Peter Halloween Fun Run

The St. Peter Recreation Department’s annual walk/run includes prizes for best costumes. Event held on Oct. 27.

Visit www.stpeterfunrun.com for more information.

Pet Expo annual Halloween party

Refreshments, open swim and costume contest for pets.

Held 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Oct. 30 at The Paw pet resort, 1741 Premier Ave. in Mankato. Adult tickets are $5 and children are free.

Welsh Heritage Farms events

Cider pressing demonstration, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 7; Make your own caramel apples, all day, Oct. 14; Sample Day on Oct. 21; and Pumpkin carving contest on Oct. 28, adult and kids divisions, $100 top prize.

MANKATO MAGAZINE • october 2012 • 15

Time to par

S

o, once you’ve picked out your costume and you’re all dressed up, where do you go?

Well, if you have a pet that is chomping at his leash for a night out, there’s the annual Halloween party that is put together

by Pet Expo and held at The Paw pet resort. Connie Murray, of Pet Expo, said there are vendors as well as refreshments for both pets and their owners, an open swim for pets and a contest for best costume.

“It’s huge,” Murray said about the costume contest. “Last year I think we had over 120 entrants.”

Pet Expo sells costumes and Murray said this year the store is offering Little Red Riding Hood outfits, pig costumes and chicken suits, to name a few.

“People really get into it,” Murray said. “It’s been a great party for the past few years and we’re looking forward to another great one this year.”

But, of course, you don’t have to rely on other planners for a great Halloween party.

Decorate your basement, garage or living room with crepe paper streamers and balloons. Plan traditional activities like bobbing for apples, or try something a little more mysterious by offering Tarot card readings or playing with a Ouija board.

For added flair, use a witches’ cauldron and some dry ice to serve drinks (being careful to not let the dry ice touch guests’ skin or cups).

ty

For decoration, Jackie Hoehn, of Stone Valley General Store in St. Peter, said she’s taken old branches or driftwood and attached hanging ghosts for a wall decoration.

Make your own spooky specimen jars by adding a drop of yellow or green food coloring to a jar of water and inserting toy rats, spiders, insects, eyeballs or skulls. Add a haunting presence to a mirror by using a knife to cut out the shape of a ghost on the back side of frosted window film. Apply the film to the mirror and let the haunts begin.

But Halloween themes can go beyond Halloween parties.

For people who are tying the knot around Oct. 31, they might want to consider using pumpkins as part of their wedding décor.

Lu Erlandson of Sisters Bridal and Tux in New Ulm said that decorated pumpkins are always popular for autumn weddings.

“People spray paint pumpkins shades like ivory or copper to make them look more elegant,” Erlandson said. “They have even made them look like they’re smoking by putting dry ice into them.”

While the majority of wedding parties don’t pick orange and black for their colors, Erlandson said leaf colors do very well for fall weddings.

e f a s g n i Stay

T

he city of Mankato’s website offers the following safety tips for trick or treaters:

• Wear a costume that makes it easy for you to walk, see and be seen.

• Be sure your costume is short enough to avoid tripping.

• Use reflective tape on your costume so people driving cars can see you.

• Carry a flashlight.

• Try to use makeup rather than a mask.

• If you wear a mask, take it off before crossing a street.

• Plan your trick-or-treat route ahead of time, picking streets that are well lighted.

• Tell your family on which streets you will be trick-or-treating.

• Have a parent, older brother or sister go with you.

• If possible, trick-or-treat while it is still light outside.

16 • october 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

• Cross only at corners.

Never cross the street between parked cars or in the middle of the block.

• Walk on well-lit streets and stay on the sidewalk.

• If someone older cannot go with you, trick-or-treat with a group of children.

• If there is no sidewalk, stay as far left of the roadway as possible and walk facing traffic.

• Wait until you get home to sort, check, and eat your treats.

• Throw away any candy or food that is not wrapped and sealed by a candy or food company.

• Notify your parents and the police if there are any suspicious treats - treats meant to harm you.

s r o v a f y t Par Sweet-tooth satisfaction

For those who want to enjoy the delicious flavor of pumpkin this fall, a trip to Caribou Coffee might be in order. Patrons can enjoy such tasty treats as pumpkin lattes and pumpkin white chocolate mochas. Caribou Coffee uses pumpkin puree so the taste you’re getting is the real deal.

But you don’t have to leave the house for a taste of Halloween.

Here are some easy recipes for ghoulish treats:

Cobweb Cupcakes Makes 24 servings

Ingredients 1 package (18.25 ounces) devil’s food or yellow cake mix 2 (2.1 ounces each) Butterfinger candy bars, chopped 1 container (16 ounces) prepared vanilla frosting 1 cup (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate morsels 1 small tube white decorator icing or gel 1 package (1.38 ounces) chocolate-covered peanuts Instructions Prepare cake mix batter according to package directions; add chopped Butterfinger to batter. Bake according to directions for 24 cupcakes. Cool completely. Frost cupcakes.

Place morsels in small, heavy-duty plastic bag. Microwave on high (100 percent) power for 45 seconds; knead. Microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, kneading until smooth. Cut small corner from bag; squeeze to pipe concentric circles on top of frosting. Using wooden pick or tip of knife, pull tip through chocolate from center to last circle to create a cobweb effect.

Make two dots using decorator icing on each of 24 chocolatecovered peanuts to resemble spider eyes. Place in center of each cobweb.

Monster Mix Makes: 8 cups

Ingredients 2 cups oven-toasted corn cereal 2 cups miniature pretzel twists 2 cups cheese crackers 2 cups peanuts 3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper Instructions Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine cereal, pretzels, cheese crackers, and peanuts.

In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients; mix well.

Pour seasoning mixture over cereal mixture; toss until cereal mixture is thoroughly coated then spread onto rimmed baking sheets.

Bake 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove snack mix from oven and cool completely. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Just for adults

Waiting for the trick or treaters to ring the doorbell provides the perfect moments for savoring an adultsonly treat:

Pumpkin Martini

Ingredients 1 ounce pumpkin liqueur or pumpkin-flavored syrup, plus extra for dipping cinnamon, for rimming glass 2 ounces vanilla vodka 1 ounce Sylk cream liqueur Dip the rim of a chilled martini glass into the pumpkin liqueur, then place the glass rim-down into the cinnamon until the rim is coated.

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the vanilla vodka, cream liqueur, and pumpkin liqueur or syrup, then shake vigorously for 15 to 20 seconds.

Strain into the rimmed glass and serve.

