Country Acres 2019 - March 15 edition by Star Publications

Country

Friday, March 15, 2019 • Edition 3

cres A

Focusing on Today’s Rural Environment

PHOTOS BY DANNA SABOLIK

Alex Tullis, (from left) Jared Nickel and Doug Rathke work together to shear the Dennis and Brenda Lieser flock March 1 near Belgrade. It takes less than two minutes to completely shear a sheep.

Kroll’s team collaborates to shear Lieser flock By DANNA SABOLIK Staff Writer BELGRADE – The hum of clippers and oldies music beckon from the barn and upon entrance, there are welcoming, smiling faces. Tim Kroll and his team of sheep shearers are working together to shear 300 of Dennis and Brenda Lieser’s 800 ewes. Sheep are sheared before they lamb and these ewes are due to lamb in the next couple months. Lambing season is typically December to May, varying from farm to farm. Kroll has experienced this firsthand as a shearer, with his busiest months from January through April. On March 1, Kroll worked at the Lieser farm with

Doug Rathke of Hutchinson, Alex Tullis of Brooten and Jerod Nickel, of Litchfield. Dennis and his son, Jeremy, also helped the group, raking the fleece that was sheared and stuffing it into a burlap sack, called a bale, that was taken with Rathke to Hutchinson. From there, Rathke works with Groenewold Fur and Wool Company in Illinois to contract a fair price for the product. The wool is evaluated based on quality, length, crimp and cleanliness and sold for a premium. The premium is then sent back to the farm and Lieser will receive the payment for his wool. When shearing a sheep, there is a pattern to the way a clipper should move. In only 46 strokes, an animal can be completely sheared.

This month in the

The shearer begins with the belly of the animal, then moves the clipper to the legs. Next, the left side of the animal is sheared up to the neck, after which she is laid on her left side as the clipper continues to work from the head to tail. The sheep on the Lieser farm are either Polypays or Rambouillet, which are sheared once a year. On that day, Kroll and his crew were shearing the Rambouillet, whose wool is used for apparel because it has a durable, fine crimp. This is a genetic quality, but mostly found in specific breeds of sheep. Other breeds, like Suffolk and Hampshire, have coarser wool, used for rugs and hats. A typical workday for a shearer begins on the farm at

Wooly sheep gather in the barn before lining up for shearing. The breed of these sheep is the Rambouillet, known for their fine wool, best used for clothing.

7:30 a.m. and lasts until about noon, depending on how many sheep need to be sheared and how many people are working. For shearing, the men wear wool-felt moccasins, to protect their feet, move across wooden floors easily and absorb sweat. They also wear double-lined pants, which allow flexibility necessary while navigating around a sheep.

At the Lieser farm, the group sheared 300 ewes in five hours, resulting in 21 burlap bales of wool, about 200 pounds each. On average, it takes less than two minutes to shear a sheep. “I thought the day went perfectly,” said Kroll. “We had a great time.”

KROLL continued on page 2

Everyone’s water Big Birch Lake

10 Fine-tuning conservation 19 Can’t stop coughing Belgrade Wendy Womack column

24 Unique Alyssa Freeport

Growing old gracefully? Diane Leukam column

12 Collecting history Willmar

16 Silently snow came Herman Lensing column

26 Create an edible landscape Robin Trott column

Oh deer! Danna Sabolik

16 Bountiful buckets Browerville

22 Country Cooking

26 Agri-hood Roger Strom column

COUNTRY

Page 2 • Country Acres - Friday, March 15, 2019

Country Acres

Diane Leukam, Editor diane@saukherald.com Herman Lensing, Writer herman@melrosebeacon.com Laura Hintzen, Writer laura.h@saukherald.com Jennifer Coyne, Writer jenn@dairystar.com Danna Sabolik, Writer danna.s@dairystar.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 Warren Stone, 320-249-9182 warren@star-pub.com Jaime Ostendorf, 320-309-1988 Jaime@star-pub.com

KROLL continued from front Dennis Lieser agreed. “These guys are always a lot of fun when they come around,” he said. The shearers come to the Lieser farm 10 times a year – four times to shear the ewes and six more times to shear the lambs. All the men work together now, but they all came to shearing in their own way. Most of the men grew up on a sheep farm or raise sheep now, but shearing is a bit different than stewarding a flock. “Most of us learned from watching someone else do it,” Kroll said. “Then we realized we were pretty good at it and thought we could do it for some extra income.” There are also shearing schools, where students learn from an experienced shearer the process and patterns and can try it on farms with an instructor before doing it on their own. There are shearing schools around the area, with one being in Brookings, S.D. at South Dakota State University. “If there are farm kids that have sheep at home, it’s a great way for them to learn how to shear and make a little money,” Kroll said. “If you’re good at it you’ll make some money, and if you’re not so good you’ll still make some money.” Rathke also teaches a shearing school, with one coming up in April. In the past, Rathke has brought classes to the farm and

PHOTOS BY DANNA SABOLIK

Alex Tullis (from left), Jared Nickel, Doug Rathke, Tim Kroll and Dennis Lieser take a short break on a bale of wool. They are wearing moccasins made of wool felt to protect their feet, grip wooden floors well and absorb sweat while shearing.

used the shearing appointment as a learning experience. If someone is really good at shearing, there are competitions and contests for shearers throughout the country. In fact, Rathke is a competitive shearer and judge in these competitions. Kroll is happy he found a job doing something he is passionate

KROLL continued on page 3

PRODUCTION STAFF Pat Turner Amanda Thooft Nancy Powell Brian Dingmann Maddy Peterson

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 publicati publication.

Alex Tullis shears a sheep. The group sheared 300 ewes in five hours on March 1 at Tim Kroll shears a ewe from belly to face, following the typical shearing pattern. the Dennis and Brenda Lieser farm near Belgrade.

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Friday, March 15, 2019 - Country Acres • Page 3 KROLL continued from page 2 about and has been able to do most of his life. “I love what I do,” Kroll said about shearing. “I’m sure going to miss it when I can’t do it anymore.” Kroll has been shearing sheep for 50 years and does not want to slow down anytime soon. He has good memories with shearing since he has been doing this most of his life, since he was a teenager. “I like seeing my clients and it’s never the same

thing day to day,” Kroll said. “Also, the guys I work with vary based on where the job is, so it’s fun to catch up with them.” He also enjoys teaching people how to shear and showing them how fun it can be. “People don’t expect how hard this job is,” Kroll said. “Or how easy it can be once you learn how to do it.” Shearing might not be a job for everyone, but the men and women who do it

sure seem to love it. As the last ewe is sheared, a drift of snow blows into the barn. As fresh and white as the recently cut wool, the flurries are a reminder of the warmth in the barn, not just from the shelter, but the genuine personalities of Kroll’s team and the Liesers’ hospitality on a cold winter day. Sheep line the sides of the Lieser barn while they wait to be sheared.

Once wool is sheared, it is stuffed into burlap bales. These bales are taken to Hutchinson to be graded and purchased. On March 1, the group filled 21 bales of wool, about 200 pounds each.

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Page 4 • Country Acres - Friday, March 15, 2019

Everyone’s water By DIANE LEUKAM Staff Writer GREY EAGLE – Steve and Jean Doth of Grey Eagle can sit in the living room of their Birch Lake home and watch a flurry of activity as winter birds feast at their feeders. As they look down the steep hillside covered in snow to the lake below, they can rest assured that come spring, the hillside will awaken to a multitude of plants native to Minnesota. When they bought the property in 1999 and moved there in 2001, that was not the case. “When you look at the lake, down the hill here they actually used to mow this,” Steve said. “We tried doing that one year.” The comment drew laughter from Jean. “We had to wear baseball shoes – cleats,” she said. That hillside is now transformed, triggered partially by a visit to a rest stop near Avon many years ago. “There was this mural that showed the depth of the wildflower roots and

that started me thinking it would make sense to put that in here instead of the grass,” Jean said. “There was one of the wildflowers that had 4-foot-deep roots.” They have been eliminating lawn and working on solutions to erosion ever since. They have seen the results. “The stairway [to the lake] goes in the middle of our property and on both sides, you could see these rivulets going down to the lake where the erosion was, and we just took care of that.” The transformation has involved a lot of trial and error. “At first, we didn’t know what we were doing, but we’ve worked at it and we got some help from the Sauk River Watershed and the Big Birch Lake Association,” Steve said. “There were people who had done similar things.” The couple purchased seed mixes of native wildflowers from a company that also publishes a magazine with information on how to plant them, the root systems of the plants and other more technical details.

