Country Acres - May 4, 2024

their

Acres, waters plants April 22 with her

The Beumer family grows more than 40 varieties of fruit and vegetables to offer in a Community Supported Agriculture program.

Community Supported Agriculture program gives Lisa Beumer a chance to teach her son about life, farming

BY SARA EISINGER STAFF WRITER

ROCKVILLE —

Cowgirl Acres is a Community Supported Agriculture business situated on approximately 7 acres of land near Rockville that allows Lisa Beumer time with her 2-year-old son, Cole, doing what is near and dear.

“I am a cowgirl by heart, true and true,” Beumer said. “From the time I was 3, I have been barrel racing. Life on the farm has been my ultimate joy. Cole is my mini-me.”

Beumer’s parents, Floyd and Vergie Beumer,

raised their children on the 30-acre family farm, and Beumer shares that life with her son.

“It means the world to involve him in the CSA,” Beumer said. “With society the way it is, I want to provide the best form of parenting I can by sharing my morals, values and what farming means to me.”

Cole picks up eggs and cherry tomatoes in the summertime, and he helps feed goats. Last year, he helped with raising pumpkins.

On a typical day, Cole can be found watering plants, sitting on the back of a horse or pulling a red wagon filled with sticks

and dried up sunflowers.

Mom is always nearby, teaching Cole about life on the farm. Together, they raise vegetables and fruits, and poultry, pigs and goats. They sell chicken, pork, goat meat, eggs and more. Beumer also sells gourd birdhouses, loofah gourds, jams, jellies and goat soap at the St. Cloud Area Farmers Market.

“Quality matters,” Beumer said. “While there are a lot of options out there, a thoughtful and important part of our farm is our animal welfare. … “We are actively advancing our animal care programs.”

Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, beans, leeks, carrots, artichokes, potatoes, herbs, melons and strawberries are among the 40 varieties of fruit and

vegetables grown without pesticides at Cowgirl Acres.

“I am 100% natural,” Beumer said.

“I am not certified organic, because I cannot buy hay organically. It is small town and small family love that goes into what we grow.”

People who join the CSA program receive weekly or bi-weekly deliveries. They purchase a 10- or 14-week subscription.

Beumer page 2

PHOTO BY SARA EISINGER

Lisa Beumer, of Cowgirl

son, Cole, on

7-acre farm near St. Cloud.

Published by

Star Publications

Copyright 2024

522 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN 56378

Phone: 320-352-6577

Fax: 320-352-5647

NEWS STAFF

Sarah Colburn, Editor

sarah.c@star-pub.com

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Deadlines: Country Acres will be published the first Saturdays of April, May, June, September, October and November, and the third Saturday of every month. Deadline for news and advertising is the Thursday a week before publication.

ISSN: Print 2834-6440 Online 2834-6459

cooking with

Lisa Beumer shares ideas for simple recipes using produce supplied in CSA shares

Easy refrigerator pickles

unpeeled, sliced cucumbers

• 1 teaspoon salt

Beumer from front

Customers receive a mix of fresh-picked goods.

“Whatever is ripe and delicious for the week goes into the bag washed, chilled and carefully packed,” Beumer said.

“Then, we deliver it to a neighborhood near you. We support the community with great, chemical-free food, and the community supports us and takes growing risks with us.”

Beumer page 3

• 1/2 cup chopped onions

• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed

• 1 cup sugar

Place ingredients in a bowl. Pour 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar over the mixture. Let stand for a half hour then mix together and place in refrigerator for several hours. Store in liquid inside a jar.

Loaded zucchini bake

• 1 medium zucchini

• 1 teaspoon garlic salt

• 1 cup shredded cheese

• 1/2 cup crumbled bacon

• 2 green onions, chopped

Slice zucchini into rounds and add to a baking dish. Top with cheese, bacon and onions. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. I estimate the ingredients to our liking.

R T

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

PHOTO BY SARA EISINGER

Cole Beumer works April 22 at Cowgirl Acresnear Rock ville. For the boy, working on the family farm means exploring and pulling a red wagon filled with sticks.

PHOTO BY SARA EISINGER

A goat rests in its pen April 22 at Cowgirl Acres near Rockville. Owner Lisa Beumer sells goat meat and uses the milk to make soap.