Makes one serving.

MANKATO MAGAZINE • october 2012 • 17

Remembering a Mankato pioneer Marvin Nichols died in a tragic lab accident in 1938 — leaving behind a legacy of kindness and community welfare

By Tanner Kent 18 • october 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

Photos courtesy of Doug Johnson

The Nichols family pictured in 1922, some 16 years before Marvin’s death.

His wife, Mary Louise, is pictured in the middle with daughters Helen and Marian in front. At left is Mary Louise’s sister Marjorie.

F

or a while, it seemed no one would forget Marvin Nichols.

The man whose vast knowledge of sanitation and science helped transform Mankato’s public health system was wellknown in his lifetime. He was a longtime teacher at Mankato State Teachers College, an active Freemason, a community health pioneer, a friend to the downtrodden and devoted family man.

When his life was claimed in a lab accident in September 1938, The Free Press carried stories for a week about his life, accomplishments and last rites. Upon his death, students renamed a classroom in his honor. Later that month, Nichols Park narrowly lost to Tourtellotte Park in a naming contest for Mankato’s newly constructed public park on the north end of town.

Even 20 years after his death, Nichols remained a visible part of the community when the college affixed his namesake to its new applied arts and sciences building.

But eventually, the college moved to the top of the hill. Nichols Hall became the Nichols Office Building, which in later years was viewed as a lumbering, inefficient structure. County officials were actually prepared to raze it in 2009 before VINE Faith in Action submitted an ambitious plan to renovate the building into a multilevel adult community center.

But when the college left, and classrooms were replaced with office cubicles, the name staked on the facade became just another name, a n o t h e r building to be managed and m a i n t a i n e d , Marian Nichols, Marvin’s daughter, pictured outside the a n o t h e r family’s home on Fulton Street in Mankato. Marian, like many other members of the family, rarely talked about M a n k a t o the accident that caused Marvin’s death. pioneer buried under the patina of time.

By that time, the Nichols family had long since stopped talking about the accident. For his wife and two daughters, the death came too soon, its circumstances too tragic, to discuss with MANKATO MAGAZINE • october 2012 • 19

friends or family.

Even Nichols’ grandchildren knew little about the man who gave so much for Mankato.

“Every time my mom started to talk about it, she’d start crying,” said Doug Johnson, son of Nichols’ eldest daughter Marian. “She just couldn’t do it.”

Last lecture When “Dr.” Nichols, as he was affectionately called by students, stepped into his classroom on Sept. 9, 1938, he was the longest-serving teacher on the staff at Mankato State Teachers College by three years.

A native of Yorkville, Ill., Nichols completed graduate studies at the University of Illinois and then the University of Minnesota. In 1908, he accepted his first job in Mankato.

Just three years later, he assumed the head of the college’s physics and chemistry department. When that program folded in 1917, he pioneered a hygiene and sanitation class that became a required course for all students. In the class, he mixed lectures on physiology and general sanitation with contemporary and public health issues.

But his labors went far beyond the classroom.

For many years, he managed the school’s athletics and extracurricular activities. Even after he gave up coaching, he remained a trainer. He also served as the de facto campus physician, taking an intense interest in the well-being of every student on campus.

In a remembrance of his life written shortly after Nichols’ death, colleague A.B. Morris writes: “(Nichols) knew the health condition of practically every student enrolled in the college and was tireless in his efforts to make it possible for each student to make the maximum physical improvement as an essential part of his training for teaching.” Little could Nichols or his students have known that Sept.

9, 1938, would be the beloved instructor’s final day in the classroom.

‘I thought he’d live’ On the fateful day, Nichols was lecturing about chemistry. Specifically, he was showing students how to dilute concentrated nitric acid, a highly corrosive substance used today as an oxidizing Photo courtesy MSU archive

A classroom located in the former Nichols Hall, which was built in Marvin Nichol’s honor in 1958.

Today, it is an office building and site of VINE Faith in Action’s future adult community center.

20 • october 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

Photo courtesy of Doug Johnson

In addition to serving as an instructor at Mankato State Teachers College, Marvin Nichols was also the coach and trainer for many of the college’s athletic teams, including the basketball team. Nichols is pictured in the middle of the back row. agent in rocket fuel.

During his demonstration, the large jar of acid slipped from his hands, breaking apart on a stone ledge and spilling its toxic contents on his trousers and shoes.

The news account in The Free Press states that the “powerful acid burned through his clothing quickly and attacked the flesh on his legs.”

At his direction, students applied a neutralizing chemical and he was rushed to a hospital.

Despite the severe third-degree burns on his legs and feet, he stabilized and his condition seemed to improve. His daughters who had rushed home to Mankato from Iowa State where they were attending college were sent home with the expectation their father would fully

recover.

He did not.

Five days after the accident, his condition suddenly darkened.

A series of blood transfusions were of no avail and he died before noon the next day.

Sallie Stockdill, Nichols’ granddaughter, said her mother

spoke little about the accident. In fact, most of what Mary learned about her grandfather came from old news clippings she found while going through her mother’s effects after her death.

“My mom hardly ever talked about it. But when she did, she always spoke of him very lovingly.”

Photo courtesy MSU archive

Nichols Hall as it appeared shortly after its construction in 1958.

Marian never really recovered from the shock.

“No one ever talked about it because the accident was so horrendous,” she said. “My mom always said, ‘I thought he’d live.’”

More than just a professional But Nichols left far more than just a professional legacy.

The family’s home on Fulton Street was adorned with a so-called “kind-hearted woman” sign. The simple wood etching depicting a cat was once a well-known signal to the hobo community that those within would provide a hot meal and helping hand. Nichols garnered a reputation in town for being such a good Samaritan.

“My mom would tell stories about the hobos coming to the house and eating dinner on the back steps,” Doug said of his mother Marian’s recollections. “Her dad always gave them a plate of food.”

He also developed a side business of selling his prize-winning gladiolas and dahlias.

He was a frequent lecturer at colleges and communities around the Midwest and was remembered as a reliable community advocate and organizer.

“I’ve always been told he was always giving of his time and extremely generous,” said Mary Wood, whose mother, Helen, also

A sign like this one stood outside the Nichols home and signaled to the needy that they could inquire within for a hot plate of food and a helping hand.

Rmember always So, too, did the others who knew him.

In Morris’ written tribute dated Oct. 18, 1938, he remembers Nichols’ efforts to start the Blue Earth County Public Welfare Association in 1924, one of the first such public health agencies in the state. He praised Nichols’ thoroughness and wrote that “the work which he has done will stand as a lasting memorial.”

