Country Acres - May 21, 2022 by Star Publications

Saturday, May 21, 2022

Saturday, May 21, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 1

ountry C

cres A

Volume 9, Edition 39

Focusing ing ng on on Today’s Tod To da a ay y’’s Rural Environment y

Dairy

Down Under

Gavenlock experiences family farming in Minnesota, Australia BY GRACE JEURISSEN | STAFF WRITER

TALLYGAROOPNA, AUSTRALIA – Dairy differs around the world, and Jessica Gavenlock has been fortunate enough to experience dairy growing up in rural Minnesota, as well as rural Australia. Gavenlock grew up on her family’s farm near Sauk Centre. Being the oldest of 11 can have its challenges, but the farm and show calves kept the whole family busy. Much of Gavenlock’s youth was spent participating in dairy shows and helping her parents on their 60-cow dairy farm. “I remember participating in all of the dairy shows at the state fair,” Gavenlock said. “After one encampment a few of the siblings would be sent home with everyone’s clothes. Mom would do a ton of laundry, and come back for set-up for the next show.” This all happened while some of the kids stayed overnight at the cattle barns with the tie-over cattle.

In addition, she used to help care for calves on their family farm. At one point, she was managing a few employees and caring for 200 calves on their farm while in high school. “I did chores before and after school,” said Gavenlock. Even though the family was milking 60 cows in their tie-stall barn, Gavenlock’s dad paired with a group of individuals and bought a dairy near West Union, hence the 200 calves. The farm has since grown. Raising calves was just a fraction of her memories from Minnesota farming. While in college, Gavenlock was given a scholarship opportunity to study the dairy industry in Australia or England for the Milking Shorthorn Society. She chose Australia and, once there, she worked with some farmers for a few weeks gathering information about the Illawarra Shorthorns, which she would then bring back to the Shorthorn Society.

PHOTO SUBMITTED Brad and Jessica Gavenlock are dressed in their show whites ready to parade cattle through the ring at the Sydney Royal Cattle Show in Sydney, Australia. The Gavenlocks run a dairy cattle boarding business in Tallygaroopna, Australia.

Her college educational trip to Australia is how she met her husband, Brad, who at the time and still today, was working with Agri-gene, a genetics company that distributes semen across Australia and the world. “When we first started seeing each other, we came up with our farm name,” Gavenlock said. “We combined my family’s Cherrywood name and his Bralock name to create Cherrylock Cattle Company.” Looking back to her youth, one of the aspects of growing up on a dairy PHOTO COURTESY OF BRADLEY CULLEN PHOTOGRAPHY

Windyways Galaxies Dawn 7 EX95 is a Jersey owned in partnership with the Gavenlocks’ friend, Frank Walsh. Dawn was two-time Grand Champion at International Dairy Week, Intermediate Champion at International Dairy Week, two-time Supreme Champion Sydney Royal, and two-time Grand Champion Gippsland Jersey Fair.

ST R

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

This month in the

COUNTRY: Watch for the next edition of Country Acres on June 4, 2022

and showing cattle in 4-H and FFA that Gavenlock was drawn to was prepping cattle for shows. She found clipping and fitting them was something she deeply enjoyed. While in Minnesota earlier this year, Gavenlock noticed a Dairy Star article hanging on the wall of her parents’ house. “It was a questionnaire the oldest six of us kids did,” Gavenlock said. “One of the questions was ‘What do you see yourself doing in the future?’ My answer was showing, clipping and fitting cattle.” Her answer to that question years ago is extremely similar to what she does today, which she is grateful for. The Gavenlocks run a dairy cattle boarding business in Tallygaroopna, Australia. “Our business isn’t typical for Australia,” Gavenlock said. “Not

Gavenlock page 2

A lifetime of trapping Pillager

17 Farming: the root of everything Starbuck

23 The spirit of farm villages Pierz

Sky blue waters Diane Leukam column

21 Country cooking Sauk Centre

27 Animals we love

10 Off the beaten path Freedhem

22 Catkins Nancy Leasman column

Page 2 • Country Acres | Saturday, May 21, 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

