Country Acres South - July 2, 2022 by Star Publications

Saturday, July 2, 2022 | Country Acres South • Page 1

Country Saturday, July 2, 2022

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A Feine lifestyle PH PHOTO SUBMITTED

((Above) Above) Abel Feine maneuvers over the hill at one of the racetracks the Feines frequent. He recently placed fifth at a race. PHOTO BY KATE RECHTZIGEL

(Left) The Feine family, Jena, Abel, Sutton, and Clayton stand with some of their bikes June 28 at their home near Zumbrota.

Family raises kids with dirt bikes BY GRACE JEURISSEN STAFF WRITER

Zumbrota– Any time is dirt bike time at the Feine family’s house. After work or after school, it doesn’t matter, at least one person will be racing around the yard. Almost every weekend of the summer, Clayton and Jena

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Feine and their two kids Abel, 8, and Sutton, 5, head to a motocross track to spend time as a family enjoying their favorite activity and competing with many of their friends. “This is something we love doing as a family,” Jena said. “I’m happy we get to raise our kids to enjoy a hobby that

biking competitively. He grew up on a dairy farm and went to school for motorcycle mechanics. After many years of high interest in the sport, he finally started racing in 2000 and hasn’t turned back since. In 2004, Clayton started running his own suspension shop, Feinetune Suspension. The shop has built its reputation to the point where they now contribute to sponsorship of different dirt bike events, motocross and trail rides. “I don’t get sick of it,” Clayton said. “I literally work on bikes every day, and my favorite part is getting to watch my kids enjoy the same thing I love to do.” When the Feines race they enjoy the adrenaline rush, the competition and, Jena said, their motofamily. “What’s great about the weekends at the tracks is our kids have made so many friends,” Jena said. “We barely have to worry about them wandering off because our motofamily helps keep track of one an-

other’s families.” Clayton agreed. “There’s hundreds of people at these events and is as unique as motocross.” every one of our friends The Feines love it so pitch in to keep track of the much Clayton said they kids, and we do the same have around 500 bikes of for them,” he said. almost every size and apOften, the kids will eat plication. meals at different campBecause motocross ers and vise versa. Even is a form of motorcycle though they sometimes racing that takes place on compete against each othoff-road tracks usually at er, they spend the rest of venues designed for the their time at the track ensport, the motorcycles, joying the company of also referred to as dirt their friends. bikes, come in a variety Both Abel and Sutton of sizes, colors and cahave started racing compabilities. petitively and Sutton said “I have a soft she’s enjoying it. spot for dirt bikes,” “I really like all of my Clayton said. “If friends at the racetrack,” someone brings Sutton said. one to the shop Abel recently pulled they want to a fifth-place finish and reget rid of, ceived a trophy for his rechances are sults. Sutton was able to I will buy it compete in her first races and repair this year and she received it to work a medal following one of again.” the races. ClayIt’s been fun for Jena ton was to see them in a competithe first tive environment. person in “It fills my heart to the family see the kids all congratuto start dirt lating each other, giving PHOTO SUBMITTED out high-fives and excited The Feine family is geared up for a trail about every turn on the ride together. Trail rides are something track,” Jena said. “There is nothing better than the the family does once or twice per year.

This month in the

COUNTRY:

Watch for the next edition of Country Acres on July 16, 2022

excitement each of them shares.” Minnesota weather can halt motocross activities due to the ever-impending cold of Midwest winters. To get their fix of dirt bikes during the cold months, the Feines usually plan a trip or two down south to ride. There is also an indoor track in Wisconsin that receives a lot of traffic during the colder months. The hobby is an investment in time, money and physical fitness. Clayton said that motocross uses a lot of core strength to successfully maneuver the bike around the track, as well as endurance to keep riders primed to the very end. Clayton handles the repairs for all the bikes, and he enjoys teaching Abel and Sutton during the process. Each family member enjoys trail riding, riding in competitions and at home. Both kids have their own favorite bike, Abel’s being his racing bike and Sutton’s being her PW-50.

Feine page 2

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Page 2 • Country Acres South | Saturday, July 2, 2022

Feine

Country Acres

from front

SOUTH

Mark Klaphake, Editor mark.k@dairystar.com Grace Jeurissen, Editor grace.j@star-pub.com Diane Leukam, Writer diane@saukherald.com Kate Rechtzigel, Writer kate.r@dairystar.com Jennifer Coyne, Writer jenn@dairystar.com Sarah Colburn Staff Writer Christine Behnen Freelance Writer

Story ideas send to: grace.j@star-pub.com mark.k@dairystar.com SALES STAFF

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PRODUCTION STAFF Pat Turner Amanda Thooft Nancy Powell Maddy Peterson Cheyenne Carlson Karen Knoblach Annika Gunderson

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Country Acres will be published the first and third Saturday of every month. Deadline for news and advertising is the Thursday before publication.

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“Committed to being the eyes and ears of our communities.”