After his death, Mankato State students dedicated that year’s school yearbook to Nichols’ memory: “To one who was with us and is gone; whose progressiveness of spirit is with us still; whose years of service to this school and this community promoted the physical well-being and mental health of its people; and, above all, whose contagious enthusiasm for his work and constant kindness and toleration for the opinions of others led to pleasant relations with his students and his co-workers, we dedicate this edition of the Katonian, and the year of progress in college life which it attempts to signify.”

Nichols is buried in Glenwood Cemetery. M

Adult community center slated for Nichols building Earlier this summer, VINE Faith in Action moved one step closer to its renovation of the Nichols Office Building.

In July, VINE announced it had met the $1.7 million fundraising target put in place by the Blue Earth County Board of Commissioners. With that target met, the board agreed to sell the building for $1. The Nichols facility, which would replace the space-cramped Summit Center operated by VINE, will be an activity center for physically vital retirees and midlifers.

The total estimated cost of the Nichols renovation is around $4 million and includes: warm water pool, technology center, fitness center, coffee shop, yoga studio, game room, multipurpose rooms and a padded walking track (to name a few).

The capital campaign had more than 1,400 donors. The very first donation was a $1 bill given to them by longtime volunteer Dave Breiter. It was his dollar that was handed over to the county as payment for the Nichols building.

Blue Earth County had abandoned the structurally sturdy but aging building several years ago and was looking at a costly fee to demolish it until VINE saw it as a remedy to Summit Center’s inadequacies. VINE officials are hoping to get the building completed by the fall 2013.

To learn more, visit www.vinevolunteers.com.

MANKATO MAGAZINE • october 2012 • 21

Reflections

By John Cross

22 • october 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

Come October in southern Minnesota, plants are living on borrowed time.

At the forecast of first frost, avid gardeners might do their best to protect the growing season’s last blossoms, to give the not-quite-ripe tomatoes still hanging heavy on the vine a chance to sweeten up.

But otherwise, theirs is a fate pre-ordained.

On average, frost nips at plants in this part of Minnesota sometime in the first few days the month.

And by Oct. 23, according to University of Minnesota data, there is a 90 percent chance that overnight temperatures will have fallen to 28 degrees

by Oct. 10, and 24 degrees by Oct. 23.

While the flowers and tomatoes soon will be history, the end of the growing season is not without its benefits: Gone, too, will be the mosquitoes.

MANKATO MAGAZINE • october 2012 • 23

The march of time:

The real Halloween horror

By Robb Murray

T

he other night I watched what was, to me, the scariest film I’ve seen in years. And I was part of the supporting cast.

It was a simple home movie. A happy family carving pumpkins on the kitchen floor. My daughter was 7. My son was 4. Me, I was 40 pounds lighter, 40 shades less gray and still looked ... OK. And my wife and I were negotiating through what would appear to the untrained eye the most hilarious eight minutes of home video we have.

It is the only known footage of my daughter, Emma, having a tantrum. Why the tantrum? It’s simple. She wanted to carve the image of a mouse into the last remaining pumpkin we’d lugged home from Jim’s Apple Farm. Or was it Kopischke’s Pumpkinland?

Doesn’t matter. Point is, she’d already carved two and was intent on carving a third.

That pumpkin, however, wasn’t hers to carve; it was her little brother’s.

She was obstinate, though, and we were at an impasse. Being good parents, we fashioned a compromise: We’ll let Sam do his Spider-man eyes, and let Emma designed the nose and mouth.

She refused. And what followed was an unforgettable stream of finger pointing, exclamations of hate, bold predictions of finally striking off on her own, and threats to destroy not only the evidence, but also the equipment used to make it. Eight minutes of pure gold, all caught on tape.

So why have I filed this home movie in the “horror” section of my private collection?

As you all know, Halloween is approaching. And there are few holidays I like more than Halloween. I love everything about it; 24 • october 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

disguises, candy, walking dark streets filled with kids finally getting to experience the night they’ve waited months for. I love it all.

But as I watched that film, I suddenly remembered a bit of sad news I’d gotten the other day. Emma informed me that one of her friends would no longer be joining the annual trick-or-treat caravan we assemble for our evening in lower North Mankato. I know, I know. She’s 15. By 15, a lot of kids have long since given up that rite of fall. But she’s not just any kid. She’s MY kid — a kid who has had anxiety attacks in the past because she doesn’t want to grow up. Worse yet, I’m the most emotional person I know. The March of Time is my worst enemy. As much as I look forward to those milestones in life and celebrate them — driving, starting high school, etc. — they also scare the hell out of me.

Watching that film and hearing the news made me think back a few years. We’ve always taken Halloween pretty seriously around here. And, thanks to my wife the costume architect, the kids have rarely gone with ordinary costumes.

Last year, Sam reprised his role as a giant eyeball, complete with veins and that red stuff that apparently attaches the eye to the rest of the head. He’s also gone as a box of puppies, he being the big puppy in the middle of the box with a passel of other puppies tucked all around him. One year he insisted on getting a “real costume,” the kind you get at the store. He opted for the guy from “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” I had to admit, it was pretty good. And although his mock chainsaw irritated his buddy, Noah, I thought it was awesome.

My daughter last year went as a sack of money. At first, it

sounds like it wouldn’t be that interesting. But it was; it looked exactly like a sack of money, complete with a rope cinching the top and giant dollar sign on the front. One year she went as a hippie. But the best costume she ever had was the box of popcorn, another Amy Murray concoction. Emma was so proud, and she couldn’t wait to get on the streets that night and walk from house to house. Problem was, walking wasn’t exactly easy wearing a narrow, red-and-white-striped box. And when she fell, the hole cut in the top almost served as sort of guillotine, and she couldn’t exactly use her arms to break her fall. She didn’t lose her head,

but she lost a few tears.

Good times.

Strolling down memory lane got me thinking a little bit about my own trick-or treating days. Anyone who knows me knows my harrowing story of how my candy got stolen by a group of area thugs. I’d gone as Gene Simmons from KISS that year. Might have been my best costume ever! But as my best friend Kenny and I rounded the corner of Nevada Street and Prosperity Avenue, I knew that collection of scum smoking cigarettes and decidedly not trick-or-treating didn’t bode well for us. They stole our candy, and I retreated home minus my sack of bitesized Snicker bars and Laffy Taffy, the black makeup my sisters had painstakingly applied to my face now a black, streaked mess running down my tear-soaked face.