Gavenlock from front many people can go around fitting and training cattle for shows and make a living off of it, particularly in Australia.” The Gavenlock family is fortunate enough to be working with some of Australia’s most prestigious dairy cattle for local and international clients from around the world. The business works by people bringing their livestock to Cherrylock Cattle Co. for either boarding before a show or for genetic flushing opportunities. “We work closely with each customer to make sure their livestock is either successfully flushed or primed before a show,” Gavenlock said. Cherrylock Cattle Co. is an old horse facility that Jessica and Brad retrofitted to meet their needs. It has 25 paddocks that they can sort cattle in and out of to adjust feeding and care based on the animals’ needs at the time. “It isn’t about money or reputation for us,” Gavenlock said. “It about the people.” Farmers spend their whole

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FLEUR FERGUSON PHOTOGRAPHY

Penny (front, from left), Maggie, Jessica and Britney Gavenlock; and (back) Brad Gavenlock and Frank Walsh pose with Windyways Galaxies Dawn, a Jersey that was recently crowned Grand Champion and Best Udder at the Central Gippsland Jersey Fair.

lives milking and caring for their cows, so the Gavenlocks provide an opportunity for many farms to showcase their

animals. “We feel good when our customers succeed,” Gavenlock said. “It’s about helping

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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Penny Gavenlock shows Dawn’s Bontino daughter at the Gippsland Jersey Fair. Bontino finished third in her class and Penny finished first in the showmanship contest.

them achieve their dreams.” Cherrylock Cattle Co. sometimes will bring up to 40 head of cattle to a show, 20 of which are milkers. Because it is a genetic-focused business, the Gavenlocks are always looking for the next big-opportunity cow or heifer. Over the last few years, they have had the chance to retain 50% ownership on a fancy Jersey cow, Windyways Galaxies Dawn EX-95. They call her Dawn for short. She has pulled to the top of many shows and her most recent classiﬁcation was Excellent 95 points. One of the cow’s biggest achievements was winning the Interbreed Supreme Champion Dairy Female at the Sydney Royal Easter Show in 2021. The Gavenlock family has cattle of their own that they bring to various shows across Australia. Jessica and Brad’s daughters, Penny and Britney show some of their calves at shows. Because the girls are young, they have many years of show opportunities ahead of them.

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Gavenlock page 3

Saturday, May 21, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 3

Where the sun meets your smile

Get ready for Summer PHOTO SUBMITTED

Chris Schulze (from left), Roxann Schulze, Brad Gavenlock, Jessica Gavenlock, Craig Achen, Annie Vannurden and Eric Vannurden visit Union Dairy in West Union, Minnesota. Much has changed since 10 years ago, when Jessica Gavenlock would pick up calves and milk for Calfland.

At a recent show, Penny received third in her class with a young Jersey heifer and ﬁrst in her division for showmanship. “It’s great seeing our kids get involved in our operation and with the show calves,” Gavenlock said. “The girls can be a big help during chore time.” There are aspects of Minnesota Gavenlock misses. Australia doesn’t

have 4-H and FFA, two things she wishes her children would have the opportunity to experience. “It would be nice to have those youth organizations here, but we have youth shows, and a great school system for the girls to attend,” said Gavenlock. The weather in Australia is something Gavenlock has enjoyed – no frig-

We want to thank our farmers, milk haulers and employees for everything that you have done and continue to do for our country!

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Gavenlock from page 2

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Gavenlock page 4

PHOTO COURTESY OF BRADLEY CULLEN PHOTOGRAPHY

Panorama Angeline 48 EX90 is an Illawarra cow owned by Cherrylock Cattle Co. She was a two-time Junior Champion International Dairy Week, two-time Intermediate Champion at International Dairy Week and the Supreme Junior Champion at the Sydney Royal.

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Page 4 • Country Acres | Saturday, May 21, 2022 PHOTOS SUBMITTED

Jessica and Brad Gavenlock (front center) are surrounded by their crew that helps get 40-plus head of cattle ready for the show ring over a course of four days at International Dairy Week.

Gavenlock from page 3 id temperatures of 30 below and they only get light frosts on winter mornings. The frost will usually melt away by 10 a.m. She also relishes the work that keeps her busy every day. “I get the most enjoyment on a daily basis working with the cattle and helping them reach their highest genetic potential,” Gavenlock said. Gavenlock has been around cattle her entire life, and doesn’t intend to change that anytime soon.

