Erin and 10-monthold Cooper Krug, climbed up into a load of harvested beans Sept. 8. at Anderson Farms near Belgrade. Cooper was experiencing how kidney beans feel between his toes.
Krueger is giving back to IFYE because of the experiences she gained as an exchange student through the
For Kolb, the experience was a whirlwind of new adventures. For her host families, it was a chance to see their lives through the fresh eyes of an enthusiastic young woman who was willing to try anything from driving a com-
program in 2016, when she stayed with rural families in both Finland and India. IFYE was founded after World War II as a way to build bridges between people across the globe. Exchange students are placed with families to experience what rural life is like in the countries they visit.
to various local festivals in the Rice area. Kolb also joined in with chores and other activities including feeding calves, baking, and even sewing bean bags with Natalie for a local cornhole tournament, which, until then, Kolb had never played.“Iwasn’t very good at it, “Kolb said with a laugh.
She would sometimes go into work with Peter at the elevator in town or else with Abby at a turkey plant. Peter’s
The Schmitts loved comparing Kolb’s German culture to their own since Mark Schmitt’s ancestors immigrated from Germany.
Saturday, September 17, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 1 Saturday, September 17, 2022Volume 9, Edition 45 A cres Ccres ountr y ountry Focusing on Today’s Rural Environment 7 The case of a missing parent Grace Jeurissen column 8 Weeding Nancy Packard Leasman column 10 A tasty toast to the troops Miltona 13 Living their dreams Albany 21 Country cooking Sauk Centre 22 FFA Dassel-Cokato 23 Establishing their ecosystem Barrett B Section Minnesota Farm FamiliesST PublicationsRbliti The newspaper of today is the history of tomorrow. This month in the COUNTRY: Watch for the next edition of Country Acres on Oct. 1, 2022
Minnesota and [Julia’s] home area in Germany, to see the different traditions that survive today between the old country and here,” Natalie said.
BELGRADE – Five families who live in rural areas across Minnesota welcomed a new family member this summer when they opened their homes and lives to 24-yearold Julia Kolb from Wörnitz, Germany through the IFYE (International Farm Youth Exchange) program.
Her favorite chore was bottle feeding young calves.
PHOTO BY JAN LEFEBVRE Julia Kolb (from left)
BY JAN LEFEBVRE | STAFF WRITER
bine to giving pigs their vaccination“Juliashots.jumped into her role as a family member without hesitation and was always willing to go with the flow,” said Caitlyn Krueger, State Coordinator for Minnesota’s IFYE program and one of Julia’s hosts this summer. “I appreciate her willingness to come from Germany and share her story while also getting out of her comfort zone at times.”
German student experiences rural Minnesota family farms
“They are so cute when they are little,” Kolb said. “A calf was born on the last day I was there. It’s named Julia now, so there is a little calf on the farm that has my name.”
After an orientation in Washington, D. C. with other IFYE students from around the world, Kolb’s Minnesota summer began June 20 with her first stay at the Schmitt family’s farm near Rice. Natalie and Mark Schmitt, along with their son, Austin, run a dairy with 85 registered Holsteins and 400 acres of cropped land.
“It was fun to discover the similarities between central
The Schmitts brought Kolb to their family reunion in Illinois and to the National Holstein Convention in Sioux Falls, South Dakota as well as
IFYE page 2
Exchanging ideas and friendship
“Her easy-going nature and willingness to try new foods or different activities inspired me to be open to the possibilities surrounding me,” she said.OnJuly 11, Kolb began the next leg of her IFYE journey by moving in with Peter and Abby Scott, who live near Pelican“TheyRapids.live in the middle of the woods. It was so nice there,” Kolb said.
Schmitt also believes she learned something from Kolb.
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on Aug. 22, the final day of Kolb’s stay with the Balstads, the stars aligned for her.
“It was fun that everyone trusted me to drive their things, like for instance the
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IFYE page 3
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Like Kolb’s other hosts, the Balstads said she fit right into their family.
drive the lawnmower,’ but no one said, ‘you can drive the pickup.’”Shefound out that affection for one’s pickup trumps Minnesota nice.
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German exchange student, Julia Kolb, checks the top of a bin Sept. 8 at Anderson Farms near Belgrade. Kolb stayed with five different host families across Minnesota this summer as part of the IFYE program.
Julia Kolb, an IFYE German exchange student was staying with hosts Erin and Wyatt Krug, the week of Sept. 8. Erin and Wyatt Krug farm with Erin’s father and three cousins.
Jan Lefebvre, jan.l@star-pub.comWriter
“Apparently, that is not a thing in Germany,” Krueger said. “So now when Julia goes back home, she’ll have a bunch of koozies from weddings and businesses that she has no connection to. But at least her drinks will stay cold.”
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“Luckily, the last day I was there, they were able to open the field and I was driving a combine!” Kolb said. “They told me I was good, but I don’t know if they were just beingMarlyspolite.”Balstad said that she was moved to tears watching Kolb drive the big rig.
grandpa, Gordy, has a large garden, and Kolb loved to help him tend it. Kolb also tried jet skiing for the first time at the Scotts’ cabin on South Lake Lida.Next up for Kolb in the beginning of August was a short stay, not quite a week, with Caitlyn Krueger and her partner, Jake, in Marshall. They made a point of introducing Kolb to traditional Minnesota summer foods.
“Watching Julia steer the combine through the wheat and seeing her smile as she climbed down the ladder afterward will be forever woven into our farm’s history,” she said.It was about the time that Kolb drove the combine that she began to realize a peculiar thing about rural Minnesotans.
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from front
As an IFYE exchange student, Julia Kolb from Germany (center), fit right in at Farmfest in August where she worked the entrance booth with members of the Redwood Falls Lions organization. Caitlyn Krueger (far right) is the State Coordinator for the IFYE program in Minnesota and was Kolb’s host for a week in August.
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Kolb also experienced Farmfest where she helped Krueger and other Redwood Falls Lions Club members welcome visitors at the entry gate.On Aug. 9, Kolb traveled north from Marshall all the way to rural Fosston, where her stay with Marlys and Scott Balstad began. The Balstads are crop farmers who grow soybeans, wheat and corn. Suspense began to build there because Kolb was determined to try driving their big combine, but the wheat wasn’t ready for harvest, yet. Then,
combine and the jet ski,” Kolb said. “They would say ‘if you want to try it, go ahead and do it,’ but the funny thing is that almost no one trusted me with their pickup. So even though I do have a driver’s license in Germany and I drive the car, everyone was like, ‘you can drive the combine or you can
IFYE
She and Jake also gave Kolb a bunch of can koozies.
“We are pretty sure corn on the cob was a hit. However, the root beer float may have been a little too sweet,” Krueger said.
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Erin Krug is a former IFYE exchange student, and her family has a long heritage of sharing their farm with visitors.
Julia Kolb feeds Julia the calf, at Schmitt Dairy near Rice. Kolb’s favorite chore at the Schmitt’s farm was feeding bottle calves.
“Scott and I have two daughters around the age of Julia,” Marlys said. “Welcoming Julia into our home was like adding another daughter. Times spent in conversation in the pickup or the living room, touring NDSU, sharing meals from our countries, and working in our farm office are a few of many memories we will cherish.”Kolb’s visit to NDSU with the Balstads became even more meaningful near the end of her Minnesota stay when she realized that all but one of her host families had one or more members who attended that Onuniversity.Aug. 23, Kolb began the last part of her adventures when she joined the Krug family – Erin, Wyatt, and 10-month-old Cooper – near Belgrade. The Krugs co-own Anderson Farms with Erin’s father, John Anderson, and her cousins, Grant, Noah and Isaac Anderson. The Krugs and Andersons raise pigs and beef cattle. They also grow corn, kidney beans and sugar beets.