Now, instead of mowing the hillside, they wait and watch what happens each growing season. “It beautifies the place, and every year there are different wildflowers that come up,” Jean said. “Every year it’s like this is new.” Most of the plants are perennials, with some biennials. Each year, the Doths observe the hillside and identify the flowers. They especially enjoy the brown-eyed Susans, the New England asters and bergamot. There are clovers, columbine and coneflowers and every once in a while, a red cardinal flower. By now, they are much more comfortable and knowledgeable, making it all easier than it was in the beginning. “The first thing we did was try wild grasses,” Steve said. “We did that for the first couple of years with mixed success, and that’s when we didn’t know what we were doing.” Initially, they had difficulties getting their wildflowers established, but learned as they went how important it was to kill the grass before planting any-

Doths naturalize lakeshore, eliminate runoff

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Jean and Steve Doth of Grey Eagle have transformed their Big Birch Lake hillside into wildflowers to eliminate lawn as well as runoff, in an effort to improve the water quality of the lake. For this and other conservation efforts, they were honored with the 2018 Friends of the Lake Award.

thing. Now they plant in the fall and lightly rake the area. “The first time we did that it was incredible how it came up compared to the rest of the stuff in the yard,” Steve said. Now, of their two acres, just over an acre is wild, with a half-acre in wildflowers. If they find an area that hasn’t done well, they will plant something

different there. The hillside is not the only environmental project the couple has undertaken. They have also planted over their septic system with a mix of wildflowers specifically designed for the purpose. “Eighty percent of the moisture that goes into the septic system evaporates and by having the wildflowers, as long as the root

system isn’t real deep, they are perfect because they kind of break the soil up and let the moisture evaporate,” Steve said. The Doths also had major runoff coming down through their property from the road, and even a neighbor’s property. “It all went in front of our

DOTH continued on page 5

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Friday, March 15, 2019 - Country Acres • Page 5 DOTH continued from page 4 house and we had a waterfall,” Jean said. To alleviate the problem, they built a berm between the two properties, along with a retention pond where the runoff is held and gradually sinks into the soil. They also brought in black dirt and built up the soil level in front of their house and installed a retaining wall by the driveway, with additional rock placed to slow down the water. “It really reduces 90 percent of driveway runoff that doesn’t run into the

lake anymore,” Steve said. “That was a big deal.” At the end of the day, the motivation for the Doths is water quality, on a lake where they live and recreate. They fish, have a pontoon and kayaks. They have family close by with a son in St. Cloud, a daughter in Wadena, and five grandchildren who love to fish and swim. “We do want to make it better for our grandkids,” Steve said The Doths’ hard work and dedication to the lake have not gone unnoticed. They received the 2018

Big Birch Lake Association Friends of the Lake award for their efforts, something the group has been trying to give them for years. Previously, the Doths have not accepted it because Steve has been on the board. Now he is retiring from the position and they are happy to accept. They are also more than willing to share information with others through the association at bbla@ meltel.net. For the Doths, their

DOTH continued on page 6

Steve and Jean Doth’s hillside is viewed from Birch Lake. The hillside is planted in wildflowers, while the flat, grassy area below is a remnant of a railroad-tie road built in the 1920s to access Hammerstein Island on the lake.

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Page 6 • Country Acres - Friday, March 15, 2019 DOTH continued from page 5 vision for the lake is much larger than personal recreation and grandchildren. “This isn’t my water or Jean’s water, it belongs to everybody in the state,” Steve said. “We feel it’s our responsibility to keep it clean. We want to do our part and do what we can and I think we’ve been doing a pretty good job of that. We made it better anyway.” Jean agreed, echoing his statement, “We made it better.” PHOTOS SUBMITTED

A butterfly and bees enjoy sedum flowers at the Steve and Jean Doth residence near Grey Eagle.

(above) Looking down at Birch Lake from Steve and Jean Doth’s backyard, one can see the hillside planted in native wildflowers.

(right) A retaining wall, supplemented with rocks behind it, helps to greatly reduce runoff from the road and driveway.

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Friday, March 15, 2019 - Country Acres • Page 7

Growing old gracefully?

Last fall I ran into a couple I had done a story on in October 2017 which ran in Country Acres. Since we first met, I have thoroughly enjoyed every encounter I have had with them. Anyway, the lady smiled with a twinkle in her eye and handed me a greeting card, saying she was giving this to me because I was so “graceful.” That should have been my first inkling she was up to something. Inside the card was a nice message and a laminated prayer card. Many of you will be familiar with them. They are small, maybe 2x3.5 inches, and of course, come with a prayer, along with a religious photo. Here is the text of the card: A Prayer for Growing Old Gracefully Lord, Thou knowest better than I myself that I am growing older and will someday be old. Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion. Release me from the craving to straighten out everybody’s affairs. Make me thoughtful but not moody; helpful but not bossy. With my vast store of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it all; but thou knowest, Lord, that I want a few friends at the end. Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details; give me wings to get to the point. Seal my lips on my aches and pains; they are increasing, and love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by. I dare not ask for improved memory, but for a growing humility and a lessening cock-sureness when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others. Teach me the glorious lesson that

by Diane Leukam occasionally, I might be mistaken. Keep me reasonably sweet, for a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the devil. Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places and talents in unexpected people; and give, O Lord, the grace to tell them so. Amen. There is so much to decipher in that small package. This issue is filled with an eclectic mix of stories, with several of them having a conservationist, environmental theme. To me, this accentuates the fact that the vast majority of country property owners, farmers and hunters care about the environment and are very conservation minded. Steve and Jan Doth of Grey Eagle tell about the transformation of their steep lakeside hill from lawn into wildflowers. They have addressed that and other conservation challenges on their Big Birch Lake property, and are open to helping others to achieve environmental goals for the sake of everyone’s public waters. We caught up with Tim Kroll and his crew from Long Prairie down in Belgrade at the Dennis and Brenda Lieser farm. Sheep shearing is something most of us have never witnessed in person, but this story will help us out with those visuals in a wooly way. Near Long Lake north of Willmar, 88-year-old

Allan Molenaar is owner of Long Lake Antiques. For 25 years, his passion for agricultural and other unique pieces has spilled over into his store, as he has become collector of history. The deer hunting season may be over, but it is still on the minds of many. In an editorial piece, Danna Sabolik investigates the various opinions on hunting for trophy deer. A hunter herself, this was a fun and interesting idea for her to pursue. This is a follow-up story to a letter received from one of our readers on the topic of what is best for Minnesota’s deer herd. I think you will find this thought-provoking, and you will likely come up with your own opinions. Alan and Brenda Kaiser of Belgrade grow soybeans, corn, hogs and beef cattle near Belgrade. Due to their longstanding variety of conservation methods, they have been recognized through the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program. Ken Hovet of Long Prairie explains his bucket gardening technique, which he has been using for eight years. I find it very intriguing and am sorely tempted to give it a try. See what you think! Our writer, Herman Lensing, moonlights as a playwright in the Melrose area. He must have been in a reflective mood one day, as you will see by the poem he wrote about our abundance of snow. We are already gearing up to go back to twice-a-month issues in April. Be sure to watch your mailboxes on April 5 for more fun from the country! As always, enjoy this issue, and please tell our advertisers you saw them in Country Acres!

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Tell us about some of the things you’ve done this year in FFA. I’m currently serving as president for our chapter this year. I also compete in the general livestock judging career development event (CDE). As a chapter, we host several events and fundraisers throughout the year, including ringing the bell for the Salvation Army, going to camps and conventions and planning holiday parties. Our chapter has done a butter braid fundraiser to cover the costs of members attending state and national FFA convention and membership dues. Name one current issue you believe will impact agriculture in the future. Why? Getting the general public to understand farming practices. It’s important to educate them on where their food comes from and how farmers raise their livestock and crops. How would you encourage an inactive FFA member to become more involved? We have some really awesome ag classes offered here in Willmar. We seek out the kids who really enjoy these classes and encourage them to join FFA. We try to find their interests and get them involved in contests and tell them of all the great things we have going on in our chapter.

was a freshman and we have the best ag teachers here. FFA is like a family to me. You can always talk to members; it’s a safe place where everyone is included and welcome. I never once felt hurt or unwanted. Also, I plan to attend St. Cloud State University to pursue a degree in animal science. If I wasn’t in FFA, I don’t think I would have known of this opportunity or found my interest in animals. What do you enjoy most about FFA? Why? The contests and all of the activities. I don’t live on a farm, so the only time I’m able to interact with livestock is when I’m competing or practicing in my general livestock judging contest. I enjoy getting out and riding along with other members to contests. That time spent driving in the car brings everyone together. What does leadership mean to you? Leadership is showing people what being a good role model is. You’re bringing people in, making them feel welcome and showing them the right path. You encourage them to take charge and fight for what they want. It’s bringing people together and working together to accomplish something.

