Country Acres 2018 - February 16 edition by Star Publications

ountry C cres A

A Supplement to the Star Shopper

Friday, Feb. 16, 2018 • Edition 2

Focusing on Today’s Rural Environment

A farm to share Powers opens historic property to the public By LAURA HINTZEN Staff Writer HAWICK – Most days, Scott Powers can be found hard at work in his barn. A former banker, he now owns a small, specialty finance company which he runs on his remote property near Hawick. The 280-acre piece of land he calls home was once owned and farmed by his grandparents, Raymond and Melinda, in the 1930s until Melinda passed away in 1996. The farm was handed onto Powers’ uncle, Phil, until he passed away in 2000. “The 30- by 60-foot barn and farm house still remain on the land. It (the barn) was built in 1911,” Powers said. “It has a unique structure. There’s not too many of them around anymore. It also has a hay mow as a big open area.”

PHOTO BY LAURA HINTZEN

Scott Powers stands in front of what was his grandparents’ barn near Hawick. Powers has many childhood memories of the barn, which was built in 1911.

Powers used to play at his grandparents’ farm as a kid and as he got older, eventually brought his three daughters – Annie, Hattie and Maggie – with him on summer trips to the farm. What gives the cabin and the barn a unique touch is that they are just on top of the original homestead from the 1860s. “The homestead would have been a cabin made of oak and a little bit small-

er,” Powers said. “We haven’t seen that. It was already gone when my grandparents purchased it.” Powers’ log home, built in 2014, sits across the road from the home place adjacent to a log cabin he built. He added two bunkhouses alongside the farmhouse. When Powers started building his log home in 2014, he noticed a hole in the ground by the log cabin. Back in the day,

cisterns were placed underneath homes, so people had water to use in the house. Since the farmhouse sat empty for a few years, aside from family trips, Powers knew there was someone who could utilize this space for group gatherings. “We’ve had Bible study groups, a

POWERS continued on page 4

GROWING THROUGH GARDENING

Holdingford FFA students cultivate produce for school lunches By KATELYN ASFELD Staff Writer

HOLDINGFORD - The small town of Holdingford has been growing. Growing produce that is. Their school garden, which is maintained by students, provides nutritious and fresh produce for Holdingford’s school lunch program. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 established a Farm to School Program with the USDA to improve access to local foods in schools. According to the 2015 USDA Farm to School Census, 42,587 schools in the United States participate in the Farm to School program and in Minnesota, 198 schools are growing edible gardens. Holdingford School

lunch program was going to have to serve more fruits and vegetables each day. In addition to this, Farm to School was a new program and we decided to try farming at school.” Holdingford’s garden started in 2011. It is managed by a group of FFA members who take summer ag, a four-credit class for students who are unable to take an agriculture class during the regular school year. Holdingford’s school garden has grown tremendously since 2011. The garden is made up of two large plots comprised of one-and-a-half acres, a 24- by 36-foot high tunnel structure; a 30- by 70-foot raised garden, four 4- by 8-foot raised beds and a four-season greenhouse located next to the ag shop. Vegetables grown include lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes, peppers, PHOTO SUBMITTED zucchini, squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, Students Emily Notsch (left), Sami Young and Hannah Hartung sit with buckets of produce they collected onions, celery and sweetcorn. In 2017, at the Holdingford school’s garden in the summer of 2017. the garden produced 3,000 pounds of processed product and all of it was used for District is one of those schools. dents were unable to get into an ag class the school lunch program. “The program was started to meet that is needed to be eligible for FFA conThe garden is a group effort. Students two needs that our school had,” said John tests. Each FFA member must take at least Roberts, Holdingford’s ag instructor and one ag class per year. The other need was HOLDINGFORD FFA FFA advisor. “One was that too many stu- that with the new USDA guidelines, the continued on page 7

Page 2 • Country Acres - Friday, February 16, 2018

Country Acres Published by Star Publications Copyright 2014 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN 56378 Phone: 320-352-6577 Fax: 320-352-5647 NEWS STAFF Diane Leukam, Editor diane@saukherald.com Mark Klaphake, Assistant Editor mark.k@dairystar.com Herman Lensing, Writer herman@melrosebeacon.com Liz Vos, Writer liz@albanyenterprise.com Laura Hintzen, Writer laura.h@saukherald.com Katelyn Asfeld, Writer kate@saukherald.com Carol Moorman, Writer carol@melrosebeacon.com

Story ideas send to: diane@saukherald.com SALES STAFF Jeff Weyer, 320-260-8505 jeff.w@dairystar.com Kayla Hunstiger, 320-247-2728 kayla@saukherald.com Missy Traeger, 320-291-9899 missy@saukherald.com Tim Vos, 320-845-2700 tim@albanyenterprise.com Mike Schafer, 320-894-7825 mike.s@dairystar.com Lynnette Ostendorf, 320-352-6577 lynnette@saukherald.com Brian Trattles, 320-352-6577 brian.t@saukherald.com

PRODUCTION STAFF Pat Turner Tara Pitschka Amanda Thooft Nancy Powell Brian Dingmann Cassidy Zenzen Jennifer Coyne, Proofreader Andrea Borgerding, Proofreader

Deadlines: Country Acres will be published the first Fridays of April, May, June, September, October and November, and the third Friday of every month. Deadline for news and advertising is the Thursday before publication.