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PHOTO S S U B MITTED
Julia Kolb digs potato samples with her IFYE host, Scott Balstad, on the Balstad crop farm near Fosston. Scott and his wife, Marlys, hosted Kolb through the IFYE rural exchange program.
Krug loved how Kolb fit in immediately
IFYE from page 2
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“My family has been big on hosting people,” said Krug. “My grandparents had IFYE exchangees 50 years ago from Scotland and Norway. I like showing people agriculture, so IFYE is a really good fit.”
with her family. “I couldn’t have asked for a better person to share my home with,” said Krug. “She probably didn’t know what she was getting herself into with this farm, with a baby and dersoningprisedevenwillingAlthougheverything.”Kolbwastotryanything,sheadmitsshesur-herselfbyattend-certainchoresatAn-Farms.
er, planning events and bringing business to the rural town of Herrieden, Germany, which is only 20 miles from her family’s home. She said that it will take time to let the whirlwind of her experiences in Minnesota sink in, but she knows she has grown by living in a different culture.
flight, so I thought, ‘oh, I worked there,’ or ‘I was in that barn as well.’ It was really fun to see everything.”OnSept. 8, a windy, hot day on Anderson Farms, Kolb’s time in Minnesota was coming to an end. Her flight home to Germany would be in three days, and she would then begin a new job as a city market-
One day a neighbor brought her up in a two-seater airplane so that she could see the farm and the neighboring land from the sky.
“The big pigs like to chew,” said Kolb. “You need to move because, if you stand there, everyone wants to just chew on yourKolbshoes.”worked in the farrowing barn where she helped tag the litters, separating the males and females. She also gave vaccines to various pigs.
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IFYE from page 3 IFYE page 5
Marlys and Scott Balstad check wheat with exchange student, Julia Kolb, on their farm near Fosston. They were hoping the field would be ready to harvest so that Kolb could try driving a combine.
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“It was crazy!” Kolb said. “I already had worked in some barns before we did the
PHOTO S U B MITTED
“I was watching how they castrated the pigs … I didn’t do it myself,” said Kolb. “My family back home would think ‘you would never do that in Germany!’”AtAnderson Farms, Kolb mostly worked with the pigs, and she quickly discovered that, when around them, one can’t stand still.
“We love to recycle a lot of stuff in Germany. I’m getting used to here, but I’m also happy that, when I go back, I can separate all my trash again.”
Saturday, September 17, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 5
She has also developed some Minnesotan tastes and vocabulary throughout the summer.
“I want to do it in wintertime because some families told me that they go ice fishing or snowmobiling, and it would be fun and completely different,” said Kolb. “Our lakes [in Germany] are not frozen enough where you can drive on them with a pickup, which is a little bit scary for me to imagine.”
As she prepares to return to Germany, Kolb is certain she will return to Minnesota for a second visit.
IFYE from page 4
PHOTOS SUBMITTED
That’s the special thing about exchange programs. Both hosts and visitors can gain insight from each other.
(Left) Julia Kolb rides in a two-seater plane and gets a bird’s-eye view of Anderson Farms near Belgrade. Kolb had many firsts during her visit to Minnesota this (Right)summer.
Julia Kolb, an IFYE exchange student from Germany, works in a pig barn on Anderson Farms near Belgrade. IFYE students work alongside host families to experience a variety of rural careers and farming practices.
“I’ve learned a lot … when I go back, I will think ‘oh, I learned that in Minnesota.’ I think that will happen a lot,” Kolb said.
(Above) German exchange student Julia Kolb drove a combine for the first time when she stayed with Marlys and Scott Balstad on their farm near Fosston.
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One thing she looks forward to doing again in Germany is a more meticulous form of recycling.
“I fell in love with cheese curds,” said Kolb. “Oh, and I learned to say ‘oof da!’”
Scary or not, anyone who met Kolb during her Minnesota adventure knows that she would rise to the occasion.
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Touch of Grace by Grace Jeurissen
My parents are farmers, and with fall comes harvest, and with harvest comes countless hours of fieldwork. I was lucky to see my mom at three of my games during the season. I was even luckier to see my dad at one.
I truly believe that when raising your kids with the responsibility of a farm, they understand that you carry extra tasks on your shoulders and when the hired hand says the vacuum pump went out during milking, you go home to fix it.
I even got to watch the last quarter of his game Sept. 9. After speeding through evening chores, we witnessed him almost sack the quarterback and cause the other team to fumble.
I vividly remember my days on the volleyball court. Game days were always exciting; I loved the excitement before the competition. I personally never let a bad day distort my moves on the court, but some of my teammates did.
In the words of Cesar Chavez, “Our very lives are dependent, for sustenance, on the sweat and sacrifice of the campesinos. Children of farm workers should be proud of their parents’ professions as other children are of theirs.”Thisquote emanated exactly what I am feeling as I milk cows Friday nights to give my parents a night off to watch my brother’s senior year football games.
want to be there, but because both knew the responsibility they had was to run their farm, to keep a roof over our heads and have food on the table. My parents both sacrificed a lot to make ends meet and to make the future of the farm possible.So, when my friend was crying over her mom and dad missing one game of the 20 we had during the season, I was disappointed and aggravated she wasn’t more understanding of their situation.Itnever really bothered me to see my parents not in the crowd at a game. I was there because I loved playing and I knew I could tell them all about it when I got home.
This wasn’t because they didn’t
I’ve come to realize most families understand the sacrifice we make for our way of life.
On a typical Friday night, the echoes from the Milwaukee radio resonate the announcer’s commentary through the parlor, “Jeurissen with the tackle.” “Touchdown Bulldogs!”
“Oh … (Awkward pause) haven’t they made it to all of your games?” I said.“Well yeah, but they will miss this one,” she said.
So farm parents, don’t feel bad about missing a game.
Recently, I have noticed talk among peers about the excitement, stress and challenges that come with the commencement of the 2022-23 school year. For our Country Acres family, some of you may be juggling sports, work, farming, 4-H and school.
“It’s not a big deal, we have half a season to play yet. You can tell them about it when we get home tonight,” I said.My words didn’t seem to help her case. Maybe that’s because I didn’t understand why she would be upset about that. My parents always went to the parents’ night game. They rarely saw the first volley during a match. When I showed cattle, I often drove the truck and cattle trailer myself and set up stalls alone.
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“What’s going on? Are you ok?” I said.“My parents aren’t going to be here to watch tonight because they got a flat tire,” she said.
Parenting, though I haven’t done any myself, seems like a challenge. I admire the effort and different styles each family develops with their kids.
I remember trying to console a crying friend in the locker room before a game once. The conversation went something like this:
Saturday, September 17, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 7 The case of a missing parent
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Joyce page 11
BY SARAH COLBURN | STAFF WRITER
Rebecca and Ron Joyce enjoy walking through their vineyard together. The couple met while stationed in Afghanistan.
The wines honor the service of their friends and family and each wine variety features a photograph of a different veteran, each a part of the Joyces’ lives. Two of the bottles honor Becky’s grandfathers, one who retired from the United States Navy and one who retired from the U.S. Coast Guard.
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Veterans opened vineyard, honor military through wine
“I came home and told Becky, ‘we’re going to grow grapevines and we’re going to build a winery and sell wine,’” Ron said.
The wines were just one way for them to honor their relationship and others who have or still are serving.
MILTONA – Ron and Rebecca Joyce began their business as a holiday tree farm, planting four nurseries of trees before they realized they just weren’t feeling it.
