CountryAcres September

A Supplement to the Star Shopper Focusing on Today’s Rural Environment

CountryAcres

Friday, September 18, 2015 • Edition 09

PRSRT STDECR

U.S. POSTAGEPAID

PERMIT #46

522 SinclairLewis Ave.

Sauk Centre,MN 56378

Bringing the farm to the fair

Andersons provide pigs for Miracle of Birth Center

PHOTO BY MARK KLAPHAKEJohn (from left), Jim and Noah Anderson, along with Jim’s other sons, Grant and Isaac (not pictured), operate Anderson Farms near Belgrade, where they raise 2,500 sows for their farrow-to-finish operation.

BELGRADE – Every year, Anderson Farms breeds 2,500 sows for their farrow-to-finish operation near Belgrade; each year, 12 of these sows are selected to give birth in front of a live audience. For the past 15 years, John Anderson and his brother, Jim, have provided sows for the Miracle of Birth Center at the Minnesota State Fair. “The Miracle of Birth Center becomes a medium for conversation with people not familiar with farming,”

Anderson said. The idea to become a part of the popular state fair exhibit came from Dr. Florian Ledermann, who was the Andersons’ herd veterinarian at the time. It was the perfect opportunity for the family, whose history with the swine industry dates back to 1886 when John and Jim’s great-grandfather homesteaded the farm. Having always raised pigs on the farm, it was not until John and Jim began working with their father that the farm saw an increased focus on pork production and breeding

sows. Now, as Jim’s three sons, Grant, Noah and Isaac, become the fifth generation on Anderson Farms, the family is raising hogs in 22 barns on 10 different sites; five are family-owned and five are contracted with independent growers, in addition to the 2,000-some gilts – young females – that are raised for breeding purposes in a barn that is attached to the sow unit. “We’re called a nucleus farm, meaning we provide pigs for other farms,” Anderson

By JENN JANAKStaff writer

PHOTO BY MARK KLAPHAKEA large crowd gathers in the Miracle of Birth Center at the Minnesota State Fair to watch a sow give birth.

ANDERSONS continued on page 6

SAUK CENTRE – When Dan Marthaler was a kid he would milk cows on Joe Schmiesing’s property on the north end of Sauk Lake. At the time, Schmiesing was playing in the National Football League and for two years when he reported to training camp, Marthaler would help with chores. “I remember looking out over the land and saying, ‘wow, it sure would be nice to have this someday,’” said Marthaler. His dream came true in 2007. Marthaler and his wife, Sue, purchased the five acres of pristine land from Ed and Rose Berscheit. Formerly a dairy farm, the property was equipped with two barns, a large shed and a small home. But they have turned it into a picturesque hobby farm overlooking the tip of Sauk Lake. The cows and other animals are gone, but what has taken its place is truly unique. “We don’t have any animals here,” said Sue. “Not even a cat or a dog.” Turning an old dairy farm into a hobby farm meant refurbishing all the old structures. It was going to take some work. But Dan, who was a carpenter for 13 years before changing careers, was up for the challenge. He wanted to refurbish the barn seated deeper on the property, but discovered the roof was too unstable, so he focused on the barn near the driveway. “I told Sue I could turn it into living quarters, but she wasn’t

A getaway without

going awayMarthalers breathe new life into old barn

By BRYAN ZOLLMANStaff writer

PHOTO BY BRYAN ZOLLMANSue and Dan Marthaler stand on the stairwell leading up to the loft of their remodeled barn, where there are two beds and another bedroom. The wood ceiling is made of poplar.

MARTHALER continued on page 4

Page 2 • Country Acres - Friday, September 18, 2015

This month in the

country...

More inside

18-19 Q & A’s: Fun with ATVs and UTVs

26-27 Country cookin’ with Linda Kneip

20-21, 23 Cherished memories from years past 22 Column by Wendy Womack

CountryAcres

Published by Star PublicationsCopyright 2014

522 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN 56378Phone: 320-352-6577 Fax: 320-352-5647

SALES STAFFJeff Weyer

320-260-8505 Kayla Hunstiger

320-247-2728Missy Traeger 320-291-9899

Tim Vos 320-845-2700

Todd Anderson320-293-5911

PRODUCTION STAFFPat Turner

Tara PitschkaAmanda Thooft

Janell WestermanNancy MiddendorfBrian Dingmann

Collegeville Orchards offers taste of fall with produce, activities galore

12-13

Story ideas send to: [email protected]

or [email protected]

NEWS STAFF Mark Klaphake

EditorDiane LeukamAssistant EditorBryan ZollmanAssistant Editor

Jenn JanakWriter/Page LayoutAndrea Borgerding

Proofreader/Page LayoutHerman Lensing

WriterCarol Moorman

WriterLiz VosWriter

Maria HagerWriter

Deadlines:Country Acres will be

published the third Friday of every month and inserted to

rural customers with the STAR Shopper. Deadline for news and advertising is the

Thursday before publication.Extra Copies available at

the Albany Enterprise, Melrose Beacon and Sauk

Centre Herald offices. “Committed to being the eyes and ears of our communities.”

16-17

10-11Van Beck boys unearth nature, kinship in bow hunting

14 Uphoff has butterhead

24 Country view: The Goebels

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8 What’s under your place in the country?

Friday, September 18, 2015 - Country Acres • Page 3

This month in the

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too keen on living in an old dairy barn,” Dan said. The dilapidated barn was full of pheasant excrement and other unpleasantries customary to old dairy barns. “It was too much of a mess for me,” she said. The barn was 34x86 feet, just short of 3,000 square feet. The idea was to use 1,156 square feet of it for a guest house and the other remaining space for storage and a shop for Dan. As a former carpenter, he still had a love, and a knack for working with wood. With the help of family and friends, he got to work. The biggest part of the project was raising the second floor 3.5 feet. “I pulled my truck in and it was just too cramped,” he

said. “I wouldn’t have been able to wash the top of it.” Little things like this can turn into big projects for Dan. But no project seems to large for him conquer. He removed the braces and suspended the ceiling so it was basically floating on lifts. Then he had four helpers ratchet it up 3.5 feet before reattaching the braces. “That was the most challenging part of the entire job,” he said. But one look at the space and one might think differently. As you walk into the barn there is a large storage area below and a hydraulic platform that Dan rides up to his wood shop. Dan’s brother, David, designed the lift, which he also uses to get his woodworking

equipment up to his shop. It’s here where he has his recently-purchased CNC laser machine and several work benches and tables where he has carved out a niche of sign-making on old wood he refurbishes. They all have inspirational quotes on them that he issues to friends and family. “I don’t charge for them,” he says. “It’s just a hobby.” “Maybe when he retires,” says Sue. While Dan’s handiwork is on display upstairs, his and Sue’s true artistry and talent are on display in the guest living quarters they created.