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Jessica Gavenlock’s sisters, Roxann Schulze and Annie Vannurden, show their nieces and nephews– Penny Gavenlock, Rosyln Wirt, Evan Wirt, Britney Gavenlock and Maggie Gavenlock– baby calves born during the Gavenlocks’ visit to Minnesota.

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Page 6 • Country Acres | Saturday, May 21, 2022

Converse

Clint Converse sets a trap by holding the spring back; once a gopher pushes on it, the trap catches it.

from page 5 the animal while others want the tail and still others want both. He allows the landowner to recoup the bounty. For him, it’s about helping people restore their land and get the most out of the crops they’ve planted. “One gopher can cover quite a bit of ground,” he said. Anytime a farmer plows up a hay ﬁeld or pasture, the machine disrupts the earth and the gophers’ tunnels collapse, keeping them busy rebuilding. The scurrying mammals prefer to dig in loose, damp earth for ease and Converse has found they like to be on sloping ground so when it’s really wet, they can move uphill a bit to dry out. “They’re excellent diggers,” Converse said. “They can dig through a township road … creating a tunnel underneath the tar; the road sinks and cracks or settles, or it creates a big crack or a dip in the road.” He did trap for townships in certain places, but doesn’t always have the time to get every place done. When he does that work, he coordinates with the township, setting traps just after mowing and removing them before the mowing is necessary

PHOTOS BY GRACE JEURISSEN

Clint Converse digs to find an opening on a fresh gopher mound. He uses a small pointed garden shovel to quickly clear the opening to the mound.

again. “You get to see a lot of country, see a lot of crops and farms and see a lot of wildlife and livestock,” he said. The price of gas makes his work more expensive. He’s always balancing the mileage of a drive with the cost of fuel and the cost to his customers. “I feel sorry for the farmers in the ﬁrst place for having to

get rid of the gophers,” he said. “But, they work quite quickly, making mounds and tunnels which is hard if you plant soybeans.” It becomes difﬁcult for farmers to work with the mounds. During the harvest, especially with soybeans, the combine head runs close to the ground and if a farmer raises the head so they’re not digging into

the gopher mounds, they miss the beans. “The more acres you have … that are sandy or gravelly, there’s a chance of having more gophers,” he said. It also depends on what a farmer is raising. The gophers typically stay just to the edges of corn fields where it is grassy. On hay fields, Converse will find mounds everywhere because alfalfa is the gophers’ favorite. Gophers can produce two litters of offspring a year. “They’ve got their multiplication tables down pretty well,” Converse said. Tree planting can also attract gophers. If farmers use a planting machine to put in the

seedlings, gophers tunnel up and down the furrow, snacking on the roots of the seedlings as they grow. He’s also seen them chew through piping meant to protect irrigation and under-

Converse page 9

A pocket gopher is caught in one of Clint Converse’s traps. Converse will pull the gopher from the hole and reset the trap to catch another.

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PHOTO SUBMITTED

Gopher mounds are a problem for area farmers and landowners; they can wreak havoc on a landscape and make it difficult to plant and combine.

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ground power. “It kills them but another gopher comes along and finds a repaired nice spot,” PHOTO BY GRACE JEURISSEN The trap sits in the opening of the gopher mound. Converse said. He likes to hit hay fields Gophers don’t like their tunnel exposed because of predators, so they come to the surface to cover it early in the spring before the females produce offspring. again and the trap goes off. He goes back for a second trapping when they cut hay and then again in the fall to get what’s left. Converse spends about 20 days a month working on trapping. During the winter, he also cuts firewood and spends time shoveling his driveway. Over the years, he’s seen it all: brown gophers, babies, black gophers, spotted gophers and white gophers with pink eyes. For Converse, it’s been a way to make a living but also a way to get to know the people of Central Minnesota. “They’re interested in what you do and how you PHOTO SUBMITTED do it,” he said. “They’re just Clint Converse occasionally finds a white gopher with trying to make a living and pink eyes as he helps landowners rid their properties they’re happy when you get of the animals. He trapped this one near Pine River. the gophers out of their yard, garden or farm.”

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Clint Converse brings his truck, a golf cart and steel traps to help people rid their property of gophers. Here he harvests gopher tails and feet so a landowner can turn them in to the township to claim a bounty.