“I like my racing bike because it goes really fast,” Abel said. Riders spend time customizing their bikes and their attire. Sutton likes to add her own flare to her riding attire, a skirt over the top of riding clothes isn’t an uncommon outfit. During the week, the Feines work on bikes and ride for practice. They take a camper to the weekend events so they’ll unpack and repack their supplies during the week before they head to the racetrack for the weekend, all while balancing their business. Jena said it is a process to prepare for the weekend events, but the time at the track is well worth the effort. On race days, the tracks are buzzing with racers and spectators. Racers compete in heats of around 20 people. Saturday is practice day in which racers can take turns getting use to the track and warm-up on their bikes. Sunday morning there is a short time for practice and then it’s a race to the checkered flag. With 600 to 1,000 entries per weekend, the tracks separate the racers into heats, and they get to race twice. The score they use for the placings is the best time of the two.

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Clayton said sometimes his adrenaline is pumping through his body so much during a race that he uses landmarks on the track to remember to breathe or he will wear himself out too fast. When in the zone for racing the excitement sometimes makes it difficult to remember little things, like breathing. “When I’m waiting for the race to start, its all nerves,” Clayton said. “Once the gate drops, it’s all adrenaline to the checkered flag, and I don’t know that I do much thinking between the beginning and the end.” There are many emotions that go through the minds of the Feine family on PHOTOS SUBMITTED racing weekClayton Feine coaches his son, Abel, from the side lines of a track ends. Jena said May 30. Clayton started racing in it’s exciting to 2000. not only ride, but watch. (Left) Sutton Feine shows off “Evher dirt biking outfit. It’s not ery time uncommon for a skirt to be Clayton part of the ensemble. or the kids are racing, so is my heart,” Jena said. “It’s exciting, scary, fun and intense all at Clayton and Sutton once.” Feine give For the Feines, a thumbs motocross isn’t just up as they a hobby, it’s a lifeprepare style. They have put Sutton to hours of commitment ride her into the sport and the PW-50 bike opportunity for their at the track. kids to try it too. The PW-50 It can be hard for is Sutton’s favorite bike people to get started, to ride. but once they do the Feines emphasize how important keeping the sport fun is for parents and, most importantly, the kids. “Our philosophy is letting the kids lead the way,” Jena said. “We want to keep our family dynamic, so if the kids don’t want to race that day, we won’t force them to.” Soon enough Abel and Sutton will be riding like real professionals, leaving mom and dad in their dust. Until then, Clayton and Jena are happy to be raising their racers in the Abel Feine stops to show off his dirt bike next to the Feine world of motocross. Tune Motorsports sign. Feine Tune Motorsports is the business his dad, Clayton, started in 2004.

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The barn on the Feine’s property is used to store their bikes. The family has 500 bikes at their home in Zumbrota.

A blooming business Fitterer designs floral makeups for farmers markets BY SARAH COLBURN STAFF WRITER

Cannon Falls– When Brenda Fitterer received a bucket of Iris tubers from a neighbor in Randolph back in 1999, it launched her love affair with gardening. As her kids got older Brenda debated her next venture and in 2021, founded Hillside Blooms. Today, the cut flower maven has 40,000 to 60,000 flower stems growing in preparation for them to take root in colorful bouquets she crafts for her customers. “There’s something

about having flowers in your home that lightens your day,” she said. She’s planted the flowers in neatly-tilled rows with her husband Steve, and they cover roughly 1/2 an acre. “They’re very compact, they don’t take up much space,” she said. She begins her growing season each winter, scanning through internet catalogs of flower seeds. She works in color palettes, choosing flowers that will look best together in spring, summer and fall. She incorporates sunflowers for the seasons, beginning with buttercream and lemon blooms and migrating to chocolates, plums and deep oranges later in the year. The same holds true for her other blooms, she plants for the seasons. “People are looking for a great flower with great vase life but they’re also looking for

something different,” she said. She grows things like Zinnias but they’re not ones customers would normally find in their garden or local florist shop. She chooses things like Nigella, also known as Love-ina-Mist. “It’s an unusual flower but people are drawn to it because they haven’t ever seen it before,” she said. “There’s a lot of variety in my fields that people haven’t ever seen.” She said while Snapdragons are a great constant, most people haven’t seen Lisianthus. When it comes to sunflowers, she plants 14 different varieties. “They haven’t seen a Corn Cockle,” she said. “I focus on vase life first and then unusual plants.” She has a method to her creations, each bouquet she hand-crafts includes focal flowers, spikes, filler and interest. She begins with those categories and as she’s choosing seeds, she makes sure she covers them all, thinking of various palettes and the multitude of ways they can be combined for the various seasons. She charts out everything, builds in 20 to 30 percent

(above) A tiny bee works its way through a Bachelor’s Button flower at Hillside Blooms in Cannon Falls.