This month in the

COUNTRY 8 Touching the World Pope County 10 Focused on becoming an Air Force Pilot Greenwald 12 Country boy finds career at Carlos Creek Winery Alexandria 17 Give them a great smile Wendy Womack column 18 Humble upbringing leads Brady to historical career Browerville 23 Country Cooking

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Friday, February 16, 2018 - Country Acres • Page 3

Life after dairy *Editor’s note: This piece was adapted from a column that first appeared in the Jan. 25 issue of the Sauk Centre Herald.

itting in the bleachers at Central Livestock in Albany on Jan. 26, members of my family watched the dairy herd of my brothers sold on auction. “Bleachers” seems to be an appropriate term, because a cattle auction is actually quite a show. Al Wessel of Mid-American Co. is always fun to listen to with his auction chants and witty quips about dairy cows, while Kevin Winter and the crew work the crowd. Dairy auctions come in a package with all sorts of things. Before the sale begins, buyers mill around viewing the cattle to be sold, marking their selections on the auction bill. The smell of fresh sawdust permeates the air, along with the smells of the animals. People who are there just for the show meet and greet others who are there for the same reason; some sit stoically, not talking to anyone. It’s a social event for some; for others, it’s the end of an era. My mind flashed back to my parents, newlyweds

by Diane Leukam when they began farming in 1954. I pictured them in their 20s with barely a nickel to their name. They looked so very young. After a two-day honeymoon, they came home to the farm they had bought south of Sauk Centre. It needed work, and a lot of it. When they got there, Grandpa Kaas showed up with a bedroom set for them, a kitchen stove and a dining room set. They had little else. Help also came from Grandpa Goerdt, from whom they received eight cows in return for some of Dad’s work on the home farm. It was enough to get them started on their dairy herd. The young couple had enough money to buy a wheelbarrow to help them with their chores. Chickens produced eggs, which they brought to town to sell for grocery money. They didn’t consider themselves

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to be poor; it’s just the way it was. Water was carried from the barn to the house, where it was heated on a wood stove for the needs of a family that soon began to grow. I’m not sure how many of us were born before there was running water. The cows were milked by hand and as the herd grew, eventually milking machines were added to the equipment list. Soon enough, a decision needed to be made on a new barn. At the time, they were looking at parlors and stanchion barns; they decided to go with a parlor. The day the parlor was first used was in October 1960, when the herd had grown to around 30 cows. Mom was in the hospital with her newest baby, yours truly. By the time my youngest sister was born in 1969, they were milking about 100 cows. All eight of us kids milked cows on the farm in that parlor where many memories were made. Pulling the sliding door to the holding pen open, I can still hear Mom saying “Come Boss!” Dad would joke around for the most part, until he got his bright white shirt splashed, if

PHOTO BY DIANE LEUKAM

One of my brothers’ cows is auctioned off by Mid-American Auction Co. Jan. 26 at Central Livestock in Albany.

you know what I mean. (I always wondered why the guys wore white shirts, but somehow Mom got them clean.) I think we could write a book about what all happened in that parlor. Eventually, the girls all left and went their own way. In 1983, my brothers, Mike and Dave, and my brother-in-law, Al, bought the herd. In 1991, Al split off and farmed on the original Goerdt farm where my dad grew up, just a few miles to the west. Mike and Dave continued to milk cows. On the day of the auction, I wondered what was going through their minds as the cows came through one by one. I wondered if Dad was watching. My brothers will con-

tinue to farm, only in a little different capacity, raising steers. And crop farming with less alfalfa and possibly the first soybeans ever grown on that land. I do have one concern. Dave’s diet consists mainly of fresh milk straight from the tank mixed with a generous portion of Nestle’s Quik. The way I see it, he has two choices: raid the neighbors’ bulk tank or start buying milk in the store. What will he do? Enquiring minds want to know. Ask any retired dairy farmer and they will be able to tell you when they sold the cows. Maybe they sold them to a son or daughter, or to a neighbor, or maybe they sold the herd on an auction. The day will

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be clearly etched in their memories. There have been a lot of herds sold lately. The ag economy in general has been difficult to navigate the last few years, to say the very least. My concern for those in the dairy industry is great, and I truly hope there is light at the end of this tunnel. For my brothers, the timing just happened to be right, and they are content with their decision to sell the cows. Eventually, Mike will get those knees replaced, and Dave will figure out what to do with all his excess energy. Both are already finding out there is life after dairy. Like meeting people for dinner at 6:13 p.m. Weird.

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Page 4 • Country Acres - Friday, February 16, 2018 POWERS continued from front high-risk teenage girls group, and an author/pastor that did a weekend-long presentation on the Sabbath day of rest,” Powers said. “I enjoy that people can come out and enjoy the country. I can get back to my Christian roots here. Anything that has my name on it is a gift from God. I could have that place to myself but that doesn’t seem quite right to me. It’s there to share and enjoy. I started having this place here for family to come out and stay comfortably. Five or six years ago, we built the bunkhouses. Not long after, people had heard by word of mouth and various

church groups and families were calling to stay for the weekend.” A family will be renting the place for a week in August. “It’s going to be a big group coming from all over the country,” Powers said. For entertainment, the groups have access to a playground, an old schoolhouse (play place for children), trails for walking and ATVs, a pit for bonfires, a horseshoe pit, an outdoor sauna and a spacious yard for pets and family members of all ages. “Once in a while, I will try to do an activity with the group. Most of the time

when they come out, they have an agenda and want to take things at their own pace,” Powers said. “We have had different things that were a little more organized as well.” Powers has his own family, friends and neighbors that visited last summer and spent most of the weekend enjoying each other’s company, while listening to relatives play tunes on the guitar and violin. He has housed visitors that have never been to a farm before and also ones

POWERS continued on page 5

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

Two men play the guitar and violin on a summer afternoon. The farm site was rented out for a family reunion.

Scott Powers’ cabin sits facing to the west so he can watch the sunset.