What other hobbies and interests do What is the greatest benefit you have you have outside of FFA? I enjoy doing things received from being involved in FFA? The outdoors. I love to go hunting and fishing with inclusion and friendship. I joined FFA when I my brother and dad.

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Page 8 â&#x20AC;˘ Country Acres - Friday, March 15, 2019

Oh, deer!

ast fall, we received an anonymous letter about the state of the whitetail deer population in Central Minnesota, expressing the theory that hunters are destroying the quality of animals with an â&#x20AC;&#x153;antler obsessedâ&#x20AC;? and trophy hunting mindset. As a lifelong deer hunter, this topic piqued my personal interest and is one I was more than willing to delve into. I appreciate the author of this letter and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m happy for the chance to engage in a discussion on this topic. I grew up in Douglas County and have as immense appreciation for wildlife and natural resources. I knew this would be an interesting topic to research, but I had no idea how controversial the topic was. Various people, including a representative of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and avid deer hunters in the area were happy to speak to me on this topic, but all desired to remain anonymous. As I approached this topic as a feature story, I was shocked by how hard

By DANNA SABOLIK Staff Writer it was to remain unbiased, as my opinions are strong as well. After speaking with the DNR representative, I learned that genetic traits of wild whitetail deer are nearly impossible to trace throughout generations, though there is suspicion the genes of whitetail deer have deteriorated over the years. The timing of this letter is important to note. There is no doubt a trend in trophy hunting and as is presented, an antler obsession. The best genetic qualities of deer are the most highly sought after and often, harvested. It is a time when a big buck can bring in big bucks. But, what is

the cost? Deer size In the anonymous letter, it was stated that the whitetail deer in Central Minnesota in 2019 are genetically inferior to those of colonial times. The writer goes on to claim the pioneers of the late nineteenth century did not restrict themselves on harvest numbers, but did focus on leaving the largest bucks alive. At the Minnesota DNR there are few to no records of deer size in the late 19th century. There are especially not any large sample sizes on average body size by age class among male and female deer from that time to compare to current data. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is information of deer biology and population trends, especially as it relates to habitat, as well as human settlement of North America and our impact on the landscape that would not lend credence to the idea that deer body size has changed in that time due to hunting,â&#x20AC;? said a representative of the Minnesota DNR.

Exploring theories on big buck hun ngâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impact on herd Due to heavy hunting ago. Antler obsession trends in the late 1800s Most of the letter is and early 1900s, the genetic pool of deer seemed based on the theory of to have depleted, simply antler obsession, with the due to population loss. assumption that the highBut according to the DNR, est-quality animals have deer populations were not the biggest racks and, completely wiped out at therefore, best genes. If that time. Deer were still this is the case, then the troaround Central Minneso- phy hunters and big buck contests, ta, just in which are reduced increasnumbers. ing in A c popularicording to ty, could the DNR truly be spokesharmful person, to the whitetail whitetail deer were deer popamong ulation in the most Central geneticalMinnesoly diverse ta. mammals The on the l e t t e r globe in w r i t e r â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the ear- DNR theory is ly 1900s, that deer however, there appears to be no hard in Central Minnesota are scientific evidence avail- gradually decreasing in able that deer of today are size due to excessive huntinferior to deer of colonial ing pressure on breeding times, nor that the gene bucks. While this may not pool has been depleted due be noticed year-to-year, to hunting trends centuries consider how many gener-

â&#x20AC;&#x153;No evidence exists that quality of whitetail deer has been impacted in any biologically significant way directly by trophy hunting.â&#x20AC;?

ations of deer there are in a century, generational turnover being roughly four years. A lot can evolve in 100 years. But because whitetail deer are wild animals, there is no way to track the genetics through the herd or in individual animals. There may be deer biologists who study this within a captive herd, but because breeding is not controlled in a way similar to how we would think of cattle ranching, there is no way to track genetics through generations or even through decades. Our letter writer says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;ŚTodayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hunters have been gradually led to believe that the only respectable deer they should harvest is a buck with big antlers.â&#x20AC;? The writer claims that it is problematic to eliminate the genetics for the largest antlers and biggest body size from the population. However, this comes from an assumption that genetics of size and antlers

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Friday, March 15, 2019 - Country Acres • Page 9 OH, DEER! continued from page 8 can be identified or manipulated. I tend to believe this is simply not the case in a wild animal and wild ecosystem; I feel there are too many variables. The DNR states, “No evidence exists that quality of whitetail deer have been impacted in any biologically significant way directly by trophy hunting.”

Media attention Throughout Central Minnesota, hunters exhibit their kills in dens, offices and even designated trophy rooms that envy Gaston’s Tavern from Beauty and the Beast. Contests in the region encourage harvesting the largest deer and even offer rewards and prizes for bagging the biggest buck or stumbling upon the largest shed. This

all feeds the trendy trophy-hunting craze. A certain amount of propaganda comes with trophy hunting and quite often creates unrealistic expectation among trophy hunters, and this can also create divisions within the hunting community. According to the DNR representative, there will always be hunters who hunt only for bucks or large racks and some hunting only the largest trophies. CWD A flipside to this conversation is the recent plague of Chronic Wasting Disease in whitetail deer. This fatal neurological disease causes chronic weight loss and is mostly found in the Rocky Mountain range but has recently been discovered in Crow Wing County. A theory for the spread of the disease is overpopulation, as it is transmitted by direct con-

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY MINNESOTA DNR

Scott Okonek shows off the 27-point, 192-pound buck he took at the Camp Ripley Archery Hunt on Oct. 15, 2009. This buck was the state non-typical record for archery at the time.

tact with infected animals. According to Minnesota DNR, whitetail deer are one of the most abundant members of Minnesota’s fauna, and that will most likely always be the case. I have always felt that hunters are conservationists, aiding in the natural cycle of life, and strengthening a population of wildlife. Hunters are responsible for the population of whitetail deer and hold the key to protecting strong genetics, in order to sustain a balanced Minnesota ecosystem for generations to come. What do you think? Are the hunting tactics used today unfair to genetically superior deer? If there’s anyone interested in discussing this topic, I’m happy to explore more. Let me know what you think at PHOTO SUBMITTED danna.s@dairystar.com or call me at 320-351-7861. Brady Sabolik poses with the 8-point buck he harvested in 2014 near Kensington in Douglas County.

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Page 10 • Country Acres - Friday, March 15, 2019

Fine-tuning conserva on

BELGRADE — With a well-established no-till practice, buffered ditches, plus managed irrigation and fertilizer rates, Alan and Brenda Kaiser’s Stearns County farm easily qualified for the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP). A three-species, 125acre cover crop trial made possible through an Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) award bolstered the crop and livestock operation’s already high scores and augmented water-quality improvements. The Kaisers received their 10-year certification in September 2016. MAWQCP benefits are twofold: recognition and 10 years of regulatory certainty. As long as a farm meets the standards described in its original plan, it won’t be required to immediately comply with any new regulations for the next 10 years. Alan Kaiser described his primary motivation: “The recognition and trying to be proactive, to say farmers are doing the best they can,” he said. “The regulatory certainty, I feel, is almost secondary.” The Kaisers grow 560 acres of corn and soybeans, run a 750-hog-capacity finishing operation, and raise 20 head of beef cattle in Crow River Township. Over the past 11 years, Alan and Brenda converted all but 60 of their tillable acres to no-till. They started with beans and a neighbor’s machinery. Since 2009, they’ve used EQIP financial and

technical assistance to switch to no-till corn, convert to a low-pressure irrigation system, manage irrigation water and nutrient application, try prescribed grazing, plus build an animal waste storage facility and an animal mortality facility. Through the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Conservation Stewardship Program, the Kaisers fine-tuned nutrient and pest management, and improved wildlife and pollinator habitat. They’re in the process of reseeding one paddock a year for rotational grazing. NRCS programs reduce the financial risk of trying a new practice. After initial fluctuations — including a dip in corn yield for a couple of years — the Kaisers now figure labor and fuel costs offset decreased corn yields. Soybean yields have remained comparable to area fields. They find they spend less time in the field and save on machinery wear-andtear. The biggest gains are more difficult to quantify. Alan elaborated: “I think just the health of the soil. That’s hard to prove or hard to put a worth on. The easiest way to see it is just go out there and dig a shovelful and look at all the (mycorrhizal fungi) in the soil. Otherwise the ground that’s tilled all the time, it’s just dirt.” Mark Lefebvre, the Stearns County Soil & Water Conservation District nutrient management specialist who’s worked with the Kaisers, agreed. “The soil structure is better. It’s more friable.

