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Carlson from front
whereas the Marquette and Petite Pearl grapes are used to make red wine. Carlson imports some grapes to widen the variety that goes into his wine, but a majority are grown on his farm. The imported grapes come from Washington, where the grapes have lower tartaric acid levels. The grapes grown in Minnesota tend to have higher tartaric acid, which results in a green apple flavor. Carlson mixes the Washington and Minnesota grapes to lower the tartaric acid level.
The grapes are handpicked and brought to the production area for further
processing. The grapes go through a de-stemming process before they are put in a press to remove the juice. The juice is then clarified and fermented in barrels or stainless-steel containers.
All red wine is fermented in barrels. White wines are fermented in either barrels or stainless-steel containers. White wine will ferment for 3-4 months before it is ready to get bottled. Red wine ferments for 10-12 months.
The process of making wine includes many factors that can change the quality of the product, including the type of grape, how long it is
fermented, the barrel used and how much alcohol is present.
“There are a lot of things a winemaker has to think about,” Carlson said. From flavor to color, Carlson focuses on every small detail throughout the process.
Once the wine is ready, it is bottled and brought to the winery. Jomas Hill Vineyard and Winery sells their wine in the winery as well as at a few local businesses. It is not available in liquor stores.
The winery overlooks five acres of vineyard and farmland for miles. Within Carlson page 3
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Publications bli ti “The newspaper of today is the history of tomorrow.”
A sign identifies Petite Pearl grapes Aug. 27 at Jomas Hill Winery and Vineyard near Darwin. Petite Pearl grapes are used to make red wine.
Marquette grapes hang Aug. 27 at Jomas Hill Winery and Vineyard near Darwin. Marquette grapes are used to make red wine.
Wine bottles wait to be opened Aug. 27 at Jomas Hill Winery and Vineyard near Darwin. The winery serves woodfired pizzas along with their wine.
There are three kinds of grapes growing at the vineyard: Itasca, Marquette and Petite Pearl.
way to support those around them. The winery serves the wine Carlson has made as well as beer, ciders and non-alcoholic beverages, cheese trays, ice cream, cheese curds, pizza and chocolate.
“The most rewarding thing is seeing people come here and have a good time,” Joyce Carlson, Tom’s wife, said.
Carlson from page 2
the doors of the winery, guests are welcomed by the smell of handmade pizzas baking on a wood-fired oven. The oven is from Italy and bakes pizzas at around 700 degrees. The pizzas are topped with local produce, meat and cheese.
Carlson wanted to create a place that supported the community in which he lives. By purchasing products from local farms, the winery can support farmers and small businesses. The winery holds community events and fundraisers — another
The winery supports their community, and their community supports them. There are a lot of customers who come to the winery frequently, Tom said. Even though it is rural, the winery has hosted visitors from several different states and countries, including Italy, Australia, Croatia and Sweden.
“My favorite part is seeing the wide range of people who have come here,” Tom said. “One way or another, they found their way here.”
The winery is open 12 months a year. The grapes require constant upkeep and wine is being made frequently, leaving Tom and Joyce plenty of work.
“People in the community have a place to gather and somewhere they feel comfortable,” Joyce said. “It makes the hard work worth it.”
Grapes are maturing at different speeds Aug. 27 at Jomas Hill Winery and Vineyard. Grapes are all hand-picked at Jomas Hill Winery and Vineyard.
Itasca grapes rest on their vines Aug. 27 at Jomas Hill Winery and Vineyard near Darwin. Itasca grapes are typically used in white wines.
PHOTO S BY
RAE LANZRATH Tom Carlson shows off his grapes Aug. 27 at Jomas Hill Winery and Vineyard near Darwin.
fIeLdS of fall family
Pangerls welcome everyone to Boulder Crest Farm
BY BEN SONNEK STAFF WRITER
ST. STEPHEN — On the south side of St. Stephen, the Pangerl family — Mitch, Marie and their daughters, Victoria and Elinor — are putting out pumpkins and produce for people to peruse. Although the farm is only in its second year of offering Halloween gourds, it has already drawn the attention of customers in the area, particularly families looking for some fall fun.
“I grew up on a dairy farm, so to plant and grow something is in my blood, and I’ve never been able to get rid of it,” Mitch said. “The pumpkin patch really gives me that one little finger in agriculture. … A pumpkin patch is more of a specialized business, but I enjoy each step of it.”
The Pangerls used to raise sheep on a farm near Pine City until they moved to St. Stephen in 2016. The next year, they found and bought the farm property where Boulder
fUn
Crest Farm is today. Mitch, a builder by trade, constructed the house, shed and greenhouse.
“I always want-ed to put a greenhouse together,” Mitch said. “Minnesota winters are too long.”
The farm started by growing vegetables and added pumpkins in 2023. At the same time, their neighbor, Richard Hanson, retired from running his pumpkin-growing business, Grandpa’s Pumpkin Patch, so the Pangerls bought his equipment for their opera-
tion.
Now, the farm mostly grows pumpkins, gourds, squash, watermelon, varieties of colored corn, zucchini, watermelon, turmeric, ginger and garlic. About half of all produce is sold at the farm stand.
and Turkish Turban.
This year, Boulder Crest Farm has expanded its pumpkin patch and is offering something very different from the grocery store, Mitch said.
Though they carry the traditional grocery-store fare — different-sized carving pumpkins — the Pangerls also offer 20 different, unique varieties, including Cinderella
In 2023, they planted two acres of pumpkins by hand over a couple of days, but this go-round, they were able to use a planter to plant eight acres in about four hours.
“Last year being our first year, we didn’t really know what to expect, so we did two acres of pumpkins,” Marie said.
Pangerls page 6
PHOTOS BY BEN SONNEK
The Pangerl family — Elinor (from left), Mitch, Marie and Victoria — and one of their dogs, Cece, enjoy the nice weather on their back patio Aug. 23 at Boulder Crest Farm in St. Stephen.
The Pangerls moved to St. Stephen in 2016, buying the farm the following year.
Pumpkins ripen Aug. 23 at Boulder Crest Farm in St. Stephen. Local families help the Pangerl family pick their pumpkins.
JEFFERSON Hearing Aid Center
One Stop Planter Shop
Pangerls from
page 5
“This year, we knew we had to put in eight acres and expand what people were asking for.”