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Though Becky said they admittedly didn’t know a lot about winemaking at the time, they set off to learn.Today, 10 years later, the couple owns and operates 68 & Vine Veterans Winery and vineyard, producing more than a dozen wines. Six of their wines are named in honor of branches of the military.
As they traversed the state, they began to notice vineyards and began researching new, cold-hardy grapes grown by the University of Minnesota.
“The military has been so much a part of our lives for many years,” Becky said.
A tasty toast
to the troops
68 & Vine Veterans Winery uses a variety of cold hardy grapes in their wines. Some of the first people to test their new wines are close family and friends.
SUBMITTED
Their winery uses the natural yeast that grows on the grapes to allow the grapes to ferment themselves. The key to self-fermentation, Ron said, it to be sure the grapes are picked when they have the correct sugar
Inside Every Seed is the Potential for an Incredible Harvest
Ron and Rebecca are both military veterans. Ron retired in 2014 after 29 years with the Minnesota Army National Guard as an infantry officer, serving two deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq. Rebecca has served for 22 years – 14 years as a Navy nurse, and she is currently in a United States Army Reserve troop medical clinic unit. The two met during their time deployed to Afghanistan.Thecouple has been growing grapes on their land for the last 10 years and making wine for aboutMore12. than half of their 40-acre property is dedicated to the vineyard and winery. On site, they grow 16 Minnesota cold-hardy grape varieties and eight varieties of Minnesota apples they use for wine-making. The Joyce’s do bring in a few outside grapes that they’re unable to grow enough
“We don’t make ginormous batches,” he said. “We make small batches.”
“Wecontent.process things the old-fashioned way,” he said.The amount of
He explained that they have a show vineyard on site, about 50 yards from the winery patio, so visitors can look at the different varieties of grapes grown at 68 & WhenVine.the couple first began making wine, they tried it out on unsuspecting friends and family who helped them determine which wines were good and which
Saturday, September 17, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 11 CA-Sept17-1B-TV LITTLE FALLS 1201 1st Ave. NE / 320-632-9740 RICE 750 Cty Rd 21 / 320-393-4200 ROYALTON 412 N. Hwy 10 / 320-584-5522pinecountrybank.com
PHOTOS
Joyce page 12
A lot of what sets the taste of their wine apart, they believe, is how they process the grapes.
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“Eachof. one grows a little bit different; the clusters are a little bit different,” Becky said.
Rebecca and Ron Joyce hold up grapes on their farm. They developed a line of wines and named them in honor of the different branches of military. (Inset) The Joyces wanted to start a winery after their years in the service.
Ron said their sandy-loam soil is key to growing good grapes.
Joyce from page 10
needed some improvement.What makes 68 & Vine different, Ron said, is that they ferment their grapes together instead of blending their wines.
CoastieCoastie
JarheadJarhead
The Joyces developed different wines and named them after the branches of military to honor those who have and are serving the country; pictured are the Coastie, Swabbie, Flyboys, Jarhead and G.I. Joe..
Joyce from page 11 “
State University. There, he said, he learned how to plant, harvest, care for and prune. Everything, to give him the behindthe-scenes expertise he needed to grow grapes.
- Ron Joyce
Now, the vineyard and winery welcome guests from across the state. Becky said it has become a popular place for weddings and cel-
“We like meeting people and being able to help them celebrate life,” Becky said.
Rebecca and Ron Joyce are retired veterans, who have been making winefor 12 years.
As Ron and Becky researched for the business, Ron volunteered with the grape research team at North Dakota
PHOTOS SUBMITTED
ebrations of birthdays and baby showers. The Joyces offer not only tastings on site, but regular tours of the winery during their open hours and also by appointment.
205 Main St N Pierz, MN
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yeast that forms naturally, changes every year with more rain or more drought.“The flavors will be a little bit different,” he said.As soon as the sugar content begins showing up in the grapes, usually around the first week of August, the Joyces net them to protect them from the birds. The grapes will often stay netted until picked, up to the last week of September.
PIERZ 56364
“I came home and told Becky, ‘we’re going to grow grapevines and we’re going to build a winery and sell wine.”
G.I..I.JoeJoe SwabbieSwabbie
MELROSE 6 3rd Ave NE Melrose, MN 56352
PHOTO BY DIANE LEUKAM
said I want a hobby farm in my school papers,” Pennaz said. “[When we bought this place], my sister pointed out to me, ‘The picture you drew in third grade is just like
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ALBANY – Wilson Fonseca and Amy Pennaz are living their dreams on a 10-acre hobby farm outside of Albany.Their life story consists of an intriguing, unlikely course of events that brought a professional ballet dancer and the owner of a children’s ballet school in Brazil together in a marriage that each of them considers a gift.On their little farm, they are raising their two children – Ben, 10 and Elisa, 7 – along with a couple of dogs, some goats, lots of chickens and ducks, peacocks, bunny rabbits and about 20 parakeets. They have a garden and a greenhouse, along with a small cabin-like building that serves as the home of Fonseca’s business, CURA Physical Therapy and Massage. There are outbuildings including a
young girl in school, she drew a picture of where she wanted to live someday.“I think it was a dream come true because, when I was 9, I
Livingtheir dreams
The family of Elisa (from left), Amy Pennaz, Ben, and Wilson Fonseca pose with some of their many animals Sept. 2 on their hobby farm near Albany. The couple is living their dreams after having met in Brazil when Amy visited the country with her sister.
what you have now.’”
Albany lifedancedcoupleintotogether
shed that served as a sign for Pennaz when they first looked at the property two years ago. They found the place of their dreams.When Pennaz was a
She knew right away.“As soon as we got here, I knew,” Pennaz said. “We were not even in the house, [just] walk-
BY DIANE LEUKAM STAFF WRITER
Fonseca-Pennaz page 14 WARNING: Polaris® off-road vehicles can be hazardous to operate and are not intended for on-road use. Driver must be at least 16 years old with a valid driver s license to operate. Passengers, if permitted, must be at least 12 years old. All riders should always wear helmets, eye protection, and protective clothing. Always use seat belts and cab nets or doors (as equipped). Never engage in stunt driving, and avoid excessive speeds and sharp turns. Riding and alcohol/drugs don t mix. All riders should take a safety training course. Call 800-342-3764 for additional information. Check ocal laws before riding on trails. Purchaser must qualify for promotion ©2022 Polaris Inc. 320-746-2165 20 minutes from Little Falls or St. Cloud on Cty. Rd. 17 Financing Available See dealer for details. www.jimssnowmobileandmarine.com CASept17-1B-TV POLARIS.COM 2022 Polaris Ranger Gear up for HUNTINGSEASONnger
ing the land, the trail, and I felt this was it. My spirit called here.”
PHOTO BY DIANE LEUKAM
said. “But I could understand what he was saying – he was singing praise songs on his guitar and it was only God that did this, it wasn’t me. He lined it up so we met at the right time, point, at the right age; if we had met five years earlier, we wouldn’t have been ready for each other if
Fonseca-Pennaz page 17
we had met in his home.”
Soon after starting her first year at the University of Minnesota, she moved on to dance professionally, her career taking her to various companies in Minnesota, Colorado, the East Coast and even London.
it consumed me,” she said. “To me, it was a challenge. You become musical through your movement and you can express your soul when you dance. It fit so well, the athleticism of it.”
This building on the property has been remodeled and is used for the couple’s business, CURA Physical Therapy and Massage.
A colorful peacock stands on its perch at the home of Wilson Fonseca and Amy Pennaz near Albany.