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Friday, February 16, 2018 - Country Acres • Page 5 POWERS continued from page 4 that grew up on a farm. “Some of the people that grew up on a farm don’t have access to it anymore so when they come out it’s like they are going to their grandparents’ place. A lot of memories come back,” Powers said. “People that haven’t been here give the impression that they are overwhelmed at how far away everything is. Our closest neighbor is a quarter-mile away. The idea that you can’t see a neighbor is incredible for people.” The sauna is the only

bathing option for those staying in the bunkhouses. In the next few years, Power would like to add an outdoor shower house for guests to use. “This is such a beautiful country out here and the wildlife is abundant. Last February, I saw 38 whitetailed deer roaming in the prairie grass,” Powers said. “I love it out here and love to see other people enjoy its beauty, too.” It is a cool Sunday af-

POWERS continued on page 6

PHOTOS BY LAURA HINTZEN

Scott Powers’ front porch faces the farmstead that he rents out to the public. Left: The 30- by 60-foot barn is used for a gathering place for friends and family.

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POWERS continued from page 5 ternoon and Powers adds one more log to the fire. The clock reads 5 p.m., about time for Powers to witness another sunset before the sky fades to black. He takes a seat on his old wooden chair and rocks back and forth as the stars illuminate the sky. Right there in the same spot every night, he is reminded of his purpose in life. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When you look at the stars in the sky, the Bible tells us that this is all made by God and the whole purpose of it all is to worship Him,â&#x20AC;? Powers said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People will look at it and go, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Oh my God,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; and see all of the stars. That is what it is intended to do; recognize where this came from.â&#x20AC;?

A sauna room is used by guests staying in the bunk rooms. Scott Powers built the sauna five years ago

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Friday, February 16, 2018 - Country Acres • Page 7 HOLDINGFORD FFA continued from front The food service staff comes in one to two times per week to process and preserve the items that are harvested. This year, the cucumbers that came from the garden produced over 100 gallons of dill and sweet pickles. “Students in the lunch line tend to prefer produce that we grow over what is purchased as the food service staff labels items that came from the school garden,” Roberts said. “The biggest challenge has been trying to meet the needs of the lunch program in providing a large enough volume of a particular item that can be used for nearly 1,100 students at one time.” Roberts and his students improve the garden by determining which crops would do the best in the soil and climate. Through careful planning of planting and harvesting, students can enjoy as much fresh produce as possible. To continue improving and expanding the gar-

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

den, the school receives help from members of the community and from funds received by organizations for building projects. The Minnesota Ag Education Leadership Council funded the building of the high tunnel; the Stearns County Health Improvement Project funded the raised beds and an irrigation system used in the larger plots and the Holdingford FFA Alumni purchased a threepoint tiller to use on large plots. “As we scaled up the project, our equipment needs have changed and we have been fortunate to have community members who are willing to come in and do work or loan us equipment to get the job done,” Roberts said. “The local community is interested in what we are growing each year and the students have gained a better understanding of what goes into growing the fruits and vegetables that we eat and where they come from.” Roberts has a positive outlook for the future of the school garden. Teachers from other schools have visited Holdingford’s school garden for inspiration as they plan to start a garden of their own at their Holdingford FFA member Allison Notsch waters plants in a schools. greenhouse for the school garden in Holdingford.

Students Hannah Hartung (left), Emily Notsch and Sami Young work in a cucumber patch in the Holdingford school’s garden during the summer of 2017.

Holdingford FFA members Kylie Boterman (left) and Angeline Sakry work with seeding trays for their school garden in Holdingford.

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in the horticulture class start the seeds in trays and packs indoors. Seed costs are kept to a minimum using this method. Once it is warm enough outside, either the horticulture students or the summer ag group will transplant the main crops outdoors. The summer ag group, made up of four to five students, meet twice a week for four hours a day in the summer to weed and water the garden. “In all, we have 30-40 students involved in some way at the high school level during the growing season,” said Roberts. “We try to involve the sixth grade students by having them plant the raised beds adjacent to their class area and then in the fall, the new class helps harvest the items that are still growing in their beds.” Students participating in the school garden learn about pest control, pesticide safety, weed management, plant health and project management.

Page 8 • Country Acres - Friday, February 16, 2018

Touching the world Honeymoon cruise kick-started lifetime of giving By HERMAN LENSING Staff Writer

POPE COUNTY – For someone living in rural Pope County, Irene Sansness has quite an international group of friends. While running their farm, tending their gardens and raising their family, Irene and her husband, Lauren kept finding ways to go beyond their boundaries. Sometimes it was physically traveling, sometimes it was organizing fundraising events and sometimes it was hosting people from different countries. There is not an inhabited continent on which she does not have friend – and it is an extended network. That network was built by a bit of an adventurous life. For that she credits Lauren, who passed away Dec. 3, 2017 at 82 years. They met while attending the University of Minnesota, St. Paul campus. The two were married in 1958, and Irene knew getting married was beginning a new chapter in her life. It turned out to be a chapter that has put her in touch with the whole world. Lauren had earned a degree in Agriculture from the University of Minnesota and taught agriculture for a time in Glenville before joining the service. For some reason he had kept an article from the Lutheran Campus newsletter on an opportunity in Tanzania, which sparked an interest to work for a bit overseas. After his tour of military duty was com-

