Beth Leipholtz (from left), Cooper Carlson and Brandon Carlson smile in November 2024 in rural Buffalo. Cooper was diagnosed with Waardenburg syndrome when he was an infant.
BY RAE LANZRATH STAFF WRITER
ALEXANDRIA — People who live in the country tend to find room to roam, scenic views and a lack of traffic appealing. Brandon Carlson and Beth Leipholtz are no exception. However, the couple has had to balance their rural lifestyle with finding adequate services for their son, Cooper, who is deaf.
From advocating for Cooper within the local school district to posting their weekly chats in the car on TikTok, the family has been able to continue living on their hobby farm in rural Douglas County while navigating Cooper’s diagnosis and educating others about accessibility and inclusion.
On September 7, 2019, Cooper was born a healthy baby boy.
“He referred (did not pass) on his
Mother, son duo uses social media to spread positivity, inclusion
newborn hearing screening, which is not abnormal,” Leipholtz said. “A lot of times, it’s just fluid in their ears, and it resolves itself.”
The care team told Leipholtz to bring Cooper back for a follow-up test and that his hearing would probably be better after a few weeks. The hope was that the fluid would not be present at that point.
Cooper was also born with a white patch of hair on top of his head, and the rest dark. Leipholtz began doing some research and, with the help of a Facebook group, found that a white forelock is potentially an indicator of Waardenburg syndrome.
As Leipholtz learned more about the condition, she said she realized her newborn had several symptoms consistent with Waardenburg syndrome — a white forelock, wider set eyes, a flatter nasal bridge and bright blue eyes.
“Then, I got to the part about
being deaf,” Leipholtz said.
“There are a few moments in your life where the world just stands still. … That was definitely one of those moments for me.”
Within a few days, they re-tested Cooper’s hearing, and, once again, he failed the test. After getting a second opinion, the family was sent to Children’s Minnesota Hospital in the Twin Cities.
“On October 18, 2019, we received his official diagnosis,” Leipholtz said.
Cooper was diagnosed with Waardenburg syndrome and is profoundly deaf. Following his diagnosis, an MRI was done to determine if Cooper would be a candidate for cochlear implants. The family began incorporating American Sign Language into their everyday routine as well. Ultimately, MRI results showed that Cooper was eligible for cochlear implants since he had a functioning auditory nerve.
Cochlear implants are electronic
Beth Liepholtz’s book, “The ABCs of Inclusion,” is displayed March 2023 at Cherry Street Books in Alexandria. The children’s book introduces readers to 26 children with different diagnoses.
devices that bypass non-functioning parts of the inner ear by converting sound into electrical signals, which are sent to the auditory nerve and interpreted by the brain as sound, Leipholtz said. Cooper’s hearing loss is due to the lack of pigmentation of the hair inside his ear, similar to the hair on top of his head. His auditory nerve is unaffected by Waardenburg syndrome, allowing him to use cochlear implants.
The internal piece of the cochlear implant sits under the skin behind Cooper’s ear and stimulates his auditory nerve. An external processor uses a magnet to attach to the implant through the skin, and that part must be attached for him to hear.
Leipholtz page 2
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Leipholtz from front
in the car each day, Leipholtz began making “car chat” videos with Cooper.
“Basically, he hears with his brain and not his ears,” Leipholtz said.
Cooper’s implants were officially turned on in July 2020, but it took about a year of gradual adjustments to the programming of the implants before they provided clear access to speech and other sounds. The family continued to use ASL to communicate because the implants are not a fool-proof system, Leipholtz said.
“It’s not like they got turned on and then everything was perfect after that,” Leipholtz said.
Because the implants use technology, there are times they malfunction, she said. For nearly five years, the family has been learning to manage the difficulties associated with the implants.
for Literacy, where his teacher of the deaf works with him and his deaf or hard-of-hearing peers. Cooper is also in mainstream pre-school and will begin kindergarten in the fall.
“We were nervous because we live in a very rural area,” Leipholtz said. “We had heard great things about the Alexandria school district, but, even then, we weren’t sure if he would have the resources he needed or if being so rural would affect his education.”
However, Leipholtz said the school district has been supportive in providing Cooper resources to enhance his education, like an ASL interpreter and remote microphone technology.
During the coronavirus pandemic, Leipholtz began sharing her family’s journey on TikTok and other platforms. To her surprise, they quickly gained a following.
Leipholtz began posting videos of her car chats with Cooper, and her following grew even more.
“He loves to talk, and I just ask him if he wants to do a car chat,” Leipholtz said. “I have my phone mounted on my dash, and then we just talk while I drive.”
Leipholtz has more than 2 million followers between TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Recently, her account has received attention from BuzzFeed and Today because of a video she posted of Cooper removing his cochlear implants because he no longer wanted to listen to her.
meant to make people smile while still showing the reality of his diagnosis.
“I don’t want to glamorize our lives; there’s enough of that on social media,” Leipholtz said. “The content I share is often relatable in terms of parenting. At the same time, I try to balance what I share, knowing that one day, Cooper will see it.”
Another way Leipholtz has used her TikTok following is to connect with people from all over the world who have children with various disabilities. As she got to know more and more families, Leipholtz was inspired. She combined her writing background with her social media following to publish a children’s book.
“We had to learn to be comfortable speaking up and saying, ‘This is what he needs,’” Leipholtz said.
“I’ve always been a writer; I wrote for the local newspaper, and I’ve had blogs,” Leipholtz said.
R T
Publications bli ti “The newspaper of today is the history of tomorrow.”