(Above) Snapdragons are a staple in the bouquets Brenda Fitterer creates at Hillside Blooms. She offers her bouquets through local farmers markets. (Left) Brenda Fitterer has grown more than 10,000 flower plants from seed for her Hillside Blooms fresh cut flower business. The flowers take up roughly half an acre and their starts are shown here. A second field houses Fitterer’s sunflowers.

Saturday, July 2, 2022 | Country Acres South • Page 3

PHOTOS BY SARAH COLBURN

more than she thinks she needs and then toward the end of January, she starts her seeds. Steve created a grow room in the third stall of the couple’s garage using PVC and plastic sheeting. He’s also created rolling tables to use for hardening off seedlings, as well as a modified old mower he transformed into a wheeled fertilizer system to use when the plants hit the fields. Brenda starts nearly everything from seed in the grow room though there are some things, like specific varieties of sunflowers, that she direct-sows into the ground for better performance. She really ramps up her seed planting by March. Last year, she grew stems to sell at the local farmer’s markets to get her name into the public. She’s at the Goodhue Farmer’s Market on Wednesday and the Cottage Grove Farmer’s Market on Thursdays. Her bouquets are also available at

the Ferndale Market in Cannon Falls. Steve said customers often thought Brenda was cutting blooms from perennials or annuals around her yard and didn’t understand how intricate the planning process truly is. “People don’t realize these are grown from seed,” he said. “This is a field; this is purpose planting.” Brenda knows she needs to successfully grow about 10,000 plants, each one producing four to six useable

Brenda Fritterer holds a collection of her flowers from her garden June 24 at her home near Cannon Falls. She wanted to start making floral arrangements to bring life and beauty into customers’ homes.

stems, to have enough for her bouquets. During the spring and summer months she can be found working in the fields from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. in an attempt to avoid the heat of the day.

Fitterer page 4

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Brenda Fitterer revels in creating bouquets specially crafted for customers using unique flowers like this Lisianthus. She focuses on growing, cutting and creating bouquets out of flowers in a variety of palettes depending on the season.

Page 4 • Country Acres South | Saturday, July 2, 2022

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Fitterer from page 3 She cuts flowers first thing in the morning or in the evening when it cools to put the least amount of stress on the blooms. She places them in a bucket of water in a cool place and doesn’t touch them for at least two hours, giving them time to rest before she begins arranging. It’s one of the rules she learned when she studied to be a flower farmer. She took a number of online courses and seminars to prepare herself for the business which she said is ever evolving. This year, for the first time, she has 25 members who have signed up for her Community-Supported Agriculture or CSA. Those members buy a share in the crop, paying $100 up front and in exchange, they’ll each receive eight weeks of fresh bouquets available for pick-up at the field, a bouquet-making class and a tour. She opened her CSA slots in March and they filled within 24 hours. Brenda hasn’t always been a gardening and flower enthusiast. Before her passion bloomed, she was a bookkeeper and then a stay-at-home mom. When the kids were younger, she and Steve wanted to teach them a good work ethic so the family planted a vegetable garden at their home in Randolph. They helped the kids put together a roadside stand and they filled it with goods from the garden nearly daily. A drop box allowed customers to help themselves and pay for their produce. The kids used the proceeds as spending money

PHOTO BY SARAH COLBURN

Small plants peek out t h r o u g h holes in the biodegradable landscape fabric used at Hillside Blooms farm in Cannon Falls.

after they set aside 10 percent to give PHOTO BY to a local Brenda Fitterer SARAH COLBURN charitable second year of launched her organizaHillside Blooms, business with tion, often orful bouquets crafting colShe grows all th for customers. one that seed and works e flowers from provided al varieties to into pick unusuChristmas hand-crafted crea clude in her gifts for tions. families in need. That Th t sense off lloyalty, lt The Fitterer’s ’ grew and sold everything from the sense of doing good spinach, leaf lettuce, for the community and beans, onions, beets, po- her love for gardening is tatoes, cucumbers and what prompted Brenda to carrots to fall pumpkins start her flower business. She’s always enjoyed and squash. The stand was popu- the farmer’s market and lar and when the Fitterers that’s why she continues moved to their current to sell her bouquets there. home in Cannon Falls, This year, she plans to bring buckets of flowers they closed up shop. “We didn’t realize the and allow customers to impact on the communi- choose their own stems and she’ll create bouty,” Brenda said. People would often quets on the spot to their stop her and tell her how liking. much they missed getting their farm-fresh produce from the stand. Fitterer page 5

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Brenda Fitterer starts all her own flowers from seed. Her husband, Steve, created this grow room in the couple’s garage.