PHOTO BY ANN WESSEL, BWSR

Brenda and Alan Kaiser raise corn, soybeans, hogs and beef cattle just outside Belgrade. Theirs is among 64 farms in Stearns County and 699 in the state enrolled in the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program which gives producers 10 years of regulatory certainty.

It’s in cubes, almost. If we could put a dollar value on that, it would be easy for us to sell it to everybody, and everybody would be doing it,” Lefebvre said. Changing tillage practices can be the biggest obstacle to farmers seeking water quality certification. Retrofitting equipment is expensive. Buying equipment is expensive. (For example, strip-till machinery can cost $100,000.) Rental options are scarce because demand is still building. The Kaisers grew up with conservation and alternative practices. Alan hunted pheasants and deer on land his father had enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Pro-

gram. Brenda’s father used a ridge-till system. Years after they married and bought a place between their parents’ neighboring farms, the Kaisers had the opportunity to try no-till seeding 40 acres of soybeans. The next year, they tried 160 acres. The farmer who owned the drill decided it didn’t fit his much larger operation, and sold it to them. “The Kaisers had a lot of conservation practices already existing on their farm when we did the water quality certification assessment,” Lefebvre said. The RCPP funds allowed the Kaisers to try cover crops in 2017. That September, they aeri-

al-seeded cereal rye, radishes and annual rye grass into beans and corn — intending to graze cattle. The beans shaded the cover crop. In the corn, cover-crop germination rates were low. The Kaisers decided to stick to other methods, using the equipment they own. To seed corn into beans, Alan had modified his John Deere 7000 corn planter, adding trash sweepers in the front and changing the down-pressure springs. Bean yields haven’t varied from others under irrigation in the region — ranging from 45 to 60 bushels per acre. Corn yields didn’t

change much the first year, and then took a 20- to 30-bushel hit the next two or three years before rebounding. Alan explained the temporary dip: “What you’re doing when you till, you’re turning those cornstalks and you’re turning that stuff in the ground and it’s turning over to your nutrients quicker. Where you’re laying that on top of the ground … it takes extra time to (turn) that into nutrients.” The Kaisers figured the fuel savings alone balanced a 15- to 20-bushelper-acre drop in yield. This

CONSERVATION continued on page 11

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Friday, March 15, 2019 - Country Acres • Page 11 CONSERVATION continued from page 10

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year, corn yields averaged 200 bushels nitrogen is lost without incorporation, per acre in the region; the Kaisers aver- Alan does a small amount of tillage. On about 50 acres annually, he incorporates aged 185 bushels per acre. “There’s a lot of advantages to me manure by lightly disking last year’s beans … that you can’t put in dollar signs. Like to prepare for corn planting. That step prevents nitrogen volatilization and increases erosion, for one thing,” Alan said. the value of the manure. Some no-till adaptaThe conservation tillage tions required patience. practice — leaving at “When everybody least 30 percent of the else is out planting, you ground covered by reswant to be out there, idue — allows for flextoo. You wait a week to ibility where manure is 10 days, is where I’m applied. at. You really go by soil Last year, corn temperature. I’m out yielded 30 to 40 bushels there checking that way per acre more where mamore than I ever did benure was applied. Bean fore,” Alan said. “I can yields have increased have everything planted - Alan Kaiser, on agricultural where manure was apin four days on my 275 practices benefiting plied two years earlier. (acres of corn). If I get water quality The Kaisers will four days in a row, I’m continue the fine-tuning done.” that began with EQIP Before, springtime “To get the farmer to continue the corn fieldwork could take two weeks. Waiting for weeds to reach optimal practice … after the EQIP contract is exheight before spraying requires patience, pired and they’re done getting financial assistance, the farmer, I think, really has too. “Your bean field looks all weeds and to believe that he wants to continue it and then when they spray it, you see there’s it’s the right thing to do — both for his soil and for the environment, and for his beans in there,” Brenda said. NRCS staff verifies that nutrient farming operation,” Lefebvre said. “They management practices follow Universi- really have to believe in the practice for it ty of Minnesota guidelines. The Kaisers to be successful.” USDA is an equal opportunity proworked on pest and nutrient management directly with a technical service provider vider, employer and lender. Natural Resources Conservation Service website: from the local co-op. Because University of Minnesota www.nrcs.usda.gov. guidelines indicate about 40 percent more

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Page g 12 • Countryy Acres Acre Ac ress - Friday, March 15, 2019 20119

Collecting history Molenaar takes pride in 25 years at Long Lake Antiques WILLMAR – When one wanders into Allan Molenaar’s antique shop on Long Lake Road near Willmar, the reaction is similar amongst customers. Their eyes will open wide

Allan Molenaar

in amazement of the different kinds of art, books, metal, clothing, ceramics, glassware, jewelry, lamps and toys on display. Molenaar, 88, has always been interested in antiques and finding out the history behind each piece. After helping on his father’s farm for seven years after high school and then going on to own Molenaar Plastics with his brother in Willmar for 40 years, he was ready for a change of pace. Twenty-five years ago, he moved forward with his passions in agricultural history and art and built his own antique shop next to his home, fittingly naming it, “Long Lake Antiques.” In need of more room, Molenaar added on another section to the north side of the building shortly after it was built to allow space for more items. As far as Molenaar knows, he is the

PHOTO BY LAURA HINTZEN

Allan Molenaar, 88, built Long Lake Antiques north of Willmar to share his love and passion of antiques with others. His business has been in operation for the last 25 years.

largest one-owner shop in the state of Minnesota. “I never took anything out of consignment, which is important for people to know,” he said. “All of the items that are 100 years or less are considered vintage

and anything older than that is an antique.” Over the years, Molenaar has collected items from various travels, auctions and private estate sales that are now scattered on tables and stacked on

shelving throughout the 50- by 150-foot shop. “I didn’t intend for it to get really big,” Molenaar said. “But my enthusiasm, along with my enjoyment in collecting, just took off.” Now, people come

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Friday, March 15, 2019 - Country Acres • Page 13 MOLENAAR continued from page 12 but rarely will you know what they are going to ask for,” he said. That is when Mollenaar really has had the opportunity to explain the

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Page 14 • Country Acres - Friday, March 15, 2019 MOLENAAR continued from page 13 ing for a special piece. One of most unique pieces Molenaar had found over the years was a reproduction of a painting by a painter from the Netherlands named Hieronymus Bosch, of the 15th and 16th centuries. Other unusual pieces include a meteorite, as well as one of his favorite items, a statue of Louie XIV which is placed near the entrance of the store. Before Molenaar decides to make a purchase, he first makes sure that he likes the piece, so he is able to engage in a conversation with a customer about it. Molenaar has been battling health issues, having four heart attacks within the last year, and so does

MOLENAAR continued on page 15

PHOTO BY LAURA HINTZEN

This wooden railroad baggage cart sits inside Long Lake Antiques Feb. 28 near Willmar. It is one of many agricultural/industrial pieces Allan Molenaar has collected over the years.

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Friday, March 15, 2019 - Country Acres • Page 15 MOLENAAR continued from page 14

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not have the time and the energy to be running back and forth in the antique shop like he used to do. Instead, he has trust in his staff who are there to run the shop during its normal business hours. “I am content knowing the shop is in good hands. They are very good at helping after hours, loading and unloading boxes of items from auctions that I had purchased,” he said. “I couldn’t do it without their help.” Even though he is not physically able to be in the shop, he is surrounded by a handful of antiques and art in the comfort of his own home, which gives him just as much happiness as if he were there. In the meantime, Molenaar will be busy shopping online for his next bit of history to add to the collection.

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The Jones Motor Basal metabolism tester was invented in 1937 and is part of Allan Molenaar’s inventory at Long Lake Antiques in Willmar.

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One Tough Animal

Page 16 • Country Acres - Friday, March 15, 2019

Bountiful buckets Hovet teaches unique gardening method By DIANE LEUKAM Staff Writer BROWERVILLE – Imagine getting your vegetable garden weeded in five minutes. Or, watering in the spring at planting time and worrying about it just a few times a summer. Or packing your garden away in a shed at the end of the growing season. All these are components of bucket gardening, something Ken Hovet has been doing for eight years. In 69 buckets, he and his wife of 44 years, Vicki, grow all the vegetables they need, with great plenty to freeze. They live on five acres just outside Browerville. Ken is currently a member of the Todd County Master Gardeners group.

