Country Acres - February 19, 2022 by Star Publications

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Friday, February 18 , 2022

Friday, February 18, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 1

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Focusing on Today’s Rural Environment

Volume 9, Edition 37

Growing her own herd Krebs focusing on South Devon cattle

BY CHRISTINE BEHNEN | STAFF WRITER

OBIESKI – One never knows what could start a young person farming. Shelby Krebs, of Sobieski, is of an inspiring class of new farmers. She started from nothing: no infrastructure, no animals, no funds. What she did start with was the necessary desire and will. Since she was a youngster setting her sights on being able to reach the milk line at a friend’s farm, she has never stopped looking forward. Now, at 19 years of age, she has a herd of 10 cows, earned titles, a network of mentors and a supportive family, not to mention her own hard work and possibly a little luck. This is her story. “My life has changed a lot in the last three to five years,” Krebs began. “We didn’t have any cows, nothing. I had no ties to the ag industry, except my

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Publications bli ti The newspaper of today is the history of tomorrow.

uncle. My family was not into it.” A handful of years ago, a serendipitous experience sparked an interest in Krebs, who was then a few years younger, of course, and a little shorter. She would often go to play over at the Gundersons’ farm by Upsala with her siblings. The barn was always open for the children to explore. Krebs used to watch David Gunderson milk and thought it would be interesting to learn. “He laughed and said I could not reach the milk line, and to come back in a few years when I could,” Krebs remembered. “He said if I could reach the milk line, I’d be fine. I was determined to show him I could reach.” A short time later, she did just that and so began milking with Gunderson Brothers

Dairy. She learned everything she could: milking, the sales barn, dehorning, vaccinating, artificial insemination. For Christmas one year, she was gifted a Holstein bull calf, to become her first steer. “My dad’s theory was always, ‘if you’re going to have one, you’re going to have two,’” Krebs said. And so, her father bought a second. Since her cows were the first livestock on the family property, the infrastructure available for their care would need some work. “When I got this steer, we had to see where we were going to put it, what we were going to feed it,” Krebs said. “We

put up the electrical fence. We put up everything out there new in the last three to five years. To do it all on an income which I was getting while in school, working part-time, and to have my family support, is a big thing.” During these years the Gundersons retired, and Krebs had to do something to continue growing her experience. “I was really sad when the Gundersons sold out,” Krebs lamented. “I didn’t know what I was going to do next.

Krebs page 2 PHOTOS BY CHRISTINE BEHNEN

(above) The cattle in Shelby Krebs’ herd are given names, including Crimson, Lava, Ember, Maple, Hazel, Hickory, Jinx, Java, June, José, Jalapeño, Rogina and Gemma. (right) Shelby Krebs is building her herd of South Devon cattle, pictured Dec. 31 near Sobieski.

This month in the

COUNTRY: Watch for the next edition of Country Acres on March 19, 2022

Langes build a Lighthouse Burtrum

13-24 National FFA Week Special section

27 Country cooking Osakis

The faces of farming Diane Leukam column

25 A search for personal sovereignty Hutchinson

24 Rorschach beaver Nancy Leasman column

11 European mounts New London

Page 2 • Country Acres | Friday, February 18, 2022

Country Acres

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 SALES STAFF

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 Bob Leukam, 320-260-1248 bob.l@star-pub.com

PRODUCTION STAFF Pat Turner Amanda Thooft Nancy Powell Maddy Peterson Cheyenne Carlson

Deadlines:

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

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Krebs from front I knew I wanted to be in the ag industry. I wanted to work for a farmer.” Krebs soon found work with Roerview Dairy in Upsala, where she learned how a robotic milking dairy is run. While working with Stephen, Craig and Roger, she met their sister, Sara, who is a veterinarian at the Watkins Vet Clinic, and was able to shadow her on the job. Krebs continued to gain experience, showing her steers at the county fair, and then, looking for what else she could do, they sold them, trading in steers for three South Devon heifers. South Devons are an English beef breed which, according to the North American South Devon Association, are considered to be feed efﬁcient, fertile and maternal, along with possessing longevity and docility. They are primarily polled and can be found in black or red-hided genetics. Beef was to be her next interest to add on to dairy. One steer is one steer. Two steers is a pair of steers. Perhaps it was when she grew to three heifers that Krebs truly began to have a herd. She didn’t just have a herd; she began to think in terms of her herd. Krebs’ mind was now thinking fast. “I knew I wanted to grow, but it is really hard to start out,” Krebs detailed. “Everything is stacked against you as far as odds go. To put up your buildings and everything is expensive.” She was looking to make progress faster and better. Krebs was grateful for learning at the dairy and showing through 4-H, and she knew she could learn more. She ﬁgured one way would be to enter some mentorship programs. She entered the My Beef Experience Program in 2019, which awards an animal, semen and mentorship to a young person. Although she did not win this one, she was on the right track. “Entering mentorship programs was my way of speeding up my advancements,” Krebs explained. “It was a way for me to expand faster than my

PHOTOS BY CHRISTINE BEHNEN

Jalapeño is a calf out of the prize heifer Krebs won through the North American South Devon Association.

bank account was expanding. I was literally starting at nothing. I needed to get some animal that was of quality and of the right age. I didn’t know a huge amount about showing beef, so a mentor was a huge thing.” In 2019, she was crowned the Mississippi Valley Cattlemen’s Association Beef Princess, which offered her opportunities to meet people and be more involved in the industry. She also applied for a program through the North American South Devon Association. She knew her chances at winning at a nationwide level were unlikely, but then she won. The Gnech family of Oregon donated a well-bred heifer and provided mentorship. In January of 2020, Krebs traveled to Denver to the National Western Stock Show to meet her heifer. There, the Gnech family mentored her. She learned how a cow is professionally ﬁtted to look their best in the show ring. Under the Gnech family’s mentorship, she learned about showing at the highest level and showed her new heifer herself. That men-

With her small herd of South Devons, Krebs is focusing on genetics and quality.