Full shares for the season are available July to mid-October. The full share includes 14 deliveries

of a one-half bushel bag or box, a farm newsletter and recipes. Half shares and mini shares are also available.

Beumer enjoys cooking and regularly shares recipes. She said sometimes people need ideas in the kitchen.

Beef taco-style stuffed peppers

• 5 bell peppers, halved lengthwise, ribs and seeds removed

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 pound ground beef

• 1 large egg

• ½ cup white or brown rice, cooked ahead of time

• 1/2 medium onion, chopped

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 1 serrano chili pepper, seeded to reduce heat if desired, and minced.

• Sharp cheddar or mozzarella cheese

• Corn Chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place bell peppers, cut sides up, in a single layer in a 9-by-13, or larger, baking dish. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef, serrano pepper and onion. Stir in garlic, chili powder and cumin. Season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in rice, eggs and 1/3 cup cheese. Fill peppers with beef mixture. Add 1/2 cup water to the baking dish and cover with foil. Bake until peppers are soft, 35-40 minutes. Top peppers with crushed chips and remaining 1/3 cup cheese. Broil until the cheese is bubbling and browned, 1-2 minutes. Serve garnished with cilantro.

PHOTO BY SARA EISINGER

Cowgirl Acres owner Lisa Beumer gives son Cole Beumer a kiss on the cheek April 22 as he pushes around plants in a toy shopping cart at Cowgirl Acres near Rockville. Beumer said Cole loves getting down and dirty on the farm.

**Offer ends 6/30/2024. 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 6/30/2024. Offers available on new equipment in US and Canada only. Some restrictions apply. Length of contract and rate may vary. Monthly payment subject to change. Prior purchases not eligible. See dealer for details. Financing provided on approval of credit by authorized Bobcat finance providers to well-qualified buyers. All finance programs and rates are subject to final approval by the applicable Bobcat finance provider and are subject to change at any time without notice. Administrative fees may apply. Offer not available to government accounts, national accounts and municipal/utility bid customers. Bobcat Company reserves the right to extend or discontinue any of these programs at any time without prior notice.

Family of Blue Saddle Farm is

bound by ho rse s horses

children

BY SARA EISINGER STAFF WRITER

BRANDON — Joslyn

Kent made one wish when blowing out seven candles on her birthday cake, leading parents Scott and Amy Kent, along with younger siblings Isaac and Izabella (Izzy), to their future home at Blue Saddle Farm near Brandon.

Years later, the ranch is home to horses, donkeys, chickens, pigs, goats, ducks, sheep, peafowl, dogs, cats

and one Highland steer. It is where children, ages 3 and up, can learn how to saddle and ride horses.

Blue Saddle Farm services as many as 80 clients per week. Its gates opened for business in spring 2022.

The Kent chil-

dren, now adults, manage the operation.

“We, unofficially, started by word of mouth in 2012,” said Izzy, youngest of the Kent clan. “Being out at the farm and seeing all of our animals is such an amazing experience. They bring so much joy. Our goal is to share our passion for horses with everyone we can.”

Isaac trains horses and trims hooves at the farm under the name Lucky K Equine.

“Right now, I have about 30 training horses to get through and 350 to 400 horses that I shoe,” he said.

As the Kent kids grew, they rode down veering paths, always returning home to where their family story began.

Joslyn dreamt of horses, and her aunt, Michelle Salwei, heard her niece’s birthday wish loud and clear.

“Back when Joslyn was 5, she wanted a pony ride at the county fair,” Amy said. “They walked them in circles for $5. I looked at it and thought, ‘I have a friend who has a pony.’”

They visited that friend regularly, as Town and Country Saddle Club in Fergus Falls was on the family’s way to grandma and grandpa’s house.

Kent page 8

PHOTO SU B MITTED

Isaac Kent prepares to rope a calf in 2021 in Spicer. Kent manages a training program at Blue Saddle Farms called Lucky K Equine.

Feed Co. Salutes Grace Herdering

Town: Melrose | Grade: 11

Parents: Steve and Pam Herdering

Melrose FFA Chapter

Tell us about your involvement in FFA. I’m a chapter officer, serving as the recorder. My Career Development Event is dairy evaluations, and this coming year, I’m the Region III reporter.