Page 16 • Country Acres | Saturday, September 17, 2022 320-685-7001 203 Sauk River Road, Cold Spring, MN 56320 www.riverpowerequipment.com sales@riverpowerequipment.com CASept17-1B-WS 616 Parkway Drive, Belgrade, MN and 4041 180th Ave SE, Lake Lillian Nick Hanson 320-979-6820 Peter Johnson 320-212-8551 Learn more at PrecisionPlanting.com Every additional percentage of meter accuracy adds 1-2 more bushels per acre. That's why no matter who made them, no matter the type, EVERY METER SHOULD BE CALIBRATED EVERY YEAR. Meter calibration is the first step toward spacing perfection. Using the MeterMax® Ultra test stand, we can evaluate the performance of your meter, allowing for fine tuning to bring your accuracy where it should be. Take the first step picket-fencetowards stands.Wewill be testing V-Drives and Speedtubes $35 PER METER CONTACTTODAY.US $10 per V-drive or $12.50 per Speedtube CASept17-1B-JO 320-836-2135 or Toll Free NOW888-294-8686AVAILABLE! Dakota Steel and Trim Over 27 colors in stock - 9 profiles45 year warranty CASept17_1B_MTFreeport • MN Lumber Company, Inc.
“I didn’t know his language, he didn’t know my language,” Pennaz
from page 14
Fonseca-Pennaz
At age 26, Pennaz went to Brazil on an adventure with Jenny, who was studying dance at the University. Unknowingly, the house where Pennaz stayed the first night belonged to Fonseca; he wasn’t there at the time. When she returned to Brazil five years later with Jenny and her husband, she and Fonseca finallyFrommet.their first day meeting, the two felt a special bond.
After two years and a number of Amy’s vis its to Fonseca in Brazil and one in London, Fon seca was finally able to obtain a fiancé VISA to the United States. Per requirements, they were
PHOTO SUBMITTED
from page 16
Pennaz just smiled her characteristic, joyful smile.“We have so much in common, the dance, the therapy,” she said. “We have to keep our dreams alive. Be patient, and things will happen at the right time.”Her eyes sparkled when she talked about using the bounty from their land to help feed their family. Like her husband, she loves to work in the kitchen, baking bread being a favorite. But, there is more.
Fonseca-Pennaz page 19
A visit from his sister reinforced those wishes.
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PHOTO BY DIANE LEUKAM
Amy Pennaz explains the parakeets’ lineage while standing in a greenhouse she constructed on the farm.
married within three months.
“At the time, I say I no wanna marry someone from Brazil because woman from Brazil so fancy always, like hair gotta be done all the time and nails, you know they was so fancy,” he said. “So, I pray; I say I wanna somebody speak different language, be physical therapist and do ballet, so I met Amy.”
Now sitting in the dining room on their little farm, the two enjoy reflecting on their unique story. Fonseca shared the specific desire he had in life, long before he met Pennaz.
Fonseca-Pennaz
“You know my sister was here, she makes me crazy,” he said. “She always go salon; I say, ‘this is too much money to spend.’ I am so lucky because Amy no use none of that.”
Saturday, September 17, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 17 CASept17_1B_MTCASept17-1B-WS 512 Main Street S, Ste 2, Sauk Centre, MN 56378 Monday-Friday 8 AM-4:30 PM Appointments available at anytime 320-351-2436 FOR ALL YOUR INSURANCE NEEDS: • Farm/Home • Business • Auto • Life • Health • Rec Vehicle ... and more! www.saukcentreinsurance-billmarks.com Harvest Season!Have A Safe We represent over 30 companies with affordable premiums and excellent coverages. Contact us today! CASept17-1B-MT
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• 1-3/4 cups allpurpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cold butter
Apple Coffee Cake
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (optional)walnuts
preserves
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
Apricot Chicken
Preheat
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place 12 paper liners into each well of a standard size muffin baking pan. Measure out the flour, sugars, baking soda, salt and spices in a medium bowl and whisk together. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin puree, coconut oil and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir together. Do not over mix, stir until everything is incorporated into the batter. Evenly distribute the batter into each muffin tin hole. They will be nearly full. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of muffin comes out clean.
Pumpkin Muffins
• 1 package dehydrated onion soup mix
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream shortening and sugar together. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Add to creamed mixture, alternating with sour cream. Stir in apples by hand. Transfer to a greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, butter and nuts. Sprinkle over batter. Bake for 35-45 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1 (8 ounce) jar apricot
Energy Bites
se ed • 1
Combine all ingredients. Stir well, form into 1-inch balls and refrigerate.
• 2 eggs
• 2 cinnamonteaspoons
• 6-8 boneless chicken breasts
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
Want your favorite recipes to be featured in Country Acres? Contact
• 2/3 cup coconut
oven to 300 degrees. Mix dressing, preserves and soup mix together. Place chicken breasts in 8x11 or 9x13 baking dish. Pour mixture over chicken and bake for 1-1/2 hours. Serve over rice.
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 (8 ounce) bottle Russian dressing (French or Catalina also work)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Grace at grace.j@star-pub.com
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup oatmeal
Saturday, September 17, 2022 | Country Acres • Page 21
• 1/2 cup butterflavored shortening
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup ground flax •1/3cupminichocolatechips•1tablespoonchia teaspoon
• 1-3/4 to 2 cups apples, chopped Topping
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
vanilla
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
RECIPES SUBMITTED BY TIFFANY KLAPHAKE | Sauk Centre, Stearns County
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/3 cup honey
After settlement, the prairie changed drastically with plowing, the prevention of fires and grazing. With the introduction of invasive species, a large number of the native plants, insects, birds, and microorganisms that relied on their neighbors for food their ecosystem
BARRETT – Growing up a generation removed from the farm, Bryan Simon picked up most of his interest in farming from his grandpa. Now, Simon and his family have 217 acres to raise and call their own.
The Simon family– (from left) Bryan, Annella, Jessie, and Charlie – raise goats and grow their own vegetables on their farm near Barrett. (inset) A butterfly rests on the pastures of Lakeside Prairie Farm.
Simons make home with regenerative ag
“I always had an interest in farming and growing my own food,” Simon said. “Now, that is exactly what I do.”
Establishing
He didn’t have the chance to take over his grandparent’s farm but, upon completion of his Masters in Ecology, Simon set out to create a haven with his wife, Jessie.
BY GRACE JEURISSEN | STAFF WRITER
PHOTO SUBMITTED
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During college, he studied the functioning of ecosystems and how human impacts on climate and the environment can set the equilibrium of the ecosystems we depend upon for our food, water, and shelter out of balance.He spent time studying the native prairies with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Nature Conservancy
Simons page 24
after his undergrad degree at the University of Minnesota,PriorMorris.to European settlement, Simon said bison and other grazing animals roamed a large chunk of North America in enormous“Theherds.prairies were filled with species, hundreds of species of plants, hundreds of birds, hundreds of mammals, reptiles, and amphibians, thousands upon thousands of insects, and a bajillion species of microorganisms, all living in harmony, adapted to and dependent on the prevailing conditions of fire, grazing and occasional drought,” he said.
When the Simons first moved out to their Grant County farm site, they went in with a business plan and enthusiasm about the next adventure. They were about to start their family there and raise them in the country.
find an area and maybe focus more on that, because trying everything was too much for us,” he said. “Now, my primary income is from goat grazing, and my wife teaches at the localTheschool.”Simons are active with the Sustainable
With plenty of room to roam, the Simon family utilizes every square inch of their property,
Bee hives from a family friend are located in one of the prairie pastures. Pollinators are a common site on the Lakeside Prairie Farm.
Simon custom grazes cattle, and runs a goat grazing service. The cattle and goats run through their home pastures to maintain the prairies and wooded areas. He rents out his goat herd to others as an invasive species management practice.
“On the third day of us being out here, our son, Charlie, was born,” Simon said. “This has turned out to be a great place to raise Charlie, and our daughter, Annella.”
