ountry C Saturday, May 7, 2022
Saturday, May 7, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 1
cres A
Volume 9, Edition 38
Focusing on Today’s Rural Environment
’ s n o r t e P toes pota
Long Prairie farm supplies spuds to U.S., Canada, Caribbean BY SARAH COLBURN | STAFF WRITER
ONG PRAIRIE – John Petron’s potatoes are distributed across the United States, into Canada, and as far away as the Caribbean. They’re available in grocery stores and big box, membership-only retail stores across the country, and they’re served in restaurants, schools and even penitentiaries. Petron has spent his whole life working potatoes, outside of a three-year stint with the military. “Potatoes are an enjoyable crop to grow, though it has its challenges, and weather can be especially brutal at times,” he said. He likes the challenge and, while he acknowledges each type of farming has its own unique challenges, potatoes require fast and delicate work. JCP Farms in Long Prai-
L
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Publications bli ti The newspaper of today is the history of tomorrow.
rie employs more than 100 seasonal workers during the potato harvest season. Petron’s year-round crew consists of approximately 15 full-time employees, several part-time employees, and his children. Though some are grown and have left the farm, two of his adult children are actively involved in the farm, and all of his seven children help out on the farm from time to time. The farm is diversified, with 600 to 700 acres of potatoes planted each year and the rest of the more than 4,000 acres are planted in corn, soybeans, oats, wheat, hay or rye. Petron tries to give the soil a longer rotation between potato crops and once every five years, he said, is better than once every two or three years. “Every acre puts a semi of potatoes out, give or take,” he said.
This month in the
The potato varieties planted are diversified as well, and include red, yellow and russet potatoes. Petron has tried growing purple potatoes in the past, but there wasn’t much demand, though he said interest may increase as savvy consumers shop for specialty foods. Depending on the variety, each plant can put out 12 to 15 potatoes; some varieties produce many more. Petron’s land in Long Prairie has held potatoes since his father started growing them in 1967. A portion of his farm, once owned by his grandfather and then his brother, and now owned by him, has been in the family more than 100 years and that soil has given life to potatoes for more than a century.
COUNTRY:
Watch for the next edition of Country Acres on May 21, 2022
4
Good old potatoes Diane Leukam column
6
Raising goats to halal standards Hawick
PHOTO BY GRACE JEURISSEN
(Above) John Petron and his daughter, Janis Petron, stand in front of the JCP Farms main office April 29 in Long Prairie. Janis helps with office work during the year. (Top) PHOTO SUBMITTED Varieties of potatoes are held in large totes until packaged in bags. These potatoes are a red variety and have been washed and sized.
Petron’s parents grew up in Long Prairie, moved to California and then returned back to Long Prairie to buy farmland which they farmed from 1967-79. John and his brother, Tom, took over the farm and worked the land together but, when their uncle died, Tom purchased their uncle’s farm and the brothers each worked their own land. When Tom discontinued
farming about 10 years ago, John purchased that farm and added it to his own. “I just always liked farming, even when I was a kid begging to stay home from school to help with the farm chores, planting, harvesting, irrigating,” he said. “I always liked outdoor stuff.”
11 Revealing wood’s inner beauty St. Cloud
16 Working out Nancy Packard Leasman column
14 W.E. Show pigs Paynesville
Petron page 2
21 Country cooking Kensington
Page 2 • Country Acres | Saturday, May 7, 2022
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 Ben Sonnek, Writer ben.s@saukherald.com Herman Lensing, Writer herman@melrosebeacon.com Jennifer Coyne, Writer jenn@dairystar.com Evan Michealson, Writer evan.m@star-pub.com Carol Moorman, Writer carol@melrosebeacon.com Natasha Barber, Writer natasha@saukherald.com Sarah Colburn Staff Writer Grace Jeurissen Staff Writer Christine Behnen Freelance Writer
Story ideas send to: diane@saukherald.com
Petron from front
Growing up, his parents only grew potatoes. His dad started with 50 acres and expanded to 100, installing the first washing and sorting equipment on the farm. The brothers upgraded the equipment every year, increasing the wash speed by 5-10% a year. “It’s very labor intensive and we need to be done before freeze-up,” Petron said. “We take the potatoes directly out of the field for whatever orders we have for that day and wash them.” They have always pushed the limits of what Petron said they can harvest. They began rotating crops on the land to give it time to recover between potato plantings. The key to harvesting good-quality potatoes, Petron said, starts with good-quality seed. Seed potatoes look just like the end product that
PHOTOS BY GRACE JEURISSEN
Rachel Petron pulls potatoes from the seed potato cutting machine, April 29 at JCP Farms in Long Prairie. Rachel is studying agronomy at North Dakota State University.