“We still use ASL because, sometimes, they don’t work or he decides he’s not going to wear them,” Leipholtz said.
Today, Cooper is in his second year of Foundations
Bork Lumber & Steel is a lumber company and building center located in Central Minnesota.
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Even though the family is part of the Alexandria district, they still live nearly 30 minutes out of town. Because they spend around an hour
“He’s a normal little boy, and he just decided he didn’t want to listen to me anymore, so he took his implants off,” Leipholtz said.
Most of Leipholtz’s videos are meant to be lighthearted and humorous, she said. Her videos of Cooper are
The book, which is in the process of being re-published, is called “The ABCs of Inclusion.” The book features
Leipholtz page 3
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Cooper Carlson (left) and Beth Leipholtz read to a group of children March 2023 at Cherry Street Books in Alexandria. They are reading “The ABCs of Inclusion,” written by Leipholtz.
children with varying diagnoses, one for each letter of the alphabet.
“Their name represents the letter, so they’re not being represented by their diagnosis but by their name,” Leipholtz said.
“Each child is one that I have met through social media or through
Leipholtz from page 2
other people I know.”
Cooper represents the letter C in the book, with an explanation of cochlear implants and ASL on his page. Anxiety, Down syndrome, autism and epilepsy are just a few of the diagnoses represented in the book.
“It teaches kids that it’s OK to be different and that there are others like them,” Leipholtz said. “It shows them
that they’re not alone.”
Whether it be her book, the car chats or any new venture, Leipholtz plans to continue educating people on the importance of accessibility and inclusion of those with disabilities.
“It doesn’t matter if social media goes away tomorrow,” Leipholtz said. “I’m not going to stop advocating for my son and everyone else like him.”
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Beth Leipholtz (from left), holding Cooper Carlson, and Brandon Carlson gather Sept. 8, 2019, at Alomere Health in Alexandria. Cooper was born profoundly deaf.
PHOTOS SUBMITTED
Cooper Carlson (left) and Beth Leipholtz sign books March 2023 at Cherry Street Books in Alexandria. Leipholtz has more than 2 million social media followers.
SYRUP
King family harvests maple sap for 40 years
BY BEN SONNEK STAFF WRITER
CLOTHO — With the sap evaporator burning since midmorning, Maple Hill Garden near Clotho, west of Long Prairie, smells like sugar. As if the syrup being made were not enough of a draw to get outside, the sap season comes with the start of spring and the reawakening of the earth.
Tim King and his son, Colin King, have been making syrup for 40 years, and it is always a special time of year.
“It’s the promise of a new season and new life,” Colin said. “The other day, we were out, and the bluebirds were back; you could hear the bluebirds and the sandhill cranes calling. It’s a beautiful time of year to be out.”
The King family has lived in the Long Prairie area since the 1930s, when Tim’s father, Frank King, moved to the community. Tim and his wife, Jan, purchased their farm in 1983, next to a parcel owned by Tim’s brother, John. In the mid-1980s, the brothers moved an 1880s log cabin across the nearby river
valley and reassembled it.
When Colin was a child, the land was a former pasture and had plenty of space. Since then, the Kings have used the land to raise sheep, maintain a vegetable market garden and grow trees, especially maples.
“We’ve been growing the trees ever since because I refuse to mow the lawn,” Tim said.
The Kings have been making syrup since about 1985, tapping trees and making small batches in their house. They did not go commercial until 2011. At that point, the Kings were not looking to go large-scale and sink too much money into the operation, so Colin made a sap evaporator the previous winter by cutting the side off a fuel barrel and attaching a flat plate with holes for the stainless-steel warming trays that hold the sap. They still use that evaporator today.
“We’re basically looking to do economical, homestead-scale production,” Colin said. “It’s big enough that we’re now doing 60 trees; we can produce a gallon of syrup per day. Our marketing goal is we produce in total between 70 and 80 pints a season with the idea of selling about 60 pints.”
King page 8
PHOTO BY BEN SONNEK Tim (left) and Colin King attend to their sugar shack March 20 at Maple Hill Garden near Clotho. Tim bought the land from his father, Frank King, in 1983.
Come join our GRAPHICS DEPARTMENT
What is your involvement in FFA? I judge dairy cattle and general livestock; I also go on trips to promote FFA and fundraise.
What has FFA taught you so far? How to judge animals and how to be a good example to younger members of FFA.
How do you intend to stay involved in agriculture after your FFA career? Go to school for agriculture engineering and live or work on a farm.
What are you involved in outside of FFA? I live on a farm and I wrestle and run cross country.
What is something people need to know about agriculture? The reward far exceeds the risk.
Looking back at my youth, one of my proudest accomplishments was being crowned a county dairy princess.
I had my heart set on being a county dairy princess when I heard about the program as a teenager. Within a couple of years, I was old enough to run. I was a dairy ambassador for a few years, then a dairy princess for a few more years.
While I like to think I made an impact on the people I connected with each summer, I know being in the dairy princess program impacted me.
By Tiffany Klaphake
The dairy princess program is not a beauty contest; instead, candidates are judged based on their public speaking ability and knowledge of the dairy industry. Candidates are judged at the county level, then the ones crowned princess move on and compete at the state level in May for the title of Princess Kay of the Milky Way.
I thoroughly enjoyed the program and made many memories and friends. While in the program, I made as many appearances as I could. Often, especially in June, there were four appearances a week, visiting nursing homes, grocery stores, parades and open houses.