Ken enjoys speaking about bucket gardening at various forums, his next being the Todd County Garden Day, March 23 in Long Prairie. We at Country Acres caught up with Hovet and asked him to give us a preview of this unusual gardening method. Country Acres: How did your bucket gardening venture come about? Ken Hovet: I was perusing the internet for gardening ideas a few years ago looking for automatic watering systems and some kind of weed control. The bucket (container) gardening system I found seemed to fit the bill. I subsequently built it and have used it for eight years. HOVET continued on page 17

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

This version of a bucket garden is growing at Ken and Vicki Hovet’s son’s home in Billings, Mont. Ken Hovet’s bucket garden is ready to grow in this spring photo on his and wife, Vicki’s property near Browerville.

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Friday, March 15, 2019 - Country Acres • Page 17

S D ROLLERS M R HA UTY LAN

HOVET continued from page 16

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15-62’ Sizes • Smoothens the ground so you can position your combine head lower to harvest more crop • Saves wear and tear on your combine by eliminating dirt clumps and pushing down rocks • Keeps moisture in the soil • Firmly packs soil to slow weed growth • Enables better germination • Can be used on alfalfa, hay, soybeans and more

How does the system work? It consists of various size plastic containers, from five-gallon buckets to two-gallon pails. These containers have a net cup that acts as a wick in the bottom and they stand on a trough. The trough is kept full of water with a float valve attached to a water tower. All I need to do is keep the tower filled. Last year I filled it at planting time and didn’t need to refill until the end of June. It is 300 gallons in size. Any size will work. I just happened to have the 300-gallon tank. How do you set it up and how much space is required? Each fall I empty the containers of their soil into a large bin. In the spring I mix and fluff the soil in an old cement mixer and add some garden fertilizer. I fill the con-

tainers and stand them on the troughs. Then I fill the water tower which in turn fills the troughs and I’m done. Each trough is 10 feet long and can hold nine five-gallon buckets or 11 two-gallon buckets. Our current garden has 69 buckets of various sizes. In these we grow ample veggies for my wife and I and for the freezer. What are the best soils to use for bucket gardening? I use either potting soil or a mix of compost and sphagnum peat moss, whichever is more economical to purchase at the time. Both of these soils are peaty and wick moisture quite well. Are weeds a problem? PHOTO BY DIANE LEUKAM I can weed the whole A trough framework holds a garden in less than five bucket, which has a net cup at minutes without bending the bottom for wicking water.

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Ken Hovet stands with his bucket system for gardening in the background, March 12 near Browerville.

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Page 18 • Country Acres - Friday, March 15, 2019 HOVET continued from page 17

over or crawling on the ground. What do you grow/ not grow in your bucket garden? We grow all the leafy veggies like spinach and lettuce, etc., plus beans, peas, herbs and tomatoes. Also, most all root crops, like carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, radishes, onions, turnips, beets, etc. We even grow cucumbers in the buckets. The only things that do not lend themselves well to this bucket system are squash and pumpkins, because they want to take over the whole area. Also, we don’t grow corn this way. Corn needs to be in a large grouping to do well and it’s cheap enough to buy at the roadside stands. What light situation works best for bucket gardens? Full sun works best for most all the veggies. But you can move the buckets around if you need to shade something. For whom and in what situations do you feel this gardening method is best? Since there is an initial investment for the equipment, this system will work best for somebody that plans to raise a garden for several years into the future. I have

used the same equipment and soil for eight years and haven’t needed to replace anything. Also, this works best for folks who have difficulty bending over or crawling to weed. There is some manual labor in packing it away for winter and refilling and setting up each spring. To what extent do you share this technique with others? I put on seminars at the Todd County Master Gardeners’ Garden Day held every other year in March. The next Garden Day is Saturday, March 23. Also, I will speak upon request at garden clubs or most any other gathering that is interested. I had my demo unit at the Todd County Fair this last summer. I will PHOTOS BY DIANE LEUKAM share my notes on how This bucket garden model shows a system of a plastic rain gutter on stands, braced with 2x4s, on top of which sit buckets. On the ends are to build the system with plastic caps, with a hose end on the outside and a float valve on the inside, to keep the trough full of water. Each trough is 10 feet long and anybody interested. I can can hold nine five-gallon buckets or 11 two-gallon buckets. be reached at khovet1@ outlook.com or call me anytime at 320-732-0937. Leave a message, but be sure to leave your number as I don’t have caller ID. A net cup fits into the bottom of various-sized buckets to act as a wick for drawing water for the growing plants. (far right) This float valve keeps water in the trough, fed automatically by a 300-gallon tank nearby.

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Can’t stop coughing

By WENDY WOMACK ally caused by a combination of a viral infection that damages the lining of the bronchi, allowing a secondary bacterial infection to set up camp. The two most common viruses involved are canine adenovirus and canine parainfluenza virus. The most common bacteria involved is Bordetella bronchiseptica. Kennel cough is very contagious. Symptoms can develop anywhere from 3-10 days after a dog is exposed. Dogs with these infectious agents can be shedding them when they exhale even before they are coughing and after they have stopped coughing. Kennel cough is treated with antibiotics and, if needed, cough suppressants. Most dogs will recover within 10-14 days with no residual problems. Dogs that have kennel cough should rest and be isolated from other dogs for 14 -21 days.

Vaccination is the best way to prevent kennel cough. The common “distemper vaccine” actually protects against the two viruses listed above and there are three different forms of vaccines for Bordetella – an oral, an intranasal and an injectable form. Bordetella vaccine should be administered at least 5-14 days before your dog might be exposed. The most common places dogs get exposed are anywhere dogs congregate – shelters, boarding facilities, grooming facilities and dog parks. That is why most of these businesses require current vaccination status for your dog to be there. Chronic Bronchitis is when a dog has a cough that occurs on most days for longer than two months. Chronic Bronchitis is diagnosed when other causes of long-term coughing have been ruled out – like heart disease, heartworms, or tracheal collapse, for example. The cough tends to be dry and we often don’t know what the inciting cause was. We tend to see it more commonly in older dogs. The treatment usually consists of prednisone or another steroid to calm down the inflammatory reaction of the lining of the bronchi coupled with

cough suppressants. These cough suppressants are usually prescription narcotics. Antibiotics may be used at some point to eliminate any secondary bacterial infections that have developed, but would be short term. The prednisone and cough suppressants may be long term. Unlike the acute kennel cough bronchitis, chronic bronchitis is rarely 100-percent cured. It is managed. In general with bronchitis and many other types of cough, there are some basic measures that will reduce the cough. Keep the dog quiet. Excitement and exercise will cause them to breathe harder and faster which will cause more irritation and coughing. The more they cough, the worse the inflammation gets, setting up a vicious cycle. Protect them from

airway irritants like smoke, air fresheners, scented candles, fumes from household cleaners and cold air. If they have chronic bronchitis you should keep them at a healthy weight. The extra body fat causes constriction of the chest cavity which prevents them from taking a normal deep breath and perpetuates coughing.

Whenever you present your coughing dog to the veterinarian for evaluation, be prepared for a possible recommendation of chest x-rays, a complete blood count (CBC) and a heartworm test. These are very basic diagnostics that are often needed to determine the cause of cough or to rule out what is not the problem.

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oughing is a common symptom that brings dogs into veterinary clinics. There are many potential causes of coughs, but bronchitis is very high on the list. Bronchi are the “big tubes” in the lungs that carry air down to the tiny sacs (alveoli) that actually allow the exchange of oxygen into the bloodstream and carbon dioxide out of the bloodstream. Bronchi are lined with tissue that when damaged, responds by producing mucous and inflammatory cells. The buildup of mucous stimulates a cough to clear the lungs and remove offending materials/bacteria/viruses etc. Bronchitis – inflammation of the bronchi – can be acute/sudden or chronic/long term. The most common type of acute bronchitis is “kennel cough.” Another name for kennel cough is Canine Infectious Tracheobronchitis. A dog with kennel cough will have coughing fits that sound like a goose honking and they may cough so hard and frequently that they gag. Most dogs with kennel cough will have a pretty normal appetite and may not even be lethargic. A small percentage can get very sick and progress to pneumonia. Kennel cough is usu-

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Page 20 • Country Acres - Friday, March 15, 2019 By Herman Lensing

Silently snow came

Silently snow came – and we rejoiced in its coming, Covering as it did the dreariness of fall’s dunning. Silently snow came – covering all white and light, The noise sounding was our cheers at the sight Of holiday colors reflected from a mantle so white. Silently snow came, and brought new noises heard, Shovels cleaning off cement, a blower’s brrrr. Silently snow came, and we then laughed and cheered, We dared to live with it, this weather others feared, With their palm trees, deserts and skin sun-seared. Silently snow came, and our joy now damped, The warm image, now a smothering cotton. Silently snow came. We grumbled and eye-rolled, It lashed back in fury, sending wind, bitter cold. Bundled up and shoveling, we said “This is now old.” Silently snow came and it would not relent, From building itself high to bury our resent. Silently snow came, bringing new storm warnings, Hardening into obstacle through which it took boring, And leaving us with canyons white and soring. Silently snow came, we in anger groan and yell, “White though you are we know you are from hell!” Silently snow came no longer, but riding strong wind fury, Blind to us, to anything, not showing any beauty As we waited for it to pass and wished spring to hurry.