emerges from the soil at harvest – a fully grown potato. The seeds come from
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certified and state-inspected seed farms that undergo stringent testing to ensure only the healthiest seeds are allowed to continue on. JCP Farms purchases seeds from the Red River Valley in Minnesota and North Dakota and once they arrive at the farm in spring, John and his crew spend several weeks cutting and planting the seed potatoes. The bigger potatoes get cut into
six pieces and the smaller ones get cut in half or sometimes quarters with the goal of planting a two-ounce piece. Once his team cuts the seed potatoes, they take them to a climate-controlled facility on the farm to store them at 45 degrees until they’re ready to plant in the ground. Once the soil temperature hits 50 degrees, it’s gotime on the farm and Petron starts planting. He plants eight rows at a time with a special planter. The seeds are spaced 9-10 inches apart. The seed potatoes are covered with 5-6 inches of soil and the land is irrigated with center pivots. Potatoes grow best in welldrained, sandy soil free of rocks and dirt clods. And, Petron said, it’s important that the ground doesn’t dry out because the potatoes take a fair bit of water to grow. For fertilizing, Petron does soil tests each fall, grid testing every 2.5 acres for accuracy. Then, he spoon-feeds fertilizer throughout the season. He does a variable rate application based on results of the soil tests and he usually puts fertilizer on at planting, a little more at emergence, some a little later on and, if they need it, more through irrigation.
Petron page 3
PRODUCTION STAFF Pat Turner Amanda Thooft Nancy Powell Maddy Peterson Cheyenne Carlson
Deadlines:
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Potatoes are dropped onto a conveyor that raises them to the sizing rack on the seed potato cutter, April 29 in Long Prairie. The potatoes get sized by the machine and dropped onto the blade that splits them in half for planting.
This John Deere tractor pulls the planter through the fields. The tractor is equipped with autosteer which links to the GPS navigation system also in the tractor. The driver watches the planter for error and witnesses the landscape change as each pass is planted. In the distance is the irrigation system that waters the fields throughout the growing system.
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Saturday, May 7, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 3
PHOTOS BY GRACE JEURISSEN
Petron
from page 2
“Through the years, we kind of know what they need,” he said. During the potato harvest season in August and September, potatoes are removed from the soil four rows at a time and loaded directly onto a truck. He uses a specialized potato harvester to remove them from the ground; the harvester is pulled behind a tractor and digs into the
ground below the potatoes and lifts them out onto a chain. The dirt falls off as the potato makes its way down the chain, a blower blows the weeds and vines back into the field and the potatoes travel on a boom with a gradual incline as they make their way around the sides and back of the machine, climbing at every turn. An adjustable hydraulic arm goes down into the truck and is raised gradually as the truck begins to fill.
The many totes in the storage shed are filled with potatoes ready to be cut for planting. Petron plants many different varieties to diversify his products.
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The planter is pulled behind a tractor navigated by GPS technology, April 29 in Long Prairie. Once the potato is placed into the ground, the discs underneath the planter cover the seed potato with soil while mounding the rows for easier harvest.
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Saturday, May 7, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 5 Antiques, Vintage and Gently Used Womens Fashion and Jewelry
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PHOTO BY MATTHEW BREITER PHOTOGRAPHY
The Petron family of Faith (from left), Samuel, Natalie, John, Christine, Dane, Janis, Rachel and Raymond, grow potatoes, alfalfa, corn and soybeans, and raise beef near Long Prairie.
from page 3 “You don’t want to drop them too far from the harvester into the truck; you try to treat them like eggs the best you can,” he said. Once full, Petron said the truck goes to the wash plant where it takes 20-35 minutes to unload. The potatoes go through the wash
plant and then through a heat dryer to dry the excess water. Then, the potatoes are sized using another specialized machine that usually needs to be purchased overseas. The machine separates the big potatoes from the small ones. The really small ones are called “creamers” and big potatoes are considered those 3 inches and over. Though the machine does a good job of sizing and sorting the potatoes,
PHOTO BY GRACE JEURISSEN
Potatoes are pulled from a bin and run to the “octopus” on the planter. The octopus then uses suction to hold the potatoes as it rotates and places them into the ground.