It was like something out of bad nightmare, my nightmare, only there’d be no waking up from this.

The only thing I woke up from that night was my fantasy that these things didn’t happen. I knew there were bad people out there, but I guess I never really understood that it was possible to get mugged a half block from my own home. It was like a loss of innocence, a watershed moment in my understanding of how the real world operated.

My sister Shelley bailed me out that night. After I returned home a skeleton of the boy I was when I left the house that night, she decided we were going to collect the sad remains of my dignity and head back out. With my sister’s help, I recovered a respectable amount of candy, even if my pride remained a bloody corpse at the corner of Nevada and Prosperity.

Yet despite the Halloween Night mugging, I still keep that memory in a good place. Why? Emma Murray in her hippie costume, several years after her starring role in the infamous Halloween tantrum video.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Inimitable costume-maker Amy Murray is to thank for these homemade costume gems.

Because it still takes me back to a time when nothing was more important than going trick-or-treating, when the most pressing order of business for the day could be deciding how to design a Jack-O-lantern, and any night spent trick-or-treating was a good night, even if you got mugged.

Those were the days when time stood still. Or so I thought.

We all get older, of course. Eventually, it becomes un-cool to put on a silly costume and go door knocking for sweets. Time is better spent hanging out with buddies, getting lost in music, getting lost in the smile of that girl you thought didn’t know your name. These things happen. Time marches on, and when it does, most of us are unaware that it’s dragging us along with it, and that we’ve left a few things behind.

I don’t even remember my last year of trick-or-treating. It kills me to say that, but it’s true. I don’t remember it. I don’t remember my last Halloween costume as a kid, or who I hit the streets with.

Those memories are gone.

So as I watched that home movie, I felt nostalgia, I laughed, I cried. But I also felt terrified. It’s sort of like those horror films 26 • october 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

when you can sense that the killer is going to strike. The minor chords of that foreboding music are playing, and I can tell there’s going to be a death. Except, in this case, it’ll be a lot sadder than some fictional co-ed biting the dust in a moment of cinematic gore.

Soon enough, Emma, and eventually Sam, won’t go trick-ortreating. They’ll say they’re busy, or they’ve got plans, or they’ve got better things to do. And then it’s over. Another piece of their youth will have vanished like a fun-size pack of Skittles.

Do me a favor. If you’ve got kids on the bubble, kids at that age where it could go either way, where it’s too close to call ... Do whatever you can to convince them to do it for one more year.

And then get out there with them. Wear a costume. Embarrass yourself. Make sure this Halloween isn’t ordinary. And make sure they, and you, will remember it for a long, long time. M

That’s Life

By Nell Musolf

Channeling Gomie:

Gone but never forgotten

I

’m not sure which one of my siblings first started calling our grandmother by the nickname “Gomie” (which rhymed with “Mommy”). All I know is that is what we always called her. Never Gran, Grandma, Granny.

Just Gomie.

Small with silver hair that she wore in a style similar to Moe of Three Stooges fame and a ready smile on her face, Gomie was the kind of woman who never met a stranger. She dressed in bright polyester tops that my sister and I called “Gomie Shirts.” Gomie cooked odd things for dinner like spaghetti sauce made with pork chops and grilled cheese sandwiches grilled in olive oil instead of butter. Oxtail soup. An invitation to dine with her was never exactly a hot ticket at our house but whenever one of those invitations came, there was always a taker.

Maybe my siblings and I weren’t too crazy about how Gomie cooked but her apartment had an attraction that even the most unpalatable of dishes couldn’t dissipate.

Gomie had a color television set.

For as long as I can remember, Gomie had a huge console television in her living room, smack dab between two windows with a candy dish on top and two easy chairs directly opposite. I remember her television as being approximately the size of the Queen Mary and always with the volume tuned up nice and loud so that all of the neighbors could share in her enjoyment of “The Price is Right” and “The Lawrence Welk Show.” That color television was especially alluring since my parents refused to buy a color TV, even when everyone else in the country had one, operating on the theory that if they could make TV less appealing, perhaps their television addicted offspring would watch less of it.

Wrong!

Having a black and white television set when we knew color TV was just beyond our doorstep only made us more desperate.

So whenever we wanted to see the NBC peacock spread its feathers in all its colorful glory, we headed to Gomie’s.

Gomie was unfailingly generous with her color TV, letting us

pick the programs we wanted to watch and giving us the most comfortable chairs to sit it. Never once did she offer her opinion on the shows we chose to rot our minds with, unlike our mom and dad who never seemed to stop offering disdainful opinions on our lowbrow favorites like “The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour” and “Love, American Style.” I think I probably spent the most time at Gomie’s apartment since Gomie and I shared not only the same first names but also an undying fondness for gossip magazines, Big Macs and diet soda. We both also liked any and all cop shows, especially “Starsky and Hutch” although she preferred Starsky and I was a diehard Hutch fan.

The world was truly simpler in those days. Gomie didn’t have cable television and got perhaps 10 different stations on her 32-inch screen but there was always something good on. Every show seemed better in color and the pleasure of watching TV with our favorite grandmother was doubly enhanced by the unabashed pleasure Gomie took in us. If our mother was in a bad mood and snapped at us to stand up straight and clean our rooms, Gomie invariably gave us a bowl of ice cream and let us practice driving her car.

With the clarity that comes along with growing up, I can see Gomie in my memory probably more clearly than I ever saw her in person. I see a short woman with twinkling eyes and a ready smile. I see a grandmother who was always happy to see us. I see the weekly television guide open with the programs she wanted to watch circled in red ink. Although Gomie was widowed in her early 60s, I never thought of her as being lonely. Perhaps that was due to my own childish myopia but she never seemed to be anything other than content. Perhaps that’s truly how she was. Maybe she really was one of those rare souls who was completely pleased with how her life played out. I hope so.

Gomie has been gone for 20 years now. I wish I could go back for one more night of watching television with her because I’d like to let her choose what she wanted to watch for a change. And I’d like to watch it with her and tell her how very much I still love her. M Nell Musolf is a mom and a freelance writer from Mankato.

MANKATO MAGAZINE • october 2012 • 27

Garden Chat

By Jean Lundquist

Say it ain’t so Garlic Lady!

W

e are lucky people here in Minnesota. It’s come around again. It’s planting time!

Fall is a wonderful time to plant many things, but there’s not a moment to waste.

And if you plant anything this fall, watering is a must. Watering is not a “maybe, when I feel like it” chore. It’s a must.