Deer are almost always in the gardens, but they leave the pumpkins alone until they become overripe and soft.
“We don’t really have a lot of damage from wildlife,” Mitch said. “We’re constantly having turkey out there and lots of deer, and there’s been a pair of sandhill cranes that have been out there all year. … We see quite a bit of wildlife.”
Harvest time has arrived, which is a busy season for the farm, but the family is proud to offer a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere for their customers.
“We don’t have extravagant bouncy houses; it’s a laid-back feel for our families and kids,” Marie said. “They can just pull in, grab their wagons, have a nice walk out into the patch, pick the pumpkins they want to pick, take the photos they want to take and frolic on the grounds. They climb the straw bales, jump and skip, and run
through the fields to find what they want to pick.”
There are a lot of pumpkins to pick, so the Pangerls are glad to have the assistance of local families who come to the farm to help.
Pangerls page 9
Mitch Pangerl shows a turmeric tuber raised in the greenhouse Aug. 23 at Boulder Crest Farm in St. Stephen. A builder by trade, Mitch constructed the farm’s house, shed and greenhouse.
PHOTO
Mitch (left) and Marie Pangerl walk through the Boulder Crest Farm fields Aug. 23 in St. Stephen. Their daughters, Victoria and Elinor Pangerl, manage the farm’s social media and make pumpkin flowerpots and baked goods to sell.
The Pangerl family — Victoria (from left), Mitch, Marie and Elinor — try out their photo props Aug. 23 at Boulder Crest Farm in St. Stephen. The Pangerls moved to St. Stephen in 2016, buying the farm the following year.
A midnight rendezvous
Nothing wakes a person up faster in the middle of the night than hearing, “The cows are out.”
One night last week, just after midnight, our 5-month-old daughter woke us up wanting to be fed. Jason and I could tell right away that something was amiss outside since the cows and calves were bellowing like crazy. I got up and fed the baby while still half asleep, and Jason grabbed a flashlight and went outside to see what was going on, while also still half asleep.
After several minutes, Jason came back in and reported exactly what we feared to be true. A pen of 25 heifers got out and was all over the yard. Jason got our side-by-side out of the shed while I finished feeding our baby. Then, I slipped on a pair of shoes and joined Jason on the side-by-side. And so began our rendezvous.
We quickly found one group of heifers near the barn, which caused the cows and baby calves to alert us in the first place. We have a series of gates that connect all the heifer pens and the barn. The animals that were out belonged in the pen at the bottom end of the series of pens and were currently at the top next to the barn. Thankfully, it was easy enough to open the gate to let them in, and then one by one, open the other gates to get them back in their appropriate pen.
both getting that sinking feeling that the remaining six heifers were not in our yard. We drove to almost the bottom of the driveway and then got out to check for tracks. Sure enough, numerous hoof prints were going down the driveway. We had more questions than answers — our road is tar, so we were not able to tell which way the heifers went. Our tracking system was not going to help us anymore. We drove up to the house and switched from driving our side-by-side to Jason’s truck since it had much brighter headlights.
By Tiffany Klaphake
However, that was only eight heifers; now we had to find the remaining 17. We drove around for a few minutes and found one heifer in the dry cow pasture. Again, we were able to open the series of gates and without too much difficulty get her back in the correct pen.
We set out again, this time searching the south side of the corral. We soon found a group of 10 heifers in a meadow just south of the gate that the heifers had somehow managed to open themselves. Using the headlights from the side-by-side we rounded up the heifers and chased them back into the pen with the open gate. We made sure to close the gate and made sure there were not any other gates open in that pen.
Then the real search began. We drove around the yard in the pitch-black darkness, checking in any building that had an open door. Jason and I were
We had a 50/50 shot. Did the cattle go to the north or to the south? We decided to try to the south, as there is an alfalfa field just on the other side of the meadow where we found the second batch of heifers. No luck. So, we turned around and went the other way, north of our driveway. We drove half a mile and could see some heifers running around in our neighbor’s yard. This neighbor is also a farmer. He used to dairy farm, but now he raises steers and crops. We decided to call him and let him know we were going to be running around his yard trying to get our heifers back. Mind you, it is now just shy of 1 a.m. It took a minute for him to realize what we were trying to say, as it was the middle of the night, but then he said he would come out and help us. Jason and the neighbor jumped on a couple of four-wheelers and I used the truck to block off the road. After a few minutes, we got them out of the yard and onto the road and were able to walk them back up into our yard. With the momentum of them trotting down the road and up our driveway, we had to open the gate by the barn to chase them in since the gate to their pen has an open meadow next to it. Once inside the pen, we once again just had to open the series of gates to get them back into their correct pen. Whew. Mission accomplished.
We thanked the neighbor for his help, laughed about the ordeal for a couple of minutes and then said good night. When Jason and I got back in the house, we said a prayer, thankful that all the animals were back home safe and sound and for having helpful neighbors.
Pangerls
from page 6
Victoria and Elinor bring their own creative talents to the farm. Victoria began making pumpkin pots last year. She cuts open the top of the gourd, hollows it out and adds fall-colored flowers. Elinor likes to bake, and with the family’s cottage food license, she makes and sells quick breads, like pumpkin and banana, as well as pumpkin-shaped sugar cookies. The daughters also manage Boulder Crest Farm’s social media, creating videos so customers know useful facts, like when the farm is open and where to park.
“It brings joy to see the kids put together different products to be able to sell out there,” Marie said. “There’s a level of excitement they get, too, when they’re creating their product and putting it out, hoping it sells, and then talking to people about their products.”
Through social media, Victoria and
The Pangerls’ dog, Lizzie, checks out growing pumpkins with Victoria (left) and Elinor Pangerl Aug. 23 at Boulder Crest Farm in St. Stephen. The farm also grows gourds, squash, watermelon, varieties of colored corn, zucchini, watermelon, turmeric, ginger and garlic.
Elinor also find ideas for farm decorations and photo props for customers to use.
“In my shop, I have a CNC (computer numerical control) mill that cuts out parts,” Mitch said. “These guys have found different things to cut out, and then we’ll sit down and use the program to design stuff and mimic what we’ve found. We cut it out, and then the girls paint everything.”
Marie considers the props a big part of the farm’s popularity.