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Oﬀ the beaten path

Page 10 • Country Acres | Saturday, May 21, 2022

Historic Freedhem store is go-to for supplies, reminiscing BY SARAH COLBURN STAFF WRITER

FREEDHEM – Occasionally, a loose cow trots across the road or a handful of piglets scampers about in front of the Freedhem Store, where a single self-serve gas pump supplies local residents. Inside, the 120-year-old convenience store touts original white board shelving, tin ceiling tiles, original cigarette and candy display cases and a green slatted bench that bows ever so slightly at its seat under the weight of years of stories. On any given day, three or four people sit around an old shellacked wooden table inside the front window, an array of chairs pulled up next to it. Coffee is poured out and so are the stories of the day.

PHOTO SUBMITTED Brothers Joe and Andy Nieman work the counter at the Freedhem store, a go-to for many locals in the tiny unincorporated village northeast of Little Falls. The 120-year-old convenience store touts original white board shelving, tin ceiling tiles, and various supplies for people and livestock.

Freedhem Store page 11

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The Nieman brothers chose to leave the ‘Swanson Bros.’ name on the front to preserve the original owners’ part of history.

Freedhem Store from page 10 Andy bought the store from his and Joe’s parents, Paul and Cecilia, who bought it in 1976 from the previous owner because they didn’t want to see it close. Paul and Cecilia hired help to run the store and Paul worked the store only on Sunday mornings. The kids took turns working on and off in the summers. When Paul died, Andy took over the store. He was out of work at the time, doing treatments for cancer, and the store became a refuge for him. These days, Andy thinks customers stop by the store intentionally nowadays just so he can do enough business to not close up shop. He struggles now with gas prices so high, shelling

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Occasionally, owner Andy Nieman and his brother, Paul – who’s better known by his middle name, Joe – have to scour the back room for another handful of chairs. It’s a place people stop after a funeral in town. It’s a place regulars grab their morning ﬁx before heading to work. It’s a place where Joe Nieman will have a customer’s daily Rice Krispie treat and Monster Energy drink ready to go before he even pulls in. “The unique thing about it is it serves the community and those customers who come are very grateful,” Andy said. “With COVID, everybody stopped here instead of going all the way to town – it’s a big convenience for people but there’s not the foot trafﬁc there should be, it’s way off the beaten path.”

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Freedhem Store page 12

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Page 12 • Country Acres | Saturday, May 21, 2022

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Joe Nieman helps tally purchases for a customer at Freedhem store, May 4 in Freedhem.

Freedhem Store from page 11

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cash out of his own pocket to fill the fuel tank for potential customers. The country store used to be the mainstay in town where customers would stop after dumping their milk at the creamery across the street that is now long gone. They’d come in for their farm feed and hardware for plows and harrows. As large-scale farming became the norm, customers at the country store dwindled. Now, Andy said, they sell wild bird feed, chicken feed and shell corn to hobbyists who have a couple horses

or a dozen chickens at home. Joe said the store still carries many of the essentials, though not on as large of a scale as it once did. Customers can pick up hardware, hinges, nails, screws, plumbing items, beer, groceries, bulk oil, twine, forks and shovels. “If we don’t have exactly what you want, we’ve got something here that will get you on your way,” Joe

Freedhem Store page 13

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21 MAUS DRIVE | PO BOX 130 | KIMBALL, MN 55353 Sales Hours: M-Th. 8 am–7pm | Fri. 8 am–6 pm | Sat. 8 am–4 pm

2002 Model, 8,000 hours, PQ, right hand reverser, excellent shape. Call for more details. Serving the ag industry for over 40 years

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Saturday, May 21, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 13

Largest Flag Store in Central Minnesota Stop in or call for your “outdoor adventure attitude brightener,” a U.S. ag or other ags on a new pole at your home, cabin or business!

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Patrons of the Freedhem store often gather for hours while they tell stories and tally up their purchases.

Always, service with a smile from Tim!

Freedhem Store from page 12

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PHOTO BY GRACE JEURISSEN

An addition on the east side of the store houses all of the animal feeds. Freedhem store works closely with Heim’s Feeds to provide for a variety of livestock needs in the area.

to the counter straight away, others hobnob around the table, writing down what they take or consume on a slip of paper to be settled up at the end of their visit. “It’s not walk in, walk out,” Joe said. “It

could take hours for one customer because he’s bored for the day. Sitting in here, [it’s] something to do.” It’s big news when a car pulls in, and the brothers can always tell if it’s a regular or someone n new. Folks in town park parallel to the shop while out-of-towners park perpendicular, like they would in the cities. Wh When locals come get

“It’s not walk in, walk out. It could take hours for one customer because he’s bored for the day. Sitting in here, [it’s] something to do.”