The 34- by 34-foot area is used for entertaining friends and as a guest home for family and friends. But one look inside and one would swear it is their home. “We’ve had just about every kind of party you can have out here except for a retirement party,” said Sue. The area is equipped with a dining area, bar, big screen TV, full kitchen, a den with a fireplace and a full bathroom. That’s just on the downstairs level. Upstairs is a loft with two beds and another bedroom. “We get the same reaction when people come in here,”

MARTHALER continued from front

PHOTOS BY BRYAN ZOLLMANSunlight beams through the patio doors of the guest house that Dan remodeled and Sue decorated. They use it to entertain guests and for family visits.

Dan Marthaler remodeled the old barn to include a large shop where he works on his many woodworking projects.


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said Sue. “They always ask us why we don’t live out here.” Dan used his knowledge and expertise on wood when forming the unique structure. He used wood from an old granary for the floor, stairs, bar and cabinets. “I looked up used wood on the Internet,” he said. “I saw some from Alexandria so I called the guy up and asked where he was located. He said, do you know where Mitchell is?”

Dan had to check again at the address and noticed it was in Alexandria, S.D. “But I loaded up, and went and got a trailer full,” he said. Dan has always had a passion for working with refurbished wood, and an eye for finding it. “It just sort of jumps in my head,” he said about when he comes up with ideas for old pieces of wood. His sharp eye also caught some poplar he used to build the ceiling, maintaining the barn shape. They would have loved to have kept the original barn wood but there would have been too many gaps and too much condensation.

“There’s 6,700 lineal feet of poplar in here,” said Dan, looking up at the impressive ceiling that resembles a hardwood floor. Sue did all of the interior decorating, adding her own special touch, using darker colors to accent the dark wood used throughout the space. She also uses the space for quilting. “We don’t see it as a unique space,” said Sue. “We just see it as part of our home.” But it does serve as an escape. Outside on the patio is a view of the tip of Sauk Lake, where tall reeds blow in the wind as the waves lap against the shoreline. The morning sun gleams off the water surface, shining a spotlight on their five acres of heaven. Sometimes they sit outside with a cocktail and enjoy the view that Dan became enamored with more than 30 years ago. The barn is located just a stone’s throw away from the house, giving them a getaway without going away. Country life is something they both cherish. “It’s a whole different way of living,” says Sue. “It’s a whole different feeling out here.” Dan loves nothing more than working in his shop. He is always thinking of his next project. There’s a tree stand in the yard for their grandkids. There’s signs he’s eager to make. But he takes solace in knowing he has created what he set out to do three decades ago. At first a view, then a dream, and now a reality. “God does work in mysterious ways,” he said.

Dan custom makes signs with inspirational quotes and sayings in the shop located on the upper level of the remodeled barn. Above, he uses a CNC machine to engrave a sign.

“We get the same reaction when people come in here. They always ask us why we don’t live out here.” – Sue Marthaler


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said about his genetically superior purebred Yorkshires. Anderson has shipped pigs to as far as Pennsylvania, into Canada and even south of the United States’ border. The Andersons’ involvement in the swine industry has vastly grown over the last 20 years, evolving as the

industry continues to do the same. “If my dad were here today and saw the way things are, it would blow his mind,” Anderson said. “I don’t think many people are aware that we are providing two times the amount of pork with half as many sows that was provided 30 years ago, while at the same time decreasing our carbon footprint.”

With these drastic changes, the value of educating disconnected consumers is vital, and one of the primary reasons the Andersons continue providing pigs for the state fair year after year. “Every generation is becoming further detached from the farm and we need to reconnect,” Anderson said. “[The fair] allows use to teach those who are disconnected.” Throughout the course of two weeks, the Andersons are able to showcase their farm to 1.6 million people. The venture begins a few days before the fair’s start, when Anderson picks out 12 pigs he will haul down to the Miracle of Birth Center in St. Paul – ideally, having one animal farrow each day of the fair. “Pigs are predictable,” Anderson said. “They’ll always farrow on day 115 or 116; and with A.I. (artificial insemination), we know exactly when they were bred and when they should farrow.” Fifteen years ago, the family would supply their older sows, because they would be shipped to the market at the end of the fair. “To this day, every pig that leaves our farm for the fair never returns,” Anderson said. “We do that for biosecurity purposes.” The pigs, both sows and piglets,

ANDERSONS continued from front

PHOTO BY MARK KLAPHAKEFair-goers look on as one of the Andersons’ sows gives birth to healthy piglets at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 27.

“I don’t think many people are aware that we are providing two times the amount of pork with half as many sows that was provided 30 years ago.” – John Anderson


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are given to a private party after Labor Day. However, in recent years, the Andersons have supplied young gilts – females who have not had their first litter of piglets – to accommodate the size of the farrowing crates provided, but also to demonstrate to consumers the adequate space allowed for each pregnant animal as she begins the birthing process. “The welfare and comfort of our hogs are of upmost concern to everyone in our system and throughout the industry, and it’s important to show that to consumers,” Anderson said. “I think that it’s good to have the sows housed in crates at the fair just as they would be on a typical hog farm.” The Wednesday before opening day is when the truckload of pigs arrives on the fairgrounds. This day

PHOTO BY MARK KLAPHAKEThe Andersons raise their market hogs in group pens until they reach market weight.

is always an enjoyable one as Anderson helps young FFA members learn more about pigs. “It’s always been fun to teach the kids how to handle pigs and move them around properly [in the Miracle of Birth Center],” Anderson said. Many fond memories and relationships have been formed for the Andersons as they willingly showcase their lifestyle to those unfamiliar with agriculture every summer. Perhaps most rewarding is to watch consumers become more engaged and accepting of common farming practices. “It’s been a win-win for all of us,” Anderson. “Any time we can tell our story to the public, all of agriculture wins.”