pleted, he married Irene, and they headed to Tanganyika to work on assignment through the Lutheran church. “We were married in October, commissioned in November and on our way to Africa in December,” Irene said. “We traveled on the Queen Mary. It took seven days to get to England.” The trip was pretty much the honeymoon cruise, and it was an introduction to how much there was to learn of the world. From England they journeyed to Dar es Salaam, capital of Tanganyika, aboard a freighter for four weeks, sometimes in rough seas. “It was good we were 22 and 20,” she said. “We had not really traveled at all. So it was good we had the slow time.” Their trip led them through the Mediterranean via the Straits of Gibraltar and included stops at various ports. “We were able to get off and for a time immerse ourselves in the local culture,” she said. “We had duck for the meal in the Bay Biscay at Christmas.” The trip concluded at Dar es Salaam, where Lauren did work with education and schools in the Dar es Salam Area- Bush school and middle schools. While Irene had no specific assignment, she did help with sewing classes. “One lady got a red Singer sewing machine and learned how to sew a zipper,” she recalled. “That was really something to be able to sew a zipper by machine on a dress.” They were also there when Tanganyika received its independence from England. Irene was with friends in a stadium with 100,000 people for the ceremony. Lauren, who was on a safari, came late and managed to find them. That he found them in the crowd surprised Irene, until

she realized that they were among the few white people in the crowd. “It was really neat seeing the Union Jack come down and Tanganyika flag go up. Later they joined with Zanzibar and made Tanzania,” she said. The experiences of helping with sewing and with the independence day celebrations, taught lessons about helping people in their own countries. “It is better to work with indigenous people,” she said. “They are there and know the problems.” Because of that lesson, Sansness has been able to build her network of friends. Often, but not always, working through Lutheran church organizations, she has made donations to projects around the world. “We got interested in Heifer International, because of our work in Africa,” she said. “We would make a donation that would help buy a heifer.” The heifer is given to an impoverished person to raise and use as a source

PHOTO BY HERMAN LENSING

Irene Sansness with some of the cards used to help raise funds for Gideon International. Sansness found that by working with local organizations in Minnesota she has been put in touch with the world.

TOUCHING THE WORLD continued on page 9

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Friday, February 16, 2018 - Country Acres • Page 9 TOUCHING THE WORLD continued from page 8 of income. “We’ve had the Sunday school involved years. Kids loved to help pick out animal,” said Sansness. “They can do a whole animal, or a share of the animal.” A whole animal donation is $500 and a share is $50. Other donations can be made for goats, fish, trees, helping girls’ education and bees. What Sansness really likes is the criteria checked before the animal is given. “They get agricultural training. They need a house for the animal and must be able to feed it and receive education about the animal,” she said. When the animal is bred and has young, the person is expected to make a similar donation to someone else. After Lauren passed away, Irene made a $1,000 donation in his name to Heifer International and different donations for a pedal powered irrigation pump. “After all the watering he did on our gardens, I thought it was fitting,” she said. Lauren and Irene had an extensive garden and also raised three sons on the farm. One has passed away, but Gary lives in Detroit Lakes working for the Fargo Forum and Ryan is a park manager at Lake Carlos State Park. Not all the work is the result of huge donations. One project looks for pennies. “We have worked for Pennies for Peace for years,” she said. “The idea is that one penny will buy a pencil for a student. They are given to children in schools.” Those schools are generally in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Greg Mortenson, who wrote “Three Cups of Tea,” helped start the schools. The Sansnesses knew Mortenson when his father was in education in Tananyika and raised funds for the Medical center in Arusha, Tanzania. Sansness believes that students in most countries have a better appreciation for education than American students. In

part that may well be because it isn’t always something that is just there. Wars, cultural traditions and family situations all affect their access to education. “These kids, especially girls, have a desire to learn,” she said. “They have to get up early, do chores and go to school. They want an education.” That notion of a desire to be educated was brought home more than once when the Sansness family hosted people through World Press International. That was a Macalester College program that brought journalists from around to the United State for five months. In that time they lived and visited in different parts of the country. Each of them exposed the Sansness to a bit more of the similarities and differences in the world. A journalist from China was a real camera bug, and loved to get involved in whatever was being done. Another, from Mongolia, was nice and personable but had problems with the English language. “She had learned English in Russia and it was just hard for her,” said Sansness. The woman journalist from Nigeria left a definite impression on the family, because she of where she drew inspiration from. “She was here when Jesse Ventura was governor. She said if he could be governor of Minnesota, she could be president of Nigeria. She is still involved in politics,” said Sansness. Not all those exchanges were always comfortable. The Sept. 11, 2001 attacks made it tougher for a guest of theirs from Pakistan to travel in the United States. Then there was the time they hosted a guest from Tango, in the South Pacific, and one from an Arabian country. “The one from Tango wanted to roast a pig,” he said. “The one from Arabia did not. So we also roasted a turkey.”

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Wenjun Gu, (left) a reporter from Dragon TV in Shanghai, China, eats dinner with Lauren and Irene Sansness. Gu was a journalist hosted by the Sansnesss as part of the World Press Institute visits.

Food, she found, can be a great way to learn from one another. While living in Dar es Salaam, she became friends with women from India who taught her how to cook with Indian spices. She in turn taught them to make donuts and lefse. Over the years they also hosted three Japanese youths and once hosted a Norwegian youth who had been a host to their Gary on an exchange program to Norway. Another time they hosted Japanese and Russian student at the same time. Later Gary stayed with the Russian while on a study trip through Concordia College in Moorhead. Tanzania was not the only place she has been to. Irene has traveled to Israel and South Africa. In South Africa, where she saw a Holocaust museum. On

their way back from Tanzania in 1962 they and were able to visit the Vatican on a Sunday during Lent. “We were able to tour the city, and even saw the Pope,” she said. Sansness is still very active, and is currently Minnesota State Auxiliary Coordinator for Gideon Card program of Gideon International, as she continues her lifetime of giving. She has also visited the Middle East and through 4-H made contact with any number of other people. Even before the existence of the Internet, those contacts and works have enabled her to touch the lives, and be touched by the lives, of people from throughout the world.