Freedhem Store F page 14

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said. Andy is in charge of the inventory – he makes a mental checklist of which shelves are empty, then purchases items to fill the space. He makes educated guesses about what customers may want or need, but he doesn’t write anything down to track his work; he goes by the season and the relationships he’s formed. “I can’t get suppliers here, vendors, I don’t order enough,” he said. “I want to try and keep the legacy of the store in Freedhem open, I want to keep it going on and on.” He said the community is what keeps him plugging away, making trips to re-stock, paying up-front for fuel to keep his customers happy. Joe helps out at the store when needed and said it’s an honest community. While some customers may shop for items and bring them

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Serving Central MN since established in 1971 (over 50 years in business)

PHOTO BY GRACE JEURISSEN

The top shelves at the Freedhem store are lined with antiques, many of them brought by people around the area to help display the local history.

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Page 14 • Country Acres | Saturday, May 21, 2022

Freedhem Store from page 13

PHOTOS BY GRACE JEURISSEN

On Sundays after church and during the week, this bench would fill with visitors. If the bench could talk, it would repeat the tall tales and stories of days gone by.

CAMay21-1B-WS

gas, they pull out away from the pump and off to the side and that’s a telltale sign they’re going to stay for a bit. Joe usually pulls out their favorite pop, cigarettes and treats. The upstairs of the building is reminiscent of days gone by. There are pegs and rails along the ceiling peak and the

Freedhem Store page 15

An old poster for calf medicine is on display, and propaganda mementoes like this are plentiful throughout the store.

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Saturday, May 21, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 15

Freedhem Store

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from page 14

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Though some things have changed, others simply haven’t. Antiques donated by customers line the upper shelves and the store exudes the feeling of years gone by. A sign hangs from the front door announcing the store hours, but a second sign lets shoppers know they can just call if they need something. The occasional peacock or Guinea Hen roam about, as does a neighborhood stray cat who cleans up the mice outdoors. “It’s little,” Andy said. “It’s as simple as simple gets.”

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PHOTO BY GRACE JEURISSEN

Hooks hang from the ceiling of the attic of the Freedhem store. The Nieman brothers think maybe they were used to hang sacks, or dry tobacco leaves.

Conveniently located next to I-94 94

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brothers ascertain they were once used to dry tobacco or onions, but they’re not really sure of the purpose. The lower-level basement holds its own secrets. It’s storied that the spot was once used to make moonshine during prohibition. There was evidence that it stored rope, oil and supplies, but they’ve also found a number of flasks in the room as well as an odd hole in the chimney and they can only speculate on its purpose. The store has a modern furnace these days and last year, Andy installed sewer and water as sanctioned by the state. Once a year, the store welcomes bike riders from across the Midwest for the Freedhem 76 Bike Ride. More than 250 people participated last year and each year, those who get overheated walk into the store coolers to recover. During that week, neighbors and friends pitch in to help at the store and the brothers keep the coolers filled. The ride starts and ends at the country store.

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Saturday, May 21, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 17

Farming:

The root of everything BY SARAH COLBURN | STAFF WRITER

STARBUCK – Tiffany Kobbermann has spent a lifetime on the farm; she grew up on a corn, soybean and hog operation in Redwood Falls and now runs a cow/calf cattle operation with her husband, Dan, and family just south of Starbuck. Though Kobbermann isn’t an agriculture teacher, nearly every lesson she teaches focuses on the importance of agriculture and circles back to the land. Kobbermann is the recipient of this year’s Minnesota State Award for Ag in the Classroom, Teaching Ag By Non-Ag Teachers. And, she’s earned the same award at the national level. It’s something that comes naturally to Kobbermann, and her style of teaching traces production from its roots to its place in the grocery store. “It’s about connecting people back to agriculture, seeing where their food comes from,” she said. “Seeing that their food is safe. Seeing the local connections. A lot of people don’t realize food is grown right here in their area.” Kobbermann teaches FACS for students in grades seven through 12 at the Minnewaska Area school district. Her classes include Global Foods, seventh and eighth grade General FACS, Independent Living, Food and Nutrition, Interior Design and Culinary Arts.