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What’s under your place in the country?

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Most everyone has heard the phrase, “when pigs fly,” and expect it never to happen. But what happens

when pigs fall? Well, on one occasion, a great discovery was made. In 1924, three pigs went missing from their farm near Har-mony, Minn. After several days of search-ing, the farmer came across a sinkhole.

Hearing the sound of pigs, he inves-tigated, and lowered some neighbor boys down by rope. Seventy-five feet later, they came upon the beleaguered animals, still alive after having created an entrance into what is now known as Niagara Cave. Little did the farmer know that be-neath his corn field – or whatever he was growing at the time – there was a cave containing some of the most fascinating geological features in the country. In fact, in 2013, it was listed as No. 5 out of the eight most amazing caverns in the United States, behind such big names as Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico and Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. In mid-August, Don and I went on a road trip through southeastern Min-nesota, wanting to check out the scen-ery down there – which is beautiful, by the way – as well as the Amish culture

that is so prevalent in the Harmony and Lanesboro area. At roughly 1,000 people, it is Minnesota’s largest settle-ment. We didn’t do a tour, but enjoyed visiting with an Amish woman in Lanesboro, who had connections with Eddie and Mary Swartzentruber and Gideon and Maryann Gingrich from Long Prairie. I interviewed Eddie for Country Acres last July and Maryann shared recipes with us in the same is-sue. I promised to say hello to them from Lydia Herschberger. (Hello!) In one of the shops, we saw baskets made by more Long Prairie Amish, who we’ve bought baskets from here at Star Publications at Christmas time. It really is a small world. Another fun feature we discovered in Lanesboro was an actual working phone booth. I don’t remember the last time I’ve seen one, and I half expected a super hero to jump out of it. Part of me wanted to just put in some quar-ters and call someone, but regretfully, I didn’t. In retrospect, I think possibly the booth was there as a courtesy to the Amish that help fuel their tourist econ-omy, since I’m pretty sure they don’t carry cell phones. Anyway, back to Niagara Cave. It wasn’t high on our list, but one of those “as long as we’re down here we might as well check it out” things. It was a few miles out of town. We drove on white gravel roads through what

seemed like endless corn fields, and came to a small grove like you’d see anywhere around here. Though they had a mini golf course and gift shop, it looked nothing like a tourist trap. Since it was late in the day, most people had already gone. We felt quite lucky to get our own personal tour. We had to wear good shoes be-cause there were slippery areas and jackets because the temperature in the cave is 48 degrees all year round. The cave features many long, somewhat narrow pathways, with very high ceilings in some places, like being in a narrow canyon, and many more open areas, or rooms. One room was decked out in white furniture where hundreds of weddings have been held. No offense, but that struck me as a little weird. There were stalactites, stalag-mites and fossils in the walls that were up to 400 million years old. The entire cave was carved out over time by an ancient underground river, the remnant of which still flows through it. At one point, a waterfall drops 60 feet to the

rocks below, hence the name Niagara Cave. And it’s definitely not handi-cap accessible, with over 250 steps to maneuver during the mile-long under-ground hike. Tours of the cave began in 1934, with around 25,000 people visiting ev-ery year between Memorial Day and Labor Day. I’m not generally fond of confining spaces, so I wasn’t sure I’d like it, but it turned out to be a high-light of the trip. The craziest thing about it, to me, is that you could drive through the countryside and have no idea if such an amazing feature existed right beneath you. After all, no one might know about this one either, except that once upon a time, long ago, three little pigs got lost, and bounced their way down into another world. To this day, the Niag-ara Cave tour begins and ends in the place they landed, called the Reception Room. So the burning question might be, what’s under your place in the country?

by Diane Leukam

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GREENWALD – Nestled between rolling hills of soybean and cornfields and tucked behind a grove of trees is the home of Greg and Kay Van Beck. One step beyond the threshold of this country home, and it’s easy to deduce how Greg and his three sons – Austin, 21, Adam, 17 and Damon, 15 – spend the months of September through December. They devoutly partake in Minnesota’s archery deer season. “We’re kind of fanatics,” Greg said. The upcoming 2015 season opener on Saturday, Sept. 19, will mark the 34th year Greg will take to nature to partake in the sport. What began as a casual outing with his brother, Marty, has grown to become quite more than a hobby. “When you look at back when we started, in a high school class of 190 kids, maybe 10 kids hunted,” Greg said. “The sport has changed a lot. We had homemade stands; there were no portable stands. I didn’t know much about hunting, but I have learned over time.” Greg has shared his knowledge and love for bow hunting with his sons. The Van Becks participate in the waterfowl,

pheasant, dove and bow fish seasons. Compared to their ideal – archery deer hunting – nothing else comes close. “I would call bow hunting tough,” Greg said. “It’s another step up. When you first start hunting, it’s all about getting that deer. But, as you get older you start to hunt because you enjoy it again. It is fifty times better than rifle hunting.” Greg’s sons share in his viewpoint. “It’s relaxing,” Adam said. “And, more accomplishing than hunting with a gun. You put time and work into it. Hunting with a bow is such a rush and there is nothing that compares.”

No draw backVan Beck boys unearth nature, kinship in bow hunting

By MARIA HAGERStaff writer

PHOTO BY MARK KLAPHAKEGreg Van Beck has been bow hunting for 34 years and shares his passion for the sport with sons Austin, 21 (not pictured), Adam, 17, and Damon, 15.