Fall is the perfect time to plant trees, shrubs and perennials. But water profusely to give them a good solid footing. If there is any doubt whether your plant is hardy for this agricultural zone, wait until next spring, so it will have a good season’s growth to help it weather its first winter.

From a culinary standpoint, this is the perfect time to plant garlic. If you plant

Leah Jewison is also known as “The Garlic Lady” at the Mankato Farmers’ Market. Her garlic empire may be meeting its demise because of a nematode contamination.

garlic now, you should have beautiful, plump bulbs early next summer. Growing garlic in Minnesota is easy, and the University of Minnesota has a lengthy, well-researched publication available on line.

Or, you can do what I do, and glean information from “The Garlic Lady” at the Mankato Farmers’ Market in Mankato: Leah Jewison. If you’ve ever thought about growing your own garlic, this is the year. Leah says nematodes have effectively put her out of the garlic business for next year, and maybe forever.

The summer I sold veggies at the market, I’d try to sell people a salsa kit, with tomatoes, onions and peppers. But when I tried to hand them garlic, they backed away as if I had offered them a slithering snake. They were buying their garlic from The Garlic Lady, more than one person told me.

Leah’s crop has been self-sustaining.

One year, she’d harvest enough to sell, and keep enough to plant in the fall for next year. But the nematodes made that a losing proposition this year, and she doesn’t like the prospect of having to start over. Not only with new cloves of garlic, but also on clean ground.

So here’s what I know about planting and growing garlic, thanks to Leah.

To be good, garlic absolutely positively has to be planted in the fall. If you plant it in the spring, it will still smell and taste like garlic, but it will look like a little onion instead of developing into cloves.

There are two basic types of garlic: hardneck and softneck. The hardneck varieties grow into nice, plump, big cloves around a nice, hard center. It keeps pretty well, but not as long as the softneck varieties. Still, I’ve found they keep long enough to let me plant a new crop the next fall, so they keep long enough for me.

The softneck varieties are great for braiding, if you want to do that. The bulbs are made up of those annoying little cloves that radiate out of the soft center, and last for a really long time. So if you want to keep garlic for a long time, or want to make a decorative braid of it, or don’t mind peeling clove after

clove of garlic for a recipe, I guess a softneck variety is what you’ll want to grow.

Leah also taught me about garlic scapes. Scapes are the flowering shoots that hardneck varieties send up. They come from the middle of the plant, and if you harvest them when they are young, they are tender and tasty when sautéed.

They start by growing straight up.

They are obvious, they are circular, and not flat like the leaves. They have a small pod at the end that looks like an arrowhead. They soon start to curl and will form circles if not cut off.

If you choose not to cut them off, whether you eat them or not, they will stunt the bulb below by using energy that could have gone into bulb-making, and will turn into a cute little clump of the tiniest garlic cloves you’ve ever seen.

If you choose to use this for your seed garlic, be prepared to let the process of growing into useable sized bulbs take a few years. These little cloves will be about the size of an ant to start with. I’ve never grown garlic from them myself, because I’m not known as a patient person.

The things I don’t know about garlic are numerous. Leah has told me many times which varieties are pungent, which are strong, which are best raw, which are best cooked. I can’t tell you any of that.

Many is the time I’ve purchased my seed garlic from The Garlic Lady at the Mankato Farmers’ Market — only to eat what I had hoped to save for seed. I know last winter was a horrible year for many plants trying to make it through winter, but when Leah told me she had great eating garlic, but none fit for seed, I thought I’d cry.

Leah’s advice for anyone wanting to grow their own garlic this year is to get it from either the West Coast or the East Coast, but not from anyone in the Midwest. My advice is to hope for a real Minnesota winter this year.

And my advice to Leah is: Oh, come on, give it another try. You’re The Garlic Lady! M Jean Lundquist is a master gardener who lives near Good Thunder.

MANKATO MAGAZINE • october 2012 • 29

Places

in

The Past

By Grace Webb

Farm hands:

Bringing in the harvest before the age of technology To do this, Farmamerica enables visitors to tour a 1850s homestead, check out a 1930s farm and watch farmers use traditional farming practices such as plowing and cornstalk shredding. These activities offer a glimpse into Minnesota’s rich farming history.

Blue Earth County Historical Society

Threshing was often a communal affair for those who lived in rural Minnesota.

I

t’s a hot and dusty Saturday afternoon outside Waseca.

Farmers are working in the fields, threshing wheat and chucking corn.

But there’s something different about these farmers Instead of giant, green John Deere tractors and state-of-the-art combines, they’re using teams of horses and ancient-looking hay balers. Children run around in cotton dresses and bonnets.

Women stand outside log cabins, hand-washing clothes in wooden buckets of water. It looks like something out of Little House on the Prairie.

The place is Farmamerica, or the Minnesota Agricultural Interpretive Center. This 120-acre site was established in 1978 with the goal of preserving and promoting the heritage of Minnesota agriculture.

“The connectivity between past and present and future is tenuous,” explained Jim Gibson, who has been Farmamerica’s executive director for four years. The center’s mission is to lend “a sense of the history and a caring about the tradition and how the tradition provides a basis for the current lifestyle.”

30 • october 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

New opportunities Before the 1860s, Minnesota was a wild open frontier, sparsely populated and very dangerous. Determined farmers began moving to Blue Earth County because of the county’s rich soil and cheap prices — $1.25 per acre. However, only years after the state was officially recognized, Congress passed an act that changed the entire makeup of the Midwest: the Homestead Act of 1862. The act offered free 160-acre tracts of land to eager immigrants. Minnesota’s population exploded with new farmers claiming 7 million acres of land by 1880.

Despite popular conceptions, cows were a precious commodity on early Minnesotan farms. In fact, most had to be imported by steamboat from states further east and were therefore too expensive for the average farmer. Instead, most farmers raised sheep and pigs.

Horses were often used on farms, but horse thievery was a big problem in the mid-1800s. Farmers living around Waseca went so far as to organize the Waseca County Horse Thief Detectives in 1864, an organization that met for the next 80 years to ensure the safety of area horses.

By the 1860s, farmers began seriously raising beef cattle. At that time, the custom was to let bull calves run loose, and people were forced to put up fences to keep the bulls out of their property. Finally, residents of Waseca became so irritated by the bulls roaming around their town that they passed an ordinance requiring all stock animals found in town at night would be impounded by the constable.