“Everyone’s trying to get their fall photos taken for Christmas pictures,” Marie said. “Right now, we have two super-cute backdrops, and everybody likes setting that as their Facebook profile page or cover page. … One of the things we’ve talked about is milling out a Snoopy doghouse.”
Boulder Crest Farm stays involved with the Sartell-St. Stephen School District, where Marie is the district assessment coordinator and Victoria helps teach swim lessons.
“We’ve donated little pumpkins to classrooms for painting projects,” Marie said. “We had several different daycare centers from the area come out last year with busloads of kids for field trips. The kids get really excited for learning about the life cycle of a pumpkin. There are a lot of teaching moments out here.”
The farm is also working with the school district’s farm-to-table
program to provide produce for student lunches, depending on how well their crop performs this year.
“We’re (forever) evolving what we’re going to do,” Mitch said. “We’ll keep growing. I think what we’ll mainly do is try things on a small scale and then see if it sells.”
For the time being, the Pangerl family’s favorite part of Boulder Crest Farm is seeing how it brings families together, along with enjoying the fall air, the pumpkins and the relaxed atmosphere.
“(We’re) out here on the back patio,” Marie said. “All of a sudden, we hear laughter and giggling … and it’s these little kids, running over the hill. Their families are talking and spending time together. That’s what these moments are all about: creating memories for kids.”
PHOTOS BY BEN SONNEK
One of the Pangerls’ dogs, Cece, perches on a pumpkin Aug. 23 at Boulder Crest Farm in St. Stephen. Boulder Crest Farm started raising pumpkins in 2023.
FARMERS KEEPING safe
Gahler’s Grain Gyre has
BY RAE LANZRATH STAFF WRITER
PIERZ —Technology to improve farm safety has advanced significantly over the years.
Mason Gahler was in seventh grade at Pierz Healy High School when he saw a video that would stick with him for the rest of his life. The story focused on someone who got trapped inside a grain bin, something most farmers know all too well.
According to Purdue University’s Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department, in 2022 there were 83 reported cases of grain bin entrapment, with 24 of those proving fatal.
“It (the video) bothered me because I kept thinking, ‘There has to be a way to stop that from happening,’” Gahler said.
After many sleepless nights and countless hours of racking his brain,
Gahler created the Grain Gyre.
“I spent a lot of time just thinking about how to make it work and what I needed,” Gahler said.
The basic concept behind his creation is preventing a situation in which someone would need to enter a grain bin in the first place. Farmers often have to go inside grain bins to remove build up grain.
The Grain Gyre is a machine with two tubes that run along the side walls of the bin. The tubes each have an auger that pulls grain from the bottom of the grain bin along the walls. It pumps the grain back to the top, where it is shot out of the tube and into the center of the bin.
Gahler page 12
National Farm Safety and Health Week September 15 - 21, 2024
During National Farm Safety and Health Week, we recognize the incredible contributions of everyone working on farms, and we recommit to improving their safety and well-being.
PHOTOS SUBMITTED
A grain bin is filled with grain this summer at the Gahler home near Pierz. Mason Gahler invented the Grain Gyre while he was a student at the Pierz Healy High School.
Mason Gahler leans on his original model of the Grain Gyre Aug. 2023 at the Gahler home near Pierz. Gahler got the idea for the Grain Gyre after watching a video in class.
PHOTOS SU B MITTED
Grain is pumped to the top of a grain bin this summer using the Grain Gyre at the Gahler home near Pierz. Mason Gahler has a patent for the Grain Gyre and hopes to sell it to a farm machinery company in the future.
Gahler from page
11
The first model of the Grain Gyre was built in a 55-gallon drum. Gahler has worked up from there and now has a model that works in a grain bin that is 14 feet in diameter and 12 feet tall. Gahler is in the process of making the device usable for different-sized bins. Two common issues cause grain bin entrapments: the side walls become packed with grain and air pockets are created within the grain. The Grain Gyre essentially eliminates those problems from happening, leaving farmers safely outside the bin.
Most often, when grain bins are emptied, the center of the bin empties faster than the sides because the auger is located on the floor in the middle of the bin. The side walls can become packed, creating walls of grain.
High-moisture grain tends to pack along the side walls more easily than lower-moisture grain because it is denser. The Grain Grye helps keep moisture levels down because the grain is dispersed in the air as it is pumped out of the machine, which naturally has a drying effect. When grain gets stuck to the walls of the bin, farmers step inside to shovel the build-up — a dangerous task. Shoveling walls of grain can create an avalanche effect, trapping whoever is inside. Grain can become like quicksand when it is moving, pulling someone under and making it extremely difficult to get out. According to the University of Minnesota Extension, it takes four seconds for an adult to sink to their knees and 20 seconds to be completely buried. To free an adult buried up to their waist in grain requires their body weight plus another 600 pounds of leverage. In most cases, by the time help arrives, it is too late.
Gahler page 13
Banners representing Mason Gahler’s company and product are displayed this summer at the Gahler house near Pierz. Gahler Innovations LLC is the company name run by Mason Gahler.
Asphyxiation is the leading cause of death in grain bin entrapment incidents, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
“If farmers don’t have to go inside to get the grain down to the center, there isn’t a risk of them getting trapped,” Gahler said.
The top layer of the grain can also become crusted when it is exposed to air, creating air pockets underneath when the grain is drawn. When farmers get inside the bin to shovel the sides down, those air pockets can collapse, again resulting in the farmer getting stuck inside.
The Grain Grye rotates the grain enough that the top layer does not become crusted, lessening the risk of air pockets.
An empty grain bin equipped with the Grain Gyre
Not only are grain bin accidents dangerous for the person involved, but also for whoever goes into the bin to rescue them. Gahler’s goal for the Grain Gyre is to prevent anyone from having to enter a grain bin when it is storing grain. Gahler has a patent for the Grain Gyre and hopes to sell it to a farm equipment company in the future, which would make it available for use all over the United
States. Gahler is currently studying at Central Lakes College in Staples to become a diesel mechanic. Safety equipment, like the Grain Gyre, keeps farmers safe and able to keep working.
BOOT CAMP BOOT CAMP FOR CANINES
BY SARA EISINGER STAFF WRITER
OSAKIS — Fourteen years ago, a 14-month-old German Shepherd puppy named Jemma was locked away in a cage until one brave human came to her rescue, U.S. Army veteran Cassie Mead.