Simons from page 23
From the lake, they can observe the nearly 130 goats grazing the shores of their farm.
“The goats are great, they are easier to handle than cattle, and they clean up buckthorn really well,” he said. “I have gotten a lot of interest this year from people looking to rent goats for brush neededgardeneggs,beef,everything:outplantdleandtheyGoatsclean-up.”arebrowsers;eatleavesfromtreesplantsandcanhan-eatingmorewoodyspecies.TheSimonsstartedraisingalittlebitofgrass-fedpigs,chickens,wheat,oats,andvegetables.“Werealizedweto
Plums grow on one of the Simons’ fruit trees Sept. 9 near Barrett. The Simons grow most of their own fruits and vegetables.
dwindled over time.
PHOTOS BY GRACE JEURISSEN
*Offer ends 09/30/2022. Available at participating and eligible dealers only. Offer may vary by product type, series, model and select units in dealer’s current inventory. Must take delivery from dealer stock by 09/30/2022. Offers available on new equipment in US and Canada only. Some restrictions apply. Length of contract and rate may vary. Prior purchases not eligible. See dealer for details. Financing provided on approval of credit by authorized Bobcat finance providers to wellqualified buyers. Administrative fees may apply. Offer not available to government accounts, national accounts and municipal/utility bid customers. Non-commercial customers may not be eligible for low rate financing. Bobcat Company reserves the right to extend or discontinue any of these programs at any time without prior notice.
Visit Bobcat.com/Offers or stop by today for details.
Simons page 25
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including the nearly 2 miles of lakeshore that lines their property. They often will go canoeing and kayaking for fun.
Page 24 • Country Acres | Saturday, September 17, 2022 Dassel 888-679-4857 St. Cloud 844-262-2281 Long Prairie 866-514-0982 Willmar 877-484-3211 OneToughAnimal®Bobcat®, the Bobcat logo and the colors of the Bobcat machine are registered trademarks of Bobcat Company in the United States and various other countries.
PHOTOS BY GRACE JEURISSEN
prairie.“I fell in love with the prairie as I was learning to identify plants. When you learn to put a name to a plant it’s as if learning the name of a new friend” he said.
“I knew I wanted to establish my own prairie then [during his work with Fish and Wildlife]. I wanted to figure out how to both produce healthy food while at the same time maintaining healthy functioning ecosystems.”And that’s exactly what Lakeside Prairie Farm did. The Simon family now sits on 120 acres of restored na-
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Goats at the Lakeside Prairie Farm have helped keep buckthorn under control.
Simons
Ahora contratando soldadores, fabricantes y pulidores bilingües. ¡Excelente salario y beneficios! ¡Aplica hoy! CASept17-1B-TV
Bryan Simon fell in love with the praire and has 120 acres of the farm reseeded in native prairie.
INCLUDE:DUTIES
Goats graze through the woods on Lakeside Prairie Farm Spet. 9 near Barrett. The Simons have 130 goats that they also rent out for invasive species management.
ns page 27
Simo
from page 25
Farm Families PO Box 359 Long Prairie, MN 56347 phone. 320-732-2819 fax. 320-732-2148 www.centralbi.com | 844-637-2938
Brought to you by Douglas CountyDouglas Corn & SoybeanCorn & SoybeanGrowers andGrowers and their checkoffs!their
WayFami ly Family
Jeff and Jane Way show some of their peppers from IDA Valley Farm in Douglas County. Ways harvest a variety of produce on their farm; pictured are onions drying on the ground.
The
Jeff and Jane grew up in farming families and, with that background, they decided to start a vegetable raising business north of Garfield near Alexandria. The couple grows a variety of vegetables using sustainable methods and following organic principles. They use cover crops and organic fertilizers.TheWays market their vegetable production through a CSA and at the Alexandria Farmers Market. They also sell their produce to a couple of local restaurants in Alexandria as well as off the farm.
Jeff and Jane are married and have 3 grown children, Ariel, Megen and Gabby, plus one granddaughter and another grandchild on the way. The Ways served as 4-H club leaders when their children were involved in 4-H. Jeff served 13 years as a Garfield first responder and is currently a supervisor on the Ida Township board.
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Douglas County
PHOTOS BY JULIE BOSEL (Above) Jeff and Jane Way are the 2022 Douglas County Farm Family of the (Right)Year.Garlic
Tomatoes grow in one of the Ways’ greenhouses at their farm near Alexandria. They sell their produce at local restaurants and directly off the farm.
is one of the many varieties of produce the Ways grow on their farm. They use organic fertilizers and cover crops to help production.
The Olson farm currently raises 100% nished beef, grass-fed lamb and pastured heritage pork. The family grows organic Red Fife wheat, organic black beans and organic pearled barley.
Olson Fami ly Family
tational grazi natural graz re t
During the difficult years of the 1980s, Loren took a full-time job off the farm and in the 1990s the land was rented to a neighbor. In 2010, the family’s land was placed in CRP for aIndecade.2016, Nic and his wife, Megan, moved to the farm and worked to establish an organic regenerative farming system that focused on annual grains and beans. They’ve set up a rotational grazing system that mimics natural grazing patterns and have worked to rebuild their soil. The Olsons named their farm “Plain Farms” ecting their prairie setting and the simple nature of their farm’s products that are raised without synthetic inputs.
PHOTO SUBMITTED (Above) The Nic and Megan Olson family was named the 2022 Grant County Farm Family of the Year.
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The Olsons are members of the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota and their farm has been certified by the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program. Their farm is certified organic by the MCIA. The family is involved in the Do & Dare 4-H Club, which was founded in part by Nic’s grandmother, Harriet. The family is a member of Cornerstone Church in Fergus Falls.
Grant County
Nic and Megan are the owners/operators of their farm. Nic manages the farm operation. Megan manages the sheep— and their children. The Olsons have four children on the farm: Corinn, Noah, Silas and Karis. They all help with various chores. Four adult children, Maria and Andrew Costello, Serena Olson and Aliah Olson, also help with various farm projects and chores.
The Olson farm grass-finished bee beans and organic Mega ators of their farm
PHOTO BY ADOBE STOCK (Right) Plain Farms raises grass-fed beef, lamb and heritage pork on their farm. They Also grow organic Red Fife wheat, black beans and pearled barley.
SUaga
The land farmed by Nic and Megan Olson’s family was originally purchased in 1915 and has been in the family for 107 years. Nic Olson’s great-grandparents, Harry and Alice, raised wheat, barley, turkeys and cattle. In 1951, Nic’s grandparents, Marvin and Harriet, took over the farm and continued with cattle, wheat, barley, corn and soybeans.Thecattle operation was phased out and by 1981 Nic’s parents, Loren and Sherry, moved onto the farm and took over the operation. They added a small pork business that ran for about ten years in addition to growing wheat, barley, corn and soybeans.
to the farm and worke regenerative annual bea
reflecting nature o that are raised wit
PHOTO BY ADOBE STOCK (Below) The Olsons pratice rotational grazing and their system mimics natural grazing patterns.
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includes two operations. The families run a small grass-fed beef herd and provide fresh beef to two outlets in Minneapolis. The Schuelers also farm 660 tillable acres, two-thirds of which are certified organic. The remaining areas are in transition to organic. The family’s goal is to become a regenerative organicThefarm.Schuelers’ plan is to have a seven-year crop rotation they believe will improve soil health. The rotation includes alfalfa, winter milling wheat, corn, edible peas, corn, soybeans and back to alfalfa. The families started an organic popcorn enterprise working with a young neighbor who is handling internetKevinmarketing.andhis wife, Pattie, are the crop managers of the operation. Sherman and
PHOTOS BY DIANE LEUKAM
Kevin (left) and Sherman Schueler stand in front of their uniquely built high-boy air seeder they developed to sow cover crops into fully grown corn fields, Sept. 8 near Willmar. The Schuelers are the 2022 Kandiyohi County Farm Family of the year.