Saturday, July 2, 2022 | Country Acres South • Page 5 Fitterer from page 4 PHOTO BY SARAH “I like interacting COLBURN with the customers,” she A lily blooms in said. “And I think you Brenda Fitterer’s just get to know them and garden at her home their tastes a little bit.” near Cannon Falls. Brenda creates roughly 100 bouquets a week, each consisting of about 20 stems. That’s 2,000 stems a week, for 16 weeks of the summer, working mid-June through the end of September. This year she’s also drying flowers to extend her season into October with some craft fairs. “Then 40,000 stems doesn’t seem unreasonable,” she said. PHOTO BY SARAH COLBURN Though she admits (above) These are the last of the talking about the overall seedlings to go in the ground numbers and the mulat Hillside Blooms. Once these Rudbeckia plants harden off, they’ll titude of the operation complete this year’s planting. overwhelms her. She just works day to day. She takes special requests and orders via Facebook and does deliveries within a certain radius for a $5 fee which covers the cost of gas. “It’s the commitment I’ve made to myself and the commitment I made to my customers,” she said. “The drive to grow the business keeps me going when it’s 100 degrees and I’ve been weeding. I look forward to those experiences, that’s the fun part of it…when you knock on somebody’s PHOTO SUBMITTED door and see the look on their face when you hand Brenda Fitterer of Hillside Blooms seeds in the Spring of 2022, beginning what will eventually become more than 10,000 flowering plants. them that bouquet.”

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In large bowl whisk eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg until consistency is smooth. (No egg whites visible) Over medium- low heat melt first batch of caramel sauce. Pour sauce on the bottom of 9X13 inch baking pan. Place one inch bread slices on top of caramel sauce. Pour half of egg mixture over the bread. Add second layer of bread, pour second half of mixture over the bread. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Let sit in refrigerator overnight. Remove pan from fridge 20-30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350 F. Make second batch of caramel sauce. Pour sauce over French toast bake. Bake for 50 minutes. Serve while still warm. Note: Be cautious of bread thickness, extra bread needs extra eggs to soak it up. It is possible to do one layer of bread by using thicker slices. You likely won’t use the whole loaf of bread. The bread should be completely soaked by the morning.

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Saturday, July 2, 2022 | Country Acres South • Page 7

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Saturday, July 2, 2022 | Country Acres South • Page 9

On-farm store brings freshness Fricksons offer variety of food products BY KATE RECHTZIGEL | STAFF WRITER

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“A typical day involves chasing kids, cows and critters around all day every day,” Darienne said. “Every one of us has a part in the farm. And, we get the fulfillment at the end of the day when we get to sit down and eat the food we raise together. We can walk right out the door and get our groceries.” Darienne handles the marketing and public side of the business from wholesale inquiries to drumming up business for the family’s on-farm and online store. “It takes a team, Andy is not a marketer and I’m not a hands-on farmer,” she said. “Periodically you’ll find me getting dirty, but it is a team effort.” To get started with marketing, Darienne created a social media page showcasing her kids, Andy, their lifestyle and animals. She also did some email marketing, had a few advertisements in local newspapers and was involved in some outdoor events. Overall, the marketing allowed customers to see a peek into the Frickson’s lifestyle, and eventually buy their product.

Fricksons page 10

“Best fertilizer for Land is the Footprint of the owner”

PHOTOS BY KATE RECHTZIGEL

The Frickson family (front from left): Paislee, 7 and Jolena, 6. (back from left): Darienne and Andy holding Gentry, 2. The family started their own farm-to-table business complete with an on-farm and online store May of 2019.

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and our crops hardly had any washouts because of the cover crops,” she said. “Not to mention, they are free fertilizer back into the ground.” All finishing cattle are fed a balanced diet of earlage, alfalfa hay and nonGMO corn ground fresh every day and offered in a buffet style so they can eat whenever they want. The cattle are housed in open-sided buildings with fans which were once used for the Frickson’s dairy cattle. Calves, once they are off milk, are housed on a grass pasture. Pigs, on the other hand, are in deep-bedded packs so they can rut in the bedding. They’re offered a water corner in the summertime to keep cool. The chickens can be found roaming free-range throughout the farm.

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better feeling in the world.” As per farmto-table guidelines, all animals are raised on the farm. Including the family’s heritage crossed pigs - Duroc, Berkshire, Hampshire and Spotted - which come from their neighbors once the pigs are weaned. They have production red laying hens and Holstein-Angus cross cattle which they said leads to more marbling on the dairy side and a higher yield on the beef side. Andy said that’s important not only to production, but also to the consumer. Each animal, from the beef cattle to the chickens, receives the utmost care provided by Andy, who does most of the chores for the animals, handles the crops and fieldwork, feeding and nutrition and any medical needs. Andy also works with the farm’s no-till cover crops and non-GMO corn. “I feel like the cattle do better on the non-GMO corn, it’s cheaper to plant and the yields are higher,” he said. Darienne agreed. “This “Thi This hhiis year we got 8 inches of rain in two days