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G R E E N WA L D – Growing up near Greenwald, Sam Braun didn’t play with airplanes or watch “Top Gun.” Now he’s focused on becoming a pilot in the United States Air Force, looking out for fellow cadets and airmen, much like he did his nine siblings. Braun, 23-year-old son of Jim and Sheryl Braun, will leave on Feb. 25 for Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi, where he will receive training to become a pilot. His goal is to ﬂy jets, while serving in the Air Force. “Flying is an art. You (have to) have an instinct for it,” he said. It comes after Braun graduated from the University of Minnesota last

Armed Forces. Braun’s interest in becoming an Air Force pilot stems back to his cousin, Chase Hubert, a Naval academy graduate, who is three years older than Braun. The two were in the Sauk Centre Boy Scouts troop, each earning the rank of Eagle Scout. Hubert is a helicopter pilot in Norfolk, Va. Braun’s aunt, Kay Lehman, is a civilian serving as a clinical dietician at the Naval Health Clinic in Charleston, S.C. His uncle, Myron, served for 27 years in the Army, retiring as a Command Sergeant Major. He was in the 1st squadron 71st Calvary. Braun, a 2012 Melrose Area graduate, took several ROTC classes, including aerospace sciences, marching drills and warrior knowledge, as well as getting acquainted with the military lifestyle while earning his degree.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Sheryl and Jim Braun attend their son, Sam’s, graduation in May at the University of Minnesota.

Part of the ROTC curriculum includes going south for ﬁeld training. He said 26 days of ﬁeld training in Alabama wasn’t too tough. “They say it’s like having the most fun you never want to have again,” said Braun. He admits it was a stressful environment.

“They want to distract you, but I come from a big family with a lot of distractions,” he said. He was one of 30 in his class of cadets, but only one of eight who completed the program, as second lieutenant, taking their

BRAUN continued on page 11

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Friday, February 16, 2018 - Country Acres • Page 11 BRAUN continued from page 10

oath of commissioning on May 19, 2017. Many of Braun’s family were present, watching him achieve this milestone. “We are so proud of Sam for his accomplishments and commitment to serving his country,” said his mom, Sheryl. Braun returned home and has enjoyed spending time with family, as he gears up for pilot training, which will take one-anda-half years. Initial flight training will take place in Pueblo, Co., and then he will travel back to Mississippi for further training, with an estimated graduation date of June of 2019. Braun’s first flight was something he really enjoyed. “I loved it, the first time getting behind the yoke (plane control wheel),” he said, smiling. “I didn’t get airsick.” He has been told that his first trainer aircraft will be the Diamond DA20. “It’s a 1,700-pound rotary airplane, with just t me and an instructor. It will be capped off with a solo ride,” he said. In undergraduate pilot training, he will fly the T-6 Texan, a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft, which he saw up close r during a trip to the annual airshow in Oshkosh, Wis. During this time, he will also undergo SERE (survival, evasion, resistance and , escape) training. “This program will teach me the skills I will need if I would ever get into a situation where I had to eject from my aircraft and survive,” said Braun, admitting his experience in Boy Scouts will come in handy. He said there is a choice as to which type of plane a pilot trainee would like to fly – jets, bombers, cargo or helos.

“You say what you want to do, and they take that into consideration, but they also see how you are doing in class, how well you fly and your character,” he said. It also depends on the needs of the Air Force at the time. He has been told pilot training is difficult. “They basically give you a fire hose of knowledge. You have to be responsible for studying the material, getting familiar with things, memorizing checklists and emergency procedures,” he said. Braun would like to fly a F-15E Strike Eagle jet. “It’s the most utilized plane in the service in terms of what they can do on the battlefield,” said Braun, who along with three other cadets traveled to Duluth and sat in an F-15 jet. Braun’s military commitment is 10 years. His active duty begins when he starts pilot training the end of February, attached to the Columbus 14th flying training wing. “Pilots have a longer commitment,” he said. This experience has given him a better sense of character, increased integrity, the courage to try new things and the ability to be a leader. “There are definitely safer jobs, with the threats of terrorism, but I want to feel like what I do matters and will make a difference,” he said. “Every job is essential when completing a mission.” For now, he’s enjoying his time at home, where his parents have raised 10 children, been active foster parents and also host German exchange students. His siblings include Colton, Kendra, Jeron, Tylar, Leo, Carter, Henry, James and Bella. He has

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Sam Braun stands with family who attended his graduation from the University of Minnesota last May. Pictured are (front, from left): Irene Braun, Mary Lehman, Sam Braun, Sheryl Braun, Lori Campagnola and Fabienne Herm; Back: Arden Lehman, Jim Braun, Kristie Braun, Carter Braun, Jason Braun and Mason Hubert.

in the airlines after his mil- commercial pilot. one niece, Scarlett, who other children. “We love to travel,” “We are so proud of itary career. His mom and just turned 4. dad want to be one of the said Sheryl. “And what His last couple of him,” she said. His mission is to be a first people to ride on that better way than to fly with weeks at home will be spent entertaining two career pilot, flying planes airline, when he becomes a your son.” German exchange students who are visiting the Brauns, and getting his dad’s guns cleaned and ready for the next hunting We offer coverage that includes coverage for buildings, equipment and liability— season. MORE THAN YOUR FARM, all at competitive rates. Call today to get a quote to protect you and your farm. “Jim has sure appreYOUR AMERICAN DREAM. Kyle HoiumAgent Agency, LLC Kyle Hoium, ciated Sam’s expertise in weaponry. Sam can take 10 3rd Ave Se apart and re-assemble alMelrose, MN 56352 most anything. He is very Bus: (320) 256-3434 mechanical and thorough,” khoium@amfam.com said Sheryl. “And he’s a good shot.” Braun encourages others to join the military, taking the route he did. “It’s a great way to become an officer and choose a career path,” he said. “One becomes focused.” Sheryl said Sam is a CA Feb-1B-MT great role model for their American Family Mutual Insurance Company, S.I., American Family Insurance Company, Midvale Indemnity Company, 6000 American Parkway, Madison, WI 53783 007388 – Rev. 2/15 ©2015 – 7041495