Silently snow will leave, its white now running streams, Leaving winter’s mess to clear, another kind of dream. Silently snow leaves, but it carries a secret, smirky smile, For it knows while summer comes we will frolic for a while. Then as days grow hotter and forgotten are high-shoveled piles, Snow waits – then silently it comes. PHOTO BY HERMAN LENSING

Snow blankets the countryside Feb. 22 near Sauk Centre, giving inspiration for the author’s poem at right.

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Friday, March 15, 2019 - Country Acres • Page 21

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Page 22 • Country Acres - Friday, March 15, 2019

COUNTRY COOKING

Minnesota White Chili • 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken or turkey (or cooked chicken cut into bite sizes) or firm tofu • 5 cups chicken broth • 1 cup diced onion • 2 to 3 garlic cloves, diced • 1/2 cup uncooked wild rice • 1 Tbsp. ground cumin • 1 (4.5 ounce) can chopped green chilies, juice included • 1 to 2 Tbsp. olive oil

Recipes submitted by

FRANCISCAN SISTERS

Sauté onions and garlic until tender in olive oil. Brown meat or tofu. Add all other ingredients. Simmer uncovered one hour or until rice is done. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese and bite-sized corn chips. Serves 8-10. Freezes well.

Little Falls

Editor’s note: The recipes below are from Clare’s Well, a cookbook published by the sisters in 2001. Many of the women hail from dozens of our Country Acres communities. Used with permission.

Gingered Carrot Soup • • • • • • •

Vegetables with Goat Cheese • 1 cup carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick • 1 cup green beans, in 1 1/2 inch lengths • 1 cup cauliflower, broken into florets • 1/4 cup butter • 1 large onion, cut in half, then sliced 1/4 inch thick • 1 large red pepper, sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick • 1/4 pound mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch thick

• 2 small zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick • 1/4 tsp. fresh rosemary or 1/8 tsp. dried • 2 tsp. fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp. dried • 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp. dried • 1/4 tsp. salt • 1/4 tsp. pepper • 5 ounces crumbled goat cheese • 1/2 cup prepared pesto

• • • • • • •

1/4 tsp. cumin 1/4 tsp. ground fennel 1/4 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. allspice 1/4 tsp. diced mint 3 to 4 Tbsp. lemon juice 1 cup toasted cashews

Chocolate Rhubarb Cake • • • • • •

1/3 cup shortening 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 1 cup flour 1/2 tsp. salt

• • • • • •

1 tsp. soda 1/3 cup cocoa 2 cups rolled oats 1 to 1 1/2 cups buttermilk 2 to 3 cups chopped rhubarb 1/4 cup sugar

Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Sift flour, salt, soda and cocoa. Add oats and buttermilk to desired consistency. Mix 1/4 cup sugar with chopped raw rhubarb. Place rhubarb in bottom of 9 x 12 inch pan. Pour dough over rhubarb. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Chicken, Sauerkraut and Rice 1 cup rice 1 1/2 cups sauerkraut 1/4 cup margarine 1 cup onion

2 pounds carrots 4 cups water 1 Tbsp. butter or oil 1 1/2 cups chopped onions 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 Tbsp. freshly ground ginger 1 1/2 tsp. salt

Cook carrots in water until very tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Heat butter in skillet. Add garlic, ginger and spices. Lower heat and sauté until onions are soft. Stir in lemon juice. Place all ingredients, including cashews, in blender. Puree to desired consistency. Heat gently before serving. Could be served over rice. Serves 6-8.

In 2-quart saucepan, steam the carrots, green beans, and cauliflower together for 4-5 minutes. Immerse in ice water to preserve color and texture. Drain and set aside. Melt butter in large skillet and add onion. Sauté about 2 minutes then add the red pepper. Sauté 1 minute then add mushrooms and zucchini. Stirring, continue to Sauté another 2 minutes. Add reserved steamed vegetables, mixing lightly. Lower heat and toss in herbs. Place the five ounces of goat cheese evenly over surface. Cover and heat over low flame for 1-2 minutes, or until the cheese has just softened. To serve, lightly mix pesto into vegetables.

• • • •

• 1 (15.5 ounce) can great northern beans, white • 1 (15.5 ounce) can butter beans • 1 (11 ounce) can shoepeg corn • 1 (15 ounce) can garbonzo beans • 1 (15.5 ounce) can white hominy • 1 can sliced mushrooms • Salt and pepper to taste • Chili powder if you like it hot – taste before adding.

• 1 cup celery • Salt and pepper to taste • One whole chicken

Cook rice and add to 1 1/2 cups sauerkraut. Sauté onion, celery, salt and pepper in margarine until tender. Add mixture to rice and sauerkraut. Prepare chicken and stuff with prepared rice stuffing. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Another cooking option is to place stuffing in a 9x12 baking dish and place chicken breasts on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

SUBMIT YOUR RECIPES TO BE INCLUDED IN FUTURE EDITIONS OF COUNTRY ACRES!

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Friday, March 15, 2019 - Country Acres • Page 23

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Offer valid for $200 off on all New John Deere X330 Select Series Tractors purchased from a participating John Deere dealer between 1 March 2019 and 30 April 2019. Some restrictions apply, prices and models may vary by dealer. This can be combined with the regular installment options. Prices and savings are in U.S. dollars. Offer valid on qualifying purchases made between 1 March 2019 to 30 April 2019. Subject to approved credit on a Revolving Plan account, a service of John Deere Financial, f.s.b. For consumer use only. No down payment required. Introductory rate of 0% APR is for 60 months only, regular Revolving Plan rates will apply after that. Available at participating U.S. dealers. Prices and models may vary by dealer. Offers available on new equipment and in the U.S. only. Prices and savings in U.S. dollars. 3 Offer valid February 1, 2019, through April 30, 2019. Receive 15% off the purchase of one or more Home Maintenance Kits for Gator™ Utility Vehicles and/or Riding Lawn Equipment, to be applied to the total before applicable taxes, shipping rates and delivery charges. Standard shipping rates only. * The engine horsepower and torque information are provided by the engine manufacturer to be used for comparison purposes only. Actual operating horsepower and torque will be less. Refer to the engine manufacturer’s website for additional information. ** Term limited to years or hours used, whichever comes first, and varies by model. See the LIMITED WARRANTY FOR NEW JOHN DEERE TURF AND UTILITY EQUIPMENT at JOHNDEERE.COM. John Deere, the leaping deer symbol, and green and yellow trade dress are trademarks of Deere & Company. 2

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Unique Alyssa Page 24 â&#x20AC;˘ Country Acres - Friday, March 15, 2019

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Civilian Air Patrol cadets, Staff Sgt. Greta Lundquist, (from left) 2nd Class Airman Alissa Scherping, 2nd Class Airman Faith Johannes, 2nd Class Airman Ben Kakac and 2nd Class Airman Harry Dunn, pose for a photo during the Alexandria Composite squadronâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s promotion night Feb. 5. Scherping is from Freeport and Dunn is from Sauk Centre.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The stent doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t grow with her so overtime as she grows she will need to have more surgeries,â&#x20AC;? said Amy. Alyssaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s body tells her if and when she needs to slow down. â&#x20AC;&#x153;She sometimes gets bluish and feeling tired,â&#x20AC;?

m u lt i - p a r c e l

SEALED BID LAND AUCTION BIDS DUE â&#x20AC;&#x201D; FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 2019 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 5:00 PM

240 Acres +/- { 6GEVKQPU q (',621 7QYPUJKR q 6YKHV &QWPV[ 01 } PARCEL #1 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 160 DEEDED ACRES Details: 160 (+-) Deeded Acres with 153.45 (+-) Tillable Acres. Soil CPI of 74.

