Comedy in the country

from Country Acres - January 15 edition

A wildlife haven in the backyard

arranging, citizenship and baking and cooking, and they were also involved in leadership events through 4-H. One of Jara’s baking projects stands out in memory. After perfecting the recipe, baking time and temperature, she was getting ready to bring her pie crust to the fair to be judged. As any 4-Her knows, judging day can be hectic, and Jara’s sisters were also trying to load up the family’s Ford Bronco with their projects. Getting scrambled in the rush, Jara’s perfect pie crust tumbled and crumbled into pieces on the ground. As frustrated tears began to fl ow, Jane reminded her daughter how hard they had worked on the project. “I told her to scoop up the pieces and go to the judge and just tell her what happened,” Jane said. Jara did that, and took home a purple ribbon for it. “The judge told her, ‘It must be quite a fl aky crust for it to crumble like that,’” Jane said. Jessica, the youngest Thielke daughter, completed her last year of showing in 1996, and Delroy was looking forward to taking a little break from bringing pigs to the fair every August. Soon, word got out there would be no Thielke hogs in the barn, and 4-Hers far and wide asked for a lease. “We had kids from town, from around here and not (from around here) show our pigs and have even sold pigs the future of the agriculture industry. “I think it’s more impactful for these kids to know about where their food comes from,” Delroy said. “I pointed to a cow [to a boy] at the State Fair one year and said, ‘that’s where your milk comes from,’ and he said, ‘no, we get our milk at the grocery store.’” While the line may get a few laughs from his peers, Delroy knows there is a more serious issue lurking beneath the surface. “(Educating future consumers is) my reason for doing it,” Delchance, whether it’s fi ve or 10 years from now, formation out there, and this is something I can do to hopefully help the industry.” Today, Jane and Delroy’s daughters are grown and married with children of their own, but the family still reminisces on 4-H days gone by, spent at the county fair. “We’ve had some great luck with our grandkids in 4-H, too,” Jane said. “One grandson won Grand Champion Breeding Beef cow his fi rst year at the State Fair.” Through their involvement with local 4-Hers and grandchildren, Delroy and Jane have been able to contin-

PHOTOS SUBMITTED Jane (Tjosaas) Thielke holds the duck she showed for 4-H around 1960. Thielke participated in Pope County 4-H. ue the legacy of Thielke 4-Hers. It is clear why the through two generations that they’ll be having miliar name to 4-Hers, now,” Delroy said. “If a lunch or sitting in the not only for the accokid wants to show a pig, board room with some- lades, but for the joyI’m more than happy one and can share about ous memories and time to offer (him or her) a their experience work- spent with friends and lease.” ing with animals … family each summer. Delroy does it for There is a lot of false inroy said. “There’s not a Young Delroy Thielke shows off his prize-winning corn great chance they’ll be circa 1961. Thielke sent his crops to the Minnesota State farmers, but there is a Fair in 1960 and won four awards. Thielkes are such a fa-

You know you are a farmer when you can drive a tractor for 36 hours straight, but cannot sit in front of a TV, or in a church, for more than 10 minutes without going to sleep. You know you are a farmer’s wife when you are on a fi rst-name basis with every parts man within 100 miles but don’t have the faintest idea who the local hairdresser is.

*Reprinted with permission from “The Farmer’s Bathroom Book,” by Marvin Jensen.