We are THE PLANTER GUYS
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Schueler Schueler Fami ly Family
Kevin Schueler drives the high-boy air seeder into a fi he will plant rye between the rows as part of their cover crop program.
Kandiyohi County
Sherman Schueler talks about growing organic popcorn on a small plot, Sept. 8 near Willmar. The crop takes a long time to mature and will
his wife, Karen, handle the office and financial management. Grandchildren have opportunities to work on the farm as well. Prior to his retirement, Sherman and Kevin’s brother-in-law, Ron Erickson, worked with the Schuelers for manyShermanyears.was on the leading edge of the ethanol industry in the 1980s and has been active in the Minnesota Corn Growers and Minnesota Pork Producers. He and Karen are members of Svea Lutheran Church. The couple were leaders of a three-year effort to establish a Family Promise affiliate in Kandiyohi County that works with local churches to assist homeless families. The program still operates in the county today.
ueler
Schueler Farms Incorporated
to operate the farm. The brothers have been working together since the 1970s. The farm is a diversified animal and crop farm that up until 2012 included a dairy. The family operated a 250-cow dairy for 15 years.
Page B4 • Country Acres | | Saturday, September 17, 2022Farm Families of the Year Septe andersonrepairllc.com Specializing in Livestock Equipment & Construction, New & Used Bagging Machines, Silage Bags, Bunker Covers & Grain Storage Willmar, MN • www.LangeAgSystems.com320.231.1470 320-599-4466 133 Atlantic Ave. NE • Pennock, MN 616 Parkway Drive, Belgrade, MN 4041 180th Ave SE, Lake Lillian, MN BELGRADE Nick Hanson 320-979-6820 LAKE LILLIAN Peter Johnson 320-212-8551
Sherman Schueler looks over their cattle Sept. 8 on the Schueler family farm near Willmar. The small grass-fed beef herd is part of the diversified animal and crop farm.
field of corn, wherechuKevin Sc ntplahe will
erationareKevinbywas1904farmSchuelerThehomedatestowhenitpurchasedShermanandSchueler’smaternalgrand-mother’sfamily.BrothersSher-manandKevinthethirdgen-ofthefamily
PHOTOS SUBMITTED
The Roberg farm was purchased in 1876 by Andrew and Mary Roberg. Their son, John and his wife Olive, later took over the farm. John’s sons, Dwaine and Howard, farmed together for several years. Dwaine married Elaine and they raised twin sons, Larry and Gary, a daughter, Debi, and a son, Loren. The family worked together raising chickens, pigs, and dairy cattle. They also raised crops. The family milked cows for 48 years until 1997. Elaine was active milking cows and Dwaine handled the fieldwork. Their son, Larry, lived on the farm with his wife, Joyce and their children, Jason and Jennifer. Gary and his wife, Fern and children Jackie, Angela, Tim, Stacy, and Amy also lived on the farm.
family to be actively farming. Elaine continues to provide support to the farm as well as delicious meals for the family. Larry and Joyce handle their turkey operation and the bookkeeping. Jason and his wife, Cindy, are involved with turkey breeding and fieldwork, they have four children: Weston, Andrea, Leanna and Nolan. Gary and Fern along with Tim and his wife, Michele, are involved in turkey breeding and fieldwork. Tim and Michele have four children: Mikayla, Grace, Roman, and Luke. Loren and his wife, Janet, take care of crop planning and Elainefieldwork.hasbeen very involved in Nordland Lutheran Church for many years. Larry has driven a bus for several mission trips and occasionally drives for the ROSE Center in Paynesville. He served on the Paynesville E-Free Church board. Joyce served as church secretary at PEFC. Cindy serves as part of a homeschool co-op group. Weston was active in sports and is a volunteer coach for Paynesville wrestling. Gary
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Roberg Fami ly Family
1 3 (1) Turkey poults are cared for on the Roberg farm near Paynesville. The family started raising turkeys in 1991. (2) Luke Roberg plays with a calf on the Roberg farm. Several generations work on the family operation. (3) As turkey poults grow, they lose their baby feathers and begin to grow adult feathers. The Robergs also raise crops.
The
Roberg family was selected as the 2022 Meeker County Farm Family of the Year. Several generations of Robergs are active on the farm doing anything from crop work to turkey genetics. 2
Several generations of the Roberg family work on the farm. Larry and Gary started raising breeder turkeys in 1991. Jason, his son, Weston, and Tim each manage their own turkey operations. Loren manages the crops, and all family members help with fieldwork. Weston is the sixth generation of the
served on the PEFC elder board. Fern served on the Meeker Co-op Round-up board and on the Paynesville School board. Joyce and Fern were instrumental in starting the Koronis Eager Beavers 4-H Club. Tim and Michele are active in Paynesville school activities, church youth groups, and mission trips. Tim has coached wrestling at ACGC and Paynesville Schools. Loren is on the Paynesville CENEX board. Janet was treasurer of the parish guild of the Assumption Parish in Eden Valley. She is also a Rosary leader and does Eucharistic adoration.
Czech Fami
BY GRACE JEURISSEN
his parents, Ray and Bernice. Betty and David were married in 1984 and milked cows in a 67-stall tie-stall barn and ran a hog finishing barn. In 2008, the couple built a free-stall barn with a parlor as their children showed interest in staying on the farm. In 2009, the family stopped raising hogs.The
of young stock. They raise all their own replacements and sell their bull calves. The cows are housed in a free-stall barn with a slatted floor and a manure pit under the barn. They milk their cows in a double-12 parlor. The family grows 360 acres of corn and raises 120 acres of alfalfa. Four years ago, the Czechs started using minimum tillage and they began planting cover crops.
PHOTO SUBMITTED
(left) The Czechs – (front, from left) Addison and Clint; (middle, from left) Taylor Witt, David, Betty and Krista; (back, from left) Scott, Ben Witt, Joe, Alyssa and Josh holding Evelyn – are this year’s Morrison County Farm Family of the Year. The family dairy farms near Little Falls.
All family members are involved in the dairy’s day-to-day operations. The Czech family is made up of David and Betty; their son Joseph and his wife, Alyssa; son Joshua and his wife, Krista, and their three kids, Addison, Clint and Evelyn; the Czechs’ son Scott; and daughter Taylor and her husband, Ben. Joe and Scott are the herdsmen. Josh handles feeding and mechanics. Dave and Taylor take care of the calves, Betty handles the bookwork and Ben helps wherever he isTheneeded.Czechs are members of their local Catholic church. They are members of the Minnesota DHIA, the Minnesota Corn Growers Association, and the Upper Mississippi Irrigators Association. The farm is certified by the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program.