When I first started with the program, I saw it as a chance to bring awareness to the dairy industry and to wear a sash, crown and a pretty dress. After participating in the program for several years, I realized I gained just as much as the consumers I connected with.
In high school, I was rather shy, and the idea of public speaking made me wish I were invisible. However, by running as a dairy princess, I practiced and practiced my speeches more than any speech I did for high school English class. I looked up dairy facts and took notes to be prepared to answer any question the judges might throw at me so that I could be selected as one of the 12 finalists for the Princess Kay of the Milky Way.
Princess Kay of the Milky Way is the statewide dairy ambassador for the dairy industry. She is
selected through a multi-step contest from all of Minnesota’s county dairy princesses. The state-wide program has since narrowed to selecting the top 10 finalists who get to move on and compete for Princess Kay of the Milky Way instead of a top 12. However, they are still judged on the same criteria of public speaking and knowledge of the dairy industry.
I competed for three years in the program at the state level and never achieved the title of Princess Kay of the Milky Way finalist. However, I gained several skills that have helped me tremendously in life and my career.
In my college public speaking class, I was voted as most persuasive by my peers from one of our big speeches we had to give.
In my previous job, there were several times when I was handed a microphone and asked to talk about a “topic of choice” for 5-10 minutes while the main presenter set up or as a filler between workshops. Thanks to my experience as a dairy princess, I was not afraid or nervous. I took a minute to collect my thoughts, then got to it.
Today, I am not shy anymore and really enjoy going out on interviews, getting to know farmers and helping them share their story.
I always have been and always will be an ambassador for the dairy industry — not just because I married a dairy farmer, but because of the deliciousness of dairy products. Health and nutrition is huge right now in the food industry. What is healthier and more delicious than a product collected straight from the source, bottled, never touched by human hands and containing more than 10 essential nutrients? I do not know of anything that is better for you or tastes as good.
I may not be wearing a crown and sash anymore, but I will continue to promote the dairy industry and our local farmers. In this issue of Country Acres, we feature many of the area county dairy princesses and wish them the best in their future endeavors, events and contests.
SPECIAL SECTION Princess
Dairy princess programs provide a way to get young women involved in the dairy community and also creates dairy advocates. Dairy princesses represent dairy farmers in their respective counties and attend numerous events with the goal of connecting with consumers.
The crown and sash worn by a dairy princess make it easy for the public to identify who she is and what she represents.
Learn more about the princess programs supported by Midwest Dairy Association in Iowa and Minnesota.
Douglas KrohnfeldtKrohnfeldt County Kelsey Emma
Parents: Kevin and Steph Krohnfeldt
Tell us about yourself and the farm you work or live on. I love to be outside and make memories with friends and family. This has kept me busy, whether it be through FFA, marching band, orchestra, track and field or helping out on the farm. Our farm is located between Lake Miltona and Lake Ida, hence our name, Lakeside Jerseys. We have a 67 tie-stall Jersey dairy along with the heifers and dry cows in the cattle shed. Our farm is run by my parents, my brother and me, and my grandparents, occasionally. Some of my chores include caring for the calves, driving equipment, picking up bales from the field, stacking small bales in the loft, mowing the lawn and caring for the chickens.
Tell us a fond memory you have of growing up or working on a dairy farm. When my brother and I were young, we rode our bikes in the barn and delivered feed from one end of the barn to the other. We also rode along in the tractor when we had the chance, and we were always outside.
Why is being a dairy princess important to you? My favorite part about being a dairy princess is advocating for the dairy industry and agriculture. It shocks me how little some people know about the way their food gets to their plate. I think it is important that farmers are seen for more than just driving a tractor, but rather for feeding America and the world.
Why do you feel that the dairy princess program is important to the agriculture community? Many people don’t see what goes on behind the scenes of agriculture. Being a dairy princess brings some of the agricultural world into the town community and allows us to connect with people differently. I think this brings more light and opportunity to grow the agriculture community.
What do you look forward to most about being a dairy princess? As a dairy princess, I always look forward to the conversations I get to have with people. Sometimes the older women will say they used to be a dairy princess, too, or they grew up on a farm as well. Then, I get to hear part of their stories and gain that connection while maybe learning something along the way. Also, all the little girls get so excited when they see a princess, and being able to be a princess that is connected to agriculture is pretty cool.
What are your future plans? I am currently undecided, but I do have some ideas of what I’d like to do. I could take over our farm and stay in the area. Being an accountant and having my own business on the side after a few years is an option. I could go into agriculture education and also be an FFA adviser. Some sort of engineering drafting also sounds fun. All of these I have an interest in, or they are easy for me.
Parents: Elizabeth Paul and Brian Krohnfeldt
Tell us about yourself and the farm you work or live on. I am a freshman at South Dakota State University studying animal science and pre-veterinary medicine. Throughout high school, I was involved in 4-H, where I participated in leadership opportunities such as county leaders council positions and the Minnesota 4-H state ambassadors as well as static project areas and showing cattle, dogs, sheep, goats and rabbits. I was also involved in FFA, National Honors Society and band. I live on a fourth-generation 70-cow Jersey farm north of Alexandria. We also farm 280 acres of cropland.
Tell us a fond memory you have of growing up or working on a dairy farm. The memory that comes to mind is when my grandparents gave me a calf I could call my own. As a young child, I thought my name was the greatest in the world, so I named that calf Emma. Emma was the beginning of my longstanding interest in the dairy industry. Through Emma, I have grown my herd to what it is now and learned valuable life skills.