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DAKOTA - After exiting the dairy industry in 2019, Darienne and Andy Frickson started their own farm-to-table business complete with an on-farm and online store. While the couple said they still miss the dairy cows, they are excited for their farm’s new venture. “Consumers want a story for their food,” Darienne said. “It also gives you a sense of gratitude when people eat it at the end of the day and tell you, ‘It’s the best I’ve ever had,’ and you know it came directly from you and not six different countries.” The Fricksons and their three children Paislee, 7, Jolena, 6, and Gentry, 2 - raise 250 beef steers, 200 pigs, 150 chickens and run 300 acres of corn, 200 acres of soybeans, 100 acres of alfalfa and a couple acres of sweet corn on their farm near Dakota. They started their farm-to-table business in May 2019 and sell all cuts of beef and pork, seasonal produce such as sweet corn, and locally-sourced products within 40 miles of the farm. “We get the best of both worlds, to be home and raise a family,” Darienne said. “The kids also get to see and understand life full circle; from the farm to your plate, and learn a work ethic at a y young age. There’s no

Page 10 • Country Acres South | Saturday, July 2, 2022

PHOTO BY KATE RECHTZIGEL

Fricksons

(Above) The Fricksons raise 250 beef steers, 200 pigs, 150 chickens and run 300 acres of corn, 200 acres of soybeans, 100 acres of alfalfa and a couple acres of sweet corn on their farm near Dakota. Customers have the option of driving out to the farm and picking out their produce.

from 9

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(Left) The Frickson’s pigs are cozy in their deep-bedded pack. They are also offered a water corner in the summer to keep cool.

“You have to be a people person and put yourself out there,” Darienne said. “I treat customers how I want to be treated and have a lot of pride in this product because it is not just a product, it’s our lifestyle.” The business allows the Fricksons to cut out the middlemen, such as a marketplace or grocery store, and sell directly to local customers and restaurants through their on-farm and online store. And, customers have the option to choose from multiple different cuts of beef and pork, and products including dairy items, jams, honeys and seasonings - all of which are locally sourced within 40 miles of the farm. “Each of those places we have toured, met with the farmer owners and know the story behind the product,” Darienne said. “I’m always open to entertaining new product ideas.” On Thursdays, the Fricksons spend their day delievery to homes within a 30 mile radius of the farm store. They use a white van with their logo so customers can see them arriving. “The customers enjoy the freshness and convenience of our delivery service,” Darienne said. The direct service to consumers, Andy said, allows the Fricksons more control over their farm. “In dairy you didn’t have control or a say over your price,” Andy said. “Now, we are able to name the price.” And, he said, the quality is hard to beat. “You’re eating steak from a farm versus buying it in the grocery store,” he said. “It’s a night and day dif-

ference.” On Fridays, the family also gets fresh cut meat back from their meat processor, Dover Processing in Dover, and offers it in their fresh case which is gone shortly after its arrival. Even for customers who don’t get it same day, Darienne said, the taste is like nothing else. “Anytime when you can get an animal that was just cut delivered to your doorstep within four days it’s crazy fresh,” Darienne said. “I also like that you get to put a face to the name when you come to the store.” The couple has faced challenges as they launched the business and transitioned over from dairy cows to beef cattle. They had to find enough freezer storage, build up enough cash flow to cover licensing fees and other storage costs and find the perfect balance of family and work life. However, they are excited as they recently bought a second farm and put a house on their property, and Andy said the growth is continuing. “Every year we are growing and adding new things,” Andy said. “We’re buying newer and

Custom Applicator H

What you’ll do: -

Operate all spray equipment Operate computers on equipment Spray and callibrate crop protection products Mixing, loading, and application of crop production products/plant nutritionals Perform daily vehicle inspections Handle and deliver bulk and packaged materials, seed and other agriculture inputs Clean and maintain equipment Assist mechanic Maintain application/spray records Perform other duties as assigned

What you’ll bring: - High School diploma/GED required - Agricultural background preferred but not neccessary - Valid driver’s license & applicable endorsements - Current CDL, or ability to obtain; we will train the right candidate - Must meet minimum DOT age requirement

better equipment, and we are building a new grain bin this year. You have to have growth.” With farm-to-table becoming a growing trend, and other people looking to start their own businesses, the Fricksons have some advice. “Try working for someone for a while,” Andy said. “I worked for three different farmers in high school, got a lot of different experiences and learned that no two farmers are alike. There are a lot of older ones right now that are a lot more open than people realize to having help, they really do want to see their farms continue.” Darienne agreed. “We also don’t look at other farm-to-table businesses as competition,” she said. “We believe the more of us out there doing this, the better, because consumers will see that maybe they should start looking at this as a way to get their products.”

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Some of the Frickson’s cattle are pictured on the farm. All of the care for the animals is provided by Andy.

precision aG specialist H

What you’ll do: - Sale & Service of GPS and GIS Systems partnering with area sales staff - Utilize communication skills to show the bene ts and technical aspects of precision ag tools and how they can be incorporated into the Nutrien Precision Ag Platform. - Must function as a team leader to openly work with entire sales staff and deliver what is promised. - Service of the product lineup is key to developing a delivered as promised reputation. - Promote and support the division’s digital and online salestools. - Must be open minded to explore new diversi cation opportunities including aerial imagery, nutrient modeling, data management systems, etc. - Promote strategy and adoption by sales team through internal meetings and presentations etc.