Krebs page 3

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Friday, February 18, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 3

Krebs from 2 torship would continue even after the show. “Going to Denver, learning how to do it right, was a big thing,” Krebs said. “Her ﬁrst offspring is part of that mentorship program.” Still working for Roerview, Krebs next earned the title of Dairy Princess for Morrison County. For Krebs, she strives to make her substance as a woman in the industry be solidly grounded. “I’m not here to be the pretty face,” she asserted. “I want to show them that I am a part of the industry. My family is not just at home doing the work. It is all about perspective.” Between her titles and contests, her network of supporters now spans the nation. “I have been lucky in that sense,” was Krebs’ reﬂection. “I have gotten to meet people across the country that can help me. They are a phone call away. I still call Stephen from Roerview.” At this point, Krebs was already cultivating the mindset of a young agricultural businesswoman. Having graduated with the other 35 students in her class in Upsala the past year, her next step was to study ag

Krebs has accomplished in this short time, she is a perennial learner and never forgets how much she did not know and has yet to learn. There are others, like she so recently was, who are just starting. “I am an extremely shy person,” shared Krebs. “For a long time, I had a hard time asking questions because I thought I should know this. When I was 16, I was asking some basic questions that some kids that are 8 or 9 know the answer to. Nobody judges somebody for asking a question. It is an extreme privilege to teach somebody something. To be able to go up to somebody and PHOTO BY CHRISTINE BEHNEN ask them a quesJosé is one of the tion, that person newest calves in is also getting the the herd. gratitude to be able to answer the question.”

business at the University of Minnesota - Crookston. Shadowing Sara had sparked the possibility of even becoming a veterinarian. Everything, even a new job working with hogs at Samuel’s Showpigs, just gives her more of the education she desires. The growth and value of her herd of now 10 cows will mature right alongside her. If there is one thing clear about Krebs, it is that she takes each next step alertly and with care, even as she lays the groundwork for a long future. She has one semester completed towards her business degree before assessing potentially studying animal science and eventually vet school. The long-term certainty is that her involvement with the animals is here to stay. With as much as

“I’m not here to be the pretty face. I want to show them that I am a part of the industry. My family is not just at home doing the work. It is all about perspective.” - Shelby Krebs

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Page 4 • Country Acres | Friday, February 18, 2022

Langes build a Family handcrafts unique structure for visitors to enjoy BY SARAH COLBURN STAFF WRITER

BURTRUM – Seven stories of hand-built and hand-crafted wood went into creating the 2,000-square-foot lighthouse on Rock Lake. Dean Lange has always been good with his hands, creating wood lath artwork while he was in high school. An affinity for lighthouses, but more so an affinity for building something unique, prompted him and Donna Lange to craft the full-scale Stoney Ridge Lighthouse on their property. “He just wants everything to have that wow factor,” said Donna. “With people seeing the enormous beams in there, everything is angled, even the view off the top. Every season has a different wow factor.” The lighthouse reaches 55 feet into the air, topped with an open terrace. It is available to rent year-round, providing views of the falling snow in the winter, the fall color in October and a surrounding of lush green leaves through the summer months. The Langes created the lighthouse on the same property where they hand-crafted a live-in treehouse a few years ago. Rentals have been so popular with the treehouse, Dean Lange said, he wanted to add something new.

l ghthouse

The Langes started on the lighthouse in August of 2019. The year before, they created the lumber for the project. They purchased raw logs, and Dean crafted his own boards and timbers out of ash wood, white oak and red oak. He did the sawing on site and did the tongue and groove work himself. The lighthouse came together story by story and, as they moved to each new layer, Dean hand-crafted the wood for that section. The construction took one-and-a-half years and the Langes’ daughter, Kendra, played an integral role, moving home as COVID-19 regulations shut down her job in the hospitality industry. Their son, Sam, and his Dozer Excavating business, did the site work, the landscaping and the driveway, and helped move large beams into place. They also got help from family, friends and neighbors – each playing a crucial role when the job required more sets of hands. Each level of the lighthouse is unique. The fifth level touts a floor made of wooden tiles, 3/4-inch slices of timber harvested from beams that came out of the Catholic church in Upsala and were headed for the landfill. Dean cut them down and Kendra secured them into place, finishing with a grout made of varnish and sawdust. Seven nautical-like, round windows surround the space and allow for views of the landscape. Even the round window frames were constructed by hand. The family used 5-inch pieces of two-by-fours, running

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

Snow covers the ground at Stoney Ridge Lighthouse in Burtrum.

Lighthouse page 5

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Friday, February 18, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 5

Lighthouse from page 4

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

Dean Lange works in his shop, cutting wood for the lighthouse. He purchased raw logs and created boards and timbers himself.

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Lighthouse page 6

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math equations on the diameter of the circle and creating 168 pieces of wood to make up the seven window frames, along with 1,200 hand-crafted tongue and groove extension jambs. Every piece of the interior has the same attention to detail. The winding staircase is fashioned out of 14-inch by 8-inch wood timber slabs, each overlapping the next and bolted together, just as they saw in a magazine. The staircase is artful, flowing through the lighthouse with its massive design. Overhead, giant timber beams, created in the family’s shop, create the ambiance and sense of awe inside the lighthouse. Dean used a skid loader to put the 1,000- to 1,500-pound timbers on

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Page 6 • Country Acres | Friday, February 18, 2022

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Light shines brightly from the beacon room of the Stoney Ridge Lighthouse in Burtrum. The lighthouse is available for rent and the 55-foot structure houses bedrooms, bathrooms, a kitchen, a loft and access to the open-air top.

Lighthouse from page 5 ished with bathrooms and bedrooms while the sixth level serves as the beacon room, complete with a blue ceiling and a rotating light. The seventh floor sits above the canopy of the trees and houses a hand-crafted picnic table. Lower down in the lighthouse, the second floor offers an open loft area and the first floor is complete with a bedroom, bathroom and dining room. The black walnut kitchen cabinets bear lath lighthouse artwork

done by Dean. The adjacent dining room also has his mark – a complete 12-person handcrafted dining room set. For the Langes, the project has been a complicated adventure, learning to build everything on a slant, going through a lot of trial and error. They did build a 55-inch scale model of the lighthouse to work out just how to create the stairway pattern and they got some advice from friends who are skilled at trim work. “St. Joseph helped

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me out a lot,” Dean said. “He had to be there helping; a lot of stuff I’d never done before and we got it done.” The lighthouse opened in mid-November of 2021 to visitors. Both the lighthouse and the treehouse are on the Langes’ 50-acre property which includes a small lake. The land is connected to 500 acres of state land that’s available for year-round recreation. In the summer, the Langes provide kayaks, a paddle boat and a canoe for use on the lake which

Lighthouse page 7

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Friday, February 18, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 7

Lighthouse from page 6 also has a swimming raft. For Donna, it’s been a joy raising their kids on the property and now, visitors bring those memories back. “It’s nice in the summer when we see families enjoying the lake,” Donna said. “It’s good to see people enjoying it and it reminds us we’re lucky to live where we live.”

(above) Dean Lange hand-cut all the wood and timbers for the lighthouse project. Additionally, he did the lighthouse wood lath art on the kitchen cabinets. (top Inset) Everything in the lighthouse was hand-crafted by the Langes, from the wood beam work inside the lighthouse to the flooring and the trim around the windows.