What has FFA taught you so far? FFA is a leadership organization, so it’s taught me a lot of leadership. It’s taught me how to manage my time really well. I’ve also learned public speaking skills. Last year, at the CHS Miracle of Birth Center at the Minnesota State Fair, I talked to people about the animals. We took care of the animals, and I was there five days. I milked in the morning, bedded cows in the evening and took care of the calves. During the day, I talked to fairgoers who came through the barn, and it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was. I did a news interview and realized public speaking is just talking to people. Agriculture is something I’m passionate about, so it’s pretty easy to talk about for me.

How do you intend to stay involved in agriculture after your FFA career? I’m hoping to get a four-year degree for most likely animal science, but I’m keeping my options open at this time. I’ll definitely be involved in something in agriculture.

What are you involved in outside of FFA? I’m a Stearns County dairy princess, and I’m also in basketball.

What is something you believe people need to know about agriculture? People in agriculture are open about what they do. We want people to know where their food comes from, how it is made and how it’s sustainable. Food is responsibly produced and is a local thing.

While Joslyn, the impetus for the farm, misses her horses, she plans to work toward a doctorate degree in marine biology in Texas, according to Amy.

Isaac is the barn manager and farrier at Blue Saddle Farm. He graduated from Oklahoma Horseshoeing School and has an American Farrier’s Association certificate in horseshoeing.

“I do colt starting,” Isaac said.

“These are horses that have never been ridden before. I don’t put students on them.”

Isaac said

the reality of horse training is nothing like the movies.

“You can either make or break a horse,” he said. “I do think there is a misconception. What I do is not how it is depicted in the media. It’s a lot more emotional work than just getting on and being a cowboy.”

Last summer, Isaac’s horses were hired by Skyfisher Studios, of Fergus Falls, to take part in a war drama. Isaac and his horses are in production now and filming begins the second week of June and runs through December. The movie should be done in August 2025.

“I met the director, and she asked me to audition,” he said. “They gave me a role. Now, my horses and I will be in a movie together. It came out of nowhere. It is a super fun gig that I get to be in with my horses.”

Joslyn Kent rides in a jumping figure-8 competition in 2022 at the Town and Country Saddle Club in Fergus Falls. Kent has come a long way from the 5-year-old who wanted a pony ride at the county fair.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

labyrinth A lilac

Nistler creates floral haven

BY TIFFANY KLAPHAKE STAFF WRITER

COLD SPRING — It is easy to mentally get lost in the oasis of light purple blossoms that surround visitors each spring as they enter Mike Nistler’s lilac labyrinth.

“I have it set up as a labyrinth where it keeps looping around,” Nistler said. “There are four different ways out, so it’s hard to actually get lost.”

This spring marks the third year that Nistler plans

to open the lilac labyrinth to the public on his hobby farm near Cold Spring. With the ever-changing weather, this year’s official opening date has been hard to determine but Nistler has been checking his blooms daily.

The limited-time attraction is 20 years in the making for Nistler, who bought the hobby farm in 1994.

“I had all this land just sitting here and wanted to make use of it,” Nistler said. “The people we bought the place from had a hayfield out here, but I don’t have any

equipment to make hay. I have always liked lilacs.”

In 2004, Nistler bought lilac bushes from the county for $1 a piece and had his children help him plant them, along with fruit trees. After five years, the fruit trees died off, and Nistler planted more lilacs to fill in the space.

The initial bushes have now grown to be 12 feet tall and when in full bloom he said they are a sight to behold.

According to Nistler, during the first year, 400-500 people walked through the labyrinth, and last year, he had over 1,000 people make the trip to his central Minne-

majority of the visitors were from the Twin Cities area, but some came from as far away as Iowa and Illinois.

Nistler page 12

PHOTO BY

Mike Nistler welcomes hundreds of people to his lilac labyrinth each year. The labyrinth includes 12foot tall bushes.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

A labyrinth of lilacs is in full bloom in May 2023 near Cold Spring. Mike Nistler planted 500 lilacs on his property to create a lilac

Nistler

from page 12

Mike Nistler waits for this year’s lilacs to come into full bloom. Nistler cares for the lilacs and the surrounding trails and land. (Below) Mike Nistler creates seating spaces throughout his lilac labyrinth. This seat is made from wood and old metal wheels. hospital for five months but is now back home.”

Shortly after Nistler donated the funds to a friend last year, his friend’s wife passed away. Through it all, Nistler said his friend has stayed in good spirits.