Mead and her canine six-pack of five German Shepherds and one Labrador Retriever work, play and lounge at Copper Pines Boarding & Training Center. The 7-acre facility in Osakis is where some dogs sleep over and others attend school.
“There were not many other places in the area,” Mead said. “I wanted people to feel comfortable leaving their dogs, and I wanted their dogs to feel at home while boarding.”
Mead and her husband, Army National Guard veteran TJ Mead, built Copper Pines with dogs of all ages and breeds in mind. Its boarding room contains 10 kennels and holds up to 18 dogs.
“In 2021, we built a 20- by 60-foot kennel room,” she said. “We have two outdoor runs to let them out in small
groups, go potty and things like that. Then, we built an additional 32- by 60-foot space for training.”
While the boarding side of the business is booked solid months in advance, Mead’s Off Leash K9 Training program regularly welcomes new furry faces.
Canine parents may choose from several private and group training packages.
Neglected and unsocialized, young Jemma came with her fair share of hurdles to jump. Navigating those obstacles with Jemma led Mead toward a future in the diverse world of canine training.
Mead page 16
At 25-35% kernel moisture, we can achieve 100% kernel fracturing. We can grind at a rate of about 2,700 bushels per hour, and we will work around the clock to get the job done! We can also utilize a Dohrect Enject Applicator, which is designed to apply water soluble inoculants in a concentrated form.
PHOTO BY SARA EISINGER Copper Pines Boarding & Training Center owner Cassie Mead sits with her dog Quill and laughs in the training room July 30 in Osakis. The training room is where all the puppy group classes are held.
stay for treats July 30 in the training room in Osakis. Quill and Jemma are two of six dogs that Mead
Ditching • Tiling Excavating Ag Waste Systems Drainage LLC.
Mead
from page 15
“I was living in Florida, and the guy I was dating had a Belgian Malinois,” Mead said. “They are working, high-energy, high-drive dogs. The trainer we were sending that dog to said she knew someone with a puppy who needed a home. I was like, ‘OK.’”
When Mead met Jemma for the first time, it was love at first sight.
“I saw her face, and how could you not (love her)?” Mead said.
Jemma did not reciprocate those feelings.
“She was just so scared,” Mead said. “She would go out in the yard for two or three days before I could catch her and bring her back inside. It just wasn’t getting better.”
Mead and Jemma moved to Charlottesville, Virginia.
“I went to all these local trainers trying to figure out how to help her, but they couldn’t,” Mead said. “I paid a ridiculous amount of money.”
Finally, Mead was done with the failed training attempts.
“I sent her to Off Leash K-9 Training two hours away,” Mead said. “Within 15 minutes, she was coming when they called her. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I need this.’”
rescue. I was just like, ‘I need to do this.’”
Mead opened an Off Leash K-9 Training facility in Charlottesville in 2012.
“When I saw how successful it would be, I sold out to my partner and moved back here in 2014, where I am from,” Mead said.
She married her husband, TJ, Aug. 4, 2018. He shares his wife’s love for dogs.
“We are in the land improvement business. We do farm drainage, ag waste systems, site work for farm buildings and silage pads, plus miscellaneous work. We also do county, township, and watershed work, as well as soil conservation work.”
- MBC Drainage, Sauk Centre
Since Jemma was a true Off Leash K-9 Training success story, Mead yearned to rehabilitate others.
“The owner at Off Leash K-9 Training was helping me with foster dogs,” Mead said. “I was fostering German Shepherds at the time. I wasn’t a trainer. I was helping rehabilitate some dogs through the
Mead page 17
Jemma is wide-eyed for treats July 30 at Copper Pines Boarding & Training Center in Osakis . The 15-year-old German shepherd was the inspiration behind the boarding and training center.
Jemma rests on the store floor July 30 at Copper Pines Boarding & Training Center in Osakis . Jemma was dog trainer Cassie Meads’ first rescue dog.
from page 16
“TJ started boarding and training with me full time in 2020,” Mead said. White-coated German Shepherd Bear is another member of the couple’s six-pack.
“He was my mom’s dog before she passed away,” Mead said. “Then, he chased the cows out of the fence and two miles down the road, so he had to come live with me. He was pretty proud of himself that day. He got into a little trouble, but he was proud.”
The youngest German Shepherd of the pack is Quill. When he knows school is about to start, his tail wags rapidly and he frolics around the training room. But, with the Meads as human parents, he knows to sit up straight and stay in place when commanded.
“Quill participates in the puppy classes,” Mead said.
There are two separate puppy fundamentals courses. The first is a weekly course for pups under 6 months old, where ppuppies and their parents can learn and grow together.
“They get the opportunity to socialize with other puppies and humans in group play,” Mead said. “If you attend all six classes, your puppy is eligible to take the American Kennel Club’s S.T.A.R. Puppy evaluation for a certificate and medallion.”
ing and walking past people and other dogs,” Mead said. “We practice longer stays in ‘sit,’ ‘down’ and ‘place’ (commands) with more distractions. Puppies learn to come when called from further distances and work on longer waits while you are out of sight. We also work on door and food manners, taking treats softly, greeting strangers and overall impulse control. We address behavioral concerns as they appear, answer questions and provide insight into your puppy’s behavior.”
This course is another pathway to the AKC Canine Good Citizen title.
“If your dog or puppy shows signs of aggression, contact us for a free evaluation before signing up for this class,” Mead said.
The puppy consultation class is 90 minutes of dog ownership instruction.
Dog parents learn how to optimize puppy development and reduce unwanted behaviors.
“The absolute most important thing for puppies is socialization,” Mead said. “I tell my clients to have their puppies meet 100
100 days they have them and go to 100 new places where they do something new. With the average pet, 100 days of socialization will save you so much trouble down the road.”
Without proper socialization and training, Mead said most dogs will follow their instincts.
“German Shepherds are bred specifically to be wary of strangers and protect their families,” Mead said. “If they aren’t properly socialized, that instinctive behavior just takes over. That is why people are afraid of German Shepherds. They are bred to do what they are doing. Their humans let them down, at some point. I help the dog to have a happier life.” The basic obedience program at Copper Pines is four weeks. Dogs learn basic commands while faced with distractions. The basic and advanced obedience package is an 8-week program in which dogs leash train and learn additional commands.