Why is being a dairy princess important to you? It allows me to promote the dairy industry to a widespread audience. As a dairy princess, I have been able to attend events throughout Douglas County that have allowed me to connect with people who might not be as knowledgeable about the dairy industry. In my position, I can share some of my experiences in the dairy industry as well as facts about the dairy industry to these people.
Why do you feel the dairy princess program is important to the agriculture community? The dairy princess program offers an aspect of the new generation of farmers to the agricultural community. As dairy princesses, we are the faces of our generation in the dairy industry. The program allows the young women of the dairy industry to be a friendly face for consumers to approach to ask questions and learn more about all things dairy and agriculture.
What do you look forward to most about being a dairy princess? I am looking forward to all the young girls I can inspire by being a dairy princess. As a dairy princess, I often have young girls come up to me and say, “Oh my goodness, you’re a princess — I want to be a princess.” These moments allow me to educate them about the dairy community I represent and what I do as a dairy princess.
What are your future plans? In the future, I will graduate from South Dakota State University with a bachelor’s degree in animal science. Following graduation, I will attend veterinary school for mixed animal veterinary medicine. I hope to find a veterinarian position near my hometown.
MeekerCounty Thyen Elizabeth
DAIRY PRINCESSES
Parents: Russ and Heather Thyen
Tell us about yourself and the farm you work or live on. I am currently a senior at Atwater Cosmos Grove City High School. I was in our fall musical and one-act play, I am also in choir, FFA and 4-H. I live on a smaller farm, where we raise our cattle and calves until they are older and get pregnant. When they are so far into their pregnancy, we will take them to another farm, where they have their calf. We take the calf and continue the cycle. We have Holsteins, Milking Shorthorns, Red & White Holsteins and Brown Swiss.
Tell us a fond memory you have of growing up or working on a dairy farm. Any time in the summer when Mom, Dad and I have a bonfire after chores are done and cattle are fed.
Why is being a dairy princess important to you? It is my chance to tell my story, advocate for the dairy community and educate consumers.
Why do you feel the Dairy Princess program is important to the agriculture community? It is a chance for young women in the dairy community to advocate for the dairy community, educate consumers and learn valuable life lessons.
What do you look forward to most about being a dairy princess? I look forward to meeting new people and educating others. I have always loved talking about my farm and the dairy community, and being a dairy princess has given me this opportunity.
What are your future plans? I plan to attend Southwest Minnesota State University to pursue middle school/high school special education.
KandiyohiCounty
Grace
Thompson
Parents: Matt and Brenda Thompson
Tell us about yourself and the farm you work or live on. I'm in my second year at Bethel University, majoring in chemistry and minoring in biology and political science. I worked on Rod and Naomi Lindquists’ farm feeding calves, which was a lot of fun.
Tell us a fond memory you have of growing up or working on a dairy farm. One of my favorite childhood memories was naming the calves at my grandparents’ farm. There seemed to be many born around Christmas, so we’d name them Holly, Merry/ Mary, Joy, etc.
Why is being a dairy princess important to you? Many people are unaware of the work that goes into getting food from the source to the table. I have a unique opportunity to spread awareness and encourage healthy eating through different parades and events, which is so important.
Why do you feel the dairy princess program is important to the agriculture community? The dairy princess program has the exceptional opportunity of shedding light on the incessant and vital work of the agriculture community to provide for their families and the world. This is done through serving milk at races, visiting elementary schools and participating in parades. The more exposure people have to the agriculture community, the more support it receives.
What do you look forward to most about being a dairy princess? I am excited for the parades, something I’ve loved doing since I was a junior dairy princess. It’s such a fun way to promote the dairy industry, and I have been able to meet so many people through them.
What are your future plans? I hope to pursue a career in optometry. DOUG
Morrison County
Dickmann Smude Daizy Josi
Parents: Josh and Linda Dickmann
Tell us about yourself and the farm you work or live on. I am currently a senior at Pierz Healy High School. The farm I grew up on is small. It is located just outside of Pierz. We raise our heifers as replacements. Aside from raising dairy animals, we also have chickens and goats.
Tell us a fond memory you have of growing up or working on a dairy farm. Some of my favorite memories on the farm were milking cows with my siblings. We were always singing and dancing along to the radio.
Why is being a dairy princess important to you? It not only lets me teach people about the dairy industry, but it also allows me to expand my knowledge.
Why do you feel the dairy princess program is important to the agriculture community? I think the program is important to the community so more people can learn and understand the dairy side.
What do you look forward to most about being a dairy princess? Something I look forward to is being able to teach people about the importance of the dairy industry.
What are your future plans? After high school, I plan to attend Ridgewater College to pursue a degree in agribusiness.
Parents: Joni and David Smude
Tell us about yourself and the farm you work or live on. I am the second oldest of five children. We milk 73 cows, morning and night. My chores are to feed calves, bed cows, milk cows and feed them. In the morning, I have to be outside at 6 a.m. to start chores and at then at 4 p.m.
Tell us a fond memory you have of growing up or working on a dairy farm. Growing up on a dairy farm overall has shown me to always be a hard worker and helped with various responsibilities. One of my favorite memories was watching my dad put on a calf blanket; he hadn’t put one on in a long time, so I got to watch while he struggled.
Why is being a dairy princess important to you? I can share my farm experience with others. I also get to speak with many people about agriculture and dairy.
Why do you feel the dairy princess program is important to the agriculture community? It helps others who may not have as much knowledge of what our dairy farmers do. The program also allows people to see the benefits of dairy, and where they can get more information.