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PHOTO SUBMITTED
12
In the fall, the potato harvester is run by a tractor and fills the trucks that go back to the farm for unloading. The plants dry up, and the equipment can dig in the soil to pull the potatoes from their soft soil bed.
the process is overseen by Petron’s team members to ensure the highest quality. From there, the potatoes are bagged using another specialized (typically imported) machine, and then, they leave the facility to be distributed. The potatoes are packaged on-site in 3, 5, 8, 10, 20 and 50-pound bags, 50-pound cartons, and 2,000-pound totes. Around 20 semi-trucks a day of potatoes will leave JCP Farms during harvest and they ship out roughly 15,000 pallets of potatoes a year in those semis. Petron works with brokers who sell his potatoes directly to stores and, sometimes, to other brokers who broker them a third time. The work is extensive, but worth it. “The potato industry has been good to us; it’s a challenge but I like chal-
lenges,” he said. And, he knows the product is welcomed by consumers near and far. “Potatoes have wide appeal,” Petron said. “They’re very nutritious, very economical to purchase, you could have several meals for a 5-pound bag of potatoes so they’re very good that way. Without potatoes, it would be kind of a boring world.”
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Page 6 • Country Acres | Saturday, May 7, 2022
Raising goats to halal standards
Farrier establishes new niche market in Minnesota BY CHRISTINE BEHNEN STAFF WRITER
HAWICK – This spring, Tiffany and Ben Farrier of Kandi Acres in Hawick became Minnesota’s first certified halal goat farmers. Tiffany shared their story on the farm April 19. What started as a goat hobby in 2017 soon became a goat business. A workshop in 2019, and a growing network of relationships, turned into a quest to raise meat goats to halal standards. Pioneering and establishing a new niche market has involved significant challenges, but the potential is immense. According to Farrier, the U.S. imports $64 million in goat meat every year. Al-
though her 500-goat operation will barely make a dent in that market, Farrier’s work these past years is paving the way forward for future halal farmers in Minnesota. Farrier is a woman with an immense force of character. She talks fast, thinks fast and takes action immediately. She is not someone who only takes on projects that she can handle. “I always have 10,000 irons in the fire,” Farrier said. “My biggest strength is that I’m not afraid of a challenge.” She doesn’t even only take on projects for which she has expertise. She often takes on multiple and even ambitious tasks with the trust that she will learn, even if it is from scratch. Her qualification is the sheer gumption of daring to just get going. Before 2017, Farrier had never farmed. She grew up in Las Vegas, which has very little fame as the birthplace of a g r i c u l t u ral pioneers. In the spring
PHOTO BY CHRISTINE BEHNEN
Tiffany Farrier gives Cowtail a little scratch April 19 in Hawick. Cowtail is one of about 500 goats being raised on the first halal certified farm in Minnesota.
of 2018, she entered the goat world by accepting 10 Boer goats from someone who no longer wanted them. Once she had them, Farriers came to learn that they were meat goats and decided to grow her herd. Near the end of 2018,
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she had acquired a herd of 43 goats, most of them pregnant and ready to kid almost simultaneously. “We got them home and within a week they were all kidding,” Farrier said. “I had no idea what I was doing; I
was making kidding panels out of pallets. I had 13 does in labor in one night. I was YouTubing how to get a stuck baby out. I fell asleep on the floor by the goats.”
Farrier page 7
Page 8 • Country Acres | Saturday, May 7, 2022
Farrier
from page 7 Good relationships were to become crucial to doing business with this particular community, and Walker’s introduction started things off on the right foot. A door had opened and the project was back on. “I have great relationships with the store owners,” Farrier said. “They’ve met my family, blessed my property. I’ve developed great friendships. I believe in knowing where your food is coming from, how it’s grown, who’s providing it and building that relationship.” Inspired by getting to know the real people who would benefit from having access to fresh
meat, the next problem to solve was ensuring the meat would fit halal standards. Farrier didn’t know how to raise the goats and process the meat at that point and, from October 2021 onward, began a period of frequent meetings with Mamedov, Walker and the local Muslim community to work out the kinks in the process. “When you’re working with the Muslim culture, this is about relationships,” Farrier said. “It doesn’t mean anything until they’ve been out here, seen my operation, the processing, the slaughter. They all get to see it. They have very high standards. It must really be halal.” Halal doesn’t just cover how an animal is processed once it achieves weight. The
PHOTOS BY CHRISTINE BEHNEN
Meat goats are raised in this hoop barn, April 19 near Hawick. Kandi Acres is the first halal certified farm in Minnesota where, as part of halal requirements, the animals must have adequate access to fresh air, fresh water and fresh hay at all times.