Nistler hopes to make the most of the short timespan he can showcase the lilac labyrinth. He kept a list from last year of anyone who wanted to be contacted this year when they start to bloom.

“This variety, I am lucky to get 10 days of full bloom,” Nistler said. “Looking back at some pictures, I can almost smell them. The smell is just amazing.”

PHOTOS BY SARAH COLBURN

Parkinson’s diagnosis founds

BY SARA EISINGER STAFF WRITER

BENSON — At the age of 46, the life Tadd Egenes once led changed abruptly when he received a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis.

“I lost my job due to restrictions to Parkinson’s disease,” Tadd said. “I used to have tremors really bad. I lost my sense of identity. How do we keep the house? How do we keep from going bankrupt?”

woodworking and fishing.

Propelled by the support of his wife, Susan, and their four daughters, he began designing custom lures and knives from the family’s Benson home. Soon thereafter, he founded Shaky Rigs.

“I call it Shaky Rigs because I shake so badly,” he said.

Tadd refused to succumb to symptoms of the disease. He knew he loved Egenes page 16

PHOTOS BY SARA EISINGE R

Tadd Egenes attaches a feather to a jig April 23 at his home in Benson. Egenes sells jigs in four sizes, and customers can select their preferred color, body and tail.

Egenes

Tadd makes and sells knives, rigs, marabou jigs, blades, baits and earrings. He sells his work nation-wide, mostly using Facebook and setting up tables at gun shows, sports shows and hunting banquets.

“If I sell a knife to someone, they will come to the next show to tell me how much they like it,” he said. “By the time I see them at the next show, they want to buy a knife for someone else. A lot of my customers are repeat customers, buying for family because they like what they already have.”

According to Mayo Clinic, Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disorder affecting the nervous system and the parts of the body controlled by nerves. Tremors are common, but the disease also may cause stiffness or slowing of movement.

nurse),” Susan said.

“This helps with his depression because he was very depressed when he lost his job. It keeps him sane. It is good for his mood too. He feels like he is worth something. It is especially important for our family to see him doing something.”

has improvised and changed things to avoid injury so it does not happen again. But, Tadd just laughs it off.

“I asked the doctor how many people have come in here twice in one day,” he said. “The doctor didn’t answer, so I assumed I was the only one.”

There are times when Susan helps Tadd make spinners if he is too shaky.

“We used to donate 10% of all sales to the American Parkinson Disease Association, but taking 10% off the top was too much,” Tadd said. “I am not making enough, but I got into my first bait shop this spring: Fletcher’s Bait in Sauk Centre. I am supplying rigs for his store. He asked for 274. It was a good day when I sold those.”

The work can be done on his own time, and if he needs a break, he can take one. Certain risks are involved in cutting and sanding wooden blade handles and working with hooks.

“He tapes all of the blades to protect his fingers,” Susan said.

“He can’t use the table saw unless I am home.”

After two emergency room trips in one day, the couple decided Tadd would take a break from the table saw. However, soon after, he was back at it.

“She beads the spinners for me,” he said. “I had deep brain stimulation surgery. They put electrodes in that run off batteries and cancel tremors.”

For the most part, Tadd is able to safely construct knives. Knife-making is a vital part of his business and accounts for the majority of sales.

Tadd then took a sip of coffee, accidentally spilling on the kitchen table. He apologized to his wife, but Susan was quick to reassure him.

“I work at the hospital as an LPN (licensed practical

“He’s cut a tendon, his fingers and was in a cast all within three months,” Susan said.

“I was working at the hospital every time that happened. I was like, ‘Oh, here he comes again.’”

Susan said Tadd

“I get wood from Ocooch Hardwoods in Wisconsin,” Tadd said. “They import the wood A lot of my wood is from South America and Africa. One is from Morocco.”

Tadd Egenes adheres a feather and chenille to a customized jig April 23 at his home in Benson. Egenes sells lures and jigs at Fletcher’s Bait in Sauk Centre.

PHOTO BY SARA EISINGE R

Tadd Egenes, of Shaky Rigs, holds a fillet knife he is working on April 23 at his home in Benson. Egenes makes a variety of knives, from hunting knives to kitchen knives and more.

Egenes

from page 16

“I get maples, birch and walnut from the U.S.,” Tadd said. “I use maple burl. Zebrawood is my most popular wood from Africa.”