According to the AKC, AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy graduation is a pathway to earning a Canine Good Citizen title. It provides the framework needed for training dogs to be well-mannered members of society.
The second puppy fundamental program is a 6-week course that teaches advanced obedience to puppies over 6 months old.
“This consists of loose leash walk-
The 2-week board and train program at Copper Pines allows dogs from busy families to board and train onsite.
Copper Pines also has a therapy dog institute that guides people through the mandatory training and registration needed to become a therapy dog team.
“It is a therapy dog career training path,” Mead said.
However, most Copper Pines Boarding & Training Center clients simply want a well-trained, polite dog they can walk and take in public.
If you are seeking further training for your canine, the Meads have it covered at their home-based boarding and treatment center in Osakis, where Mead said, “Clients felt most comfortable boarding their dogs with the trainers they know and love.”
PHOTO BY SARA EISINGER
ga - A place to
Special event center offers more than meets the eye
Wayne Freimuth and Irmadene Hanson stand on the deck August 7 at Rock N’ Willow Ranch near Parkers Prairie.
Hanson and Freimuth did the entire remodel themselves.
BY RAE LANZRATH STAFF WRITER
PARKERS
PRAIRIE — Irmadene Hanson grew up the same way most kids who live on a dairy farm did: by spending countless hours in the barn.
Years later, she sits in that very same barn — but now it’s a different kind of activity.
Rock N’ Willow Ranch is a conference center, meeting space,
event center and much more. The barn that once housed cattle, pigs, horses and chickens is now the home to a kitchen, office spaces, meeting rooms and a large multi-purpose room. Following a major remodel, the barn holds memories, history and hope for a bright future.
In 1970, Hanson’s parents purchased a dairy farm near Parkers Prairie where they would go on to raise their eight children. After growing up on the farm, Hanson joined the U.S. Army. She served for six years and then became a nurse.
In the late 1990s, Hanson purchased the farm from her parents and shut the door on the dairy. She followed in her parents’ footsteps and raised her 3 daughters on the farm.
In 2014, Hanson’s significant other, Wayne Freimuth, moved to the farm. In 2018, Hanson was considering selling the farm.
“I was tired,” Hanson said. “I’d spent nearly 40 years here, working.”
Freimuth wanted to stay at the farm, and after debating back and forth, a compromise was reached: they would remodel the barn and make it a conference center. Along with being a nurse, Hanson works with Live2Lead as a speaker and trainer. For years, Hanson had been paying to rent space for her speaking engagements. It was her dream to have a space of her own. She agreed to stay at the farm if Freimuth would help her build that space.
In 2020, Freimuth lost his job due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and there was no better time to start the project. Hanson’s speaking engagements had been cancelled, and they decided to make her dreams become a reality. On August 1, 2021, Hanson and Freimuth started the remodel project.
Rock N' Willow Ranch page 20
PHOTO S BY RAE LANZRATH
The back deck of the venue overlooks the yard Aug. 21 at Rock N’ Willow Ranch near Parkers Prairie. The space is made for business meetings, retreats and weddings.
What is your favorite part of fall harvest?
Burtrum | Morrison County
the Shawn Dingmann
Tell us about your farm. We have more of a hobby farm; we fatten about 30-40 steers at a time and also farm crops.
What crops do you grow and how many acres? 48 acres of corn.
When do you think you’ll be doing fall harvest? The end of October.
A c r o s s Acres cres
What is your favorite aspect of fall harvest? Figuring out what the yield is going to be and how well we did in a year.
Tell us a fond fall harvest memory. When we were young, we rode in the box with my dad while he picked corn. If he missed one, we’d have to jump down and grab it. The corn was above our heads. We picked one row at a time.
Josh Jodsaas
Nelson | Douglas County
Tell us about your farm. We have 137 head of cattle and grow crops as well.
What crops do you grow and how many acres? We have 300 acres total; 200 acres are hay and the other 100 are corn and soybeans.
When do you think you'll be doing fall harvest? Late October.
What is your favorite aspect of fall harvest? Seeing all the other farmers out and about and getting to talk with them.
Tell us a fond fall harvest memory: Spending time with the entire family during harvest is my favorite — everyone comes together.
Joe Reitsma
Sauk
Centre Stearns County
Tell us about your farm. The dairy is operated by my parents, Paul and Caroline Reitsma, my brother, Mitch, and me. We milk 300 cows with four DeLaval VMS V300 robots and raise all our replacement heifers. All the crops we raise are fed to the cattle.
What crops do you grow and how many acres? We plant corn, soybeans and alfalfa. They total about 800 acres.
When do you think you’ll be doing fall harvest? We plan on chopping at the end of the week (Sept. 20). Once that’s done, we will harvest soybeans, high-moisture corn and dry corn, in that order.
What is your favorite aspect of fall harvest? Seeing the results of the hard work of planting and tending the crop.
Tell us a fond fall harvest memory. Getting done every year.
Rock N' Willow Ranch
from page 20
Two office spaces on the main floor can be rented by businesses as private workspaces, a small conference room and a board room can be used for larger meetings. The main floor contains two handicap-accessible bathrooms, one of which has a shower. This allows guests to stay for longer periods. There is also a full kitchen setup on the main floor, allowing guests to bring their own food or beverages.
Hanson had three types of events in mind when remodeling the barn: corporate/company meetings, small family events and micro-weddings. Space for corporate/committee meetings was her first priority.
“I want rural business owners to know they don’t have to go into a big town to have an event or meeting,” Hanson said.
The space is also customized to host small family events, such as birthday parties, anniversaries or reunions. And for micro-weddings, ceremonies can be held outside or in the hayloft, with receptions held in the latter.
The goal for the facility is to provide a place for people to not only have events, but to also reconnect with nature.
“We want people to be able to get off the grid,” Hanson said. “You have to get back to nature. It’s good for your mental, emotional and physical health.”
With 60 acres of walking paths, ponds, fields of wildflowers and outdoor seating spaces, it’s easy to find somewhere to unplug at Rock N’ Willow. Hanson said getting people
to turn off their phones, get their feet in the grass and turn off their brains is one of her biggest hopes for the facility.
Hanson continues to think ahead and envision future business growth. She said she hopes to add another building that would allow for more events and visitors.
The hallway is decorated this summer at Rock N’ Willow Ranch. During the remodel the barn was completely gutted and put back together.