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

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Faces of farming

The tiny girl looks into the eyes of In this issue, I enjoyed learning her father. She seems to say, “Daddy, are about Daniel and Stephanie Zetah. Their these large square hay bales working out farm is very unique and, as you will see, for you?” That was my first thought, at adapts perfectly to the lifestyle they have least, trying to imagine what the child in chosen for themselves. With influences the photo might be thinking. A co-workcoming from their parents and Daniel’s er commented, “With those gloves in his decade in Australia, they have defined pocket, it reminds me of fixing fence with goals and are enjoying becoming sovermy dad when I was growing up.” eign on their own land. The photo under discussion is on the Random Reflections Not everyone farms their way and cover of our Central Minnesota Farm that’s OK. There is room for all sorts by Diane Leukam Show special section, a supplement to of agriculture and country living, and I this issue. The photo may or may not love that so many people you read about spark some sort of memories of country living in in Country Acres are following their dreams in so you. many different ways Going past that front cover, there is something At any rate, we will never get bored. for everyone. Beautiful ads contain a wealth of inI cannot even describe how fortunate I feel to formation on our businesses and what they have to live in a rural community. Admittedly, when comoffer, feature stories related to farming are plenti- pared to the hustle and bustle of life in the big city, ful and varied, and show information from the St. country life can seem too quiet for some. I am not Cloud Chamber of Commerce is included as well. one of them. People often equate large cities to One thing that struck me on seeing this publica- concrete jungles for good reason. There are the oction was the amazing amount of knowledge it takes casional green spaces which everyone needs, but to be a farmer in 2022. Regardless of what type or most of the space is filled with roads, bridges and size of farm you have, there is a lot to know. buildings. People who live there consider a small Then, we have an FFA segment in this issue of town to be between 25,000 to 50,000 residents. Just Country Acres. As always, this organization im- kidding, that comes from the U.S. Census Bureau. presses me. I would recommend FFA for any stu- New Yorkers probably consider Minneapolis to be dent entering junior high – or in whatever grade a small town. What would they think of Willmar, each school begins its program. FFA builds leaders, Litchfield, Alexandria or Little Falls, not to mention and many of today’s influential individuals in the Hillman, Sedan or Regal? agriculture industry have once worn the blue jacket. Anyway, they can have it. I love to visit a big If you read through the stories and Q&As, you will city once in a while, but there is no time I appreciate find a common theme in the comments of members: the country more than when I have been away. I’ll They want a future in agriculture. take rural living any day. The faces in agriculture are many, and so are Maybe that little girl in the picture is actually the ways they farm. I like to hear about all of them. saying, “Daddy, I’m so glad we live here. That hay What are they doing and why? Do they have 10 smells really good!” acres or 10,000? I want to know.

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Page 10 • Country Acres | Friday, February 18, 2022

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Scheduling/Dispatch Coordinators Wanted We are looking for enthusiastic and caring individuals who are committed to excelQualifications: lent customer service, teamwork and can manage a bustling work environment and • Associate’s degree in business/related field and three years of relevant adminisvaried workload with a calm demeanor and positive attitude. We have full-time (40 trative experience, OR combination of five years education/experience hours/week) and part-time (25 hours/week) positions in our Waite Park location. We • Excellent verbal communication skills and customer service skills provide comprehensive training! • Highly proficient with Windows office products *Starting wage is $17.01 per hour and we offer EXCELLENT benefits including • Ability to maintain concentration in a multi-person office setting with frequent holidays, vacation, health, dental, life, and retirement savings plan! interruptions Responsibilities include: • Highly organized, attention to detail, analytical thinking skills • Answer incoming calls from customers, providing excellent customer service • Must have availability Monday-Friday 6am-6pm, occasional Saturdays • Schedule rides and assign to appropriate bus routes using navigation software • Familiar with navigation/mapping technology, preferred for both public transit and volunteer driver programs • Experience in scheduling/dispatch, preferred • Communicate trip assignments using technology, monitor routes and work with • Bi-lingual, preferred drivers to improve efficiencies and customer service • Monitor routes and work with drivers to make any changes for efficiency and For application materials, call 320-251-1612, email hr@tricap.org, or apply online quality service at www.tricap.org. Positions are open until filled. • Complete data reporting for rides and billing requirements

Bus Drivers Wanted - Multiple Locations • Complete paperwork related to bus operation and passenger concerns. • Be responsible for daily cleaning and bus maintenance. Qualifications: • CDL with a passenger endorsement, MNDOT medical exam card, or ability to obtain • Ability to pass a DMV and background check, pre-employment drug test • Ability to comply with FTA drug & alcohol testing regulations, random testing protocol • Excellent customer service and communication skills • Proficient with computers/navigation technology • Must be available for scheduling Monday-Saturday For application materials, visit our website: www.tricap.org or email us at hr@tricap. org or call 320-251-1612. Please indicate on the application position/location you are interested in. Positions are open until filled.

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We are looking for compassionate, enthusiastic, caring and dependable individuals to fill a variety of bus driving positions for our transit services. We have full-time and part-time positions in the following locations: Personalize available your ride! Elk River, Little Falls, Milaca, Sauk Centre and Waite Park. We have a variety of route schedules available and we provide comprehensive training – we will even assist you in obtaining your CDL! Starting wage is $17.88 per hour and we offer EXCELLENT benefits including paid holidays, vacation, health, dental, life, disability, and retirement plan. Primary responsibilities include: • Safely operate bus on assigned route, staying on schedule and providing excellent service to customers. • Assist passengers as needed with mobility aids including wheelchairs, walkers or other aids, assuring that all passengers are secured properly and all mobility aids are stowed securely. • Conduct daily and weekly vehicle inspections and report defects to Lead Driver. • Monitor fare collection from passengers.

Please apply online at our website: www.tricap.org and complete/submit the online application materials or email hr@tricap.org or call 320-251-1612 to request the application. Positions are open until filled. The mission of Tri-CAP is to enhance and expand opportunities for the economic and social well-being of our residents and our communities.

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Friday, February 18, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 11 PHOTOS SUBMITTED

Melby Outdoors near New London is known for its preparation of European mounts for customers. This table includes the skulls of wild hogs, bears, a coyote and a white-tailed doe.