From bubinga wood in Africa to lacewood of South America, teak wood from the tropics of southeast Asia and leopardwood from the inland areas of eastern Australia and more, Tadd enjoys giving customers a magnitude of soft and hardwood options.

“It usually takes about three to four hours to make a knife,” Tadd said. “All of my knives are made with 440C stainless steel. I start with 50grit sandpaper and end with 2,000-grit.”

Tadd makes gut hooks, hunting knives, boning knives, fillet knives, hatchets, neck knives, steak knives, kitchen knives and knives for “everyday carry.”

“All of my knives are fixed blade,” he said. “It makes for a stronger blade. Every knife comes with a case. Kitchen knives come with blade guards.”

their knife.

“A customer at my last show had an unusual spelling of her name,” he said. “I engraved her name on a knife, and she was so excited. She lit up like a kid.”

Tadd said grandparents make special purchases for their grandchildren and often request he laser the child’s name on the knife.

At shows, Tadd said people talk to him about how much they have enjoyed their purchases.

Tadd said his favorite part about selling knives is working with wood and seeing the look on a customer’s face when they see

“It is great when they tell me that out of the blue,” Tadd said. “People hear it is a quality product and like it.”

(Left) Tadd Egenes

Translating what Dad said

My dad farmed and cut wood in Ottertail County. He could identify the weeds and trees that most people farming in the county needed to identify. I learned a lot from him. However, one tree he called “bumgilead” puzzled me. It continues to offer an identification quandary.

When Dad referred to bumgilead, I concluded there were negative associations with the tree. I think it was because he considered it a soft wood and therefore not prime for firewood. I was too young to think of it as the hobo of heat, or the loafer of logs. But, “bum” meant poor quality or defective, like a bum leg. The Gilead part of it was mysterious but just one of those things I accepted without question since I had no idea what that was.

Nancy Packard Leasman

Asafetida was another of Dad’s mysterious words. I think he had a lump of it, and I thought it was something like pine pitch. He’d recommend a nibble of it, and the twinkle in his eye and the accompanying laugh was enough to warn me off without the need for tasting it.

I didn’t know what asafetida was any more than I knew what bumgilead was.

South Dakota State University has a satisfying description of asafetida and explains, maybe, how

my dad came to have some in the 1950s.

“Asafetida, asafoetida or asphidity bags were a common sight, or rather a common smell during the late 19th and early 20th century. These little bags were purchased at local pharmacies and stuffed with various pungent herbs to ward off diseases and evil spirits.

“The herb-filled bundles were also used to treat asthma, colds, bronchitis, anxiety, polio, measles and hysteria. In 1918, asafoetida was approved by the U.S. Pharmacopeia to ward off the Spanish flu.

“Asafetida is a soft brown, lumpy gum resin from the genus Ferula in the parsley family. It had a strong garlic or rotten egg odor. Combined with onions, garlic, fennel and other herbs made asafetida bags a really stinky accessory. My suspicion is that the smell coming from the bags helped people social distance, thus lowering germ transmission.”

So, that explains that, but what was bumgilead?

I have a good assortment of wildlife, herbal and gardening books. When I went searching for bumgilead, I didn’t come up with anything. It wasn’t long before I realized it wasn’t bumgilead at all, but rather Balm of Gilead.

I found a Bible reference to Balm of Gilead: “Is there no Balm of Gilead?” Jeremiah 8:22.

Gilead is the whole country east of the Jordan. The passage refers to a lack of balm rather than identifying what the Balm of Gilead is, at least in the sense of it being a tree.

“The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils” offers Canadian balsam as Balm of Gilead fir, which is a conifer. But, Dad didn’t have any conifers on the farm, either native or planted, so I knew that wasn’t what he had. An online search suggested Balm of Gilead was synonymous with balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera). My North American wildlife book describes balsam poplar as characterized by sticky, resinous buds that smell like balsam fir. A circle of confusion.

To further confuse things, an online search revealed a source for a salve of Balm of Gilead (That might be redundant, being a salve of a balm.) made from cottonwood buds. Though cottonwoods are in the Populus family along with aspens and poplars, they’re not the same.

My holistic herbal book listed Balm of Gilead as Populus gileadensis, which may be a hybrid between balsam poplar and eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides).