Tools of the trade Farming was not an easy job. Most farmers worked from sunrise to sunset. They had to deal with draughts, tornados, grasshopper plagues, floods, hail and even fraud. One famous

Blue Earth County Historical Society

Farmers stack grain on the Frank Dumdei farm around 1895. scam that occurred in 1900 was when salesmen went around the state selling a new “pink potato.” These pink potatoes were actually just regular potatoes dyed pink, but the salesmen managed to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from farmers.

Farmers have not always had tractors and combines to make their jobs a little easier. In the 1800s, most farming was done by hand, as a family affair, with the help of animals and simple tools.

Farmers used corn knives to cut down rows of corn, and family members would help flail wheat and shuck corn.

The plow was a crucial tool to Blue Earth County farmers.

These plows were hooked to oxen or horses to break up the soil on a farm and prepare it for crops. By 1871, Mankato already had two plow factories in Mankato. Other featured equipment included cultivators, harrows, other horse-drawn field equipment and the hand corn planter, a wooden tool that one man could use to plant two rows of corn at the same time.

Another commonly used tool was the threshing machine, which was used to separate grain from chaff. Threshing occurred after harvest, and, in the 1800s, the process included the whole community. Farmers would take turns going to each other’s farms to help with threshing (especially if only one area farmer owned a thresher), while the women of the family would spend all day cooking and baking for the field workers.

Children also helped thresh, eventually moving into positions of responsibility such as running the threshing machine.

Of course, the one piece of quintessential farm equipment is the tractor. Tractors became popular in the early 1900s. One of the first tractors, the Hart-Parr No. 1, went into production in 1901, and its arrival in Blue Earth County caused quite a debate over whether tractors would replace horses.

While tractors started out as inefficient and costly machines, by the time the 1920s rolled around, they were an essential part of farming life. Back then, farms averaged around 160 acres, and tractors were able to plow three times what a team of horses could.

Farmers quickly realized the potential and started investing in these new machines.

Continuing the tradition While farming can be challenging and exhausting, it also brings with it intangible joys and rewards.

Perhaps this is why so many farms are passed from generation to generation. Within Blue Earth County alone, there are more than 80 “Century Farms,” farms that have stayed in the same family for 100 years or more.

At Farmamerica, volunteers not only try to preserve histories like these but also hope to instill fresh interest within the younger generation. Their goal is to help young people connect with farming and carry on Minnesota’s agricultural legacy.

Gabe Sonnek, a 7-year-old who visited Farmamerica during its Fall Fair, was certainly impressed, saying, “It’s awesome!”

Which children like Sonneck, it looks like Minnesota’s farming heritage will live on. M

Photo By Tanner Kent Mel Kuball (center, kneeling) and son Thad Kuball demonstrate corn shucking during Farmamerica’s annual fall fair in Waseca.

MANKATO MAGAZINE • october 2012 • 31

Things

to do,

Places

to go

OctoBEr 14 • Music on the Hill 2-4 p.m. • Chapel on Good Counsel Hill • $15 • mankatosymphony.com 16 • MSU Performance Series presents University Orchestra Halling Recital Hall • $9 general admission, $7 student • mnsu.edu/music Oct. 20 • MSU Performance Series presents Jandek Halling Recital Hall 7:30 p.m. • $20 advance purchase, $25 at the door • mnsu.edu/music

2 • MSU Performance Series presents Alison Scott with Kevin Bowe and the Okemah Prophets 7:30-9 p.m. • Halling Recital Hall • $12 general admission, $11 student • mnsu.edu/music 6 • Fab Four, Beatles tribute band 7:30 p.m. • Verizon Wireless Center • $35 • verizonwirelesscentermn.com

20-21 • Mankato Marathon Sport and Health Expo is noon-8 p.m.

Saturday, Myers Filed House • Marathon is 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday • Starts at Minnesota State University, free • greatermankatoevents.com

27 • Celtic Thunder 7:30-10:30 p.m. • Verizon Wireless Center • $69, $49 and $39 • verizonwirelesscentermn.com

28 • MSU Performance Series presents University Choral Groups Halling Recital Hall 3 p.m. • $9 general admission, $7 student • mnsu.edu/music

7 • MSU Performance Series presents Tim Sparks 7:30-9 p.m. • Halling Recital Hall • $12 general admission, $11 student • mnsu.edu/music

29 • MSU Performance Series presents University Choral Groups Halling Recital Hall 3 p.m. • $9 general admission, $7 student • mnsu.edu/music

9 • Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie 7 p.m. • Verizon Wireless Center • $42 advance, $45 day of show • verizonwirelesscentermn.com

32 • october 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

27 • All Hallows Eve Noon to 4 p.m. • Farmamerica • $4 • greatermankatoevents.com

21 • MSU Performance Series presents University Concert Bands 3-4:30 p.m. Halling Recital Hall • $9 general admission, $7 student • mnsu.edu/music

7 • Mankato River Ramble 8-5 p.m. • Land of Memories Park • greatermankatoevents.com

9 • MSU Performance Series presents University Jazz Groups 7:30-9 p.m. • Halling Recital Hall • $9 general admission, $7 student • mnsu.edu/music

23 • MSU Performance Series presents Doug Snapp & The Twin Cities Jazz All-Stars 7:30 p.m. • Halling Recital Hall • $9 general admission, $7 student • mnsu.edu/music

30 • MSU Performance Series presents John Gorka Halling Recital Hall 7:30 p.m. • $12 general admission, $11 student

Rob Zombie

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330 Poplar Street, Mankato, MN | 507-387-3101| schwickerts.com MANKATO MAGAZINE • october 2012 • 33

Good Health

By Family Features

Safe driving at night D

riving at night makes some people nervous -- and with good reason.

There are far fewer drivers on the road at night than during the day, but about half of traffic fatalities happen after dark, according to the U.S. Federal Highway Administration.

Fortunately, there are things you can do to make night driving safer.

Prep your car for night driving Keep it clean. Make sure your windows, headlights, tail lights and signal lights are clean so they are easier for other drivers to see.

Switch your rearview mirror to the night setting. Flipping the small lever at the bottom of your mirror changes the angle of its reflective surface. You’ll still see the lights from the cars behind you, but they will be less bright in your eyes.

Make sure your headlights are aimed properly. If your headlights are misaligned, it can make it harder for you to see, and it can disturb other drivers on the road.

Check your headlights at least once a year. According to a recent study by Sylvania, headlights can dim up to 20 percent over time and 55 percent of drivers have never changed their headlights or don’t know the last time they were changed. Here’s how to check your headlights: • Park on a level surface facing 5 feet from a building wall or your garage door, then turn on your headlights.