European mounts an art form for Melby

BY SARAH COLBURN | STAFF WRITER

NEW LONDON – Just outside New London, Melby Outdoors turns the remains of prized animals into mounts for display. “It’s kind of like a bragging board,” said Mark Melby, the mind behind the work. He specializes in producing European mounts. And, though he works on deer 75% of the time, he’s worked on everything from turkeys, coyotes, beavers, cows and bison, to crocodiles, alligators and even a cougar tail. The timeline for preservation all depends on the animal. A deer can take a week to work on while a hog or bison can take two to three months. Local hunters keep Melby busy practically yearround. He begins the process by removing the extra meat from the skull. Then, he’s helped by tens

of thousands of beetles. He works inside a shop attached to the house where he has modified two big, old chest freezers, equipping them with a heating system so he can keep fresh air flowing through them. It’s a balancing act, he said; if he fills the freezers too full with projects, or a day gets too hot and humid, the beetles will die. “It’s taken quite a few years to get the small things figured out,” he said. The beetles live for about 60 days and he breeds them in-house. He doesn’t know exactly how many he has, but when he lifts the cover to work with one of the pieces, tens of thousands of them scurry around, panicking to find the dark again. The beetles breed and it’s actually their

Mark Melby holds the head of one of his steers that hangs on his walls for display. Melby is owner of Melby Outdoors and prepares hundreds of European mount skulls for customers each year.

larvae that eat the flesh off the bones inside the tanks. Once the skull is clean, he places it in the freezer to kill off any

extra bugs. Then, he degreases it and uses a peroxide whitening process. During the cleaning, the teeth of the animal come loose, so he

glues them back in, one by one. A lacquer sealer is the final step, allowing the skulls to be easily cleaned and dusted once they’re back in the own-

er’s hands. The process, Melby said, ensures the skull remains white and looking sharp. The grease inside the bone is what can make a skull look yellow over time, he said. Additionally, he chooses a beetle and peroxide process over boiling and bleach to ensure the integrity of the bones for the long-term. “It’s interesting and fun to do,” he said. Melby has learned a lot about animals since starting his practice. He began working on skulls as a hobby. For years, he was a fur buyer and worked with skulls on the side. Then, taxidermists started contacting him to work with their skulls. There was a turning point as fur markets continued to decline and he put the money he had been using to advertise the fur business toward his hobby.

Melby page 12

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Beetles assist in skull preparation

Page 12 • Country Acres | Friday, February 18, 2022

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(left) The larvae of tens of thousands of beetles work their way over the skull of a white-tailed deer, cleaning it down to the bone.

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“Next thing you know, I’m just buried in skulls,” he said. Every year, he sees animals that had been shot previously and healed themselves. He once began working on a deer skull and found an arrow buried deep behind its left eye that had been there for years. He sees animals that were born with deformities. “Animals are pretty tough compared to a human – tougher than what people think,” he said. Melby processes more than 500 skulls a year. He starts getting busy during bear season in September and that leads into archery season. In November, when gun season opens, he gets so many skulls he hardly has time to finish any, so he just takes them in, skins them and puts them in the freezer. Then, he works on the skulls throughout the spring, all the way into

June. Melby prefers to receive the skulls as quickly as possible after an animal is killed. Though, he said, some hunters leave them in garages or sheds for awhile before they bring them in. He charges extra for those skulls because once maggots and flies set in, they’re harder to deal with. They’re also more difficult to degrease and the bones can become stained over time. He still deals with them, saying his nose became immune to the smells years ago. “Things have to be pretty stinky to gag me,” he said. Regardless, he prefers to work with clean animals that have recently been killed because even his beetles won’t touch skulls that are decomposing. Over the years, Chronic Wasting Disease has cut down on his business a bit. Due to state regulations, he isn’t allowed to process any moose, deer, elk or caribou from out of state.

Oftentimes, he’s the one who has to explain the regulations to his potential customers because it’s not something many people think about. Heidi Melby has a part of the Melby Outdoors business too. She makes identification tags of copper. Some of the tags can be used for general personalized information, but more than 75% of the business is tags marketed toward trappers and personalized with a hunter’s name, date and hunting camp information. The tags are also purchased by orchards to mark their trees and they can be personalized for deer and animal plaques – customers can choose them for the mounts Mark completes. For him, working on skulls is a bit of an art form. “When I’m done, they’re nice and pure white and all cleaned up and looking good,” he said. “It becomes a trophy.”

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These white-tailed deer skulls are on display at Melby Outdoors; some are Mark Melby and his son’s, while others belong to customers.

Friday, February 18, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 13

Creating connections

KMS FFA members learn from business, community leaders BY SARAH COLBURN | STAFF WRITER

When Christa Williamson started as advisor of the Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg FFA almost 20 years ago, she was tasked with connecting students to local businesses and jobs in the area. She began all those years ago focusing on opportunities for work-based learning experiences and Supervised Agricultural Experiences for her students. “It helps students to connect to jobs in the area,” she said. “If you want students to return to your community, helping them understand what’s available is important.” Now, 18 years after she started at the school, and 17 years after chartering the FFA chapter in February of 2005, her chapter excels at creating connections. She leads the chapter with her colleague, Tori Barka, who teaches the school’s Animal and Agricultural Mechanics classes. The school requires SAEs for all of its students, whether they’re FFA members or not. Students can join FFA the summer prior to seventh grade. The summer gives them an opportunity to do an extended project. Kids do farm and business visits and the advisors, including Williamson, talk to them about what their goals are for SAE during the school year. A lot of kids come

in knowing a little bit about what they want to focus on for their project. Students participate in a project-based job shadow and the agri-science fair, and they have to maintain records for a part of the project. “Everyone’s timeline looks different and everyone’s goals look different,” Williamson said. Some students come wanting to show livestock and others come wanting to participate in leadership opportunities. Either way, Williamson said lots of students participate in an exploratory way, with projects that connect them to business and agriculture. A student may job shadow or create a project, then report back to the class about the skills they learned that are connected to the classroom. “It’s an opportunity to see that agriculture is in their everyday life, not just something that happens when they drive by a field or a farm,” Williamson said. It also provides kids who live in town, and kids who live on a farm, with the same experiences, putting them on an even playing field as they learn from businesses and leaders in the community. PHOTO SUBMITTED

KMS FFA page 14

Olivia Noble measures the viscosity of motor oil as part of a classroom project. Noble is the KerkhovenMurdock-Sunburg FFA president.

Page 14 • Country Acres | Friday, February 18, 2022

KMS FFA from page 13 Olivia Noble is a sophomore who lives on a farm north of Maynard. Her family farms 3,000 acres of crops including corn, soybeans and sugar beets. She’s in Barka’s Livestock Production class. As the FFA president this year she’s submitted an FFA proficiency application about crops and what they do at the farm. For the class SAE project, she’s considering submitting a smaller livestock production proficiency application focused on chickens and goats. She’s also working on a project in class that focuses on the viscosity of oils, researching the difference between brands and their costs. “We have a decent amount of acres on the farm so we use a lot of machinery,” Noble said. If her project finds there’s no significant difference between the

“You get to do experiments that are hands-on; you get to choose topics you want; you get to choose things that will help you in your future.” - Olivia Noble

lower-dollar oils and the higher-dollar oils, it could save the farm a lot of money each year. “You get to do experiments that are handson,” she said. “You get to choose topics you want; you get to choose things that will help you in your future.” Maddie Anderson is also in the livestock class at the school and she did a livestock production project for her SAE, creating an animal blanket for her classroom project. She’s analyzing feeds for the agri-science

fair project and she’s tracking beef cattle on her family farm to meet the record-keeping requirement. She wanted to look at the digestion of cattle feed. “I want to better understand what my cows are actually eating,” she said. She’s looking at four different kinds of feed and their digestion times so she can study how it impacts their health. “It’s a really good experience,” she said. “You learn a lot from it.” PHOTO SUBMITTED

Madison Anderson (left) and Kate Marquardt participated in the 2021 National Agriscience fair. Anderson participated in a team project with Olivia Noble and together, they entered the Power Systems team category. They placed 5th with their project investigating which type of insulation prevents water from freezing. Marquardt placed 9th at the national Agri-Science fair in food systems. She studied the physical and chemical properties of potassium chloride to see if it could adequately replace sodium chloride.