I found a YouTube video which talked about the use of large, sticky balsam poplar buds in medicinal preparations used by Indigenous tribes. That sparked a memory of a salve-making class I took a few years ago. We picked buds off trees, simmered them in fat and thickened the concoction with beeswax to make a balm. No one called it Balm of Gilead, but I’m thinking that’s what it was.

I just don’t remember if or how those trees were different from the poplar trees growing here. I wish I could ask my dad. I would have to call them “popple” trees, though. We didn’t have poplar trees.

Country Cooking

From the kitchen of Gail Schneider | St. Cloud, Stearns

Want your favorite recipes to be featured in Country Acres? Contact Sarah at sarah.c@star-pub.com

Smothered pork chopsEasy Toscana

• 4 pork chops

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 tablespoon oil

• 10.5 ounces cream of mushroom soup

• 10.5 ounces cream of chicken soup

• 3/4 cup beef broth

• Sliced mushrooms, to taste

• Sliced onion, to taste

Preheat oil over medium-high heat. Season pork chops with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Brown chops about 3 minutes on each side. Remove pork from pan. Add soups and broth to pan and whisk to release any brown bits in the bottom. Place mushrooms and onions in the bottom of a slow cooker. Top with chops and pour soup mixture over the top. Cook on low 7-8 hours or until pork is tender. Serve with rice, potatoes or noodles.

Philly cheese steak pizza

• Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 1 tablespoon flour

• 1/2 cup cold milk

• 1-3 cloves garlic, pressed

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• Pinch of pepper

• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Pizza:

• 12-inch pizza crust

• 6 ounces cooked steak or beef roast (leftover steak is best)

• 1/2 green bell pepper, sliced

• 3-5 mushrooms, sliced

• 1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced

• 3 teaspoons oil, optional

• 1 1/4 cup shredded white cheese, such as mozzarella or provolone

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour, and let cook 1 minute or until it smells like baked pie dough. Slowly stream in the cold milk while you whisk. Add garlic and allow sauce to come to a gentle simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Remove sauce from stove; whisk in Parmesan cheese. Cool 5-10 minutes. Veggies can be used raw, or heat oil in skillet and cook onions, peppers and mushrooms for a couple of minutes. Top dough with sauce, cooked steak, veggies and shredded cheese. Bake 12-15 minutes or until crust is lightly browned and cheese is bubbling and golden.

15-minute pork fried rice

• 1 small yellow onion

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

• 2 large eggs

• 8 ounces ground pork

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

• 2 cups cold white or brown rice

(leftover rice works great)

• 1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots

• 2 teaspoons soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil or olive oil

• 1 tablespoon yum yum sauce, or other sauce with spice, optional

• 1 pound spicy Italian ground sausage

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 1/2 white onion, diced

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

• 6 cups chicken broth

• 2 cups water

• 4-5 yellow potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces

soup

• 3 teaspoons salt, or to taste

• 1 teaspoon pepper

• 2 cups heavy cream

• 4 cups chopped kale

• Bacon, chopped, optional

• Grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Brown sausage in a pot, then transfer to a plate and set aside. Use slotted spoon to drain, and avoid transferring grease with the sausage. In the same pot, add butter and sauté onions over medium heat until translucent. Add garlic and sauté for another minute until fragrant. Add chicken broth, water, potatoes, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Boil until potatoes are tender. Stir in kale and heavy cream. Add sausage. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and/or bacon, if desired.

Zucchini chocolate chip muffins

• 1 1/2 cups allpurpose flour

• 3/4 cup white sugar

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

• 1/4 cup milk

• 1 egg, lightly beaten

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup shredded zucchini

• 1/2 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line muffin pan. Whisk egg; then whisk in oil, milk, lemon juice and vanilla. Sift flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt into wet ingredients. Stir in until moistened. Fold in zucchini, chocolate chips and walnuts. Spoon into muffin cups. Bake until tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20-25 minutes. Cool in tins 10 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large nonstick pan. Add two eggs and gently scramble; transfer to a bowl or plate and set aside. Add onion, ground pork, salt and pepper to pan. Cook, breaking up into small pieces until pork is cooked through and onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and heat for a few seconds. Add the cold, cooked rice, frozen peas and carrots, and soy sauce; stir-fry until rice is heated through, 2-3 minutes. Return eggs to the pan. Remove from heat and stir in sesame or olive oil. Drizzle with yum yum or other sauce, if desired. If you want a milder flavor without spice, Thousand Island dressing will work too.