term refers to many aspects of a way of life that is lawful under Islam. “A lot of it goes in line with my everyday
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values,” Farrier said. “Everything is as natural as possible. The animals have to have adequate access to fresh air, fresh water, fresh hay at all times. They have to be treated as if they were in their natural element. The animal must be handled in the most humane way. It is caring for the animal as if you’re caring for a child. In this culture, family is more important than anything.” The butcher must be well-educated in halal, with the appropriate tools and environment. Because halal-competent processors by and large do not exist in Minnesota, establishing this market would require adapting or sometimes almost creating anew some practices and structural elements. For example, as pig products are not lawful in Islam, halal meat cannot share a facility, tools, storage, or even a store shelf with anything that has had contact with pork.
Farrier page 9
Jaliah Farrier pets one of the goats April 19 at her family farm near Hawick, while family friend, Ari Henry, balances on a board in the background. All of the children are deeply involved with running the farm.
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Revealing wood’s
inner
beauty
Retirement hobby a venture in creativity for Kalway BY SARAH COLBURN | STAFF WRITER
ST. CLOUD – A 3-foot, roughcut, routed sign Gene and Karla Kalway received as a wedding gift has hung above their kitchen table for 40 years; it was also the inspiration for Gene’s retirement hobby. This is a hobby that has meant the purchase of a 2,000-lb computer-controlled router, known as a CNC machine, to put in the third stall of his garage. A portable bandsaw sawmill sits on a piece of property the couple has near Albany, and a skid loader to hoist the 1,000- to 2,000-pound logs onto the sawmill. Oh, and, he’s working off plans from Virginia Tech to build a solar-powered kiln to dry down the logs faster. Kalway makes signs and benches, and has even done a wedding arbor for his daughter. The work is hand-crafted, fashioned from trees such as Russian Olives, Elms, Spalted Elms, Red Oaks and White Oaks. “You don’t know what it’s going to look like until you cut it open,” he said. Each and every time, he is surprised by the beauty of the natural wood as it sits wet and glistening from the work of the sawmill. It provides him with a glimpse of what his finished piece could look like. “It just pops the grain and it’s just gorgeous,” Kalway said. “Once it
dries, it loses the color but once it’s planed and varnished, the colors come back. The colors are just spectacular.” Kalway started thinking about what he’d like to do in retirement two years before he was set to leave his position as a computer systems analyst and programmer. Karla is unofficially retired from the piano tuning business she started herself. Gene spent years writing business software and said his artwork has some similarities to his career and has some of the same steps as programming. “It’s an idea to something but you couldn’t see it; you could only see the results,” he said. “This is kind of the same thing – how do I want to form this on here and what does it look like?” The work has taken him a lot of experimentation and research through the years.
PHOTOS SUBMITTED
(Above) Gene Kalway stands near the sawmill he purchased for a side gig during retirement. He specializes in designing and crafting hand-made signs from wood he cut and dried himself. (Left) Custom signs are created using a CNC machine.
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Kalway page 12
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Page 12 • Country Acres | Saturday, May 7, 2022
Kalway from page 11
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Gene Kalway works outside, cutting logs down to size to use for his custom signs.