- Develop and coordinate sales strategies, advertising, eld days, grower meetings to promote interest by growers and Nutrien Ag Solutions customers - Work closely with Crop Consultants and General Managers to implement and support their efforts to adopt innovation into the regional strategy - Conduct training on software and hardware as necessary - Work closely with outside service providers (labs, contract sampling, consultants, scouts etc.) to ensure their compliance with Nutrien Ag Solutions requirements and direction - Manage technology vendor relationships to ensure that adequate support and training are being offered

What you’ll bring: - Associates degree in Precision Ag., Agribusiness or Ag mechanics preferred - Farm production background would be helpful - Proven ability to effectively communicate verbally and in written form to explain and encourage the bene ts and value of precision farming - Team player and excellent communication skills are vital - Leadership skills and sales con dence are key as well

To Apply, Visit: www.Nutrien.com/careers

13723 Hwy 52 E, Harmony, MN 55939

CZJuly2-1B-JM

Saturday, July 2, 2022 | Country Acres South • Page 11

A lodge to fulfill the need Next Generation prides itself on making pets feel comfortable, relaxed BY KATE RECHTZIGEL STAFF WRITER

CHATFIELD - Fireside Pet Lodge does more than provide respite for dogs and cats, and grooming services for all breeds of dogs. Experts at the lodge and its sister company focus on training dogs for obedience, retrieving, competitive shows, field trials and hunting. “Pets need to be trained properly and go through the right system so they can live a happy and confident life and their owners can have a happy life with their pets,” said Adam Levy, one of the co-owners of Fireside. Levy and Andrew Barbouche opened the business with Kelly Bromelkamp and her husband, Casey Stickfort, in February of 2021. Levy and Barbouche grew up hunting and initially opened Next Generation Gundog Training, a retriever training facility, 13 years ago to provide training for hunting dogs. “We travel all over the country and Canada,

hunting,” Levy said. “For me, there’s just that extra feeling of confidence when you have a very well-trained dog when you’re hunting.” The Pet Lodge was fueled by demand and today is run by Levy, Barbouche, Kelly Bromelkamp and her husband, Casey Stickfort, and their ten employees. All of the owners are involved. Barbouche serves as the head trainer, Bromelkamp and Levy run the lodging kennel and Stickfort handles all legal and financial matters. Levy was drawn to working in the pet industry because he quickly found out that dogs are fun animals to work with and are super smart. “Learning how to emotionally connect with and read a dog makes every dog its own challenge and that makes each new dog fun and exciting,” Levy said. “It’s something different every time.” Levy also enjoys building a relationship with the owners and training them how to work their dogs.

“Seeing the progress that we can make in somebody’s dog is really intriguing because every dog is its own obstacle, its own challenge,” he said. This is something Levy knows firsthand from his experience running his own kennel, Next Generation Gundog Training, and working for other professionals over the years. Today, the Lodge’s trainers take the time to go over how to work their dog with new customers, and include private lessons with the training so pet owners can continue to learn and build upon the skills their dog learned during the training program. All staff are also very educated in the health and behavior of dogs, nutrition for dogs, supplementation and grooming. “Any question that somebody has specifically, that’s something that we can definitely answer,” Levy said. “If we don’t have the answers for it, we know where to find them.”

PHOTOS BY KATE RECHTZIGEL

(Above) Adam Levy is pictured with dog, Belle, inside of Fireside Pet Lodge June 28 near Chatfield. The lodge offers pets relaxation and comfort in the country. (Left) A sign hangs along Hwy 52 marked Fireside Pet Lodge. The lodge is built on 100 acres of property right outside of Adam Levy’s backyard.

Pet Lodge page 12

Your local residential and commercial experts since 1922 Fireside Pet Lodge was built February of 2021. The lodge was created after Next Generation Gundog Training owners, Adam Levy and Andrew Barbouche, noticed a need for pet boarding and grooming in Chatfield.

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CZ-June18-24-B-JM

Dynamic Masonry Products LLC

Page 12 • Country Acres South | Saturday, July 2, 2022

Pet Lodge from 11

Most of the owners help, along with two other trainers, to train all breeds of dogs for pet obedience both on and off leash, including either behavior modification or working on specific manners. Dogs stay at the lodge which gives the trainers 24/7 access to the dog so they can focus full-time on training, giving the owners back a trained animal that’s able to obey commands. “I personally think that every dog that everybody gets should go through a formal obedience program,” Levy said. “There’s a reason why we send our kids off to school and I think the same thing should happen with a pet. You’re building a confident foundation so they can live a long healthy life.” Dogs learn basic obedience skills such as “here,” “heel,” “sit,”

“place,” walking on a loose leash and any specific behavior modiﬁcations or manners the owners desire. The biggest being to stop jumping or counter surﬁng. “The way that you train each dog should be completely different,” Levy said. “Each dog is an individual.” One of Levy’s favorite memories was when a dog came in with a muzzle and none of the employees could touch it, and it walked out four weeks later, loving on everybody and licking on everyone’s face. “The dog comes in three days a week for day camp, roams the place and says “hello” to everybody,” Levy said. “Every time the owner picks up the dog he says, ‘Thank you for changing my dog’s life.’” He also was quick to

An employee grooms a dog at Fireside Pet Lodge. The lodge has multiple master groomers on-site.