Looking back, Hanson and Freimuth are grateful for how far their business has come. With more than 50 years on the farm, they look forward to offering the opportunity for others to gather for special times together.
“We have so many memories here,” Hanson said. “We want others to make their own memories here, too.”
PHOTO BY RAE LANZRATH
Two chairs offer seating outside Aug. 21 at Rock N’ Willow Ranch near Parkers Prairie. The barn has housed horses, dairy cows, chickens and pigs.
Sukraw fabricates, repairs at Miltona Blacksmith
BY BEN SONNEK | STAFF WRITER
MILTONA — Hammers and anvils may have given way to sparks and welding, but Miltona Blacksmith in Miltona remains a go-to metalworking business for clients far beyond central Minnesota. Ethan Sukraw, the shop’s owner and sole employee, turns hundreds of tons of steel into heavy equipment every year for customers across the country, driven by a love of creating useful things.
“(I enjoy) building stuff, seeing it go from a pile of nothing to something,” Sukraw said. “(It starts with) a bundle of steel, and at the end of the day, you have a trailer made out of it.”
Sukraw bought Miltona Blacksmith about nine years ago from his neighbor, Donny Grothen, who owned it for about 38 years. The business started with traditional blacksmithing and has since moved into welding and more modern metalwork. But it has always repaired a little bit of everything: farm equipment, trailers, truck flatbeds, lawnmower decks and more.
Sukraw’s metalworking experience includes a
Welding Weldi ng Welding
for Waterfowl for
welding degree from Alexandria Technical & Community College in Alexandria. After graduating, he worked for Grothen for a couple of months before purchasing the business in 2015.
“In high school, we did school shop projects, and I bought steel from Donny for them,” Sukraw said.
Along with the equipment repairs, Miltona Blacksmith builds trailers, docks, deer stands and more. Sukraw has made some of his own tools as
well; one of the major pieces of equipment in the shop is a hydraulic press he built with a friend’s help.
Unlike most businesses, Miltona Blacksmith saw a spike in customers and activity in 2020.
“It got stupid busy during COVID,” Sukraw said. “People were doing outdoorsy stuff; we build a lot of fish house frames, and that kept us cranking Sukraw page 26
PHOTO SU B MITTED Geese are displayed outside one of the Miltona Blacksmith waterfowl hunting blinds in 2023 in South Dakota. Miltona Blacksmith makes about 10-20 blinds per year.
PHOTOS BY B EN SONNEK
Ethan Sukraw parks his forklift outside Miltona Blacksmith Aug. 27 in Miltona. Sukraw bought the business in 2015.
Sukraw from page 25
through those times. It’s definitely slowed down some. The economy’s hurting a little.”
Sukraw sources most of his materials out of West Central Steel in Willmar, as well as some from McNeilus Steel in Fargo, North Dakota. He goes through about 300,000 pounds of steel per year.
One of Miltona Blacksmith’s most notable creations is the trailer-mounted waterfowl hunting blind, which it has offered for about seven years. The mounting allows it to be
towed to the hunting site and set up without much preparation aside from adding brush to disguise it. Sukraw got the idea from an outfitter who ordered them. He hunts with the blinds as well, which allows him to test them in the field.
“People started seeing them, and it took off from there,” Sukraw said. “The basic concept is a fish house frame for the drop-down part, and then there’s the blind on top. Hunters stand up through the middle of the chute; there’s a door in the front (and) back, dog doors for dogs to go in and out.”
Sukraw said his favorite thing about the blinds is being able to
banter with his buddies when they are hunting, rather than lying in the mud and muck.
Each hunting blind is custom-made to the client’s needs, ranging from 12-24 feet in length. Sukraw estimates he builds 10-20 blinds per year.
A wire frame is welded to the outside of the blind, and grass and brush can be inserted into it to disguise the blind. The first time, it usually takes about five hours to make the disguise, but afterward, it can be done in a halfhour or so.
“A lot of guys (disguise) it before and then
PHOTOS BY BEN SONNEK
Ethan Sukraw welds a trailer frame at Miltona Blacksmith Aug. 27 in Miltona. Sukraw received his welding degree from Alexandria Technical & Community College in Alexandria.
Ethan Sukraw climbs into one of his towable waterfowl hunting blinds outside Miltona Blacksmith Aug. 27 in Miltona. Sukraw builds the blinds from scratch.
Sukraw page 27
Sukraw
from page 26
touch it up when they’re in the field,” Sukraw said.
Sukraw has sold the blinds in 20-plus states as well as Canada. He hardly advertises, instead relying on social media, the Miltona Blacksmith website and word of mouth.
“Ninety percent of it is word of mouth,” Sukraw said. “It seems the waterfowl community is tight-knit and close; everybody knows everybody.”
Another offering is a fish house trailer frame, sought after by do-ityourselfers who want to build their own fish houses. They are like the frames Sukraw builds under the waterfowl blinds, and he usually sells 200-230 of them per year.
It takes Sukraw about four hours to make a fish house frame.
“You build them one way,” he said. “Otherwise, it gets to be too much customizing.”
One of Sukraw’s most recent — and most unusual — jobs was fabricating a trout pond frame for Alexandria’s
Youth Outdoor Activity Day.
While Sukraw is often asked to weld vehicle frames, they are one of the few projects he turns away.
“Those I won’t do, just for liability issues,” he said. “Besides that, we pretty much do anything.”
It’s not just the building aspect of his business that Sukraw enjoys. He also en-
joys seeing how other people take his creations and add their personal touches, especially on the fish house side of the business.
“You get to see their projects come to life,” he said. “(I) build the fish house trailer, and then they build the whole top. When they show you pictures, it’s like, that really did turn out well.”
PHOTO SUBMITTED
With their caught waterfowl, friends of Ethan Sukraw hunker down in the Miltona Blacksmith waterfowl hunting blind in 2023 in Kansas. The blinds range from 12-24 feet in length.
PHOTO BY BEN SONNEK
Ethan Sukraw shows a hydraulic press at Miltona Blacksmith Aug. 27 in Miltona. Sukraw built the press with a friend’s help.
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The Stish family — Brad
Polly and David Stish, Maisie Reynoldson and Meredith Sander — stand together at Triple S Pumpkins near Royalton. The Stish family was named the Morrison County Farm Family of the Year.