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He often practices on scrap wood, creating engraved images of olive branches, leaves, loons, horses and logos, depending on what the customer wants. He uses drawing software to turn an image into a Vector file that can be used by the CNC machine which creates images down to 1,000th of an inch of accuracy. When he created a sign with his daughter’s business logo, it required 128,000 router commands and took about an hour to run. To date, most of his customers have been friends and family and others who’ve heard of his specialty business through word of mouth, though he does have a few pieces for sale on consignment at Sam’s Outdoor & More in St. Joseph. In the future, he’s hoping to create river tables with epoxy. He sells the signs and then personalizes them for each customer. After carving, he brings each sign to the kitchen table and estimates he spends 90 minutes painting the letters on each piece. The signs have to be perfectly flat because he doesn’t carve into them very deep. Creating perfectly flat signs from raw wood has been an experiment. His sawmill can handle logs 30 inches in diameter and up to 12 feet long. He moves them in with a skid loader and said much of his wood thus far came from a storm blow-down where he lost 100 trees. He’s also had a number of friends give him trees when they were removed from their property. Additionally, he works with tree-trimming services that save trees for him when needed. He’s working to build up his supply of useable wood right now. Once the wood is cut to size, he cleans it off, stickers it – meaning he adds one-inch square sticks to separate the logs and allow airflow, and then he puts it in a makeshift kiln he created out of a container. Because it takes the wood a year of drying time per inch of thickness without a kiln, he has a makeshift kiln that shortens the time to two to five months, depending upon the outside temperature. Once he builds his solar-powered kiln, the wood will dry within two to three weeks per inch of thickness. Right now, he has two pallets, 4-foot cubed, drying in the kiln. “A big part of this is waiting,” he said. He has to bring the wood down to under 10% moisture to create furniture. Benches that stay outside are brought down to 15%. Kalway is mostly self-taught, but has joined some social media groups to learn tips and tricks for making his creations. He’s still debating whether to launch his own Facebook page for his work and is deciding just how busy he wants to be. Through the years, the patience of waiting for the wood to dry and learning the computer-aided design software has been the most challenging but, he said, it’s kept him active and sharp.
Kalway page 13
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Saturday, May 7, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 13
PHOTOS SUBMITTED
(Above left) While Gene Kalway focuses mostly on signs, he’s delved into creating trays and benches plans to work on river tables with epoxy in the near future. (Above right) For the final details on a piece such as this, Gene Kalway sits at his kitchen table to hand-paint signs for customers, adding color to finish the project.
Kalway from page 12 The inner beauty of the wood logs do is cut them apart and it’s amazing is just something he reveals. what you find.” “God grows them,” he said. “All I
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Gene Kalway creates signs out of wood he cut, dried and shaped himself. While most signs are custom-made, he also has some of his work for sale at Sam’s Outdoor & More in St. Joseph. He personalizes the signs for customers after their purchase.
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(320) 685-7001 www.RiverPowerEquipment.com
CAMay7-1B-WS
203 Sauk River Road Cold Spring, MN 56320 415 JAY AVE. SE | RICHMOND, MN | 320-597-5600 www.RenegadeTruckEquipment.com
CAMay7-1B-WS
Page 18 • Country Acres | Saturday, May 7, 2022
We have
HAY & STRAW
JD 7215R
JD 6175R 2015 Model, IVT, LH reverser, 4 Hyd., 1042 hours.
2013 Model, right hand reverser, IVT trans., 42’’ tires on front and 54’’ tires on back, All 3 PTO’s, 4 hyd and return lines. Excellent condition. Loader ready.
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Preston Welling (left) and Spencer Eisenbraun carry their showbox into the Minnesota State Fair Swine barn. The State Fair is an event many young showmen look forward to during their summers, a chance to compete with some of the best animals and youth across the state and to educate others about their projects.
W.E. from page 17 MF 5610 2013 Model, Excellent condition, 2860 hours, Dyna-trans., 26 mph roadspeed, 540/1000 PTO, 2 hyd., buddy seat, brand new tires, MF 965 loader with joystick, 3 fct.