• If the circles of light are bright and white, they are in good working condition.

• If they are yellow and dim, the bulbs should be replaced.

If you do need to change headlights, consider upgrading to a premium bulb.

Such bulbs provide up to 40 percent increased down road visibility, up to 50 percent increased side road visibility, and up to 50 percent brighter light, compared with worn standard halogen headlights.

Always change headlight bulbs in pairs.

If you only change one, the new one will 34 • october 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

likely be brighter than the old one, causing an uneven field of illumination.

If the lenses on a vehicle’s headlights are cloudy or hazy, replacing the bulbs may not be enough. Consider a headlight restoration kit, which restores headlights to like-new condition and performance light output.

Practice safe night driving Don’t get caught in the glare. If light from oncoming vehicles shines directly into your eyes, look down and to the right.

Look toward the white line on the side of

the road ­-- this lets you see cars around you with your peripheral vision, but cuts down on the glare.

Use your lights appropriately. When following other vehicles, use your low beams so you don’t disturb the other drivers.

Increase the distance between you and the cars ahead of you. It’s harder to judge the speed of other vehicles at night, so you need to give yourself plenty of room to stop safely. M

Happy Hour

By Jason Wilson Special

to

The Washington Post

Fall is a great time to down sloe So it’s been a glorious summer. But now it’s time to get back to the grindstone.

It’s also just about time to make the annual switch to fall drinks. This time of year, I want something transitional, something that suggests the coming autumn but still says Indian summer. For whatever reason, sloe gin has been my spirit of choice during this oh-so-crucial seasonal shift.

Most people already know the classic sloe gin fizz, which in my mind is a summer drink; but add grapefruit juice instead of lemon, and sparkling wine instead of soda, and you get the richer Purple Fizz Royale, which seems a little more appropriate for the season.

I discovered one of my favorite transitional drinks in the elegantly simple Cloudy Sky, a mix of sloe gin, lime juice and ginger beer, which I now always turn to in late August. And as we get into the autumn, sloe gin also pairs with apple brandy in the Philly Sling, which truly signals that fall has arrived.

So it was no surprise that I found myself flipping through old cocktail guides a couple of weeks ago, looking for a new sloe gin cocktail to try. I was attracted to one called the McClelland Cocktail, which called for sloe gin, curacao and orange bitters. The sloe gin, poured in a slightly irregular amount (1.75 ounces), keeps the drink more tart than sweet. It is refreshing and rich at the same time.

McClelland Cocktail The tart sloe gin keeps things from getting too cloying, and the dashes of bitters pull the drink’s components together. Use a good-quality sloe gin (such as Plymouth or Bitter Truth) and curacao (such as Ferrand Dry Curacao).

Ingredients Steps Ice Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice.

1 3/4 ounces sloe gin Add the sloe gin, curacao and bitters. Shake 3/4 ounce curacao, preferably Ferrand Dry Curacao well, then strain into a chilled cocktail 2 dashes orange bitters (martini) glass. Garnish with the orange Twist of orange peel, for garnish twist. M

MANKATO MAGAZINE • October 2012 • 35

Alison Mahoney, herbarium director and biology instructor, works alongside graduate student Jordy Veit (left) in MSU’s herbarium, located in Trafton South.

Hidden treasure: The Darlene and William Radichel Herbarium houses 10,000 species of plants in the heart of the MSU campus

By Grace Webb | Photos by John Cross

H

idden in the basement of Minnesota State University’s science center, Trafton Hall, is a tiny room filled with three giant white cabinets.

The space, which is no more than 230 square feet, looks cramped and unimportant — yet South Trafton 180 is the home room of something pretty special: the Darlene

36 • october 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

and William Radichel Herbarium. And this herbarium is the home of 10,000 specimens of plants.

“It’s like a library,” said herbarium director Alison Mahoney, who is also a biology instructor MSU. She said the goal of the herbarium is to serve as a “storehouse of information about plants from

Minnesota” The Radichel Herbarium contains plant specimens from all different plant families and species, from ferns to moss to ivy. Some specimens are more than 100 years old. Many different people have added to the collection over the years, including Mankato high school students, university professors and

Mankato residents.

The herbarium received its official name in 2006, when the William D. Radichel Foundation donated a large endowment to the collection as way of honoring Darlene Radichel. Darlene enjoyed gardening and took a home horticulture class from MSU professor Don Gordon, the former head of the herbarium.

The Radichel endowment has enabled Mahoney and her graduate students to make some great changes, including starting a website and now a database that will create distribution maps for Minnesota plant species.

“We need to continue having interesting projects for students that will benefit anyone in the community interested in plants,” Mahoney said.

The endowment funds are also used to pay students to work at the herbarium, but Mahoney said she still welcomes volunteers from the Mankato community. Anyone can come in and help mount and file specimens.

This specimen of a yellow moccasin flower, or yellow lady’s slipper, was collected in the 1960s. They are now protected by the Endangered Species Act and illegal to pick.

The MSU herbarium contains many collections made by Mankato High School students in the early 1900s.

People are also welcome to contribute to the herbarium, Mahoney said. Plant lovers are continually adding to the collection. However, no rare or endangered species are accepted into the collection, since this can contribute to the loss of native plants in the area.

“One of our long-term goals is to increase the number and quality

of specimens, so that people who are interested in identifying plants can use the herbarium,” Mahoney said.

While the herbarium is located deep within MSU, Mahoney said the collection is open to everyone. People can come in to identify plants they’ve found, use plant specimens for research or just learn a little more about the process of preserving plants for future generations. “(The herbarium) should serve as a MANKATO MAGAZINE • october 2012 • 37

place where people can do research,” Mahoney said. “It is not just for students; the community is welcome.”

The Radichel Foundation has been one of MSU’s most active and generous donors over the years. In 2011, the Radichel Foundation donated a 58-acre tract of prairie and wetland area to the university to be used as a research site. It marked the first land donation in the university’s history and was believed to be the first such donation in the history of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. M

The Darlene and William Radichel Herbarium at Minnesota State University is home to 10,000 specimens of plants.

Pictured are graduate student Jordy Veit (left) and Alison Mahoney, herbarium director.

38 • october 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

Pictured is a jack-in the-pulpit specimen held by the MSU herbarium. The perennial plant is native to moist woodlands and poisonous to consume.

MANKATO MAGAZINE • october 2012 • 39

Faces & Places

Photos By Sport Pix

1

Alive After 5 1. Some local citizens enjoy some live music in the park.