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should receive a good bath and grooming every four weeks,” Levy said. “Healthy skin leads to a healthy coat. I see way too many dogs that don’t get groomed properly or enough and it’s quite unhealthy for them.” The new facility sits on 100 acres right outside Levy’s house, offering a country-style retreat where the dogs can listen to the birds chirping, and have the space to be trained off leash, safely. “I like it because I don’t have to go very far to work,” Levy said. “The dogs also have a lot more space to stretch out their legs and enjoy themselves. There’s that comfort and relaxation for a dog to not always be in town, and I think dogs tend to be more relaxed.” A typical day at Fireside Pet Lodge starts at 6 a.m. with letting the dogs outside for 45 minutes to an hour, depending on weather. Their kennel spaces are cleaned well during this time and dogs are brought back in and fed breakfast around 7 a.m. and have time to digest and relax afterwards.

Between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., they go outside again for another 45 minutes to an hour. Then, playtimes and adherence to special requests from the owners begin. Around 4 p.m. or 5 p.m., the dogs are fed dinner and let out again for a while. The last outs are around 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. “They are outside at least four or ﬁve times a day and then people can book extra playtimes as well,” Levy said. Fireside Pet Lodge services Chatﬁeld as well as Stewartville, Rochester, Byron, Eyota, Fountain and Preston. “The experience with our staff and owners I would put up against any place,” Levy said. In addition to the lodge and its services, owners from Fireside Pet Lodge also breed Chesapeake Bay Retrievers and have had the #1 dog in conformation for the last three years in that breed. Lodge owners happen to own the top winning Chesapeake in breed history, and Next Generation has titled multiple breeds of Retrievers to the high-

est level. Dogs they have bred have won Best of Breed in Chesapeakes at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show this year and at the AKC National Championship in Orlando, Florida. They currently have a dog who is a Master Hunter and Qualified AllAge in field trials that has won multiple Best in Shows. They have bred or own the only Retrievers in AKC history to win Best in Shows and be so highly titled in the field. “We’ve won on nearly the highest levels that we can,” Levy said. “Every one of our pets are pretty memorable.” The team at Fireside Pet Lodge pride themselves on making sure the customers feel just as comfortable, or more comfortable, leaving their pets at Fireside than they do under their own care. “I really like changing people’s lives through giving them a more confident and obedient dog,” Levy said. “The satisfaction of seeing the happiness between dog and owner is about as good of a feeling as you possibly can get.”

Sealed Bids due 07/21/22

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Adam Levy trains a dog to stay during a pet obedience training. Dogs also learn the commands “here,” “heel,” “sit,” “place,” and any specific behavior modifications or manners the owners want.

LAND FOR SALE | 166 ACRES +/- |HARMONY, MN

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PRSRT STD ECR GE U.S. POSTA PAID PERMIT #4 MN Madelia, Ave S 2 Second 135 Suite Sauk Rapids MN 56379

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point out some common misunderstandings. One being that e-collars are not bad, and are actually one of the more positive or rewarding tools that can be used to train a dog. Dogs, he said, need to be treated and trained differently than we imagine because they are not humans, even though many owners treat them as such. Levy also said that dogs, despite popular belief, actually enjoy more human interaction than animal interaction. In fact, to satisfy the last point, they offer day camps for people with busy work days. Dogs are able to have day lodging with individual playtimes with one of their employees. “We don’t do a big mixed daycare where all the dogs get together in a room and play together throughout the day,” Levy said. “This allows each dog to get individualized attention, without the stress and anxiety of finding their place in the ‘pack’ each day they come to a facility. What most people don’t understand is that their dog is tired after a big mixed daycare because their brain or body was in fight-or-flight mode all day long. It’s extremely stressful for most dogs.” Fireside Pet Lodge also offers long and shortterm lodging for people going on vacation or those who have a crazy work schedule. People have the option to drop off their pet for a day or months at a time. “The lodging gives pets a safe place where owners don’t have to worry about them,” Levy said. They also offer an allbreed grooming service for dogs with multiple groomers and they offer conformation handling classes. “I believe every dog

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Sealed bids will be accepted at Nethercut Schieber PA, 32 Main Ave N, Harmony, MN 55939, until July 21, 2022, at 11:00 a.m., for the sale of farm real estate located approximately 3 miles Northwest of Harmony, MN, owned by the Robert D. Burmeister Estate.