Old parts new life

Edelman family restores vintage tractors

said. “My goal is to get one of every two-cylinder that John Deere made.”

Deere.”

BY TIFFANY KLAPHAKE STAFF WRITER

PIERZ — Jeremy

just always had that interest in tractors,” Jeremy said.

Edelman has always had an appreciation for tractors, not the modern green giants that fill the sheds on most farms but the simple two-cylinder models.

“As a kid, I grew up around tractors and have

When Edelman was in college, he, along with his dad and brother, bought an Farmall H , produced by International Harvester, and restored it to be operational again.

Edelman has restored a dozen tractors, including a John Deere Model D, John Deere 60 and John Deere Model A. His current project is a John Deere 50. Half of the tractors were not running when Jeremy purchased them.

Edelman said while the two-cylinder tractors are not as fast and user friendly as the modern ones, he still has his eyes set on two-cylinder models.

and their five children.

Edelman was hooked and has been restoring tractors ever since.

“That was the only red tractor I have restored,” he

“I bought the 60 last year, and I really like that one,” he said. “My favorite tractor right now is a 3020. One tractor I would really like to get is a 4020 John

“I am old-fashioned, and I like my As and my Bs and the two-cylinders,” he said. “I’m pretty proud of that 60 and my two-cylinders even though the newer stuff is nicer to use.”

Restoring tractors and finding parts to fix them has become a family affair for Jeremy, his wife, Amber,

“We’ve done many road trips to go get parts or a tractor as a family,” Amber said. “We took our wedding pictures with the first tractor we bought together, and now, family pictures are taken with tractors.”

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PHOTO BY TIFFANY KLAPHAKE

Jeremy Edelman sits on a John Deere 60 March 5 at his farm near Pierz. The tractor was not in working order when Edelman purchased it, and now, he uses the tractor on his farm.

Jeremy’s passion for tractors and tractor restoration has been passed onto the Edelmans’ children.

“Our oldest bought a tractor that is all in parts and wants to put it back together all by himself,” Amber said. “They all love tractors.”

The now 16-year-old is working on finding, purchasing and restoring the tractor.

with a wide front to cut hay.

“I put a lot of time and effort to get them running, so I don’t want to see them just sitting there,” Jeremy said. “I might as well use them. These are work tractors. They

not just pavement princesses.”

The one exception to that rule is the John Deere Model D. Because the tractor has steel wheels, it is only used to bring to shows and is occasionally driven around the yard for fun.

The Edelmans bring the tractors to the Greater Minnesota Two-Cylinder Club show in May and a sum-

When traveling for parts, the family tries to stay close to home since they also have a herd of 16

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PHOTO BY TIFFANY KLAPHAKE

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mer celebration in Freedom. They have also driven tractors through parades.

The Edelman family is involved in the Greater Minnesota Two-Cylinder Club. Jeremy has been a member for 11 years and is serving as the chapter president, and Amber is serving as the secretary. Last year, Jeremy and Amber were in charge of putting on the club’s tractor show in May, and all the Edelman children helped with the various events throughout the show, including the parade, silent auction and tractor pull.

“I want to do what I can to help the club and be a good role model for the club members,” Jeremy said. “The kids enjoying helping out too.”

One of the reasons Jeremy likes working on tractors is that he can carry out the work alongside his children.

“It’s something I can do with the kids, and I am helping out a couple of other members of the club to restore tractors; that is fun

The Edelman family — Lane (front, from left), Amber, Rhett and Jeremy; (back, from left) Aerianna, Donovan and Kaidyn — gather in front of a John Deere 4630 in 2022 at their farm near Pierz. The family often goes on road trips to find tractors and parts.

too,” Jeremy said. “I like driving them, but working on them is what drives me — getting them from not running to running condition.

I am pretty proud when I am using a tractor that wasn’t running when I got it.”

Restoring tractors is more than a hobby for Jeremy. It is a part of who he is.

“I just love tractors,” Jeremy said. “When a person loves something, they make time for it. I don’t want to part with them. I plan to keep them and give them to my kids.”

PHOTO BY TIFFANY KLAPHAKE

A John Deere 50 rests in the shed March 5 at Jeremy Edelman’s farm near Pierz. This tractor is next on Edelman’s list to restore.