Damon agreed. “There are only two things that make hunting better – state land and a bow,” he said. Damon and Adam both found their start while in grade six at Melrose Elementary. So far, Damon has shot three deer and Adam, four. All of the Van Becks hunt using their personal bow. Greg purchased his first bow from Fleet Farm and is now on his fourth. The technology has advanced tremendously since that time, Greg said. Adam has transitioned from a youth bow, to the adult bow he uses now, and Damon is hunting with

his first bow. Prior to hunts, preparations must be done. The Van Becks scout their hunting grounds to track deer patterns and population, paying close attention to the deer’s bedding grounds as well as logging wind direction. With over 25 deer stands to their name, the Van Becks cover a magnitude of hunting ground. They hunt three to four times a week throughout the season. One particular year found them devoting 200 hours a person to hunting. “We always see different things when we are out hunting,” Greg said. “It’s a time-consuming hobby, though.

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You have to have patience.” Trail cameras are utilized to capture the presence of deer, but traditional scouting scopes are also used. The Van Becks have four cameras stationed in South Dakota where they annually travel to hunt. They hunt on their own, and others’ land, and prefer to hunt in the Glenwood area. “We’re pretty picky about the deer that we hunt,” Greg said. “I like the does to have their fawns and take care of them. I watch the little bucks and let them grow first.” Special attention must be given for the proximity a hunter has to the animal. “The key is to see the deer before they see you,” Greg said. “The higher you are, the better. That way you are out of sight and out of scent. You have to use the wind more than anything. Does are the smartest and will bait the bucks out. But, they will catch on to our habits.” Their hunting clothes are washed in baking soda and stored in containers to prevent taking on their scent before they place themselves in nature for hours at a time while making minimal movements and sound. Once their faces are painted in a full camouflage facemask, and they don their camouflage clothing, they are ready to climb 15-20 feet above the ground in a tree stand to sit, wait, watch and listen. Listening and waiting can be a nerve-wracking process. “Sometimes you’ll wait for two hours, and you won’t hear anything,” Greg said. “And, then here comes a squirrel across the leaves, and you’ll swear it’s a huge buck coming your way.”

Some of the best experiences, however, haven’t necessarily involved deer. “A pheasant was 10 yards away under my tree,” Greg said. “And, a cross fox tried getting the rooster and just barely got the tail feathers. That pheasant flew right up by my face. That was the coolest thing.” And, sometimes, getting a deer isn’t the epitome of the outing. “As I’ve gotten older, the more I like bow hunting,” Greg said. “I enjoy the closeness to the animal. And you know, the ones I miss; the ones I didn’t get a shot off at, those are the ones I remember. Those are the ones that make it fun.” For the deer they do shoot, two to three will supply plenty of protein for the family and nothing goes to waste. “We use all of the meat one way or another,” Greg said. They do all the processing themselves. Depending on the temperature, the carcass will hang in the garage for a few days, or in a cooler unit. They make venison jerky and keep the roasts, steaks and backstraps. Hunting alongside his sons, sharing in their enjoyment, and witnessing their successful hunts, keeps Greg coming back year after year, with no intentions to pull the trigger on his hunting career. “At this point, I enjoy hunting because it’s time with the kids,” he said. “There is a network of people that I have met that I didn’t know before. I didn’t even fire a shot off last year. But, it’s the connections that mean more than anything. When you are 20 feet up in a tree, you are 20 feet closer to God.”

No draw back

PHOTO SUBMITTEDDamon Van Beck’s first bow kill came in 2014 when he shot this 8-point buck.

PHOTO SUBMITTEDGreg Van Beck shot this 12-point buck in 2011 with his bow.


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ST. JOSEPH – As you drive up, down, around and along the scenic Fruit Farm Road, the sun flashes in and out from behind the trees. Windows down, the air is crisp and ever so slightly sweet with the season. Fall is here, and that means Collegeville Orchards is ready for business. O r i g i n a l l y established as Meyer’s Fruit Farm in the mid-1900s, Collegeville Orchards is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week during a 10-week season in which an array of family fun activities and goods from their Country Store are available. From apples to pumpkins, honey to maple syrup, wagon rides to a petting zoo, and decorations to

Something for everyoneCollegeville Orchards offers taste of fall with produce, activities galore

By MARIA HAGERStaff writer

garden produce, there’s a little bit of everything for everyone. “We’re geared towards family,” said owner and operator Todd Beumer. “We have a lot of children come every year that get so excited.

People will even return every year to take their Christmas card picture here at the orchard.” Todd and his wife, Cherie, purchased the farm in 1999. Todd, who owns a lawn care landscaping company in the St. Cloud area, and

Cherie, who works as a speech pathologist at the Melrose Elementary School, were seeking a property located midway between their places of employment, and where they could have horses. The fruit farm met the

criteria. With the established acreage of orchards, the newly-purchased property also provided a source of income for the Beumer family. Todd and Cherie – with children, Alex, 11, and Maya, 6 – own 36 acres including pasture, fields and their

homestead. They have 16 acres of orchard land spread between three orchards on-site and two leased orchards, one near Grey Eagle and the other near Annandale. The work at Collegeville Orchard is completed with the help of 10-12 helping hands.

“We couldn’t do what we do without the family and friends that help us,” Todd said. During their first season of operation in 1999, they sold jams and jellies from an orchard supplier and had pumpkins and apples for sale.

PHOTO BY MARIA HAGERTodd Beumer’s father, Floyd, of Rockville, picks Lakeland apples on Sept. 10.


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PHOTO BY MARIA HAGERTodd Beumer’s father, Floyd, of Rockville, picks Lakeland apples on Sept. 10.