Kobbermann page 18 PHOTO SUBMITTED

Award-winning teacher Tiffany Kobbermann picks a pepper from her garden. Though Kobbermann isn’t an agriculture teacher per se, nearly every lesson she teaches focuses on the importance of agriculture and circles back to the land.

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Page 18 • Country Acres | Saturday, May 21, 2022

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PHOTOS SUBMITTED

One of Tiffany Kobbermann’s students flips lefse in her classroom.

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Kobbermann from page 17

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No matter the class, she has kids exploring how things came to be and the area businesses right in their community that made it possible. For instance, in her Global Foods class this year, Kobbermann did a unit on sugar. Students explored sugar beets and sugar cane. The first day of the lesson, they made lemonade and dissected not only the lemonade itself, but the origin of the ingredients. Where do lemons come from? Where does sugar come from? Kobbermann brought out sugar beets from a local farm and most kids, she said, had no idea what they were. Then, she plopped a bag of Crystal Sugar on the counter and explained that processed sugar beets become sugar. They watched their teacher on a pre-recorded video out in a sugar beet field, riding on semis and showing them piles of sugar beets and how they’re grown. The students proceeded to wash, weigh, measure, peel and cut the beets into strips. They let them dry out, boiled them and then, finally, processed them into sugar. Eventually, they used

A student in Tiffany Kobbermann’s class analyzes a sunflower head as part of a classroom lesson.

the sugar to make a cake. Along the way, they had a virtual visit from Steve Domm, of the Southwest Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative, who Zoomed with the class and talked about the sugar industry and its various careers. Similarly, the students learned the difference between sugar cane and sugar beets. They did STEM activities like a blindfolded taste test of sugars and artiﬁcial sweeteners. Then, they discussed the role artiﬁcial sweeteners play in the food industry.

Kobbermann followed the same type of teaching strategy as she delved into sunﬂowers, bananas, pineapple, eggs, rice, beans and potatoes. With every food, students learned of its origins and its role in the economy, what impact it has locally and its impact on the food industry. Then, they went on to work with the food and create something. As students stud-

Kobbermann page 19

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Page 20 • Country Acres | Saturday, May 21, 2022

PHOTO COURTESY OF AMANDA BECKER PHOTOGRAPHY

The Kobbermanns pose for a family photo on their farm near Starbuck. Pictured are Coy (front, from left), Emily and Clay; Back: Tate, Katelyn, Tiffany, Dan, Johnny and Hallie.

Kobbermann

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with a strong farm background, she was big into 4-H as a child and took every chance she could to bring her work to the county fair or show her animals. “I liked living in the country, I liked having animals; it was how I was raised, to have a good work ethic,” she said. “It’s just dedication to the land, giving back to the land.” Growing up, she knew that one day she wanted to get married and live on a farm. Though she and Dan have worked the family farm for decades, they have lived in Clontarf for the past 15 years and they moved to the farmhouse at Kobbermann Farms in 2016 as her husband’s parents moved off-farm. They have 300 cows with calves on the fifth-generation farm. They grow all their own feed and have the cows on local pastures. Their cattle stay on-farm and they sell some of the calves while raising others for beef. Kobbermann credits her younger years on the farm with the work ethic she displays today. “I’ve just always really enjoyed agriculture growing up,” she said. Through high school and college that love remained and today, though her high school never had an FFA program, her kids are involved in FFA. Kobbermann is part of the FFA Alumni and Ag Supporters advisory group at her kids’ school. She also serves as Pope County Farm Bureau president and is the county promotion and education leader. She’s also on the Minnesota State Farm Bureau Promotion and Education Board. Through her committee and board work, Kobbermann volunteers at the Minnesota State Fair, campaigns for food

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Tiffany Kobbermann demonstrates how to make butter at the Pope County Breakfast on the Farm.