JD 7810 2002 Model, 8,000 hours, PQ, right hand reverser, excellent shape. Call for more details. Serving the ag industry for over 40 years
Please call ahead to check on new inventory
218-298-2524
www.timflaniganhayandstraw.com
CAMay7-1B-BL
820 Ash Ave NW, Wadena, MN 56482
NEW FIELD CULTIVATOR SWEEPS
“It’s more than winning, because there are connections you make with other kids, your animals and industry professionals.” The W.E. Show Pigs crew buys pigs fresh every year from breeders across the U.S. This year, they bought three from Ohio, two each from Minnesota and Indiana and one each from North Dakota and Iowa. “I like going to the different breeders to see how their operations work, and to ask questions,” Preston said. “They have their own reputations on the line as breeders, so they are willing to answer questions and check up on the pigs to see how they are adjusting.” Spencer agreed. “Almost everyone is willing to answer your questions and help,” he said. “I had a breeder I bought a pig from take me to a national show with my pig. There were I think 3,000 breeders there and I walked around asking questions, making connections.” Many of their pigs this year were purchased from online auctions, where they could view a video of the pig they were interested in. Since starting their show careers, the showmen have developed keen eyes for their definition of the ideal pig. Preston likes crossbred pigs for their show appeal and Durocs for their
relaxed temperament. Spencer likes Spotted swine because they can be a challenge, but he has seen much success in choosing that breed. The trend for show pigs is headed toward the body type of “a brick on wheels,” as Preston would put it. What the kids look for when choosing their next project is a big-boned pig with good feet and legs, fluid movement in the joints, thick loins, length of body, broad shoulders and a meaty hind end. During sale time, the boys would send videos of the pigs they liked to their confidants at home, oftentimes while they were in school. “It’s like an addiction,” Jennifer said. “The whole family takes pride in these pigs. When the show season is over, we are already thinking about next year.” Showing pigs can be an expensive hobby, but the connections the kids make and lessons they learn – from nutrition and biosecurity to communication – are worth it for the families. The price of a show pig can sometimes be a pretty penny, which is why the families have learned how to budget themselves and stretch the common dollar. Show days can be long, but the laughter that ensues each day makes the time fly by quickly.
W.E. page 19
GEAR UP!
fishing h opener is May 14, 2022
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Central Minnesota’s One-Stop Fishing Shop! New & Used Sales and Service!
• • •
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Page 20 • Country Acres | Saturday, May 7, 2022
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CA-May7-1B-WS
CAMay7-1B-BL
Call Josh 320-573-2341
Monday – Friday: 8:00AM to 6:30PM Sat.: 8:00AM to 3:00PM Sunday: Closed 300 Main St., Cold Spring, MN • (320) 685-8651
YO U R FA M I LY D E A L E R S I N C E 1 9 9 5 WE ARE OPEN Mon - Thu: 7:30 am – 6:00 pm Fri: 7:30 am – 5:30 pm | Sat: 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
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Saturday, May 7, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 21
COUNTRY COOKING RECIPES SUBMITTED BY VICKI BROWN | Kensington, Douglas County Want your favorite recipes to be featured in Country Acres? Contact Diane at diane@saukherald.com
• 3/4 cup salad oil (such as corn, sunflower, canola or light olive oil) • 1/2 cup sugar • 1/2 cup brown sugar • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
Angel Food Cake I have nine laying hens so, at times, I make homemade angel food cake from the eggs. I got this recipe from an old 1915 cookbook I have. Note: Temperature of oven is important.
• • • • •
1/2 cup ketchup 1/2 teaspoon mustard 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon celery seed • 1 small onion
• 1-1/4 cups egg whites (about 12-13 eggs) • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 1 teaspoon cream of tarter • 1-1/4 cups sugar • 1 cup flour
In blender, mix all ingredients and blend until smooth. If mixture is too thick, add a little water. Makes about 2 cups of dressing. Enjoy on a salad.
Pistachio Dessert • • • • •
Crust: 2 cups flour 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup ground nuts (pecans or walnuts) First Layer: • 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese • 2/3 cup powdered
sugar • 4.5 ounces Cool Whip Second Layer: • 2 packages (3 ounces each) pistachio pudding • 2-1/2 cups cold milk Topping: • 4.5 ounces Cool Whip • 1 cup coconut, toasted
Preheat oven to 350 F. In medium bowl, mix crust ingredients. In 9X13 inch baking pan, press mixture into the bottom; bake 15 minutes. Let cool. In medium bowl, mix ingredients for first layer and spread on cooled crust. In small bowl, mix second layer ingredients and spread on top of cream cheese mixture. For topping, once dessert has set, spread with 4.5 ounces Cool Whip. In medium frying pan on low-medium heat, toast coconut flakes until golden brown; sprinkle over dessert.
Almond Tea Bread • • • • • • • •
We offer competitive wages and benefits.