They were only open Friday through Sunday. Since buying the farm, they have garnered ideas from other orchards. “I’ve definitely learned a lot, and I am still learning a lot,” Todd said. “When we first started, I couldn’t even identify apple varieties. But now, I can tell you what each kind is.” The orchard has grown to add features such as tractor wagon rides, pick-your-own pumpkins, pumpkin painting and a petting zoo. Produce available at area farmer’s markets and at the orchard store includes squash, gourds, concord grapes, wild blackberries, raspberries, tomatoes, watermelon, house-made honey and maple syrup – to name a few. The premier produce, though, are apples. With 20 different varieties, apple production and care is a year-round process, said Todd. Ideally, trees are pruned in the winter. As soon as the snow is off the ground in the spring, the trees are sprayed with a mixture of oil and water to smother any insect eggs that may have wintered. May brings blossom season when trees are checked for pests and fungus flare-ups and are sprayed accordingly. The orchard hosts nine beehives, used to aid in pollination of the trees. The honey is collected and sold in their store. Throughout the summer months, work is focused on maintaining tree and apple health. “This summer has been great for apples,” Todd said. “Apples need heat, but not too much; plus the moisture. The cool mornings and evenings are great for ripening.” Come the fifth of August, apple-picking season is in full swing. The last apples to be harvested are ripened and ready by Oct. 5. Honey Crisp apples are the orchard’s bestseller, while the Haralson variety is also popular. The freshly-plucked apples, however, make their way far beyond the kitchen counter. For the last five years, the orchard has participated in the Farm to School program with the Sartell and St. Cloud school districts. Last year, St. Cloud alone accepted 77 bushels of apples – twice. That’s over 150 bushels of apples equating to more than 18,000 apples. Beyond apples, every June over 6,000 pumpkin, squash and gourd plants are hand-planted, all of which find their start in the orchard’s greenhouse. A 4-wheeler is used to establish trenches and a 4-foot

fence post is used for spacing plants. Tilling and weeding is completed by the middle of July. “I spend more time maintaining those plants than I do with the orchard,” Todd said about the pumpkin, squash and gourds. “The only thing that takes more time is mowing the orchard.” When Todd isn’t busy tending to his plants, he’s tending to animals. Collegeville Orchards is home to three alpaca, ten sheep, two pygmy goats, a miniature horse, a donkey, two large horses, baby chicks and ducklings. All of the animals are featured at the orchard’s petting zoo. The best way to fully experience the orchard is by jumping on the wagon, literally. Throughout their season, every Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m., weather permitting, the orchard offers an 8- to 10-minute tractor wagon ride through one of the scenic orchards. A year’s worth of work is on display for the public’s enjoyment at Collegeville Orchards. This year, business commenced on Aug. 29 and will come

to a close on Nov. 1. “It’s fun to see what we can accomplish,” Todd said. “I wish I could just do the orchard. I would love to do it full-time.” The highlight of the season is the annual fall festival. Occurring on Oct. 3-4 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the festival will include live music, cider demonstrations, face and pumpkin painting as well as all the other amenities orchard visitors have come to love. For more information on Collegeville Orchards, visit www.collegevilleorchardmn.com, e-mail [email protected], call (320) 356-7609 or visit Facebook @Collegeville Orchards.

PHOTO BY MARIA HAGERThe Collegeville Orchards Country Store is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is located on Fruit Farm Road near St. Joseph.

PHOTO BY MARIA HAGERFreshly-picked Lakeland apples sit in the orchard on the morning of Sept. 10. All of the apples from Collegeville Orchards are hand-picked and available for sale in their Country Store.


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by Morgan Uphoff

Stearns County Dairy Princess

Life is better with butter A whirlwind of excitement, ner-vousness and anticipation filled me as I stood on stage with 11 young wom-en that, through our passion for dairy, have become great friends. We locked hands as the final three were called to center stage. From behind, I watched Jeni Haler place the crown on Kyla Mauk, as she was crowned the 62nd Prin-cess Kay of the Milky Way. I had the opportunity to attend the Minnesota State Fair on Labor Day weekend as a princess kay finalist. I joined princess kay and the finalists in the dairy building and the moo booth, mingling with fairgoers, talking about my experience as a dairy princess, about my dairy farm and the

health benefits of dairy foods. This was my favorite part of the experience. It feels good to walk away from a con-

versation knowing that they learned something about dairy or that I changed their negative perception of the dairy commu-nity. We also attended the milking demonstration in front of the moo booth every day. After the audience learned about milking, they asked for volunteers who were young or young at heart to participate in the butter sculpt-ing contest. We, the princesses, were asked to judge the sculp-

tures the participants had created in five minutes using a one-pound block of butter. They were all very creative and there always seemed to be a prin-

cess sculpture in the group to try to win our vote. Every day, the goofy gophers Fair-born and Fairchild, had the honor of sharing the parade float with Princess Kay and the finalists. Have you ever wondered what you would look like in a 90-pound block of butter? This was no longer a mystery for me on Sept. 7. Linda Christensen, who has been sculpting princess kay and the finalists for 44 years, never ceases to amaze the princesses and the fairgoers. Linda and I entered the butter booth at 9 a.m. to begin the sculpting process. The 40 degrees felt very refreshing af-ter the hot, humid weekend at the fair. On the inside, I had a microphone to introduce myself and answer questions from the fairgoers watching outside the booth. The sculpting process was fin-

ished around 5:30 p.m. Not only is the butterhead mine to keep, I also got to take home approximately 30 pounds of scraps. This was the coolest experience ever, literally. I would like to thank my parents for being dairy farmers and supporting me every step of the way. I am thank-ful for all my family, friends and the community that came to the fair to cheer and support me from home as well. Thank you to the Stearns Coun-ty American Dairy Association and to my fellow Stearns County Dairy Prin-cesses and Ambassadors for supporting me and helping me become successful. Last but not least, thank you to all of the dairy farmers of Stearns County. I couldn’t be more proud to represent the largest dairy county in the state of Min-nesota.

PHOTO SUBMITTEDPrincess Kay finalist, Morgan Uphoff, poses with her butterhead. The sculpture was carved from a 90-pound block of butter.

PHOTO SUBMITTEDMorgan Uphoff (back, far left) rode in the daily parade Sept. 7 through the Minne-sota State Fair grounds.

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Schlenner Wenner & Co. is a regional independent C�A �irm dedicated to serving clients with professionalism and integrity. �he �irm’s professional staff ’s attention to detail and personal touch promote excellent working relationships with their clients. Schlenner Wenner & Co., a member of the McGladrey Alliance, has a signi�icant presence in Central Minnesota by maintaining of�ices in St. Cloud, Albany, Little �alls, Monticello and Maple Lake. �he �irm focuses on serving accounting, tax, payroll, QuickBooks and business consulting needs of their business, individual, not-for-pro�it and governmental clients. �he �irm has been providing high quality, value-added professional services since 1964 to St. Cloud and the surrounding areas. Schlenner Wenner & Co. currently has 11 partners and 50 employees, including �� Certi�ied �ublic Accountants. �his allows them to offer a broad range of services to their clients. Industries served include agriculture, construction, transportation, telecommunications, retailers, wholesalers, printing, government agencies, dealerships, not-for-pro�it organi�ations and manufacturing.