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Friday, February 18, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 15

Learning to appreciate

good cows

Happke opens farm for FFA dairy evaluation competition BY SARAH COLBURN | STAFF WRITER

PIERZ – For the last five years, Kent and Stacy Happke have welcomed just under 100 teenagers to their farm for the annual FFA Dairy Evaluation competition. As the students arrive, clipboards in hand, they don plastic booties to keep the barns free from outside contaminants. They spread out throughout the barn, judging multiple different classes of cows and heifers put together by Happke. “We try and get a group that kind of looks the same,” Happke said. “It makes the kids work for it a little bit.” Happke partners with Pat Tax, the Pierz FFA advisor, who’s been organizing the regional event for the last eight years. Jake Oyster, the FFA teacher and advisor for the Sebeka chapter, serves as the official judge for the contest. Students come from across Region 2, which covers the whole northeast part of the state. Students come from communities including Brainerd, Royalton, Little Falls, Sebeka, Silver Bay, Grand Rapids, Upsala, Staples, Aitkin, Bertha-Hewitt, Blackduck, Browerville, Deer River, Duluth East,

Greenway, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle, Menahga, Nevis, Park Rapids, Pillager, Royalton, Verndale, Wadena-Deer Creek and Willow River. Prior to arriving on the farm, the students work as a team on Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA) reports. They look over lactation reports, somatic cell reports, and reproduction reports. As individuals, students participate in a sire-selection process using reports. They also participate in a pedigree contest using genetic evaluation and production records. They are given various scenarios and work to match animals to what a specific farmer is looking for. Often times, they may need to correct a linear fault. Once on site at the farm, they rank the cows and heifers in each class. Each class has been groomed prior to the competition; Happke recruits helpers to wash and clip all of the cow classes before the students arrive. “They’re placing them based on conformation,” Oyster said. For one of the cow classes, students have to prepare their reasoning

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Students from 17 Minnesota FFA chapters don protective boot covers each year in order to ensure bio-safety at Kent and Stacy Happke’s farm. Students spread throughout various areas of the farm to rank the animals, according to pre-established criteria.

and share that with the judges at the school, who include Oyster and his agriculture colleagues. “It gives you a sce-

nario of what real dairy farmers have to come up with and management decisions they might have to make,” he said.

Oyster, who’s very knowledgeable about dairy characteristics, works at the farm site with Happke, determin-

ing the rankings and the cuts, while Tax stays back at the school coor-

Cows page 16

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Cows

from page 15 dinating the reasoning portion of the competition and administering sire and pedigree tests. “If they get the placing right, they have to back it up with reasons,” Tax said. “Even if they get the reasons wrong, but give a substantial argument (they earn points).” Tax said she’s grateful that Happke is willing to open his farm to the students for such an important learning experience. “No matter how students do in the competition,” Oyster said “it’s an important one for everyone, even those not planning for a career in farming.” Consumers, he said, should understand all the thought and processes that go into farming and how farmers work for their animals and the consumer. “Farmers at least have cows’ interest in mind and the consumers’ best interest in mind,” he said. “I hope the impact on consumers is that they know local farmers are doing their best to take care of their farms.” The annual event can qualify students for the state competition. For Happke, once an FFA student himself, it’s an annual reminder of his time with the organization. He opens his farm because he wants to be able to give back to the kids. “[They are] getting out and meeting different people and going on different farms and seeing different people’s cattle,” he said. “It makes you appreciate good cows.”

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

Dairy Farmer Kent Happke and Jake Oyster, Sebeka FFA Advisor and dairy evaluation judge, choose the different classes of cows and heifers for the annual FFA Dairy Evaluation Day competition.

FFA students from 17 Minnesota communities gather on Kent and Stacy Happke’s dairy farm, clipboards in hand, to evaluate their cows and heifers. Students also participate in a sire-selection process using reports and they participate in a pedigree contest using genetic evaluation and production records.

FFA students from Staples Motley, Upsala, Pierz and 14 other communities across Minnesota, came together for the FFA Dairy Evaluation Day at Kent and Stacy Happke’s dairy farm.

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Friday, February 18, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 19

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Founded in 1953, The Minnesota FFA Foundation is one of the oldest state foundations in the country. The foundation works behind the scenes, supporting FFA chapters and students with things like direct grants for FFA Jackets, scholarships to college, teacher preparation, and a reduction in annual convention fees. “Our role is to support the valuable work of FFA,” said Val Aarsvold, executive director of the foundation. “We develop strategic partnerships to make that happen.” In the last three years, 20 schools have added new FFA programs that haven’t had a chapter recently, or ever. With that, the number of FFA teachers/advisors increased from 270 across the state to 310. The FFA Foundation works to provide support for those teachers. “We’re committed to our teachers, they’re the backbone of what we do,” she said. “We’re not just writing out checks, we’re right there by the teachers making sure they’re supported. We get phone calls from

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Hunter Knutson (from left), Breanna Kressin and Rylee Solheim create signs using wood as the base, the Cricut Design Stencil or the CNC Router, and paint.

them saying they need help with a student with a particular situation.” FFA isn’t just growing in smaller, rural communities either. This is the first year in decades that Minneapolis has re-launched its program, she said. “When you support FFA, you develop leaders for agriculture and local communities,”

Aarsvold said. “Even if they don’t go into an ag career, they still develop skills that will be valuable in the communities they’re in.” Students are advised and supported by their teachers and they learn how to keep records, how to talk to people, and how to speak and present in public. About 41 percent of

Deputy Stout and K-9 Rex visit the Companion Animal class for their unit on animal behavior and training. The deputy brought in the items they use when working with a K-9.

the students served in the schools through FFA come from economically challenged homes. As such, the foundation subsidizes the cost of the annual state convention, bringing the cost down to $18 per student, instead of what would be $60 per student. “Once we realized we had a high population of students in need, we had an opportunity to (help fund) an event that wasn’t going to cost them tremendously, that helped define what we do,” Aarsvold said. In addition, the foundation grants FFA jackets to students in need. This past fall, a record 1,016 students applied to receive a jacket and the foundation was able to award just shy of 500 jackets. The jackets, and the accompanying tie or scarf, can be sponsored for $85 and the foundation raises money directly to offset that expense. Donors can also choose to support FFA