CA-May7-1B-MS
NOW HIRING
• 1 teaspoon baking powder • 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring • 1/4 teaspoon almond flavoring
Preheat oven to 275 F. In large bowl, beat egg whites with salt and cream of tartar. When stiff peaks form, add sugar slowly while continuing to beat mixture. In separate bowl, sift flour and baking powder, then fold into mixture. Add vanilla and almond flavoring. Pour mixture into tube pan. Bake 45 minutes at 275 F, then turn oven up to 325 F and continue to bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and invert pan to cool.
•
Our St. Martin, MN facility is looking for General Laborers and Mechanical Laborers.
Date Bars
•
2-1/4 cups sugar 3 eggs 1 cup vegetable oil 3 cups flour 1-1/2 teaspoons salt 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1-1/2 cups milk 2 tablespoons poppy seeds 1-1/2 teaspoons almond extract 1-1/2 teaspoons
vanilla extract • 1-1/2 teaspoons butter flavoring Topping: • 3/4 cup sugar • 1/2 cup orange juice • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1/2 teaspoon butter flavoring
Preheat oven to 350 F. In medium bowl, cream together sugar, eggs and vegetable oil. In separate bowl mix flour, salt and baking powder. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture and milk alternately; mix well. Add poppy seeds, almond extract, vanilla extract and butter flavoring to mixture; beat well. Pour into 2 buttered and floured bread pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes. After baked, while still warm, mix topping ingredients together and spoon over the bread. Leave bread in the pans to soak up topping, then remove from pans.
Crust: 1/2 cup butter 1/4 cup shortening 1 cup brown sugar 1-3/4 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon soda
• 1-1/2 cups quickcooking oatmeal Filling: • 3 cups dates (1 pound) • 1/4 cup sugar • 1-1/2 cups water
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease 9x13 inch baking pan. In medium bowl, mix together crust ingredients. Press half of mixture into pan. Cut up 1 pound of dates. In medium saucepan, mix dates, sugar and water. Cook on low heat, stirring often, about 10 minutes, until thick; let cool. Spread filling on oatmeal mixture in pan. Top with rest of oatmeal mixture; press lightly. Bake about 25 minutes. Makes 3 dozen bars.
Mom’s Rhubarb Dessert Crust: • 2 cups flour • 2 tablespoons sugar • 1 cup butter Filling: • 6 egg yolks • 1 cup heavy whipping cream • 2 cups sugar • 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons flour • 4 cups rhubarb, cut up Meringue: • 6 egg whites • 1 teaspoon salt • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar • 1 cup sugar • 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
Preheat oven to 350 F. In medium bowl, mix ingredients for the crust. Pat mixture into 9x13 inch baking pan; bake 10 minutes. Beat egg yolks, heavy whipping cream, sugar, salt and flour; mix well. Add rhubarb and pour filling onto the crust. Bake for 45 minutes. While baking, whip egg whites, salt and cream of tartar. Beat until stiff peaks form, then add sugar slowly while beating. Add vanilla flavoring. Top meringue mixture over hot rhubarb dessert; bake 15 minutes or until meringue is browned.
MILLE LACS SOIL SERVICE
Help Wanted ASAP
Truck Driving, Applicator, Plant Work SEASONAL, COMPETITIVE PAY Job Description: Hours may vary due to weather, Expect long hours 5-6 days each week. Need to be on time each day and willing to work hard. Contact Duane at Mille Lacs Soil Service 320-294-5511 STOP IN AND PICK UP APPLICATION
Please contact us at: tpexa@libertytire.com
Call Ryan, Randy, Derek or Paul Today!
CAJan15-tfnB-BL
Greenhouse will be open Starting May!
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DEPOT FEEDS, LLC.
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CA-MAY7-1B-TV
109 Main Street S., Sauk Centre, MN • 320-352-6501
Page 22 • Country Acres | Saturday, May 7, 2022
Spencer Eisenbraun and Preston Welling walk their pigs around the Meeker County Fair in 2019. Regularly walking the pigs keeps their joints healthy, works their lungs and heart and builds muscle, just as an athlete would.
W.E
PHOTOS SUBMITTED
Preston Welling focuses on the judge while showing his Duroc gilt during the Meeker County Fair last summer.