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SO SMART.Boomer™ compact tractors are loaded with features that keep you comfortable and productive while saving you time and money. That’s New Holland SMART. Controls come easily to hand, and you have an outstanding view over the sloped hood. You get fast implement and steering response thanks to the high-capacity, dual-pump hydraulics. Check out the other smart Boomer features:

• Easy-to-use hydrostatic or shuttle transmission

• Compact design and easy maneuvering in tight spots

• Added traction when you need it from 4WD and differential lock

• Independent electro-hydraulic rear PTO and available mid-PTO to drive a variety of implements

© 2014 CNH Industrial America LLC. All rights reserved. New Holland is a trademark registered in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affi liates.

Modern Farm Equipment, Inc.(320) 352-6543

www.modernfarmequipment.com© 2014 CNH Industrial America LLC. All rights reserved. New Holland is a trademark registered in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affi liates.

Whether you need to load mulch, mow the lawn, clear a pasture, till the garden, clean stalls or install a fence, a Boomer™ compact tractor from New Holland is ready. Boomer tractors are SMART for anyone who wants reliable, hard-working performance in a maneuverable compact package. Choose from numerous models ranging from 33 to 47 horsepower. They’re all built New Holland SMART.

• Comfortable and easy to drive

• Great visibility due to the sloped hood and curved-boom loader design

• Simple maintenance

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* Offer valid only on tractors purchased from an authorized New Holland dealer.

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www.modernfarmequipment.com40486 408th St., Sauk Centre, MN 56378 • 320-352-6543

25894 Hwy. 27, Pierz MN 56364 • 320-468-2161 • modernfarmequipment.com








READY WHEN YOU ARE.



www.modernfarmequipment.com

419440so7/12-7/19/15

EFFICIENCY HAS NEVER BEEN

SO SMART.Boomer™ compact tractors are loaded with features that keep you comfortable and productive while saving you time and money. That’s New Holland SMART. Controls come easily to hand, and you have an outstanding view over the sloped hood. You get fast implement and steering response thanks to the high-capacity, dual-pump hydraulics. Check out the other smart Boomer features:

• Easy-to-use hydrostatic or shuttle transmission

• Compact design and easy maneuvering in tight spots

• Added traction when you need it from 4WD and differential lock

• Independent electro-hydraulic rear PTO and available mid-PTO to drive a variety of implements



www.modernfarmequipment.com© 2014 CNH Industrial America LLC. All rights reserved. New Holland is a trademark registered in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affi liates.







READY WHEN YOU ARE.



www.modernfarmequipment.com40486 408th St., Sauk Centre, MN 56378 • 320-352-6543

25894 Hwy. 27, Pierz MN 56364 • 320-468-2161 • modernfarmequipment.com








READY WHEN YOU ARE.




419440so7/12-7/19/15


SAUK CENTRE, MN 320-352-6543 • Hwy. 71 South

PIERZ, MN 320-468-2161 • Hwy. 27 West

Store Hours: Monday-Friday 8-5, Saturday Seasonal

OpenHouse

Modern Farm Equipment in Pierz and Sauk Centre

March 24-28BIG

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Your new fi eld offi ce, the VisionView™ cab, is packed with unsurpassed comfort, a SMART ergonomic control layout, and outstanding visibility. New Holland designed the 82- to 98-PTO hp T5 tractors around you, using state-of-the-art virtual reality techniques. The result? Everything’s in the perfect place. Stop by for a fi rst hand look.

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• Dual-zone air conditioning/heating system uses 10 positionable vents for ultimate comfort
















UNITS IN STOCK!

CA_Sept-JW


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Family ............................. $580Husband & Wife ............. $520Single .............................. $395

Single Seat Cart Pass ..... $295Cart Pass (Husband & Wife) ...... $400

4-Person Scramble Sept. 12,

9 am

SPRING HILL – Bryce Welle is all smiles early af-ternoon on Sept. 10 as he sits with grandma and grandpa Gennie and Vernon Welle and uncle Dan Welle as they talk about draft horses. “We have three gener-ations here,” Vernon said proudly of a draft horse con-nection, sitting in their rural Spring Hill kitchen. Dan and wife Deanna’s son, Ryan, also likes working with horses. He drives the teams and also does gaming with his riding horse. “It’s just what we like,” said 83-year-old Vernon with Dan adding, “They are easy to handle and to harness and pret-ty easy to take care of.” Draft horses are docile an-imals. Vernon said they can go

out to a field where the horses are grazing, and they aren’t hard to catch. In fact, they usu-ally come right up to them. “I feel safe around a draft horse,” said Dan. A few years ago, Ver-non gave Bryce his first team of Belgian draft horses, and Bryce rattles off their names—Bill, Bud and Beth. This year,

Bryce bought a wagon that he can hitch his horses up to and give rides. Outside, pitchblack Per-cherons Tom and Molly roam around, eating grass. “We’ve had this team about 20 years,” said Vernon. “One came from Mike Den-ny.” Denny, of Sauk Centre, is

another draft horse enthusiast. Vernon grew up on a farm not far from where he and Gennie live, where his dad had draft horses that they used for fieldwork and also had rid-ing horses. Dan and Deanna, who live just down the road, have a team of light brown Norwe-gian Fjords, named Blackie

and Blondie. “They are smaller,” said Dan. “They have the black and white mane that is their signa-ture trait.” Talk turned to what they use draft horses for. While the majority of the time it is to give rides, sometimes it’s for fieldwork. “We cut hay with ‘em,” said Vernon. “And do a little bit of plowing sometimes.” He said people would stop and even take photos when he’s cutting grass with his draft horses. “When you’re on a $20,000 tractor, nobody stops,” Vernon said laughing. On a mid-September weekend they have scheduled rides in Meire Grove and Lake George. They have gone as far as Milaca to give rides. Dan said they give draft horse-led wagon rides year-around, recalling a cold Janu-ary day in Paynesville. “The older people loved it,” he said. Vernon talks about their enclosed wagon, made by Ralph Inderrieden, but they rarely use it because people prefer to ride in the open air

Three generations of Welles enjoy draft horse connection

Family participates in Field Day Sept. 26

PHOTOS BY CAROL MOORMANThree generations of Welles (from left) – Dan, Gennie, Bryce and Vernon – enjoy working with draft horses. Pictured with them are draft horses Molly and Tom.