FFA Foundation page 20

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FFA Foundation from page 19 through its Legacy Club. This program awards dollars to chapters that are either in need of start-up funds or funds for a new program. Individual and business donors can be part of the Legacy Club by donating $1,000 in a single year, or $1,000 over the course of four years. Those dollars are then invested in the chapters. Aarsvold has been leading the foundation for 20 years and has developed a relationship with many of the donors. She’s seen students come through the FFA program and then turn around and become donors themselves. “(Donors) are at the heart of it all,” she said. “The way thousands of students are able to experience opportunities is only available because of donors.” The foundation in recent years, through the work of one generous donor, has been able to award college scholarships to FFA students. The James W. Tracy Scholarship is named in honor of a man from the Northfield/Dennison area who gifted the

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

Yona Johnson was one of 60 animal science students able to work hands-on with equine for a field trip. She learned how to halter, lead and groom horses. The horse pictured is a nationally-known Gypsy Vanner horse, Pressly.

foundation money to provide college scholarships to students studying agriculture. The foundation has been awarding scholarships for six years and is currently reviewing applications for its seventh year. The scholarships are around $2,000 each. The money is available to support students attending college through a two-year program or a four-year-program, and recently expanded to include awards to high

school seniors and those already attending college. The estate hasn’t come to full fruition yet, but has already awarded more than $100,000 in scholarships. “No matter the size of the gift,” Aarsvold said “The dollars are used to better students.” “Our society has really caused us to see a lot of challenges, our environment is one where there is unrest,” she said. “When I look at these young people

and I see how we’re developing skills in them, to work together and work toward a common

goal – that’s worth investing in. They don’t have to be the biggest donor. We want them to

be a donor and we’ll use those dollars to share opportunities for students.”

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Page 22 • Country Acres | Friday, February 18, 2022

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

(above) Lily Anderson shows Paisley at the Minnesota State Fair in 2019. (left) Two of Lily Anderson’s favorite animals munch away together. Paisley is on the left and Pink is on the right.

Anderson from page 21 Then, in February 2021, she’d finally saved enough to buy her heifer. She went to a sale in Watertown where a friend had a heifer for sale. She bought it and showed the heifer at the Pope County Fair; from there, she brought her to the Pipestone Summer Spectacular and to nationals. Though the heifer

didn’t do as well in the show ring because she wasn’t eating, Anderson knows her future calves will have good show potential. Anderson has kept her parents busy, running different animals back and forth from the farm so she could compete in various shows with different animals – at least once back-to-

back. As she works with her animals, Anderson studies the impact of using different feed and nutrition supplements with each. She’s had animals that thrive at shows and some who want to eat nothing no matter what she tries. She also focuses on exercise to prep for competition. “It’s really important to have an animal that can walk well and

have a good stride,” she said. She takes them up and down the hill at the farm to make sure their leg muscles get the strengthening they need. She also works hard to keep her show cattle cool. She takes them out every day and rins-

es them with cold water, sometimes does a shampoo and conditioner. She then puts them under fans and combs their hair forward. She blow dries them and clips them, sculpting them and shaping them so they have a great top line.

When Anderson isn’t working with her animals, she continues working on her nursing degree at Alexandria Technical College. She lives at home so she can be close to her animals and provide them with the best care.

Lily Anderson cuddles her steer, Tuff, at the Minnesota State Fair.

When Mother Nature only gives you a few days to get your ﬁelds planted, you need to keep your equipment moving. Downtime is expensive; delayed planting can cost as much as $627/hour*.

Center Pivot Irrigation

*The $627/hour figure is based on the following common industry assumptions: 16-row planter, planting at 30 inches, planting at 5 miles per hour, and field efficiency of 80%. The price of corn was averaged to be $3.85/bu., and the yield was taken from 2019 USDA reports of 168 bu/ac. Yield loss from delayed planting was taken from DuPont Pioneer’s Planting Outcome Effects on Corn Yield study.

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Friday, February 18, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 23

Plant the seeds of success

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Friday, February 18, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 25

A search for personal Zetahs come home to live their vision

sovereignty

BY CHRISTINE BEHNEN STAFF WRITER

HUTCHINSON – Daniel and Stephanie Zetah live and farm at New Story Farm between Dassel and Hutchinson. These 96 acres are where Daniel grew up, where his parents, Dennis and Elaine, raised cattle since the sixties. This farm is an old farm, a family farm, but Daniel’s pathway home was anything but a straightforward continuance of the life he grew up with. Daniel had established a life in Australia, and then underwent a radical transformation of his life goals and skills, in order to be able to return to the land that first knew him. Stephanie likewise gave up the trappings of an established professional life on a computer in order to discover the new way of living that brought her home here. Together, they are holding space on their farm for a new story, and not just for themselves, but a new story for any who might be seeking and willing. At one time such a drastic change might have seemed

PHOTO BY DREW ARRIETA

Daniel and Stephanie Zetah are pictured outside their re-purposed chicken coop where they gather for community meals, hanging out, crafts and other social experiences and events.

unlikely, impossible, or even undesirable, but the seeds of that change were present even from a young age. And, there were distinct moments which were like flint to steel, sparking a pivotal moment which might have otherwise slept undisturbed. “My parents raised cattle

organically,” Daniel remembered. “And yet, every time we sold a cow it would go away on a truck, and we bought all of our meat at a supermarket. Even as a kid, I was always questioning everything.” After studying economics and business, Daniel moved to Colorado, but 9-11 marked a

crucial moment which would lead to him moving to Australia. “I watched American culture double down on fear,” Daniel reflected. “I had to get out. I didn’t fit into this culture, and I questioned it. Why do we do this this way? I didn’t know what I was looking for. I

wasn’t fully baked yet.” His time in Australia would last over a decade. He had a job working as a chemical spraying auditor and prosecutor for Tasmania, an island state in the south. He

Zetah page 26

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Page 28 • Country Acres | Friday, February 18, 2022

Salutes...

MADDIE ANDERSON

Paynesville 320-243-3938 www.feedco.net

Town: KMS Grade: 11 Parents: Jason and Betsy Anderson Kerkoven-Murdock-Sunburg FFA Chapter

PHOTO BY KRISTINE LEUZE

Daniel Zetah is at home on his tractor on the farm near Hutchinson.

Zetah

from page 26 Tell us about your FFA program and your involvement in it: I am the sentinel for our FFA chapter. I’m also involved with General Livestock and Science Fair. And, I plan to do a proficiency application next year. It’s a great FFA chapter led by Christa Williamson and Tori Barka. As a Chapter, we try to encourage other kids to become new members. And, we strive to let them know that there is something for just about anyone in FFA.