150th Ave SW

URTKPI RQUUGUUKQP

Legal Description: The Southwest Quarter (SWÂź) of Section 12, T-120-N, R-42-W, Swift County, MN.

PARCEL #2 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 80 DEEDED ACRES

PARCEL #2

Details: 80 (+-) Deeded Acres with 79.15 (+-) Tillable Acres. Soil CPI of 70.

PARCEL #1

Legal Description: The North Half of the Southeast Quarter (NÂ˝ SEÂź) of Section 11, T-120-N, R-42-W, Swift County, MN.

DIRECTIONS

80th St SW

LIVE AUCTION WILL BE HELD WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2019 AT 1:00 PM McKinneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on Southside | 300 14th St, Benson, MN NOTE: You must submit a written bid in order to attend the live auction on April 3rd

From Holloway, MN: 3 miles South on Swift CR #9, then 1 mile East on 80th St SW. Parcel #1 starts on the NE corner of the intersection. Then, North 1/4 mile on 150th Ave, Parcel #2 starts on the left (West) side of the road. Watch for Hughes Auction signs.

TERMS & CONDITIONS: Sealed bid auction with all signed and written bids due to the offices of Hughes Real Estate and Auction Service, LLC by Friday, March 29, 2019, 5:00 PM. Minimum acceptable bid is $5,000 per deeded acre. All bids should be mailed to: Hughes Real Estate and Auction Service, LLC, 1222 Atlantic Ave, Benson, MN 56215. All bidders will be invited into the Live Auction on April 3rd . AUCTIONEER NOTES: Hughes Real Estate and Auction Service would like to thank Mike & Donna Ascheman for the opportunity to offer their farmland up on sealed bids. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss this opportunity to add to your existing farming operation or to invest in some good Swift County farmland. Minimum bid required is $5,000 per deeded acre. Call or e-mail for more information. Thank you! â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Jesse Hughes

Mike & Donna Ascheman, Owners Jesse Hughes â&#x2C6;&#x2122; #76 -24 â&#x2C6;&#x2122; Broker/Auctioneer Phone: 320-815-0460 Email: info@HughesRealEstate.net Agents: Duaine Flanders â&#x2C6;&#x2122; Dave Weller â&#x2C6;&#x2122; Dale Zaczkowski Janell Welling â&#x2C6;&#x2122; Sherry Mathiowetz â&#x2C6;&#x2122; Terri Garcia

CAMar15-1B-MS

1222 Atlantic Ave, Benson, MN 56215

320-815-0460

www.HughesRealEstate.net

said Amy. Alyssa sees her cardiologist and has an echocardiogram yearly. The Scherpings are grateful to the medical professionals, including what Amy called a â&#x20AC;&#x153;phenomenal cardiologist,â&#x20AC;? who care for Alyssa and also to Melrose

Area Middle School staff who take heed of Alyssaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s limitations. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Alyssaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s old enough to know her limitations, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re blessed that she doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to take medications,â&#x20AC;? said Amy, adding, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s washable and fixable.â&#x20AC;?

Alyssaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s medical condition doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t prevent her from trying new things â&#x20AC;&#x201C; including become a cadet in the Civil Air Patrol. This program transforms youth into â&#x20AC;&#x153;dynamic

SCHERPING continued on page 25

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By CAROL MOORMAN ygen-rich blood from the left ventricle of the heart to Staff Writer all organs of the body. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I got sick for a week FREEPORT â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Alys- and they couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t figure sa Scherping is unique in out why. The doctor sent me to a cardiologist in more ways than one. This 14-year-old St. Cloud and they did an daughter of Amy and Ja- echocardiogram and one son Scherping of Freeport week later I had surgery,â&#x20AC;? is a member of the Civ- said Alyssa, who was in il Air Patrol, a volunteer kindergarten at Sacred organization serving as Heart School in Freeport at the civilian auxiliary to the time. Amy explains the the U.S. Air Force, with a three-fold mission of de- valve problem was like a veloping youth through a kink in a garden hose. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The blood and oxycadet program, educating Americans on the impor- gen gets restricted to the tance of aviation and space lower extremities and causand performing life-saving es issues like high blood pressure and exhaustion,â&#x20AC;? humanitarian missions. Alyssa doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let her said Amy, adding that one heart condition interfere in 100 babies are born with with this endeavor â&#x20AC;&#x201C; or any heart defects. Alyssa had surgery mission in her young life. Sitting next to her mom on on Feb. 11, 2011, at the Feb. 15, Alyssa explained University of Minnesota when she was 6 years old Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospital, when she was diagnosed with a stent inserted into her coarctation of the aorta, a aortic valve corrected that congenital heart disease problem, and she went on she was born with. Aortic to live a normal life, with coarctation is a narrow- few limitations. She had ing of the aorta, the main another surgery last Octoblood vessel carrying ox- ber to replace the first stent.

Freeport teen has a heart for Civil Air Patrol

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Friday, March 15, 2019 - Country Acres â&#x20AC;˘ Page 25 SCHERPING continued from page 24 Americans and aerospace leaders,â&#x20AC;? through a curriculum that focuses on leadership, aerospace, fitness and character. As cadets

participate in these four elements, they advance through a series of achievements, earning honors and increased responsibilities

along the way. Many of the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s astronauts, pilots, engineers and scientists first explored their careers through the Civil Air Patrol

Program. Alyssaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mom first heard about this program, which is open to youth ages 12 to 18. Seven months ago Alyssa attended meetings for a month before committing to the program. Currently they have six cadets in their squadron, based in Alexandria, who meet from 7-9 p.m. every Tuesday at the Alexandria Airport. There are other squadrons around the state. Alyssa encourages other youth to join the program and to contact her with questions or attend a meeting. Alyssa said it is a learning and fun experience.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;You learn about commitment, leadership, respect and integrity,â&#x20AC;? she said, adding, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Leaders arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t born, they are made.â&#x20AC;? Cadets learn marching techniques, have the opportunity to sit in a cockpit with a pilot and attend encampments at Camp Ripley. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You have to know the different parts of the airplane and how the airplane works,â&#x20AC;? said Alyssa. Cadets wear dress blues and camouflage uniforms and have an identification card, which is used when squadrons go on missions, likes during national disasters. Since Alyssa joined

last July she has received two promotions, the last one on Feb. 5 when she and fellow youth cadets were promoted to their next ranking â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2nd Class Airman. Her goal is to one day enlist in the Air Force and eventually become a lawyer. Being a Civil Air Patrol cadet will be an advantage when she joins the military. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a pretty hefty goal for this energetic teenager, who isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t letting a heart condition slow her down. This teen has a heart for the Civil Air Patrol. Alyssa is hoping other youth will follow her lead.

m u lt i - p a r c e l

SEALED BID LAND AUCTION BIDS DUE â&#x20AC;&#x201D; FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 2019 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 5:00 PM

400 Acres +/- { 6GEVKQPU q '8%/,1 7QYPUJKR q 6YKHV &QWPV[ 01 } oils! excellent s

PARCEL #1 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 151 DEEDED ACRES

90th St S

Details: 151 (+-) Deeded Acres with 148 (+-) Tillable Acres. Soil CPI of 91.2. Legal Description: The Southeast Quarter (SEÂź) of Section 23, T-120-N, R-38-W, Dublin Township, Swift County, MN

ERK

PARCEL #4

110th Ave SE

PARCEL #2 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 10.3 DEEDED ACRES

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Alyssa Scherping is all smiles holding a heart she made while wearing her Civil Air Patrol camouflage. Alyssa, who has a congenital heart defect, has been a member of the Civil Air Patrol since last July and encourages other youth to do the same.

Details: 10.3 (+-) Acre Building Site including: Home, Outbuildings, and Grain Bins. Address: 990 110th Ave SE, Murdock, MN, 56271 Legal Description: The South 685 ft of the East 655 ft of the Southeast Quarter of the Southeast Quarter (SEÂź SEÂź) Section 23, T-120-N, R-38-W, Dublin Township, Swift County, MN

PARCEL #2 PARCEL #1

Showings of the home and buildings by appointment only. Please call Jesse at 320 - 815 - 0460.