What do you look forward to most about being a dairy princess? I look forward to parades, being able to see how others run their farms, learning more about dairy and sharing my experiences as well.
What are your future plans? I plan on attending Ridgewater College in Willmar to get a diploma and an associate of applied science in agribusiness.
Todd County
WoesteHaylieAlexis
Wielenberg
Parents: Mike Wielenberg and Sarah Maland
Tell us about yourself and the farm you work or live on. I grew up on my grandparents’ dairy farm. But after my grandpa passed away, my uncle took over the farm. We milked around 100 cows in a double herringbone parlor. Unfortunately, we had to sell our milk cows in July 2023. Now, we are raising replacement heifers. Growing up, I was involved in 4-H and FFA. I showed our cattle at our local county fair and even got the honor of showing at the Minnesota State Fair multiple times. On our farm, we had at least one of almost every breed, but my dad and I specifically had a special place in our hearts for Jerseys, so that’s the breed we bought for most of my show animals.
Tell us a fond memory you have of growing up or working on a dairy farm. When my brother and I would “sit” and wait for the vet. Our job was to be on the lookout for when the vet showed up so we could go get my uncle, who was trying to get some work done in the meantime. But being kids, we weren’t the best at waiting, so we would often end up playing games in the parlor or maybe even getting into trouble. Sometimes, we wouldn’t realize the vet was here until they came into the parlor and caught us messing around. One time, we had wandered out of the parlor, and we were playing around outside when, suddenly, I saw the vet truck sitting there. So, we rushed into the parlor to lend a hand to the vet, Wes, and we scared him. He jumped and said he didn’t even hear us come in and that he was ready to use his karate moves on us.
Why is being a dairy princess important to you? This industry raised me, and it shaped who I am today. Because it is such an important part of my life, I want to give back to this industry. I always try my best to promote the dairy industry and to advocate for our farmers. I want this industry to flourish forever and never be in danger of disappearing.
Why do you feel the dairy princess program is important to the agriculture community? It keeps our consumers connected to this incredible industry. As dairy princesses, we help educate people on the industry. We are an open book for people to ask questions if they have doubts. We are advocates. We help our consumers understand different aspects of the industry, such as cow care, nutrition and sustainability. We also advocate for our farmers because they pour their heart and soul into producing nutritious products for us, and not enough people see that and thank them.
What do you look forward to most about being a dairy princess? During my reign as dairy princess, I most look forward to educating people on the dairy industry. This year, I am going to try to step out of my comfort zone of teaching students to teaching adults. I have discovered that I like just being there to answer questions about anything they may have questions on because that’s how people learn — by asking questions. I hope adults will be more open to asking questions than students, who often hesitate even with encouragement.
Parents: Tim and Ammy Woeste
Tell us about yourself and the farm you work or live on. I was not born on a dairy farm, but when I was in sixth grade, I got my very first show heifer. Since then, we’ve really grown into the show world. Right now, we have four show heifers at our house. We raise them from the time they are small calves until they’re bred heifers that are ready to calve, and then they go to a family friends’ farm. I do all the chores at the house to take care of them and get them ready for showing. I show in 4-H shows regionally, state-wide and nationally. We have both black and white and Red and White Holsteins, Jerseys and Shorthorns. I’m currently a freshman at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
Tell us a fond memory you have of growing up or working on a dairy farm. My fondest memory is being at the Minnesota State Fair and being one of the top 12 for showmanship. That was a fun memory because all my hard work had finally paid off. And it was a reminder that if you work hard and keep trying, you’ll achieve your goals. You put so much work into these heifers, it was nice to be recognized for that.
Why is being a dairy princess important to you? I love the dairy industry. I’ve met a lot of really good friends within the industry and just really great people. The industry plays such a vital role within our world and our economy. I want people to know how much we care for our animals and how well they are taken care of. It’s important to advocate for the industry while still educating others.
Why do you feel that the dairy princess program is important to the agriculture community? Typically, the people advocating for the industry are farmers. So, being a princess allows younger generations to be able to learn from someone their own age. The little girls who love princesses get to meet a “real life” princess, and we get to teach them about agriculture and the dairy industry. We get to interact with all different kinds of people.
What do you look forward to most about being a dairy princess? I’m excited to work with not only the Todd County Dairy Princesses but also going for the state level and working within my community as well as other communities. I’m excited to share my passion with others and work with people who share that same passion.
What are your future plans? I’m majoring in social work. I’m not sure exactly what branch I want to specialize in yet, but I want to be a social worker and help people in some way.
What are your future plans? My future plans are to become a large animal veterinarian. Currently, I am attending the University of Minnesota Crookston to complete my pre-veterinary medicine requirements, and I am hoping to continue on at the UMN College of Veterinary Medicine in the Twin Cities.
How many calves are you expecting this year?
Long Prairie | Todd County
the Matt Holt
Tell us about your farm. We live on my wife’s grandparents’ farm near Long Prairie. We have around 160 acres of tillable land, which we graze our cattle on during the winter on corn stalks.
How many calves are you expecting this year, and when? What do you do to get them off to a good start? We have 20 calves coming this spring; they’ll start May 3. I tend to leave them alone when they’re born; I don’t like to interfere unless it’s really necessary. Otherwise, I weigh them and give them an ear tag, but that’s it.
What is the biggest challenge you face during calving season? I would probably say the timing just because it’s planting season, but it’s not that big of a deal for me because I’m outside anyway, and I’m not checking them constantly. It’s just a busier time of year.
What do you enjoy most about calving season? Seeing the little ones out in the pastures; they get the zoomies, and it’s cute.