We’re all on an island.” Back to Minnesota ultimately meant back to his parents’ farm where he had grown up. Stephanie was also changing her life before she met Daniel. She had left a corporate job in graphic design, and even gave up the house she had bought. “I decided I would leave it all,” Stephanie recalled. “In 2008 when the housing market crashed, I still didn’t care. My happiness was worth more than money.

What is the greatest benefit you have received from being involved in FFA? The friendships I have made along the way, as well as all the skills that you learn. What other hobbies and interests do you have outside of FFA? 4-H, softball and gymnastics What are your plans for the future? I plan on doing something with livestock or doing anything in the agricultural industry.

I gave away my belongings.I just surrendered to the unknown.” They found each other in the following years at an intentional community where Stephanie had been living, and where Daniel came to visit. They shared the same goals of wanting to be sovereign individuals, who could meet more of their own needs. They wanted to be a part of small, resilient, agrarian community which could meet the majority of its own needs. Despite their combined experience with communities around the world, Minnesota stood out as the best and most hospitable

Recipe from page 27 JOYCE BLAIR ANDERSON

Starbuck, Pope County

POST FRAME BUILDINGS

Pumpkin Muffins • • • •

4 eggs 1-1/2 cups oil 2 cups sugar 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin • 3 cups flour • 2 tsp. soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix eggs, oil, sugar and pumpkin. Add flour, soda, baking powder and cinnamon and mix until moistened. Gently add chocolate or butterscotch chips. (I use half of each.) Pour into muffin tins lined with paper to twothirds full. Bake 10-12 minutes.

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Zetah page 29

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place for them to realize their vision. “I’ve been to places in the world where 10 acres of this soil is literally as productive as 100 acres of their soil,” noted Daniel. “We have some of the richest soil resource the world’s ever seen.” Daniel and Stephanie shared the story of how the ecology of the land over tens of thousands of years had banked the fertility of the soil. The Mdewankanton Sioux living on the tallgrass prairies, oak savannahs and canopy forests had managed the land using fire. Bison migrating through would eat, trample, defecate and move on. All of this activity was part of a functioning ecology which the couple hoped to restore, as much as is possible, in this modern time. This old story, of how the land used to be, threaded itself into a new concept of their roles. “We grow food as a by-product of ecological restoration,” explained Daniel. Even though Daniel and Stephanie were able to return to Daniel’s family farm, transitioning from his parents to the next generation’s vision and leadership has required mutual support, respect and trust. Den-

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Friday, February 18, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 29

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www.arnzenconstructioninc.com PHOTO BY DREW ARRIETA

Daniel Zetah says “hello” to #182, in a pasture on the farm.

Zetah from page 28 nis and Elaine Zetah had committed a lifetime to the care of their home, and their approval of the couple’s plans allowed for both continuity and change. “My parents both love this farm more than anything,” Daniel commented. “They were good stewards of the land. I’m really grateful for that.” Having access to fertile land was a huge gift to the couple’s vision. Passing the responsibility of stewarding the land to Daniel and Stephanie gave them the security to fully invest themselves. With this assurance the couple was determined to share this way of life with others who might likewise be inspired to change, but lack the knowledge, perspective and means to do so. Christening the farm with a new name, New

“I decided I would leave it all. In 2008 when the housing market crashed, I still didn’t care. My happiness was worth more than money. I gave away my belongings. I just surrendered to the unknown.”

MAKE WINTER FUN AGAIN! Pure Power with Easy Handling

- Stephanie Zetah

Making Life's Tough Jobs Easier! Story Farm, both honored the released past of the farm and its people, as well as raised a bright new intention, like a beacon calling out for a new way, a new lifestyle, not just for themselves, but for any comers. Visible signs of the new story are everywhere: A system of paddocks to rotationally graze the cows is set up, to mimic the bison’s migrational movements of long ago; a row of maple seedlings lines a slight hill, where they will serve as a windbreak and

Buying all metals!

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Garbage

provide syrup when they mature. An old chicken coop was repurposed into a community gathering place. A broad and open concept allows for community meals, hanging out, crafts and other social experiences and events. Pages from old farming magazines serve as wallpaper, but also as an opportunity to reﬂect upon history and make the choices today that will affect the future.

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Zetah page 31

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Page 30 • Country Acres | Friday, February 18, 2022

AS K A B O U T

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Friday, February 18, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 31

WE MAKE HYDRAULIC HOSES!

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PHOTO SUBMITTED

A dining area is set for visitors.

Zetah from page 29

VB 560 EFFICIENCY TO MATCH YOUR DEMANDS. PHOTO BY IRENE GENELIN

Stephanie Zetah cooks using many of the items raised on the farm.

have curated ways to get involved. This might be as simple as attending specific topic workshops like foraging, crafts or agricultural skills, or

Stop In!

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The people who Daniel and Stephanie welcome to the farm may be interested in making a change, but feel trapped by their debt, or their lack of skills and experience. They hope to serve as a stepping stone for them. “There are no clearcut avenues how to step into this new way of living,” Stephanie said. “People think they don’t have options to change. When I left my job, I never thought that I’d own land. I am not a cubicle, desk worker. I’m a land-based being.” To this end, they

Call Josh 320-573-2341 4054 50th Ave Swanville, MN 56382

they may be as complete as an internship living in community on the farm for the time needed. In

www.wollerequipment.com

Zetah page 32

Convenie ence Items Co onvenien ntly Locatted

Careers AVA I L A B L E

We still are hiring for various positions in our Long Prairie Convenience Store and a Propane Driver/Technician.

Stop in for an application, apply online at www.northernstarcoop.com For more information on these positions, please email Lisa, store manager, at lpcstore@northernstarcoop.com

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Long Prairie Propane P.O. Box 358, Long Prairie, MN 56347 320-732-3422 • Manager: Jeremy

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Page 32 • Country Acres | Friday, February 18, 2022 KASOWSKI GROUP

CAFeb19-1B-RB

NOW HIRING! • FT Farm Labor • FT Equipment Operator • FT Farm Mechanic Apply in person. 1 mile east of Becker, 137th left, 1/8 mile on left. 612-747-0163

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PHOTO SUBMITTED

The re-purposed chicken coop is lit up in the evening at the Zetah farm near Hutchinson.

HELP WANTED:

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Our St. Martin, MN facility is looking for General Laborers and Mechanical Laborers.

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International U2 Power Unit on cart with a mounted Ottawa drag saw with attachment to cut down trees.