PARCEL #3

Customized to Your Operation

LIVE AUCTION WILL BE HELD TUES., APRIL 2, 2019 AT 1:00 PM

Upper Midwest Pumping Woeste Custom Harvesting

McKinneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on Southside | 300 14th St, Benson, MN NOTE: You must submit a written bid in order to attend the live auction on April 2nd

TERMS & CONDITIONS: Sealed bid auction with all signed and written bids due to the offices of Hughes Real Estate and Auction Service, LLC by Friday, March 29, 2019, 5:00 PM. All bids should be mailed to: Hughes Real Estate and Auction Service, LLC, 1222 Atlantic Ave, Benson, MN 56215. All bidders will be invited into the Live Auction on April 2. AUCTIONEER NOTES: Hughes Real Estate and Auction Service would like to thank the Joseph Rutledge family for the opportunity to offer their farmland up on sealed bids. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss this opportunity to add to your existing farming operation or to invest in some prime Swift County farmland. Call or e-mail for more information. Thank you! â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Jesse Hughes

Custom Forage Harvesting of Hay and Corn Silage

www.uppermidwestpumping.com

DIRECTIONS Parcels 1, 2, & 3: From Murdock, MN â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 2 miles South on Swift CR #33, then 1 mile East on CR #6, then 1 mile South on 110th Ave SE. Property is on both sides of the road. Watch for Hughes Auction signs. Parcel 4: From Murdock, MN â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 2 miles South on CR #33, then 1 and Â˝ miles East on CR #6. Property is on the South side of the road. Watch for Hughes Auction signs.

Jesse Hughes â&#x2C6;&#x2122; #76 -24 â&#x2C6;&#x2122; Broker/Auctioneer Phone: 320-815-0460 Email: info@HughesRealEstate.net Agents: Duaine Flanders â&#x2C6;&#x2122; Dave Weller â&#x2C6;&#x2122; Dale Zaczkowski Janell Welling â&#x2C6;&#x2122; Sherry Mathiowetz â&#x2C6;&#x2122; Terri Garcia

1222 Atlantic Ave, Benson, MN 56215

Serving our communities for more than 50 years! Albany y Little Falls St. Cloud 320.845.2940 320.632.6311 320.251.0286 Monticello Maple Lake 320.963.5414 763.295.5070

We work with people not just numb3rs

Details: 161.43 (+-) Deeded Acres with 156.95 (+-) Tillable Acres. Soil CPI of 91.1. Legal Description: The Northeast Quarter (NEÂź) of Section 24, T-120-N, R-38-W, Dublin Township, Swift County, MN

320-815-0460

www.HughesRealEstate.net

CAMar15-1B-MS

PUMPING

21171 US Hwy. 71 Long Prairie, MN 56347 Tim 320-247-3857 Brian 320-293-2703

CA_Mar15_1B_JO

UPPER MIDWEST

PARCEL #4 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 161.43 DEEDED ACRES

Joseph Rutledge Trust, Owners

info@uppermidwestpumping.com

Licensed & Insured â&#x20AC;˘ 40+ Years of Combined Agricultural Experience (and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just between the two owners)

Details: 80.45 (+-) Deeded Acres with 79.11 Tillable Acres. Soil CPI of 92.4. Legal Description: The South Half of the Southwest Quarter (SÂ˝ SWÂź) of Section 24, T-120-N, R-38-W, Dublin Township, Swift County, MN

â&#x20AC;˘ Regional Independent CPA Firm â&#x20AC;˘ Accounting, Tax, Payroll, Quickbooks And Business Consulting â&#x20AC;˘ Agriculture, Construction, Transportation, g p Telecommunications, Retailers, Wholesalers, Printing, Government Agencies, Dealerships, Not-For-Profit Organizations And Manufacturing

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CAMar15-1B-TV

Specializing in Custom Pumping and Drag Hose Applications

PARCEL #3 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 80.45 DEEDED ACRES

Page 26 • Country Acres - Friday, March 15, 2019

Create an edible landscape

Imagine walking out your front door and being able to pick a handful of fresh berries, herbs, greens and vegetables. Why not make your gardening efforts go beyond aesthetics; create an edible landscape in your yard. Whether you have a large garden or a very small urban lot, you can easily incorporate edibles into your existing landscape design. When people think about growing food in urban areas, the first idea is usually to hide the vegetable garden somewhere in the backyard. Edible landscaping offers an alternative to conventional residential landscapes; edible plants can be just as attractive while producing fruits and vegetables. One can install an entirely edible landscape or incorporate some edible plants into existing gardens. Consider starting small by replacing traditional ornamental landscape plants with edible versions. Plant a fruit tree instead of an ornamental tree or a nut tree instead of a shade tree. Small fruiting shrubs are good substitutes for deciduous shrubs like burning bush and forsythia. Currant, Nanking cherry and berry plants come in many shapes, sizes, and colors to fit most landscapes. Think about planting leafy greens as fillers in your containers and garden. Incorporating succession planting can keep you in fresh greens all season long. Don’t want to give up your flowers? Did you know many flowers are edible? Floral ingredients such as peppery nasturtiums or tart Calendula add flavor, texture, and color, and transform an ordinary salad into an exciting dish. There is a wide variety of colors, forms, and sizes of edible flowers. Many are grown as annuals - plants that complete their life cycle in one growing season - and are easy to grow in garden beds, raised beds and various containers. Edible flowers are used to garnish foods. However, not all flowers are edible! It is important to choose only flowers that are safe to eat,

have not been treated with pesticides, and that go well with the dish you are preparing. For more information about edible flowers, visit: https://extension.umn.edu/ flowers/edible-flowers If you’d like to know more about trees and fruits for an edible landscape, join the University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardeners at their spring horticulture education day, “Let’s Get Growing” on Saturday, April 6 from 8:00 AM- 3:30 PM at Discovery Middle School in Alexandria. ExtensionMaster Gardener Joel Kangas, owner of Good to Grow in Brandon, MN, will be presenting two sessions: Fruit for an Edible Landscape: Most gardeners can agree that the best tasting produce is that which they have grown themselves. As yards are getting smaller, incorporating berries and fruit trees into a perennial landscape is a great way to maximize space

By Robin Trott, University of Minnesota Extension

and minimize water use. Another benefit of creating an edible landscape; the flowers and blossoms can attract native bees and wildlife which help with pollination. Join Joel to learn more about how to incorporate these wonderful plants in your garden Choosing the Right Apple Tree: Apples are the most common fruit trees in Minnesota. General planting and care guide and discussion relative to the various varieties. There are many different apples with unique characteristics. We’ll talk about the different apples and discuss ways to keep your trees as healthy and productive as possible. For more information and to register call 320762-3890 or visit: https://www3.extension.umn.edu/ local/douglas/master-gardeners/article/lets-get-growing-2019 Until next time, happy gardening!

Agri-hood I felt like I was walking down the street of a small town neighborhood with homes along narrow tree-lined streets. Homes reminiscent of an earlier time with swings and chairs on big decks and picket fences surrounding green lawns. They even included alleys with a garage in the back of the homes. To further enhance the Midwest feel, they managed to find trees, shrubs and grass that looked like what you would find in Minnesota except they can survive the 110-degree temps of an Arizona summer. The development is called “Agritopia” built just a few miles from downtown Phoenix. Unlike the 8-foot brick walls surrounding most homes in this part of the country, Agritopia has intentionally built lower fences between

homes to create a tratheir own shopping cenditional neighborhood The ters, restaurants, schools where people actually and fire departments. Business know their neighbors. Millennials are big Agritopia is one of of Farming fans of the agr-hood conover 200 “agri-hoods” cept, looking for a place springing up across the by to raise a family where country with communities Roger Strom they can get involved in now in Georgia, Arizona, the farm-to-table process. ________ They are now the largest Illinois, Washington, Ida- Ag Columnist________ ho, Vermont and Iowa. segment of home buyers, The “agri” part of the name comes creating long lists of people wanting to from community gardens, rows of cit- experience a slice of country life and rus trees, honey and peaches along with yet be close enough to urban centers. a farm shop, a boxed-produce program Even in huge farm states, agriand a weekly farmer’s market. They hoods are in high demand. Planners are supply local restaurants with fresh pro- currently working on an agr-ihood in duce and for those that prefer working Cumming, Iowa where people can buy with animals, they also have sheep and a couple of acres in the country to raise chickens. Some agri-hoods include chickens and goats while growing veg-

gies and fruit. There is already a long waiting list of people wanting to move into the 700-home development which is just down the road from where Microsoft is building its largest U.S. data center. Although the homes look like traditional small-town America, they aren’t cheap. In Agri-topia you can expect to pay from $250,000 up to $700,000 for a retro home. I’m thinking about starting a health club there. Fitness programs would include picking rocks, loading a wagon with hay bales with advanced routines of chopping wood. …jus-sayn

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