What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned about calving? Let Mother Nature do its thing, and don’t make more work for yourself.
Carol Radtke
Kerkhoven | Swift County
Tell us about your farm. My husband and I live on a dairy farm that was his family farm. We have Jersey cows that we milk.
How many calves are you expecting this year, and when? What do you do to get them off to a good start? Around 20; we don’t calve specifically in the spring because we’re a dairy, but we definitely try to avoid calving in the winter, so things will pick up in the spring. It depends on the situation. Sometimes, if the calf is struggling or it’s really cold out, we leave the calf with its mother so it can be stronger. Otherwise, we raise the animals as naturally as we can without vaccines or interventions if we can avoid it.
What is the biggest challenge you face during calving season? We definitely breed for small calves. If the calves are too big, it’s a struggle for me to handle them if my husband is at work and I’m doing it alone.
What do you enjoy most about calving season? Seeing a cow that you care for be pregnant — sometimes, it makes me tear up a little when I realize it’s going to have a baby soon. It makes you so happy. And, obviously, once they’re born, they’re so cute.
What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned about calving? It’s not calving-specific, but especially for dairy farms, you’re married to the farm. It’s not a job; it’s a life commitment. You have to be willing and able to care for the animals every day.
Acres cres
Adam
Braegelmann
Richmond | Stearns County A
Tell us about your farm. We have two broiler barns for Pilgrim’s Pride, and then, five years ago, we added beef to the farm. I grew up next door, and then my wife and I bought the house down the road. Our beef cattle are Herefords; some are registered and some are not.
How many calves are you expecting this year, and when? What do you do to get them off to a good start? We will have 27 calves this year, and we started mid-March and will go until around May. So far, we’ve had 10 born. We move them to a maternity pen either right before or right after the calf is born, and they’ll stay there for 3-4 days so we can make sure they’re up and moving and eating. We have cameras in the maternity pens, so we can watch them from the house, which is really nice.
What is the biggest challenge you face during calving season? Oddly enough, we’ve had a couple of prolapses over the last few years, but other than that, we’ve been pretty good. This year, so far, has gone well.
What do you enjoy most about calving season? My two favorite things are seeing the new calves — they’re obviously cute, and they run around and play — and then seeing my four young kids interact with them.
What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned about calving? If something doesn’t seem right or you have a gut feeling that something is off, take the time to look into it. If you’re unsure about something or questioning something, something is probably not right.
nursery A like no other like no
BY RAE LANZRATH STAFF WRITER
ST. STEPHEN — Luke Miller has been growing and selling trees for more than 20 years. Between his two businesses, Quicky Trees LLC and Midwest Deer Trees LLC, he has thousands of trees to sell.
“It amazes me how many trees go out the door,” Miller said. “Every year, it seems like we’ll have enough, and we somehow sell out every time.”
The trees Miller sells vary from apple to maple and just
about everything in between.
Midwest Deer Trees primarily sells fruit trees, the two sub-categories of the fruit trees being orchard trees and deer trees. Orchard trees include multiple varieties of apple and pear trees intended for human consumption.
“Those are your eating trees,” Miller said.
Miller page 22
PHOTOS BY RAE
LANZRATH Trees grow in Luke Miller’s nursery March 28 in rural St. Stephen. The nursery is fenced in to protect the trees from deer.
Luke Miller smiles March 28 at his home in rural St. Stephen. Miller owns two businesses: Quicky Trees LLC and Midwest Deer Trees LLC.
Miller from page 22
When customers purchase a tree from Miller, they have the choice of purchasing a bareroot or a potted tree. Potted trees are typically larger, with more established root systems. They require a larger hole to be dug when they are planted, making it difficult for some customers. Bareroot trees are smaller and easier to plant but have smaller roots.
“Bareroot trees just take a little longer to get established because they have to develop a stronger root system,” Mill-
er said. “Whereas potted trees have a larger root, so they establish themselves faster.”
Whether trees are bareroot or potted, if they are smaller than 6 feet in height, Miller encourages his customers to plant them in tubes.
“They protect the tree from deer, rabbits and squirrels,” Miller said. “They also keep them growing straight up.”
Miller is a dealer for a tree tube manufacturer out of Indiana. The tubes are made
from recycled milk jugs, so they are lightweight and recyclable. The tree tubes vary in size depending on the size of the tree, but Miller prefers the tubes to be 5 feet tall. The tubes have two loops on the outside that connect to a post or piece of rebar to hold the tube in place. The tree sits inside the tube and grows straight up. There are vent holes in the tube that allow airflow, encouraging tree growth.
“The tubes are a game changer for sure,” Miller said. “The success rate is so much higher when people use them versus when they don’t.”
Over the years, Miller has found what works and what does not when it comes to planting trees. He sends his customers home with packets of information on planting, tips and tricks, tree care and solutions to potential problems.
Miller works closely with his customers to ensure they are successful.
Potted trees grow on Luke Miler’s property March 28 in rural St. Stephen. The trees Miller grows vary from fruit trees to maple trees.
PHOTOS BY RAE LANZRATH
Luke Miller helps a customer March 28 at his home in rural St. Stephen. Miller sells trees both locally and throughout the United States.
Buying or Selling Rural Property?
AcresOver75,000SoldinthePast5Years
In the past 5 years, Weiss Realty closed just over 1,200 transactions totaling over $475,000,000 in sales volume resulting in over 75,000 acres sold! No other brokerage in the bluff country can match our results! Properties sold included farms, hobby farms, rural home acreages, cabins, country estates, tillable ground and hunting land.