By CAROL MOORMANStaff writer


*Customer instant rebates of $1,250 are available on purchases of new Kubota MX4800/MX5200/MX5800 Series equipment from participating dealers’ stock. Rebate is not available after completed sale. Dealer subtracts rebate from dealer’s pre-rebate selling price on qualifying purchases. Some exceptions apply. Offer expires 10/31/2015. **Customer instant rebates of $1,000 are available on purchases of new Kubota MX4800/MX5200/MX5800 Series tractors with two new qualifying Kubota or Land Pride implements from participating dealers’ stock. Dealer subtracts rebate from dealer’s pre-rebate selling price on qualifying purchases. Rebate not available after completed sale. Some exceptions apply. Offer expires 10/31/2015. Optional equipment may be shown.

111 50th Avenue West, Alexandria, MN 56308 www.alexpowerequipment.com

© Kubota Tractor Corporation, 2014

*$0 down, 0% A.P.R. fi nancing for up to 48 months on purchases of new Kubota equipment (excluding T, GR, G, F, Z122R & VS Series) is available to qualifi ed purchasers from participating dealers’ in-stock inventory through 12/31/2014. Example: A 48-month monthly installment repayment term at 0% A.P.R. requires 48 payments of $20.83 per $1,000 fi nanced. 0% A.P.R. interest is available to customers if no dealer documentation preparation fee is charged. Dealer charge for document preparation fee shall be in accordance with state laws. Inclusion of ineligible equipment may result in a higher blended A.P.R. Not available for Rental, National Accounts or Governmental customers. 0% A.P.R. and low-rate fi nancing may not be available with customer instant rebate offers. Financing is available through Kubota Credit Corporation, U.S.A., 3401 Del Amo Blvd., Torrance, CA 90503; subject to credit approval. Some exceptions apply. Offer expires 12/31/2014. See us for details on these and other low-rate options or go to www.kubota.com for more information. Optional equipment may be shown.www.kubota.com

Gear up with year-end fi nancing on RTV X-Series utility vehicles!

$0 Down, 0% Financing, for up to 48 Months*

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© Kubota Tractor Corporation, 2014

*$0 down, 0% A.P.R. fi nancing for up to 48 months on purchases of new Kubota equipment (excluding T, GR, G, F, Z122R & VS Series) is available to qualifi ed purchasers from participating dealers’ in-stock inventory through 12/31/2014. Example: A 48-month monthly installment repayment term at 0% A.P.R. requires 48 payments of $20.83 per $1,000 fi nanced. 0% A.P.R. interest is available to customers if no dealer documentation preparation fee is charged. Dealer charge for document preparation fee shall be in accordance with state laws. Inclusion of ineligible equipment may result in a higher blended A.P.R. Not available for Rental, National Accounts or Governmental customers. 0% A.P.R. and low-rate fi nancing may not be available with customer instant rebate offers. Financing is available through Kubota Credit Corporation, U.S.A., 3401 Del Amo Blvd., Torrance, CA 90503; subject to credit approval. Some exceptions apply. Offer expires 12/31/2014. See us for details on these and other low-rate options or go to www.kubota.com for more information. Optional equipment may be shown.www.kubota.com

Gear up with year-end fi nancing on RTV X-Series utility vehicles!

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320.763.4994© Kubota Tractor Corporation, 2015

kubota.com

Offer ends 10/31/15.

$2,250 Customer Instant Rebate

with purchase of a newKubota MX Series

with two or more qualifying implements.*/**

*Customer instant rebates of $1,250 are available on purchases of new Kubota MX4800/MX5200/MX5800 Series equipment from participating dealers’ stock. Rebate is not available after completed sale. Dealer subtracts rebate from dealer’s pre-rebate selling price on qualifying purchases. Some exceptions apply. Offer expires 10/31/2015. **Customer instant rebates of $1,000 are available on purchases of new Kubota MX4800/MX5200/MX5800 Series tractors with two new qualifying Kubota or Land Pride implements from participating dealers’ stock. Dealer subtracts rebate from dealer’s pre-rebate selling price on qualifying purchases. Rebate not available after completed sale. Some exceptions apply. Offer expires 10/31/2015. Optional equipment may be shown.

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wagon. Vernon said people look forward to seeing their draft horses in the Barley Day Pa-rade. The Welles’ draft horses pulled a stagecoach when Dan Winter held his annual Wild West Days at his place in rural Spring Hill. The horses also pulled an old-time Lake Henry fire truck during the city’s cen-tennial parade. On the table in front of the Welles was a book with in-formation and photos of draft horses that will be sold during a fall auction sale in Waverly, Iowa. The Welles often trav-el there to purchase teams of draft horses. Bryce, age 26, has been going along to Wa-verly since he was in fifth grade. “A good team will sell for $8,000,” said Dan. There are certain things they look for when purchasing draft horses, usually in teams.

“A lot of our horses are 16.2 hands,” said Dan, ex-plaining the height of horses – draft or riding – are often described by hands, from the bottom of their feet to their withers (back). They will purchase draft horses, already trained, and then either keep them or sell them, some to the Amish. “It’s a hobby to buy and sell them,” said Vernon. The Welles purchase their harnesses from the Amish and the Amish make shoes for the bottoms of their draft horses’ feet. Like they have for years, the Welles will be taking their draft horses to the 36th Annu-al Northern Minnesota Draft Horse Field Day on Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Greg and San-dra Theis-Walz farm in rural Richmond. Dan, president of this draft horse club, said this is a day when people can come out and

see how fieldwork used to be done years ago. It’s also a time for the Welles to visit with fel-low draft horse owners. There will be 75 to 100 draft horses and mules, some that will be used to do field-work, like plowing, cutting si-lage, potato digging, threshing oats and shredding corn. Bryce is looking forward to giving wagon rides at the draft horse show with his draft horses. “It’s a lot of fun,” he said.