From Christmas trees to lambs, beef cattle, strawberries, pumpkins and three kids, David and Polly Stish have always had their hands full.
“We are blessed to have such a nice place to have raised our kids and (blessed to be) able to share it with others,” Polly said.
The farm was first purchased by David in 1978, roughly a year before he married Polly. Since then, the crops and animals on the farm have been ever-changing as their kids — Brad, Maisie and Meredith — grew up.
Eventually the changing farm led to the birth of Triple S Pumpkins LLC, which is now owned by Russ and Carla Gerads. The Stishes have been working with the Gerads family since 2017 and started the slow transition of ownership in 2020. Even though Triple S Pumpkins is no longer owned by the Stishes, they still own the land and partner with the business, helping with production and sales.
Prior to the farm, David and Polly were both teachers. David taught high school agriculture and Polly taught high school science and early childhood family education. After teaching, David started working with farmers through a farm business management program before becoming a full-time farmer.
MORRISON COUNTY STISH family
Before the pumpkin patch, the farm had a variety of animals and crops including sheep, beef cattle, hay, Christmas trees and strawberries.
“David’s always wanted a place where people could come out to the country,” Polly said. “We never meant to farm full time, but we made the decision when we had kids — I would stay home with them.”
Currently the pumpkins and winter squash are grown on a 12-acre irrigated patch where the Stishes started their pick-your-own pumpkin patch. Over the years, the Geradses and Stishes have come to welcome around 20,000 guests to gather pumpkins, walk through a corn field and experience other activities the farm has to offer.
The Stishes’ kids are the reason a variety of different projects got added to the farm. Between them being able to help with chores and their involvement in 4-H, many new ideas were brought to the farm.
When their kids were in 4-H, the couple served as 4-H leaders. Other community involvement included being county fair superintendents, Vacation Bible School leaders, church board members, Sunday school teachers and commander and secretary for the Christian children’s ministry organization Awana.
“The opportunities were there, and they needed help,” David said. “We also have a good place to host meetings. We have held a lot of scouts and 4-H meetings out here.”
Polly currently serves as the treasurer of the Philanthropic Educational Organization, a sisterhood working to provide financial assistance to women, along with helping others with clothing alterations and different sewing projects. David is serving on the county board of adjustments, is a member of the Royalton Lions Club, is a treasurer for Friends of Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge and has served on the Morrison County Planning Commission for the past 11 years.
“When we both moved here, we moved away from family, so we really don’t have any immediate family here,” Polly said “So community involvement became our social connections.”
(from left),
ZIRBES STEARNS COUNTY family
Eric Zirbes and his wife, Carla, operate Eric’s home farm near Melrose, where they raise 100 Angus cow-calf pairs and finish off about 100 calves every year. They have four children, Makayla, Cody, Cassidy and Laramie. They provide Angus beef to about 250 families each year by selling directly through two local butcher shops. Now, they have been named the 2024 Stearns County Farm Family of the Year.
Carla grew up on a farm in North Dakota but had been off the farm for several years.
“It was kind of exciting to get back on the farm,” Carla said. “I was used to driving tractor and doing farm work.”
The farm still consists of chickens and a huge garden, but there are beef cows instead of dairy cows, and Eric is farming more land than his ancestors.
The Zirbeses farm with minimal tillage and utilize cover crops as well as work with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Conservation Stewardship Program. Cows are on pasture from early May until mid-October. The cows also graze cover crops.
The Zirbes farm has been in the family for more than a century.
milking cows in buckets to having a pipeline. Eventually they transitioned to beef cows.
While in high school, Eric realized his passion was in farming.
“Talking with my grandpa, the farm hasn’t changed much,” Eric said. “There (were) always chickens, cows and a huge garden.”
Eric’s great-great-grandpa, Anton, purchased the farm in 1912.
“My grandpa (Hubert) tells a story that during the Depression, when he was 9 or 10 (years old), he would walk the cows two miles north of here to find grass for them to graze, which was near a swamp,” Eric said. “Then, he walked them all the way back.”
The farm transitioned from
“My dad had open heart surgery when I was a junior in high school,” Eric said. “My parents talked to the principal and they worked it out so I had to take my three core classes, then I could come home and run the farm.”
Eric’s dad, Mike, had gone in for a routine check-up and was told he needed emergency
Zirbes page
Cattle pause from grazing this summer at the Zirbes farm near Melrose. The Zirbes family sells their beef to about 250 local families each year.
PHOTO S S UBMITTED
(Above) The Zirbes homestead is nestled among the trees this summer near Melrose. The Zirbes farm has been in the family since 1912.
(Right) The Zirbes family — Cassidy (from left), Makayla, Eric holding Laramie, Carla and Cody — smile this summer while at Gooseberry Falls near Two Harbors. The Zirbeses raise 100-head beef cattle.
The Aanerud farm was originally started in 1879 in Stevens County. The farm is now a multi-generational agribusiness and the Stevens County Farm Family of the Year. The farm is currently being operated by Andy and Heather Aanerud, their son Micah, and Andy’s parents Jim and Lorraine. Andy and Heather’s daughter, Savannah, is also involved in the farming operation in various capacities. The farm has one full time employee and during busy times a few seasonal employees. The farm currently produces corn and soybeans.
Andy and Heather have four children, Cambria, Rebekah, Savannah and Micah. The four children are the sixth generation of Aaneruds to live and work on the farm.
“Being able to pass this legacy on to our children is a privilege,” Andy said.
The Aaneruds homeschooled their children as a way to promote a more hands-on learning environment and fuel their passion for agriculture. The children were heavily involved in 4-H and FFA.
They participated in numerous competitions at both state and national lev-
els. Savannah served as the Minnesota FFA State Sentinel in 2019. The family still volunteers at local 4-H and FFA events and supports the organizations.
Savannah currently works as the Stevens County 4-H Extension Educator. Micah and his wife, Hannah, moved back to Morris in 2024 after completing college at North Dakota State University. He has recently started working on the farm full time, learning from his dad and grandpa. Micah will take over the family operation one day.
Andy has been a member of the Farm Bureau for over 35 years, he has served as county Farm Bureau president, board member, membership chairman, young farmer and rancher chairman, and currently vice president.