awareness and promotes agriculture in a positive way. She participates in organizing the annual Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation’s LEAP conference, helps with Farm Fest, and Breakfast on the Farm events in Pope County. She is in charge of lining up speakers to showcase local commodities grown in the area. As she teaches in the classroom and through events across the state, Kobbermann focuses on the companies that are working in her community, county and region providing foods, supplies and resources. Many of these companies, she said, have a global impact and people are often unaware of the reach of these businesses. She not only invites speakers into her classroom, she takes kids on buses to tour companies and see how things work firsthand. Recently, she took students to Dorrich Dairy, a robotic dairy outside of Glenwood. The students got to see feed bunks, manure com-

posting, bedding, animal care and calves. Because FACS falls under Career and Technical Education, she’s worked to have students visit places like FAST Global Solutions, a Glenwood company that makes conveyor belts for some of the country’s largest delivery companies and luggage carts for major airlines. “There are global companies right here where we live,” she said. “My goal is to have the kids visit every business in Pope County, whether they come to speak in our classroom or we come to visit personally. I want to show people the cool things that are right here where we live.” That extends from products to produce. “I want the kids to know about what’s grown here, what’s available here, what jobs are here,” she said. “It comes back to our roots in agriculture and how we live.”

Saturday, May 21, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 25

Hanneken

HELP WANTED

from page 24

Service Technicians

to join our dedicated and knowledgeable service team!

Technicians/Mechanics will perform repairs, maintenance & setup on tractors, skid steers, and farm equipment. Position is a perfect t for experienced techs who can perform diagnostics, troubleshooting, overhauls, clutch work, electrical and full service repairs on ag equipment. Applicants should have a valid in-state driver’s license with acceptable driving record, the ability to read and interpret written information and instructions, and be able to operate machinery for diagnostic purposes. Preferred Candidates will have prior experience with agricultural or diesel equipment. Having a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) will also be deﬁnitely be a plus!

Parts Counter Personnel

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PHOTO BY GRACE JEURISSEN

“Those small little towns were what people could travel to in a day with horse and buggy. They were just scattered all over the country.” - Horst Hanneken

An old photo of the Buckman town hall shown in its prime, when it served as the post office, town hall and fire department.

Pay rate will be based on prior experience. Health Insurance & 401(k) for quali ed employees. Call 320-256-4253 to apply, or stop in to see us.

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and the lumber mill in Gravelville and, along with it, the major industry of the town. He wrote about ﬁres, ﬂoods and the impact changing technology and industries had on the region and its small towns. Through his books and his teaching legacy, Hanneken has made an impact on the community himself. He spent 17 years taking groups of high school seniors on trips to Germany. Students fundraised for the 10-day trips and he took them to see important historical and cultural sites and to be immersed in the language. Though Hanneken doesn’t have plans for future books, he’s currently doing research for the Great River Arts television channel in Little Falls and documenting some of the community’s historic business buildings.

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Saturday, May 21, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 27

Animals we love!

Send us your favorite animal photos! Submit them, along with a small write-up, to

grace.j@ star-pub.com PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY NANCY TOMMERDAHL SAUK CENTRE

These Great Egrets were photographed May 7 at Grotto Park in Fergus Falls.

FEATURING STORIES AND PHOTOS ON SEVERAL LOCAL FARMERS, RECIPES AND MORE

According to the National Audubon Society, their habitat is “marshes, ponds, shores and mud flats. They usually forage in rather open situations, as along edges of lakes, large marshes, shallow coastal lagoons and estuaries; also along rivers in wooded country. [They] usually nest in trees or shrubs near water, sometimes in thickets some distance from water, and sometimes low in marsh.”

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Offering EVERYONE a better way FORWARD

Saturday,

Country , April 2,

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April 2, 202

Acres Volume V

n 39 9, Editiion

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l ay’ss Rura on Today ssing o cusin ocu Foc

• Page 1

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Environ

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2022

Saturday

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Page 1

ary 15, 2022

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Smiths keep circle of life farming as continues BY DIANE

LEUK AM |

on Today’s

legacy Carrying

“Sustainably improving mobility for people and goods”

2022 | Coun try Acres •

ry on the Smith

farm near Benso

n, where Sue

STAFF WRITE

ENSON – On Benson, the farmland near Plain s Cooperativ Smith famil carrie family farm, s oon the legacy of y works on the farm e in DeGraff and in the eveni and alfalfa growiing corn, soybe the on weekends. ngs and on their 640 ans with their grow The acres ing ccow/calf , along the Minn Smith family was chose They work esota operation. for 2021 for Farm Family of the n as farmers do. side by side as so many Year Swift Coun and ty. Sue, Dyla Jenna recei Dylan, their husband/faved that award witho n Area Techn 24, is a graduate of ut Lake ical ther, Colle Scott ge in Watertown been carrying South Dako on the famil. They have , themselve day-to-day ta, and does a lot of opera the dent on s since Scott died y farm by s tillage, planttions on the farm such in an Oct. ing, combining the road has 24, 2020. Since that accirain hauling not been easy, day, and – that is, when s his day work he ﬁnish- it is important for them but they feel ing Scott at Chippew V to conti thanol C would h

Smith farms

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PHOTOS SUBMI with her childr TTED en, Dylan and Jenna.