Chisago County - 55.46 Acres - $492,000 - Pending
Chisago County - 60 Acres - $540,000 - Sold
Clearwater County - 94.81 Acres w/Home - $349,000 - Sold
Crow Wing County - 32.17 Acres w/Home - $399,900 - Sold
Freeborn County - 164 Acres - $299,000 - Sold
Kanabec County - 20 Acres w/Home - $275,000 - Sold
Kanabec County - 82 Acres - $249,900 - Sold
Meeker County - 17 Acres - $110,000 - Sold
Meeker County - 120 Acres - $101,250 - Sold
Mille Lacs County - 10 Acre Buildsite - $99,500 - Sold
Mille Lacs County - 20.07 Acres - $159,900 - Sold
Mille Lacs County - 80 Acres - $130,000 - Sold
Mille Lacs County - 259.7 Acres - $529,000 - Sold
Morrison County - 56.14 Acres - $215,000 - Sold
Morrison County - 120 Acres - $432,000 - Sold
Morrison County - 129 Acres - $399,900 - Sold
Morrison County - 133 Acres - $518,700 - Sold
Nobles County - 200 Acres - $1,220,000 - Sold
Otter Tail County - 80 Acres w/Home - $299,900 - Sold
Pine County - 71 Acres w/Cabin - $189,000 - Active
Rice County - 41 Acres w/Home - $1,250,000 - Sold
Rice County - 201 Acres - $1,500,000 - Pending
Scott County - 20 Acres w/Home - $1,200,000 - Sold
Sherburne County
Keeping
BREEDING IN MIND
NGN Red Angus focuses on genetics
BY RAE LANZRATH STAFF WRITER
GLENWOOD — Cattle producers make numerous decisions while managing their herds. When breeding their cattle, they need to decide to cross-breed them or keep them purebred. Nathan and Megan Nelson of NGN Red Angus have chosen purebred Red Angus as the breed of their herd.
“We started out as show cattle, but, as time has gone on, we have focused more on functional cattle for commercial and seedstock producers,” Nathan said.
At NGN Red Angus, the Nelsons have spent 27 years hand-picking their breeding stock to create the herd they desire. In 2012, the family purchased their current farm in rural Glenwood. They started with 20 cow-calf pairs, and today, they have 65 cow-calf pairs. Their breeding stock also includes several herd bulls.
Different traits are preferred when cattle are being bred as show cattle versus
commercial cattle, Nathan said. Because they are breeding for high-production commercial cattle, they want their herd to be stocky, with shorter legs and the ability to gain weight quickly. Even though their focus is on commercial and seedstock producers, they still want to have cattle that are appealing to the eye and will work for any type of breeder, Megan
said. Show cattle are typically bred for more visible features such as foot and leg conformation, topline and body width.
Megan said Nathan spends countless hours researching Red Angus bulls to find the perfect fit for their herd. Nathan searches breed catalogues until he finds a bull that will carry on the traits he already has in his herd while also introducing desirable traits the herd may lack. He looks at traits such as birth weight, calving ease, growth efficiency, weaning weight and overall conformation.
“If we’re seeing our
herd is lacking a trait or we want more of what we already have, those are things we want to look at when picking a bull,” Nathan said. Most of the time, breed catalogs offer information on several genetic traits that may be transmitted from a bull to its offspring. Traits are reported in numerical values — expected progeny differences — that express how that characteristics are predicted to be passed on. A few common EPDs are yearling weights, scrotal circumference and rib eye area, along with other traits Nathan looks for when narrowing down his bull selection.
Nelson page 2B
Heifers stand March 8 at Tri-County Stockyards in Motley. Every year, NGN Red Angus hosts a bull and heifer sale.
PHOTOS BY RAE LANZRATH
Grace (front, from left), Rae, Jace; (back, from left) Megan and Nathan Nelson gather March 21 at their farm in rural Glenwood. The three children all help on the farm and participate in shows.
feeds cattle March 21 at NGN Red Angus in rural Glenwood. Temperament and docility are two traits the animals are bred to have.
(Below) A bull waits to be sold March 8 at Tri-County Stockyards in Motley. Certain calves from NGN Red Angus are kept as bulls, whereas some calves are castrated.
Immediately after calves are born, they are under a watchful eye.
The Nelsons watch how well the calves develop physically and their temper-
ament to determine if they will make adequate breeding stock. They keep a few heifers each year as replacements for older cows and sell the rest.
“The bull calves will get castrated if they don’t meet
certain criteria,” Nathan said. “Then, we’ll sell the rest as bulls at our sale.”
Each year, NGN Red Angus hosts a bull and heifer sale where they auction off their stock. This year, the sale took place March 8 at Tri-County Stockyards LLC in Motley.
While each decision made by Nathan and Megan directly impacts their farm and their herd, they also impact their three young children — Rae, Grace and Jace. Their children are the motivating factor behind the entire operation, Nathan said.
“It’s a lot of long days and a lot of work,” Nathan said. “But seeing them develop an interest in it as they get older and begin to understand what’s going on, that’s the feeling that can’t be beat.”
The family has become heavily involved in the Red Angus Association, showing their cattle in breed shows and participating in different boards and committees.
“It’s much more than just running a farm,” Megan said. “You have to get involved, meet new people and show your kids there’s more to it than just raising the cattle.”