“
“
“It’s like an addiction; the whole family takes pride in these pigs. When the show season is over, we are already thinking about next year.” Jennifer Welling
from page 19 This last year, Spencer and Preston received and Reserve Grand Champion Senior Showman during the Meeker County Fair, and Paige
received an Honorable Mention. Following the county fair, the boys took their pigs to the state fair and received high placings once again. Preston was selected as Reserve Champion Overall Senior Breeding Gilt Showman, and Spencer was selected as the Third Overall Breeding Gilt Senior Showman. Spencer’s goals are to attend the Minnesota Youth Swine Series
(MYSS) shows and have one of his pigs place in the point series at the end of the show circuit. Preston’s goals are to win showmanship in one of the MYSS shows, and he would like to see, if fate allows, one of his market pigs in the 4-H Purple Ribbon Auction at the Minnesota State Fair. “It’s a lot of fun showing pigs and, if you’re starting out, don’t be afraid to ask questions,” said Spencer.
Preston agreed. “It takes a lot of work to succeed in the show ring, but it’s worth it to me,” he said. “Show season is my favorite time – other than my birthday.” When it comes time for the pigs to head down the road, there isn’t a dry eye on the farm. Though sad at the time, it gives the kids an opportunity to reflect on their show year, and look forward to the new opportunities soon to come.
HYDRATION & ENERGY SUPPORT TO COMBAT STRESS
Save $2 Per Bag! when you purchase 40 or more bags by June 1st
DC Diesel Tek D
Must take delivery and invoice prior to 6/1/22 to receive discount
64270 US Hwy 12 Litchfield MN 55355
ELECTRIC MOTOR REPAIR PA AND SALES!
320-593-9009 CA-May7-1B-WS
WE RENT OUT BRILLION SEEDERS Call Little Rock or Lastrup to reserve one today!
NEW TO
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Mineral with fly control available
DA I R Y S A LE S
218-352-6546
View & bid live at cattleusa.com
MITCH BARTHEL OWNER/AUCTIONEER
218-639-5228 JOE VARNER 218-352-6546
WWW.TRICOUNTYSTOCKYARDS.COM
+
Equipment – blowers, trimmers, pressure washers, chainsaws, etc Side-by-side JSV 3400 & 6400
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CAMay7-1B-BL
32638 US-10 MOTLEY, MN 56466
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We have fly control additives, sprays, pour-ons, baits and more!
tractors
will be on the last Wednesday of the month at 9 am Professional Auctioneers & Ringmen
Fly season iis coming! i
Page 24 • Country Acres | Saturday, May 7, 2022
TH Save On Lawn and Garden, Paint and Paint Accessories, Propane, Clothing, Farm Lubricants, Feed (Livestock), Tools, Pet Food, Camping, Fishing and more!
CA-May7-1B-WS
*Excludes: Stihl products, gas, diesel, tobacco, hunting/fishing licenses, no pallet quantity discounts, snowblowers, sale items and today and tomorrow products. See store for additional exclusions.
0% FINANCING OR CASH REBATES on Compact Tractors Purchase a new compact tractor and get
0% FINANCING FOR UP TO 84 MONTHS* OR in lieu of financing, receive rebates of up to $2,000 USD*, and a 6 Year, 2000 Hour Powertrain Warranty. *Offer expires 6/30/2022. Available at participating and eligible dealers only. Offer may vary by product type, series, model and select units in dealer’s current inventory. Must take delivery from dealer stock by 6/30/2022. Offers available on new equipment in US and Canada only. Freight and prep not included in pricing. Some restrictions apply. Prior purchases not eligible. See dealer for details. Financing provided on approval of credit by authorized Bobcat finance providers to wellqualified buyers. Minimum finance amounts and administrative fees may when a new Bobcat skid-steer loader, apply.you Offpurchase er not available to government accounts, national accounts and municipal/utility bidwheel-steer customers. loader Bobcat Company reserves the right compact track loader, all to compact extend or discontinue any of these dealers. programs at any time without or excavator from participating prior notice. Models pictured may be shown with additional options, accessories, and attachments not included in the promotional price.
Dassel 888-679-4857
St. Cloud 844-262-2281
Long Prairie 866-514-0982
Willmar 877-484-3211 CA-May7-1B-WS
Visit Bobcat.com/Offers or stop by today for details.
Bobcat®, the Bobcat logo and the colors of the Bobcat machine are registered trademarks of Bobcat Company in the United States and various other countries.
One Tough Animal
®