ir eleme

is in the

BY PHOTOS ZIGEL

Cave Niagara to speleothems, fall is home a 50-foot water fossils and

KATE RECHT family p The Bisho Ryan (from left) his son, holding Aaron, Zachary,holding Jennifer nder Alexa sit and Markde of just outsiCave Niagara ony. near Harmy has cave beThe familing the “When this really been runn April of and said. available, it cave since . a realtor came st.” 1995 ca r as the Farm Ser- piqued my intere discovI a caree ed for because ester. cave was

wor work t it The cy in Roch when Phil cited abou a rockhounder vice vic Agen p’s real love was ered in 1924 running have beene life.” specif- Todd, who was land at Bu Bisho But . my whol his wife want- for rocks and more a s, the stoKennedy’s nd caves He and The caver instantly go to a ic , undergrou has de- Johntime for corn, alfalf was kids to ct and ically were who the ed their noticed he pigs. ry says, the 2-mile size Bishop, es 50-feet. distri onmental ty that plungcave is home to- smaller school owned the ed by of his in envir ical ge- and oats, g grees ng three hired hand, amaz spectacular beauexThe y who spele phys out missi of famil ng and his the The types itioni - and s es bought the cave Todd asked studi different stalactites, sta- cave was trans , 1995. e the cave. h, and neph hours and hy o in 1995 Jen- Clifford Boot and Gordon insid rs spent manyys beothems; botryoids, ow- of it. It was April up on his ograp ony The ard plore Harm ites, Y n in his wife, Eric, ews, How track the pigs in the passagewa s the Bishop grew HARMONy is in its lagm and columns. in a near Byro packed up acros to hstone for coming famil for sale fol- family farmlike most back nifer, and four sons, and Elliot, and after searc it fore saw Bishop at Niagara Cave, they “I Ryan nd waterfallaptly down h was farm, r and a ditopher, r passed ing around the the bottom undergrou and had element through the sta- local newspape said Mark whic cave was the day re of livestock Chrisn. Christophe at Eric which the Niagara Falls them winding and stalagmites, lowed up on it,”owner and in and Aaro sink, gled d, after verse mixtu arsthe dairy cows . away in 1999 cave oper- found lactites . a 75-foot-an le of a name cave. “I million-ye re Bishop, ng from d out withmarried and of in New York the midd est featu r fossils 450 underground manager of thewas very rangi chickens and sheep he hole in ling, but alive. fam- helpe “The great and old, theand a waterfall is the wate e x - pigs,the age of 16, his and ations untilCanada. eld squea At d to years “They got ropesthem- in the cavename was very the farm stream the red ily sold later went tto moveNow, almost 27 in the so and lowe still hole fall, ” Bishop said. wor he p u r s u e later, the cave is p helps lightss down into the p tting, cavers got to Bisho The and s and selve e the pigs,” Bisho family and ing ved mud sons, Ryan the build es to rescu ole a and remo his two have degreop- said. “In fact, sits over from the sinkh Wh who n today e ve in ber Aaro

Look for the next issue July 2 EL RECHTZIG BY KATE F WRITER STAF

Subscribe S b today! Fill out the form below and mail in to receive your copy

NAME: ADDRESS: CITY:

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Please return this form along with check or money order for $40.00 payable to:

COUNTRY ACRES – SOUTH 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378 Call 320-352-6577 or email lori@saukherald.com NO REFUNDS

The property features 166 acres +/- and is being offered in parcels or as a whole. Parcel 1: 102.41 acre +/- parcel of mostly tillable land; Parcel 2: 45.29 acre +/- parcel, tillable and wooded; Parcel 3: both parcels 1 & 2 combined; Parcel 4: 19 acres of woods. The tillable land is being sold subject to outstanding lease for 2022 and 2023. Buyer shall receive fall rent payment (1/2 of annual lease payment). It is being sold as is. Bids should be placed in a sealed envelope and marked “Burmeister Bid”. The bid should indicate the relevant parcel(s), bid amount, bidder’s contact information, and must be received by 11:00 a.m. on 07/21/22. The Seller reserves the right to hold a bid-off with the top three bidders on each parcel. Any bid-off shall occur at 11:00 a.m. on 07/22/22 at 32 Main Ave N, Harmony, MN or such other location as later announced. The seller re-

serves the right to accept any bid and reject any or all bids and to negotiate with bidders. Successful bidders will be expected to enter into a standard purchase agreement and provide non-refundable earnest money in the amount of 10% of the purchase price on the day of the bid award. Closing shall be on or before 08/26/22. CZJULY2_1B_JM

More information is available upon request. Please contact Greg Schieber with any questions about bid procedure or property specifics at (507) 886-6131 or greg@ranlaw.net.

Country Acres South - July 2, 2022

Articles inside

A blooming business

A lodge to fulfi ll the need

Wabasha County Fair Wabasha