(Right) Rae Nelson
FARMERS UNION
sawdust
sawdust Shop of
The Krooked Bowl makes custom wood products
BY BEN SONNEK STAFF WRITER
BRANDON — Dallas Bordson knows it has been a good day at The Krooked Bowl shop when a layer of sawdust coats everything. Having honed his woodworking craft for a decade, especially custom wooden bowls, he has leaped into making his passion a full-time business.
“It’s simple in itself, but, at the same time, it’s kind of a complex process,” Bordson said. “It takes time and a lot of mess.”
Bordson’s interest in woodworking goes back to when his grandfather, Sydney Bordson, bought a sawmill in the mid-1980s. The family has a wood lot north of Fergus Falls, and Sydney cut lumber for their cabin by the lake. The sawmill was then not used much until after Bordson’s father, Steven Bordson, retired from farming. They cut more lumber then and ended up buying a new sawmill, the one Bordson has in his shop today. Bordson eventually acquired a small lathe and started making wood items, such as small candlesticks and a tee for
Bordson page 8B
PHOTO BY B EN S ONNEK
Dallas Bordson claps sawdust off his hands March 10 in The Krooked Bowl wood shop near Brandon. Bordson, whose father and grandfather both worked with wood, made The Krooked Bowl his full-time job in January.
Wood shavings fly
Dallas Bordson turns a rough bowl on his lathe March 10 in The Krooked Bowl wood shop near Brandon. Bordson turns his lathe at 1,000 revolutions per minute.
Bordson
from page 7B
his golf clubs. Watching tutorials online got him interested in making wooden bowls, so he made those as well.
A decade later, Bordson has made The Krooked Bowl woodworking his full-time job as of January. With a larger lathe, more equipment and a shop he recently built on the shore of Golden Pond near Brandon, he makes bowls and a range of other handmade wooden items, such as small furniture, shoe racks, cutting boards and charcuterie trays.
Bordson came up with The Krooked Bowl name after making a couple of pieces out of solid, green wood.
“Once that dries, they don’t stay straight,” he said. “It’s not going to be perfect because it’s wood; it moves. Even house lumber moves.”
per year, by his estimation.
Bordson’s wife, Hannah, and their twin daughters, Iola and Berdie, have added their own touch to Bordson’s shop by sticking googly eyes onto the tools.
“They come out once in a while and watch,” Bordson said. “They come to my shows.”
The bowls from
Bordson page 11B
Several wooden bowls are set up in The Krooked Bowl wood shop March 10 near Brandon. Dallas Bordson can make about 300 bowls
Bordson
from page 8B
The Krooked Bowl range from 10 inches wide to 17.5 inches wide and 6 inches deep.
“Imagine that spinning on a lathe at 1,000 revolutions per minute,” Bordson said. “The price range depends on the type of wood and if I like it more. … If it turned out (just) OK, somebody might like it because of the character.”
By Bordson’s estimate, he can make about 300 bowls per year, and he sells anywhere between 40 and 70 of them per crafting event or art festival, depending on the day.
The main style of bowl Bordson makes involves gluing and clamping boards side-by-side before trimming them with a miter saw and spinning them on a lathe for carving, which Bordson does by hand. Once that is done, he sands the bowl, puts water on it to raise the wood grain and then sands again. After putting on a finish and buffing the bowl, he uses a brass brand to burn The Krooked Bowl logo onto the underside.
“I don’t use any stains,” Bordson said. “For finishes, I use walnut oil; it makes the wood come alive. Then, I get beeswax from my uncle and make a buffing paste out of it, and that’s a food-safe finish. … (My) favorite part of turning the bowl is the minute (I) get to put the finish on after it’s sanded. That’s a very relaxing feeling.”
Another style is the segmented bowl. Bordson cuts various types of wood into small pieces and arranges them in stacked, 12-segment rings on top of a circular piece, gluing everything together before their lathe cutting, sanding, finishing and branding. It takes several days to put them together, but the result is a uniquely patterned product.
For furniture, Bordson does not make the metal components. He orders those and attaches them as needed.
The woods used at the Krooked Bowl include ash, oak, walnut and more exotic varieties like the vibrant red padauk. Bordson cuts most of the domestic wood himself, and he keeps an eye out for lumber piles for sale online.
“My wife’s cousin has a tree service, so we do some trading,” he said. “Then, people know I have (the business); they bring me a log and say, ‘Here, cut it, do whatever you want.’”
To stay safe while turning a bowl on the lathe, Bordson wears a fullface respirator, hat, headphones and a glove on his chiseling hand.
“I have all 10 fingers so far,” he said. “With my other garage, I had a plate where, for some reason, something happened; it hit the wall and flew out the garage door.”
Bordson prefers to work with wood that is straight and solid for bowls. He knows of other woodworkers who turn burls — growth deformities in a tree — but those can be unpredictable to manage.
As another safety measure, when Bordson had his shop built, he made sure it was warmed with in-floor heat. Not only does that keep the concrete’s temperature stable and less prone to cracking, it also means Bordson does not need to worry about flames or heating elements catching the sawdust on fire and burning down the building.
While simply finishing a project is a reward in itself, Bordson enjoys it when customers buy a bowl and love it so much they come back for more.
“I like to have people come up to me and say, ‘You really do this?’ and I’m like, ‘Yes, I do,’” Bordson said. “It’s very satisfying.”
Dallas Bordson holds a couple of the bowls he made March 10 in The Krooked
PHOTOS BY BEN SONNEK
The Krooked Bowl logo is burned into the bottom of Dallas Bordson’s bowls March 10 at his wood shop near Brandon. Bordson finishes the bowl with walnut oil and a beeswax-based buffing paste.