Page B6 • Country Acres | Farm Families of the Year | Saturday, September 17, 2022 320.468.6655320.468.2509320.468.2509Agron.Petro.Feed. WWW.PIERZCOOP.COM PIERZ - GENOLA Congratulations to all farm families of the year! Thank you for your dedication to the farming industry. 320-632-9240 1800 1st Ave. NE, Ste 101 | Little Falls www.mmcjd.com LITTLE FALLS 16069 Hwy 27 320-632-5469East PRINCETON 3708 Baptist Church Road 763-389-3453 SAUK RAPIDS 1035 35th Ave NE • 320-252-2010 PAYNESVILLE 725 Lake Avenue 320-243-7474South SAUK CENTRE 1140 Centre Street • 320-352-6511 $0 0% 60 $3 500 $300 $300 For all your automotive needs Jason Lashinski • 320.232.0537 • Pierz, MN s N • •ExhaustCustom•TiresEngines • Drive Train • AC Work Morrison County Tillage ProductsCenter Pivot Irrigation SAUK CENTRE, MN 320-352-6543 • Hwy. 71 South PIERZ, MN 320-468-2161 • Hwy. 27 West Store Hours: Monday-Friday 8-5, Saturday Seasonal www.modernfarmequipment.com
land.PHOTO
PHOTO BY GRACE JEURISSEN
David and Betty are the fourth generation of the family on their farm. The farm was started in 1875 by David’s great-grandfather, Frank. He was followed by David’s grandfather, Joseph, and finally by ly Family
Heifers eat their total mixed ration Sept. 8 at Czech dairy. Heifers are raised in group pens in monoslope buildings.
The Czech’s ship their milk to First District Association in Litchfield.
PHOTO BY GRACE JEURISSEN Scott (from left) Joe, David and John Czech run Czech Dairy together. They milk 240 cows and run 480 acres of crop
Czechs currently have 240 Holstein milk cows and 260 head
Porter (from left) Bradley and Blake walk Blake’s 4-H calf from this year’s Pope County Fair. The Poochs raise beef cattle and crops on their farm near Farwell.
Austin is a Pope County Fair board member; Nick is a member of the Glacial Ridge Cattlemen’s Association and serves on the Pope County FSA committee. Vernon is involved with Pope County Corn and Soybean Growers and the Minnesota Farmers Union. Austin and Katie’s family attend Our Lady of the Runestone Catholic Church in Kensington. Nick, Kris and their family along with Vernon and Sonia attend Lowry Covenant Church.
PHOTO BY JULIE BOESL
(above) The Pooch family (front, from left) Blake, Bradley, Vernon, Sonia, Sadie, and Avery; (back, from left) Nick, Kris holding Blaine, Katie, and Austin holding Porter are the Pope County Farm family of the year.
ship. They raised dairy cows, hogs, sheep, chickens, and crop farmed. Their son, Vernon, began farming in 1973 by milking cows; later he began farrowing pigs and selling seed corn. In 2000, Vernon’s son, Nick, started feeding Holstein steers and crop farming. In 2008, his brother Austin began farming
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with Nick and they expanded their crop Currently,acreage.the family grows corn, seed soybeans, wheat, oats, alfalfa, and grass hay on 1,500 acres. They feed several hundred head of northern Minnesota beef calves to finish annually. They also background beef calves. The Pooch family practices minimum tillage on their crop ground; they plant corn and soybean research plots, and sell Gold Country Seed.Brothers Nick and Austin run the daily operation of the farm. Their father, Vernon, helps with field work and sells seed. Nick’s wife, Kris, vaccinates the cattle and helps keep them healthy, drives tractor, and handles the bookwork. Austin’s wife, Katie, works in the healthcare industry. Nick and Austin’s mother, Sonia, is retired. Nick and Kris have
D1 Poandocased farmoriginalinNoThi aboAva cshipowandVer197hebellishi POOCHS’ FAMILIES! mcmahonoil.com Congratulations 320.634.5290
Porter (fro alk Blake’s 4 Th and on their f
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three children: Blake, Brady and Blaine. Austin and Katie also have three kids: Avery, Sadie and Porter. The brothers’ sister, Vanessa, lives in Montana. All the kids in the Pooch family are in 4-H, where they show beef calves and sheep. The kids are the second generation of the family to show livestock.
Saturday, September 17, 2022 | Farm Families of the Year | Country Acres • Page B7 Villard Implement Tank’s Appliance 671 Lincoln Ave • Villard, MN 320-554-3101 Congratulations to all farm families of the year! Thank you for your dedication to the farming industry. • Residential • Commercial • Farm Pickup • Demolition • 100% 1-877-352-2876Recycling39864SouthHwy.71•SaukCentre,MN Walker Plumbing P.O.Box 134 • Villard, MN 56385 JOE WALKER HEATING & SEWER SERVICE Lic. #61280-PMLICENSED • BONDED • INSURED 320.554.6601 • 320.766.0341 Tillage ProductsCenter Pivot Irrigation SAUK CENTRE, MN 320-352-6543 • Hwy. 71 South PIERZ, MN 320-468-2161 • Hwy. 27 West Store Hours: Monday-Friday 8-5, Saturday Seasonal www.modernfarmequipment.com Pope County Pooch Family farmoriginalchasedPoochandDelmar1953,InIdapur-thePoochinNoraTown-
(left) The Poochs began raising beef cattle for market in 2000 and now feed several hundred beef calves to finish annually, as well as run 1,500 acres of crop land.
assisted by her family who each have their own agricultural enterprises. The Frericks’ son, Bryce, has a pumpkin business known locally as Bryce’s Pumpkins.
Page B8 • Country Acres | Farm Families of the Year | Saturday, September 17, 2022 Congratulations to all farm families of the year! Thank you for your dedication to the farming industry. 90% driver retention “Brenny is the best fleet to drive for because I make great money, I get home weekly and the equipment is amazing!” - Brenny driver, Jeff P. St. Joseph, MN | 320-363-6999 | www.brennytruck.com 801 Beltline Rd. Sauk Centre, MN 320-352-656456378 Ag Solutions Stearns County
Frericks Family
Steve produces mini hay
Hailey, Kallie’s twin, is an apiarist who raises bees that pollinate all the crops and produce honey for her business called Hailey’s Honey.
The Frericks family– Steve, (from left) Kallie, Bryce, Hailey and Tammy run Strawberries Galore and More, LLC, an agritourism farm near Albany. The Frericks are the 2022 Stearns County Farm Family of the Year.
Daughter Kallie has a sweet corn enterprise called Kallie’s Kernels.
Tammy Frericks produces six acres of strawberries, a half-acre of asparagus, fall raspberries in high tunnels, several vegetable varieties, and flowers. She’s
withansotabMoriiswhanmeation’soperchanicdassistsereverheneeded.StrawberesGaloreandreisamem-eroftheMinneGrownprogramdTammyisactivetheMinnesotaFruit 320-352-5261 1050 Centre St. | Sauk Centre
PHOTO SUBMITTED
PHOTOS BY GRACE JEURISSEN
(right) The Frerickses are hoping to incorporate a sunflower maze on their farm next year.
(above) Bryce Frericks shows one of the many varieties of pumpkins he plants for his enterprise, Bryce’s Pumpkins, Sept. 12 near Albany
Strawberries Galore and More, LLC is a relatively young operation in Stearns County. Tammy and Steve Frericks patiently waited for about 10 years for an opportunity to find an ideal rural location to start Tammy’s dream business. The dream came true in 2017 with the purchase of the current property. The location of the family’s agritourism farm provides an ide-
Steve mini and straw bales sold as fall decorations and for livestockTammshowsyhandles the day-to-day operations of the business, including agronomy, financial work, marketing, mak ing jellies and jams, scheduling, and organizing agritourism events on site. Bryce, Kallie and Hailey help withh various chores in addition to managing their own business es Steve is the
and Vegetable Growers Association. She is a member of several local farmers market groups and takes part in the Central Lakes College Adult Farm Management program and Annie’s Project through University of Minnesota Extension. Tammy and Steve are both 4-H leaders. Steve manages the Stearns County FSA office and is a Stearns County Fair board member. He’s also a member of the Albany FireKallieDepartment.attends the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, Hailey is a student at South Dakota State University, and Bryce attends Albany High School.
al location not far from town with plenty of customers but also a country life setting to raise their children. The Frericks’ operation has been growing produce since 2017 and has increased in size each year.