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Page 12 • Country Acres - Friday, February 16, 2018

Country boy finds career at

Carlos Creek Winery Funk succeeds as head winemaker By KATELYN ASFELD Staff Writer

ALEXANDRIA – In the tasting room at Carlos Creek Winery in Alexandria, head winemaker Russ Funk swirled his latest creation in a wine glass. He held the pink liquid up to the light and studied it with a watchful eye. Bringing the glass to his nose, he took a quick smell and sipped. He set his glass down on the table and said, “That’s the method of tasting wine: see, swirl, smell, sip and savor. Smell

and taste go hand in hand. It’s important to remember your tongue only detects sweetness, bitters, salts and acids. It’s your nose that tells you what it is. The sensory effects of the alcohol, tannins, sugars and acids add so much more to the overall taste of the wine. That’s what makes wine so complex.” Outside, it was gray, cold and icy, but inside the tasting room, the atmosphere was cozy and warm. Music played from speakers as people laughed and talked. The place smelled of fresh pine and warm yel-

low light glimmered off of glass tables, bottles, wine glasses and light fixtures. With a salutary “hello” and a brief introduction, Funk began sharing his story. Taking root Funk graduated from Sauk Centre High School in 1999 and planned to go to Alexandria Technical and Community College in the fall. The recent graduate was eager to get a jump on the job market the summer after graduating high

CARLOS CREEK continued on page 13

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Friday, February 16, 2018 - Country Acres • Page 13 CARLOS CREEK continued from page 12

school. His uncle, who resides in Alexandria, suggested a job at Carlos Creek Winery. “My uncle got me connected to the winery. And so, I worked here all through summer and all through school as the grounds manager,” Funk said. Funk started working at the facility in 1999 – two months before it was open for business. Funk got his degree in mechanical engineering and design, but his career interests had changed. “By the time I graduated from school, I was making as much here as a grounds manager as my buddies were straight out of college,” Funk said. “Grounds keeping was by far, way more fun. I learned in school that I can’t sit behind a computer all day. I’d fall asleep, get bored. I just couldn’t do it.” Little did he know that he would one day become the winery’s head winemaker, working with a team to produce thousands of gallons of wine a year. His first lesson was from Santiago Martinez, the head winemaker at the time whom Funk described as “this short, pot-bellied, white-haired old man with big glasses and a South American accent. He was a very intelligent guy, but at the time, I had no idea who he was. I was walking across the parking lot one day and he [Martinez] points to me and said, ‘Hey you, come here, I need your help.’ He was pumping wine into a bucket, and I held on to the bucket so it didn’t tip over. And he said, ‘Oh thanks, come back later, I’ll need your help again.’ And that was my first wine making job ever.” Martinez taught Funk how to set up the wine filter for the tanks. Later on, Funk was setting up the filters and running the pumps while Martinez did all the chemistry and wine making. “Things kind of progressed from there, for the first six years anyway,” Funk said. After brief stints in other lines of work, Funk found his way back to the winery. He called the winery and asked if there was any work they needed done. Eventually, he was hired full-time. The owner, Bob Johnson, asked Funk if he would like to take over as head winemaker. In 2008, Kim and Tami Bredeson bought the winery and they offered to send Funk to school for winemaking. “I took some online classes, started studying and learning about winemaking and thought ‘this is pretty cool,’” Funk said. “I had experience working with the wine, not really making it, just working with it. Which

Head winemaker Russ Funk explains the maintenance that goes into grape vines in the downstairs museum at Carlos Creek Winery in Alexandria.

proved to be far greater than any textbook I’ve ever read.” From there, his career took off. Making wine The busiest time for the winery is in the fall when the grapes are ripe. “Technically, all our wine is made in September and October. It is a very busy time for us,” said Funk. “That’s the most critical time. In wine making, there are a lot of things that can’t wait until tomorrow. Then it would be too late. For example, to make a perfectly balanced

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Friday, February 16, 2018 - Country Acres • Page 15 CARLOS CREEK continued from page 14

Once the wine is blended, it is placed in bottles using a bottling machine. Bottles are kept on the facility for a couple months to one year because wine goes through a bottle shock where it loses some of its flavor and aroma; later, it comes back. Funk said what makes wineries different from one another is their story. “We all go through the same text books, the same principles, the same properties. … Wine all ages and is made the same way, but, every winemaker has their own style towards their winemaking. And that’s kind of what separates one winery from the next,” said Funk. “For us, we’re a Minnesota winery, growing Minnesota grapes. Minnesota has some of the best oak in the world and we use a lot of Minnesota oak.” His advice to anyone interested in going into winemaking would be, “Make sure you have the passion. You can’t do it without the passion. There’s so much effort that goes into every detail of winemaking that if you don’t have the passion to want to get it done and do it right, it’s not going to be as good. You have to be willing to put in the time and be there when things need to be done.” Funk plans to continue making wine for Carlos Creek Winery. With the business growing every year, Funk stays busy making wine and training his team members. When asked what he enjoys most about his job, Funk said, “The gratification of making something taste the way you want it. You put so much time and effort into everything, and it’s such a good feeling when it turns out. Knowing that you nailed it is probably the best feeling and the biggest challenge is making that happen.”