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

Page 28 • Country Acres | Saturday, May 21, 2022

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49,955

Stk. #7581B - 4 Wheel Drive, Bluetooth, Keyless Entry, Alloy Wheels, Power Windows, Power Locks!

Stk. #7750A - Low Miles, 6.2 V8, Heated Steering, Bluetooth, Remote Start, More!

Stk. #7591A - Duramax diesel, heated/cooled leather, navigation,Bose, Bluetooth, trailer brake control

2017 GMC Yukon SLT

2020 Chevrolet Tahoe LT

2014 Chevy Equinox Picture Unavailable

42,995

Stk. #P3799 - Max Trailer Package, Rear DVD Player, Sunroof, Navigation, Bluetooth, More!

29,855

16,995

Stk.#7715A - Sunroof, Navigation, Side Blind Zone Alert, Bluetooth and MORE!

Stk.#P3800 -

2015 GMC Sierra 1500 SLE

2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LTZ

2019 Honda CR-V Touring

LIFETIME WARRANTY Stk. #7699B - Loaded! Sunroof, Heated Leather, Side Detection Alert, Remote Start and MORE!

51,899

Stk. #7643BB LIFETIME WARRANTY

27,899

40,998

LIFETIME WARRANTY

Stk.#7712S - Trailer Tow Package, Factory Remote Start, GMC Intellilink, Bluetooth and MORE!

Stk.#7700B - Trailer Brake Control, Bose Audio, Remote Start, and much MORE!

CAMay21-1B-WS

Hay

SALE DATES May 21 – May 31, 2022

let’s keep the flies away! COMPASS MINERALS Trace Mineral Block

COMPASS MINERALS White Salt Block #2274881

#2274742

$ 97

PROZAP Rodent Oat Bait #112855

COUNTRY VET Farm/Dairy Fly Spray

1597

#349316CVB

1177

#165488

NEOGEN Ramik Mini Bars

WARREN OIL Universal Transmission Fluid, 5 Gal

#WB25UN5P

#116331

Broiler Developer, 20%

1407

VENTOMATIC 24” Red Drum Fan #BF24TFRED

16477

#7601

1597

Broiler Starter, 23%

#7600

1697

Simply Sweet, 12% Horse #9079

1497

Sole Source Senior Horse #Z9076

1807

GLENWOOD

LONG PRAIRIE

Monday-Friday 8:00am-7:00pm Saturday 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. • Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. Saturday 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. • Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. Saturday 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. • Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

PAYNESVILLE

LITTLE FALLS

Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. Saturday 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. • Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Monday - Saturday 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. Sunday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

SAUK CENTRE

Hunting & s Fishing LicensAell Available At Locations!

1407

EP MINERALS Safe T Sorb, #40

GILLUND ENTERPRISES HD Chain Lube #19

Egg Mash, 16% #7505

1050 Centre Street • Ph. 320-352-5261 STORE HOURS

Hwy. 55 West • Ph. 320-243-3556 STORE HOURS

Hwy. 28 & 55 • Ph. 320-634-5209 STORE HOURS

Hwy. 27 • Ph. 320-632-9240 STORE HOURS

Hwy. 71 S. • Ph. 320-732-6195 STORE HOURS

GLENCOE

3105 10th St. • Ph. 320-864-4304 STORE HOURS Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. Saturday 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

FARIBAULT

YOUR COMPLETE FARM & HOME STORE

80 Western Ave. • Ph. 507-334-3232 STORE HOURS

No Cash...No Problem. Charge It!

Monday - Friday 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. Saturday 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. • Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

CAMay21-1B-WS

Country Acres - May 21, 2022

Articles inside

Sky blue waters Diane Leukam column

A lifetime of trapping Pillager