Eric Rinkenberger pulls a edible bean combine while harvesting Sept. 8 near Hancock.
PHOTO BY DIANE LEUKAM
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Duncan holds a few pods of edible kidney beans Sept. 8 Hancock.near
Fami ly Family
The farm operation continued with Walter and Nellie’s son Charles along with his wife, Agnes, taking over in 1943. Their son Roger and his wife, Arlene, ran the farm beginning in 1969, and currently, the farm is operated by the next generations of the Duncan family, Brett and Heather along with their children, Krista and Connor.
Duncan
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Brett serves on the Hancock School board and the Moore Township board. He also serves on the animal science committee managing the 4-H sheep show at the Stevens County Fair and served on the county FSA committee in the past. Heather has been a 4-H leader and is a special education teacher at the Midwest Special Education Cooperative. She is also a Sunday School teacher and helps with the Awana program at the family’s church.
minimum and no-tillBrettsystems.manages the farm full-time with assistance from Heather. Krista and Connor help on the farm in the shop and in the field. The Duncans have a full-time employee, Eric, and hire other part-time employees during the busy season.
The Duncan family has farmed in Stevens County since 1917 when Walter and Nellie Duncan purchased the southwest quarter of Moore Township section 4. In 1926, wind took down the original barn and the family constructed a second barn and lived in a corner of it for a year until they finished building their house.
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AMn
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Heather (from left), Brett, Connor and Krista Duncan are pictured at the Minnesota State Fair during the 4-H Livestock Encampment. The Duncans are the 2022 Stevens County Farm Family of the Year.
Brett and Heather’s farm is a mid-sized, diversified operation growing corn, soybeans, sugar beets, and edible beans using conventional,
PHOTOS BY DIANE LEUKAM (above) Brett Duncan and his wife, Heather, farm near Hancock, where they grow corn, soybeans, sugar beets and edible(right)beans.Brett
Jess and Tammy have four children. Levi is employed at the Swift County Highway Department and is actively involved in the day-to-day operation of the farm. Brittany is a recent graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College. Abby will be a senior in high school this fall and Austin will enter 7th grade.
Berge Fami ly Family
The Berge farm is a first-generation farm. Jess and Tammy started farming in 1999 with a cow/ calf operation. In 2003, they purchased their current farm to be able to expand their livestock business.
Spring lambs enjoy a sunny day Sept. 8 at the Berge farm near Sunburg. They are part of the Berges’ sheep operation, which also includes feeder lambs and sheep on pasture.
All of the children have been active 4-H Tammymembers.hasserved on the Norway Lake Township board, the Swift County Extension Committee, and the 4-H advisory board. She is currently serving on the board of Sunburg Free Lutheran Church. Jess served on the Swift County Extension Committee and the 4-H livestock board. He is currently on the board at the family’s church, on the Kerkhoven Township board, and on the Swift County FSA board.
PHOTO BY DIANE LEUKAM
Jess and Tammy Berge stand with soybeans in the background, Sept. 8 at their farm near Sunburg. They are the 2022 Swift County Farm Family of the Year, along with their children, Levi, Brittany, Abby and Austin. Levi is actively involved in day-to-day operations on the farm.
The family’s farm consists of a cow/calf herd, a lambing through finish sheep operation and the Berges grow corn, soybeans and alfalfa. The family uses rotational grazing for their livestock.
Page B10 • Country Acres | Farm Families of the Year | Saturday, September 17, 2022 105 Atlantic Ave., DeGraff, MN • 320-843-5364 • www.glacialplains.com 320-243-7411 Highway 4 • Lake Henry, www.lakehenryimplement.comMN Jesse Hughes • 1222 Atlantic Ave., Benson, MN 56215 320-815-0460 • www.HughesRealEstate.net Swift County OF LONG PRAIRIERIE DEAN SCHREINER Sales Specialist Sales • Service • Parts • Rental 19612 US Hwy. 71 • PO Box 270 Long Prairie, MN 56347 320.339.0084320.732.3715 cell dean.schreiner@farmriteequip.com (email) www.farmriteequip.com Tillage ProductsCenter Pivot Irrigation SAUK CENTRE, MN 320-352-6543 • Hwy. 71 South PIERZ, MN 320-468-2161 • Hwy. 27 West Store Hours: Monday-Friday 8-5, Saturday Seasonal www.modernfarmequipment.com Call Tim Zigan 320-761-1170 • Long Prairie, MN
Jess is a full-time operator and a part-time mason contractor. After 20 years of being a stay-athome mom and helping to build the farm, Tammy is now back at work full time as an accountant. She also continues to help around the farm.
The Berges are members of the Pipestone Lamb and Wool Association and the Glacial Ridge Cattlemen’s Association.
PHOTO BY DIANE LEUKAM
PHOTO BY DIANE LEUKAM
A spring ewe lamb curiously eyes up the camera, Sept. 8 at the Berge farm near Sunburg.
The Kneisl farm began in 1938 when August Kneisl purchased two 160-acre farms in Todd County. His son, Arnold, bought a 320-acre farm and a 160-acre farm in the 1960s. The farm is currently operated by Gary and Kathy Kneisl and their son, Jason, and his wife, Kala.
(Right) Gary Kneisl farms with wife, Kathy and their son, Jason, and his wife, Kala.
Gary is a member of the Hewitt Lions Club, the Central Minnesota Irrigators Association, and the Irrigators Association of Minnesota. He’s also a member of the Todd County Corn and Soybean Growers Association. Jason is a member of the Knobhill Sportsman’s Club.
Saturday, September 17, 2022 | Farm Families of the Year | Country Acres • Page B11 320-732-6195 940 Commerce Road | Long Prairie Congratulations to all farm families of the year! Thank you for your dedication to the farming industry. Farming is truly a family affair. Congratulations to all Minnesota Farm Family honorees. chsprairielakes.com Todd County SAUK CENTRE LONG PELICANPRAIRIERAPIDS AGRICULTURAL LENDING www.mn-bank.bankMemberFDIC To Grow Your BusinessBusinessYour •COMPETITIVE RATES • EXCELLENT SERVICE •FLEXIBLE BILLING • STRONG COMPANIES •Business • Auto • Home • Farm • Crop Hail • Life • Health 320-252-6650 • advantageoneins.com ALBANY • HOLDINGFORD • LONG PRAIRIE • MELROSE • PIERZ • SAUK CENTRE • ST. CLOUD Offices in: P.O. Box 148 • Long Prairie, MN 56347 320-732-2171 LONG PRAIRIE PACKING CO.L Drainage LLC.D Established in 1975 Jason Marthaler 320-249-6062 • Karl Larson 320-808-8012 Howard Marthaler 320-250-2984 • Ditching • Tiling • Excavating • Ag Waste Systems 1800 2nd St. S. • Sauk Centre, MN
Kneisl Fami ly Family
PHOTOS BY JULIE BOESL
(Below) The Kneisl family raise beef feeder calves near Hewitt. They were selected as the 2022 Todd County Farm Family of the Year.
Gary and Jason are the farm’s main operators. They cash crop corn and soybeans and finish out beef feeders. Most of the current Kneisl farm is either irrigated or tiled.
Grain on the Kneisls’ farm is stored in grain bins until sold at a later point in time. TodKneislcornthisfdCoKneislpcoso
Page B12 • Country Acres | Farm Families of the Year | Saturday, September 17, 2022 FARM FAMILIES Call to schedule your fall installation! Congratulations We Offer Site Prep, Drainage Tile, Land Clearing, Excavation, Pump Stations And So Much More! to all thetheall Brad Herickhoff, Owner 320-351-4872 Ask about leasing tile! KEEP YOUR CASH! Amortize your depreciation.