2. Some locals enjoy good weather, good people and good music in the park.

3. Humerio “Chico” Mendez (pictured left) enjoys some conversation with Bruce Horsch (right).

4. Kevin and Sue Liebl enjoy some good weather and good music.

5. Devon Worley performs during Alive After 5

4

2

5

3

40 • october 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

Faces & Places

Photos By Sport Pix

Hoopin’ on the hill

2

1. The Fab Four of Mankato cheer on their fellow 7th graders.

2. Dylen Hayenga tries to get a shot off as Ramsey Shaffer defends.

3. These groups anxiously await the start of their games.

4. Mankato Loyola senior Evan Ellingworth goes up high to get his shot off against Connor Oak. 5. The B.O.B and BUC Besters, both of Blue Earth, competed in the 5th and 6th grade bracket of Hoopin on the Hill.

6. The “Hula Hoopsters” pose for a picture before their game in the 5th and 6th grade bracket.

1

4 3

5

6

MANKATO MAGAZINE • october 2012 • 41

Faces & Places

Photos By Sport Pix

Ducky Dash for Hope

1

1. Paul Ellingworth dumps his catch on shore.

2. Kaitlyn Hendrickson watches the ducks as they float down the river toward her.

3. Dirk Haynes helps to clear some ducks out of the water.

4. Workers set the rubber ducks on their way at an event to raise money for the House of Hope in Mankato.

5. Adam Anderson helps pull the rubber ducks out of the river before they can escape the barriers.

2

3

4

42 • october 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

5

Faces & Places

Photos By Sport Pix

MN Vikings Cheer Camp

2

1. Minnesota Vikings Cheerleader Ali helps the girls get into a circle.

2. One group learns the “high-t” move from Ali. 3. The MVC introduce themselves to the aspiring cheerleaders.

4. Missy from the MVC gets her group prepared to do a cheer.

5. Vikings cheerleader Jenna demonstrates as the younger girls follow along.

6. Jacqui of the MVC signs a couple autographs for Seanna Davis and J’anna Prince.

1

3

5

4

6

MANKATO MAGAZINE • october 2012 • 43

The Way It Is

By Pete Steiner

Gonna be a long time gone one night. A dancer was slinking around to Marvin Gaye on the jukebox — “I Heard it through the Grapevine,” surely one of the top pop songs of all time.

Urban renewal soon took care of both the Grand Theater and the Club Royale.

••••

“It’s been a long time comin’ — gonna be a long time gone”

— David Crosby •••• Even after the hot, dry summer, Sibley Park looked glorious. A squirrel eyed me warily as he scrounged for walnuts. A blue jay jeered at me; I don’t know if he was expecting me to bring peanuts, or if I was imposing on his territory. A guy in a parked sports car had his window down and inquired politely as I walked by, “Excuse me, you couldn’t spare a cigarette?”

Odd request, I thought. “No, sorry, I don’t smoke.”

If some come to the park ostensibly to bum a cigarette, I had come to contemplate. I was thinking about “Midnight Cowboy,” the only X-rated film ever to win the Oscar. Dustin Hoffman played the down-and-out Ratso Rizzo, uttering his famous version of lifeaffirmation to an aggressive New York cabbie, “I’m walkin’ here!”

My friend Don reminded me that the 1969 classic had played at the Town Theater. There were three downtown theaters then, all in the same area. The Town, the newest of the three, has now been transformed into the Loose Moose Saloon. Around the corner was the State, with its elegant balcony, where I seem to remember our English class going to watch a version of “Hamlet” done in modern clothes, with George Grizzard in the title role wearing a suit. Just down the street was the Grand, and right next to it, the Club Royale. At the time, that was one of two strip clubs in Mankato.

Just back from the Army, I wandered in 44 • october 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

Amazing how fast 40 years can slip by.

We were at a gathering recently, a benefit for a friend’s daughter who has breast cancer. For someone from the turn on and tune out generation, it could have been a flashback to the long-gone Rathskeller Bar on a long-since demolished portion of Front Street.

Immersed in the barroom hubbub, listening to the music and sipping on a beer, I saw folks I have rarely seen for a quarter century — individuals I used to see often at the Lost Chord record store, or at Michael’s linen tablecloth restaurant with its adjacent Red Boot Saloon. Many of these aging boomers sport less hair and a larger girth, or if they have hair, it’s grayer. The ones I got a chance to talk to seemed to be pretty happy with the way their lives turned out after we were all scattered like the tribes of Israel. One woman’s son is just about to open a fancy new restaurant in Minneapolis. Last time I saw that son, he was about 6 months along, still inside his mom’s pregnant belly. A guy I was chatting with wondered if I was taking any prescriptions. Not yet, boomer-buddy, how about you? No prescriptions, he said, just a supplement.

Testosterone. He smiled.

•••• Me? I’ve stayed here all these decades, succumbing to Mankato’s heavy gravity.

Uncle Dave Boyce, former proprietor of Backlund’s Music store on South Front Street, whom my brother calls “Mankato’s early eclectic businessman,” put it best.

When urban renewal took the music store, he went into the travel business, and saw the world. In an article I did for the now-defunct Static Magazine, I asked him why he kept coming back. “Never

found any place better,” Uncle Dave said.

•••• We bond with what we experience in our early years. I was sitting in the waiting room of a hilltop auto dealership a year ago, gazing out across my growing little town as it is today — the vast, treefree parking lots, the big box stores, the strip malls. Really, it looks just like any other suburban sector anywhere in America. But who knows what that area will look like in 50 years? I wondered, will someone, someday long for this asphaltacres suburban landscape as I so frequently in these pages long for our old downtown?

•••• So just what was it that David Crosby was singing about in 1969 that had been a long time coming? The end of the Vietnam War? The end of the military draft? Or maybe it was the Age of Aquarius. Remember, we were the generation that was going to “Let the sun shine in.”

How’d that work out?

I’m not going to get too cynical, but up next culturally were the Urban Cowboy, quite contrived, and then the Disco Era, which I personally loathed.

Final question, Mr. Crosby: What was it that was going to be a long time gone?

Hope? Righteous protest? Hippie effervescence and seeing the world through rose-colored glasses? Or maybe just our preferred illusions. As another great songwriter of our generation, Jackson Browne, put it: “In the end, they traded their tired wings for the resignation that living brings, and exchanged love’s bright and fragile glow for the glitter and the gloom, and in a moment they were swept before the deluge.” M

Pete Steiner is host of “Talk of the Town” weekdays at 1:05 p.m. on KTOE.

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