Above: The Hot Dish Red Wine is one of Carlos Creek Winery’s best-selling and most award-winning wines. It is also their sweetest red. Right: Funk’s latest creation, a sweet, fruity blush White Marquette is now available for purchase.

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ebruary is Veterinary Dental Health uated for the appropriate steps to get Month. Keeping your pet’s mouth those mouths healthy again. healthy is more than just preventWould you like to avoid or at least ing bad breath. Dental disease can cause decrease the number of visits you make pain, make it difficult to eat, and can be a to the vet to restore your pet’s dental source of bacteria that can spread through health? The No. 1 way to maintain your the bloodstream to affect other organs in pet’s dental health is daily tooth brushthe body. Plaque, a sticky film full of ing. Just like taking care of your own bacteria, starts to form on teeth within mouth. It is not as hard as you think. just two days of a good cleaning. WithStart them young if possible, but even out preventative care, this progresses to old dogs can learn new tricks. You are By WENDY WOMACK the deposition of minerals in the plaque going to need a toothbrush. This should turning it into tartar. If this process conbe a very soft bristled brush, even softtinues unchecked, it progresses to periodontal disease er than a human child’s toothbrush, so shop for ones which involves the breakdown of tooth attachments to designed for pets. For pets less than 30 pounds, a finthe bone and bone loss and eventual tooth loss. ger toothbrush that fits on the tip of your finger may How do you know if your pet’s dental health is in be easier. You will also need some toothpaste. Human jeopardy? The number one sign is bad breath. This usu- tooth paste has detergents and sometimes baking soda ally indicates there is a bacterial infection in the mouth. and salts that are not safe for pets to swallow, so shop If you lift your pet’s lip and the gum line is angry and for a pet toothpaste. They come in all kinds of yummy red instead of a nice healthy pink, you are seeing gin- flavors. For the first week or so just put the toothpaste givitis – inflammation and infection of the gum tissue. or some chicken broth on the brush and allow your pet If the gum tissue is receding down the to lick it off. After they become comfortable with that tooth root and teeth are mobile this idea, start to introduce the brush into their cheek is advanced dental disease. If you while they are licking. Now you are ready to are seeing or smelling any of do some real brushing. You only need to these things, your cat or dog brush the outside cheek surfaces of needs a visit to the the teeth because the tongue’s action vet to be helps keep the inner surfaces clean. evalAngle the brush at about a 45-degree angle to the gum line and brush about 3-4 teeth at a time with a circular motion. The teeth most likely to be in trouble are the upper K9 teeth and the upper large chewing teeth, so if your pet will only tolerate a short session, concentrate on these teeth. Small breed dogs tend to have more dental health issues because their teeth are packed together tighter than large breeds. There

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Page 18 • Country Acres - Friday, February 16, 2018

Humble upbringing leads OPEN HOUSE Brady historical career & Customerto Appreciation Day! Minnesota family recalls growing up with legendary quarterback By JENNIFER COYNE Staff Writer

BROWERVILLE – As New England Patriots’ Tom Brady proclaimed his excitement for participating in his eighth Super Bowl game following the AFC Championship Jan. 21, the rural town of Browerville quickly became more than a farming community. Browerville is the California native’s home away from home. The place he would spend summers fishing with family, playing whiffle ball with cousins and milking cows with Grandpa. “We were just little tykes helping Grandpa,” said Paul Johnson, Brady’s older cousin. “Here were these kids coming from California and seeing a big creature [a cow], and being able to grab it by its udder was unreal.”

Paul lives only a short distance from the family’s farmstead. While the dairy is no longer operational, Paul’s father, Gary, is the third generation of Johnsons to own the farm site, and Paul’s uncle, Allen, lives on the property. “It’s a time gone by, but you could make a living with that many cows,” said Paul, referring to his grandpa’s 24-cow dairy. Although the barn now sits empty, the memories made on the farm remain vibrant. Each summer, Paul looked forward to a visit from the Bradys. “The whole family would come every year, and make a point to visit and stay at the farm,” Gary said. Aside from fishing and playing games of smear, the cousins were often found in the dairy barn or

PHOTO BY MARK KLAPHAHKE

Paul Johnson has a collection of Tom Brady memorabilia in his shed near Browerville, Minn. Johnson is Brady’s cousin and spent summers with the pro athlete milking cows on their grandparents’ dairy.

adventuring through the nearby Eagle Creek. “I can remember Tom being in the barn squirting milk at his sisters, and getting away from Grandpa,” Gary said.

Paul agreed. “We all thought we were big helpers,” he said. “We might’ve been spreading out a little hay for each cow. Or, there was a cement floor with gutters and

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BRADY continued on page 19

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Friday, February 16, 2018 - Country Acres • Page 19 BRADY continued from page 18 house window. “As a kid, you never think of those things,” Paul said. “There’s a lot of athleticism in the family, and we always joke it comes from the Johnson side.” Since Brady’s football career began, his Browerville family has remained his biggest supporters on and off the ﬁeld.