Zetah from page 31 the warmer seasons, bi-weekly homeschool days bring in children and families. Resiliency School is another offering by which families may experience farm life, learn self-sufﬁciency and survival skills, and learn about regener-

ative agriculture. The Zetahs have so many interests and plans that it appears as though there is always another facet, another skill, another project to be developed. A smokehouse and a root cellar are close on the horizon. Each has worked hard to learn every skill that at one time they did not have and, for a grander vision, it is worth it. There is always

more to do, but, Stephanie explained that every meal, even a piece of cake on a relaxed winter day offers an opportunity for gratitude – for the wheat that Daniel grew, for the currants that Stephanie grew, for the dairy by way of another’s farm.

Zetah page 33

RESTORED & RUNNING Engine has 218 hours since overhaul. - CALL -

320.905.4674 CAFeb19-1VM-RB

Truck Drivers

WANTED Nutrien Ag Solutions

is looking for truck drivers for April, May and June, making deliveries of fertilizer, chemical and seed in the Sauk Centre area. CDL Class A with tanker preferred, Class B or able to obtain seasonal ag permit. Hazmat a plus. We are flexible on number of days worked per week.

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Stop at the office for Application or contact Todd at 320.352.6564

PHOTO BY DREW ARRIETA

Community gatherings are a regular occurrence in the warmer seasons.

801 Beltline Rd. Sauk Centre, MN 56378

Let us help you customize your farm

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to work in the office to handle computer work, filing, answer phones and customer service April through June. 40-60 hours per week depending on workload. Stop at the office for application or contact Todd or Heidi at 320-352-6564 801 Beltline Road | Sauk Centre, MN 56378

Friday, February 18, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 33

INSURANCE PROTECTION FOR RURAL MINNESOTA PROPERTIES. INSURING FARMS, HOMES, LAKE HOMES AND HOBBY FARMS FOR HAPPY AND SAFE HARVEST

Please check with any one of our agents at our many locations listed. Cornerstone Insurance St. Stephen 320-202-8920

Pioneer Lake Mutual grows because of our reputation, pricing and the strong efforts of our great agents!

“Every day is something amazing. We never wake up with an alarm clock, but with the circadian rhythms. We eat like royalty. The ingredients are fresh and wholesome and nutritious and tasty.” - Daniel Zetah

Zetah from page 32

welcomed home, now a man or a woman. A story once held, can be questioned and released, and a new story found to guide the way. Soil grown over the ages can be rediscovered, as a treasure made by time, and regenerated anew. Stephanie and Daniel Zetah, of New Story Farm, once uprooted, have come home.

Reiny Hanneken - Manager 401 S. Main St. | Pierz, MN • 320-468-2516 CAFeb19-1B-BL

Best time to buy DEEPEST DISCOUNTS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW!

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SA HU VI G NG E S!

“Every day is something amazing,” Daniel offered. “We never wake up with an alarm clock, but with the circadian rhythms. We eat like royalty. The ingredients are fresh and wholesome and nutritious

and tasty. We get to do something different every day. We get to work with our hands. We get to work with our minds. We have autonomy and agency and freedom like most people have never known. We have purpose and meaning.” After journeying far from home, led by searching questions, a child of this land can be

Schomer Insurance Howie Schomer - Pierz 320-468-2525

Fans/Heaters Hopper Bins

Page 34 • Country Acres | Friday, February 18, 2022

We have

HAY & STRAW

640R JD loader

JD 6175R

2015 Model, IVT, LH reverser, 4 Hyd., 1042 hours.

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

2018 model. 96” bucket, grapple ready, 3rd function loader, with mounts.

MF 5610

A drone or satellite view of my woods would reveal, from the merged 60 brush piles (bottom) and a few less stacked wood piles, a dedicated beaver type.

Rorschach beaver

JD 7130

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.

Model 2010, 2081 hours, cab/heat/ air, MFWD, 16 speed PQ w/ LH reverser, front suspension, 4 electric remotes, air seat, buddy seat,121 HP. Serving the ag industry for over 40 years

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218-298-2524

www.timflaniganhayandstraw.com

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Working out – outdoors, that is by Nancy Leasman

If the brush and wood piles that have accumulated over the last year as a result of my woodlot ﬁtness program could be seen from space, they’d appear as some kind of strange dot matrix Rorschach test. Rorschach’s theory was that personality types could be revealed from the way individuals interpret meaningless splotches of ink. The drone or satellite view of my woods would reveal, from the merged 60 brush piles and a few less stacked wood piles, a dedicated beaver type. From my journal entries at the beginning of my ﬁtness program, which has now just passed a one-year anniversary, it’s clear that I didn’t begin the project as a busy beaver. But I was quickly evolving into one.

Rorschach page 35

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Friday, February 18, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 35

First journal entry: It may have been an unusual time to start a new outdoor project: right before Christmas, cold days, snow on the ground. But I had made the decision to do it, so I pulled on layers of pants, socks, coat, boots. Ron offered the use of his balaclava, a cloth head covering that cinched up around my eyes, nose and mouth. I opted for two layers of gloves, one layer of cotton and one layer of my blue rubber-clad garden gloves. I was out of breath just bending over to get the boots over my heels, tongue pulled into position and strings tied. I plodded to the wood shop to gather the chainsaw. I put the battery in and struggled to open the oil port. The saw needed to have the oil replenished each time before using. It has an odd little half cap that flips up making a lever for twisting off the cap. Two layers of gloves on my fingers made it almost impossible to flip up the cap. I cursed the inventor and tried using an ink pen lying on the counter to pry it up but that didn’t work. I didn’t consider removing my gloves because I would get oil on my fingers. Persistence worked and I got the cap off, overfilled the reservoir because it was difficult to see the oil level, poured a little out into the garbage, and put the cap back on. I was out of breath again. Walking the 150 feet to the woodlot, I stopped to rest and breathe deeply of the fresh winter air. It was pure and crisp, refreshing when deeply drawn into the lungs. I approached the first downed tree, pushed the safety button and pulled the trigger on the chainsaw. My winter woodlot project was underway. The following few days: In a normal year, these would be the days of preparing for the holiday, cleaning, baking and wrapping gifts. The COVID-19 pandemic changed much of the expectations of the holidays. There were no holiday programs or concerts. No literary club tea, no Master Gardener party, no writers’ group gathering, no weekend with all the family home. What baking and cleaning that needed to be done had been done, gifts were wrapped, a Christmas Day Zoom call with the kids was scheduled. Each day I bundled up and went out to the woodlot. I gathered and stacked branches, cut larger pieces to the proper length to fit in fireplaces, wood stoves and fire pits. I made tidy piles. I stopped to rest, breathed deeply, listened for birds, and watched for animal tracks. I found dead trees still standing and knew I wasn’t ready to cut them myself. I know enough to know that it can be very dangerous. Planning where a tree will fall is one thing; making it fall there is another. Each day when I went back in the house my hair was saturated with sweat. I was both warm and chilled, and I felt invigorated as only a strenuous workout can make one feel.

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Country Acres - February 19, 2022

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