The Aanerud family supports the Donnelly Threshing Bee and hosts the Donnelly Threshing Bee 5K walk/run charity event. Initially, the run raised money for local families enduring life’s challenges. Most recently the Donnelly Dash supports RUSC Kinship, a local organization that promotes mentoring opportunities for children, youth and families. Andy and
Heather were also recipients of the Stevens County Soil and Water Conservation Outstanding Conservationist Award in 2014.
Both Heather and Andy grew up learning that serving their community and “giving back” is important, something they also taught and modeled for their children.
“Serving others is a core foundation of our faith,” Heather said “and we strive to live this out in our lives.”
The Aanerud family
Zirbes from page B8
surgery. Two days later, he went through a triple bypass. Eric’s older siblings had already moved off the farm, and his younger brother helped on the farm before and after school.
“Dad took a lot of comfort (in) us kids (having) the farm under control,” Eric said. “That’s when it really hit me that I wanted to farm. (I had) that work ethic, that willpower to just get things done.”
After high school, Eric joined the U.S. Marine Corps.
“It always was my plan to join the Marine Corps and then come back to the farm,” Eric said. The dairy cows were sold after Eric joined the Marines, so when he came home in 1999, he needed to find another source of income. Eric purchased 32 beef cows and then enrolled in a law enforcement program. Upon graduation, Eric worked for the city of Melrose.
“My first day on the job was nine days prior to 9/11,” Eric said. “I had just bought the farm and had just started doing police work, and I got a call to volunteer to reenlist. I told them I would get back to them because I needed to think about it. They never called back and I never called them.”
supports their community as well as the agriculture industry. They feel that farming is something that should be understood, recognized and honored.
“We just want to promote farming. We value this profession so much,” Heather said.
Farming is not easy, and the Aaneruds have learned to appreciate the struggles. Everything from the weather to the market prices affect farmers, and most of it is out of their control.
In 2006, Eric transitioned to the Stearns County sheriff’s department.
“I was doing police work at night and farming
and cover crops.
STEVENS COUNTY
AANERUD
family
“We’ve sought to teach our children to acknowledge the difference between what they can and can’t control,” Heather said. “You control
what you can and seek to control how you respond to the things you can’t. Our faith ties us closer to our family farm.”
Eric Zirbes cuts hay Aug. 21 at his farm near Melrose. Zirbes farms just under 1,000 acres of corn,
during the day,” Eric said. “My dad and brother helped me out tremendously. Working full time really helped me make improvements.”
sheriff’s department and farm full time. Ever since then, Eric has been growing his herd size and acreage to what it is today.
In 2011 Eric was able to quit his job with the
PHOTO BY TIFFANY KLAPHAKE
soybeans, alafla
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Micah (from left), Hannah, Lorraine, Jim, Heather, Andy and Savannah Aanerud gather this summer in Stevens County. The Aanerud family has been farming in Stevens County since 1879.
Langan Farms has tended to their land and community for over 100 years, and in recognition of their stewardship, they have been awarded the 2024 Swift County Farm Family of the Year Award.
“We were honored they considered us,” said Patrick Langan, one of the farm’s owners. “It’s a rewarding feeling. We strive to have a successful farm operation and to be active and engaged community members.”
The Langan family recently returned from a trip to Ireland, the country their farm’s founders, Patrick and Bridget Langan, emigrated from in the mid-1870s. To the best of the family’s knowledge today, poverty and the aftereffects of the Irish Potato Famine drew the founders to America, the land of opportunity. After spending a year or two in Boston, the Langans came to Minnesota and built their first sod house in 1878, about a mile away from the land the family currently homesteads.
Today, Langan Farms
is operated by brothers Patrick and Michael Langan; Patrick’s wife, Mary Langan (Wigfield); and their son, Jack Langan.
Jack, who graduated from Benson High School this year, plans to major in Agricultural Science at South Dakota State University in the fall and expand his role in the farm during and after college. Patrick and Michael are fourth generation farmers. Patrick and Mary’s daughters, Laura and Elizabeth Langan, work off the farm; Laura is in healthcare consulting and Elizabeth is in environmental consulting. Patrick and Mary use their daughters as a sounding board for ideas and future considerations for farm direction.
Along with the family members, Langan Farms has full-time and seasonal employees who support their operation.
Langan Farms has changed and grown in its century-plus of operation.
Previous generations raised livestock, including beef cattle and hogs, with
SWIFT COUNTY LANGAN family
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Members of the Langan family — Patrick (from left), Mary and Jack Langan — go out to the fields Aug. 3 on Langan Farms in Swift County. The Langan family has been awarded the 2024 Swift County Farm Family of the Year.
the current focus being on diversified grain production: corn, sweet corn, soybeans, edible black beans, wheat and sugar beets.
“As the farm has grown, we have brought
Langans are involved in their local community.
Patrick is the chair of the CentraCare Benson Advisory Board and the vice chair of the Swift County-Benson Hospital District Board; Mary has been on the Benson District 777 school board since 2017, currently serving as board clerk; and Mike has been part of the board of directors for West-Con for 11 years and is the current board chair.
in many areas — crop production/agronomy, commodity marketing, finance, operations planning — and also stay appraised of evolving technologies and the latest techniques to manage soil health.
new crops into the operation — the mix of additional commodities allows for different crop rotation options and diversification of risk to the farm,” Patrick said.
Off the farm, the
Having grown up on Langan Farms, Patrick and Mike enjoy the farming lifestyle, time outdoors, rural community involvement and the diversification of the business’ responsibilities. One needs to be engaged
Although many aspects of farming have improved and become easier than they were when Patrick was a child, it is still a demanding job with long hours in spring and fall seasons and constant adjusting and adapting to weather forecasts and challenges, but it is important work for the Langan family. They serve as stewards to the land for their generation and for those who come after them.
Todd County Lisson from page B10
“My 10-year goal is to hit a 100-pound (milk) tank average,” Lisson said. “Last winter I held a 96 for quite a while. Being able to see the cows doing that well is a great feeling.”
Lisson said above all, his favorite thing to see on the farm is his family. “To raise a family on the farm is everything,” Lisson said.
Cows lay down in the barn this summer at the Lisson family farm near Browerville. Lisson purchased this farm site in 2019.
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Kolbe Lisson scrapes manure in his family’s dairy barn near Browerville. Kolbe is one of four Lisson children.