“We grew up with the Bradys. We’ve been close with them our entire childhood, and that’s what we love about it,” Paul said. “Even after Tommy got famous, the relationship between him and us, and his entire family, has not changed. They weren’t born and raised celebrities, they were simple people

just like the rest of us.” For the ﬁrst four years of Brady’s contract with the New England Patriots, his family would gather at the farm and watch every game. “For the past 14 years, we’ve been watching the game here. We used to pick Grandpa up from the farm and have potluck meals and watch the game,” said Paul, showing football memorabilia dispersed throughout his heated shop. As Brady’s career has developed, the Johnsons have had the opportunity to watch him in person. Last year, they attended the Super Bowl held in Houston. However, this year PHOTO SUBMITTED was different. The late Gordon Johnson (left), Tom Brady’s grandpa, is pictured with New England Patriot owner Bob Not only did the John- Kraft earlier in Brady’s playing career. Johnson milked 24 cows near Browerville, Minn. sons have a chance to reconnect with their California relatives, they did so RejuvEnate your in the state that has given them so many fond memequipment with ories. michelin ® ag tires Although another trip to the Super Bowl certainly boosted Brady’s following across the nation, nothing will compare to his fan base in west central Minnesota. “A little town of 790 people will always be a fan of Tom Brady,” Paul said. PHOTO SUBMITTED

One of Paul Johnson’s fondest photos is one of his son, Benton (left) and daughter Kenley with Brady earlier in his NFL career.

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Page 20 • Country Acres - Friday, February 16, 2018

10 TIPS

Keep records to allow for better tain moisture. Don’t plant too deeply. planning: record when seeds are Cover your planted seeds with sown, the germination date and clear plastic wrap or a clear success rate, when seedlings are ready domed lid to retain moisture and for transplanting, and where you purhumidity. Once the seeds have germichased the seed. These observations help you make adjustments for next nated, you can remove these. year to ensure your plants are grown Pay attention to temperature reunder optimum conditions. quirements. Some seeds require chilling to germinate (delphinium Use fresh seed when possible. Gerand larkspur); others require heat (pepmination can be greatly reduced pers). when using old seed. If you are saving seed, make sure it is stored in a Place your planted seeds under cool, dark, dry place. fluorescent shop lights. (We use

to successful seed starting 2

And so, the season has started. Our seeds have been delivered, our schedule has been planned, and the soil-less mix and plug trays have arrived…it is time to start seeds. Each year we start countless thousands of flower and vegetable seeds to plant in our growing fields and garden from April through August, and each year I learn something new. Successes and failures are all part of gardening, and it’s the notes we take and records we keep that help us to make good decisions and firm plans for the coming years. As they say, “the devil is in the details.” By Robin Trott, If you want to try your hand at seed University of Minnesota starting this year, try these few tips to Extension Educator steer you down a successful path. For more information about planting seeds, visit www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/flowers/starting-seeds-indoors. Good luck with all your seeding adventures. Until next time, happy gardening! “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” ~ Robert Louis Stevenson

Use a sterile container. Whether you are re-using cell packs, yogurt containers or new flats and liners, make sure your containers are clean and free of debris. Plastic containers retain moisture more consistently than clay pots.

6 7 8

40-watt, 4-foot-long lights. Make sure your bulbs are clean.) Lower lights to no more than 4 inches above your seed trays. Lift the lights as the seedlings grow.

9 10

After 30 days, fertilize your seedlings with half-strength 10-1010 fertilizer. (Fish emulsion, sea Use a sterile, soil-less potting mix weed and other organic concoctions to avoid damping off and other diseases that can be transmitted can be stinky indoors.) through other types of soil. Keep your seedlings ade-

4 5

Pay attention to planting instructions. Some seeds require light to germinate, others prefer dark. Press seeds down to assure good seed/ soil contact, and lightly cover with fine vermiculite or potting mix to help re-

quately watered and fed until they are ready to transplant outdoors. Don’t let them dry out or sit in water for too long. Just like Goldilocks, seedlings like an environment that is “just right.”

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Page 22 • Country Acres - Friday, February 16, 2018

COUNTRY COOKING

Vegetable Beef Soup • 1 pound ground beef or venison • 1/2 package (12 ounces) frozen • 1/2 large onion, chopped vegetables • 1 pint of stewed tomatoes (prefer • 1 medium potato, peeled and home-made) chopped • 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce • 1/2 cup barley • 5 beef bouillon cubes • Salt and pepper to taste • 5 cups water In a soup pot, sauté ground beef and onion until beef is browned. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer for 45 minutes.

Recipes Submitted by

LUE CREMERS

Pecan Pie

Watkins Stearns County

• • • •

3 cups shredded hash browns 1/4 cup butter, melted 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

• • • •

1 cup diced fully-cooked ham 2 eggs, beaten 1/2 cup heavy cream Salt and pepper to taste

In a 9-inch greased pie plate, form hash browns in the pan. Pour butter over hash browns. Bake uncovered at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until edges are browned. Mix pepper jack cheese, Swiss cheese and ham and place on top of hash browns. Beat eggs and mix with heavy cream. Pour over ham and cheese mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a knife comes out clean from the center.

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• 1/4 cup butter, melted • 1 tsp. vanilla extract • 1 cup pecan halves

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Friday, February 16, 2018 - Country Acres • Page 23

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Valuable Coupon

Ag Products

CA Feb_LO

Order Pallet Quantities for 15% Off

FLEET SUPPLY

IF IT’S HILLMAN TAKE 10% OFF

88 9 1 e c in

YOUR DEALER, YOUR WAY!

www.yarmonford.com

640 Diekmann Dr., Paynesville, MN

320-243-4235 WWW.YARMONFORD.COM

www. www.yarmonford.com

www.yarmonford.com

www.yarmonford.com www.yarmonford.com

www.yarmonford.com

Products P r

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Dairy Products

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Swine Products

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BY THE BAG 10% OFF

Hillman Stock-up Sale

www.yarmonford.com

Big Gain Sale