It’s something he learned by watching his grandpa and uncle. On this afternoon, Vernon, Dan and Bryce get Tom and Molly ready for a wagon ride. They place harnesses on Tom and Molly and hook them to-gether, so they are on the sides they are used to. The horses are almost identical, except for the star on the front of Tom’s face. Gennie climbs into the back of the red wagon like she has done hundreds of times,

sitting next to Dan who holds the reigns in his hands, ready to give Tom and Molly direc-tions. They take off for a short jaunt down the farm road and back into the farmyard. “It’s what the horses like to do,” said Vernon, watch-ing Tom and Molly trot past a bean field almost ready to be picked. Three generations of Welles enjoy their draft horse connection.

Deanna and Dan Welle’s son, Ryan, and a friend take Deanna and Dan’s Norwegian Fjord draft horses, Blackie and Blondie, for a ride.

Bryce Welle works his Belgian draft horses. He has three of them: Bill, Bud and Beth.


Mark StensonLoan Officer

THAT FIRST HOME IS SPECIAL.

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Fun with ATVs & UTVsQ&A

Doris and Jack RamlerAvon

What type of ATV do you have? The first ATV we ever bought was a 1985 Honda Big Red for around $870 brand new. In 1986, I bought my wife, Doris, the first four-wheeler in our group, a 250X Honda. A year later I bought a Yamaha Ban-shee and updated to the same machine again two years later. As our two children grew, they also had their own four-wheelers to ride, and now five of our grand-children even have their own little 125s that have a remote auto shut down if need be that is held by the grownups. In 2009, we wanted to go to a side by side. We were never fans of Polaris products, but it turned out that the Polaris Ranger side by side won out. It is ev-erything that we wanted. It had a full cab and a heater in it. Things progressed fast with the new UTVs, and we have updated again with-in the last year and this one has a built-in radio, a forced air heater and full en-closed doors. It is pretty much like owning a small Jeep. I now have tracks that I interchange out for winter driving, and there is hardly anywhere we can’t drive in the snow.

How did you get interested in ATVing? Back in the late 70s and early 80s, we would go out to Danbury, Wis., with CJ5 Jeeps and do trail riding and climb sand hills and canoe the Navicogin River. Some people started to bring three-wheelers along and then went to four-wheelers even later as we continued to go there for longer weekends. It made it a little more personal that everyone could drive and have control of their own machine. We sometimes had groups as large as 20+ machines. It was a lot of fun.

What are some of the things you use your vehicle for? What’s your favorite? We mainly us our UTVs for pleasure riding at our hunting cabin by Goodland, Minn. We can ride trails for 25+ miles in a single direction. Our hunting cabin with 80 acres is owned with my brother, Greg, and his wife, Sue, along with friends Ross and Julie Voit. We really enjoy it and have a lot of fun when we all get together. All cabin owners and even some of our kids own a side by side. Our Polaris Rangers are capable of hauling a lot of things with a load capac-ity of about 1,000 lbs.

How many miles do you put on in a year? We put roughly 700-800 miles on in a year.

Where do you do most of your riding? Most of our riding is done at our hunting cabin by Goodland with hundreds of square miles surrounding us with Blandin Paper Company land.

What advice would you give to someone looking to buy an ATV or side by side? Advice on what model to buy? If you talk to 10 different salesmen, you get 10 different answers. Study all the machines and do your homework to find out what your personnel needs are to find one that is compatible for you and your families.

How do you stay safe while riding? As for safety, our Ranger is equipped with seatbelts that are comparable to a car with shoulder straps. It also has a wider wheel base for keeping it from rolling over easier in corners. The engine is locat-ed in the center of the machine to keep it well balanced.

Tell us your favorite story of when you were using them. We have owned ATVs and UTVs since 1985 and I can’t really give you a favorite story as every time we go out on the trails with family and friends it’s always a good time. It is the fresh smell of the woods, the chance of seeing the wildlife, the beautiful colors in fall and also the camaraderie we share with our families and friends.

HELP PROTECT OUR WATER RESOURCES

New Pilot Program Offers by SRWD–Hayed Buffer Program

Pilot Area: Sauk Lake Dam to CR 111 at Richmond

Eligibility: Must currently be crop land or pasture land adjacent to perennial streams, public ditches, or private ditches.

• Buffer zone must be min. 50’ wide • Land must be maintained for 10 years

TO PARTICIPATE CONTACT: Joe Orr at Stearns County SWCD

in Waite Park 320-251-7800 ext. 3or in Todd County Sabin Adams

320-732-6618 ext. 3or general questions SRWD

320-352-2231

Within the Sauk River watershed there are 253 lakes and over 500 perennial and intermittent streams that eventually reach the Sauk River. This incoming water is made up of stormwater runoff from many different types of land use. Stormwater runoff picks up and car-ries nutrients such as phosphorus and soil particles, called sediment, and deposits them in the receiving water body. However, the longer stormwater is held on the land the more nutrients are captured and used by vegetation. One of the simplest form of stormwater re-tention is a vegetated buffer strip. The vegetation slows down runoff allowing the vegetation to draw up the nu-trients and trap the sediment. A well maintained grass buffer can reduce nutrient runoff significantly while providing better habitat along lakes and streams.

The Sauk River Watershed District (SRWD) has taken a proactive approach to protect the Sauk River from becoming impaired for nutrients and sediment. For the past year, the SRWD has been working with local farmers, a crop consultant, the Minnesota Extension Service and technical staff from the Todd and Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) to develop a buffer program that benefits both the landowner and the water resource of concern. This cooperative effort designed the SRWD’s new “Hayed Buffer Program” which allows a landowner to meet the 50 foot vegetated buffer State rule and still benefit financially.

The SRWD’s Hayed Buffer Program offers landowners 75% cost share to establish a 50 foot vegetated buffer and offers a $100 annual payment per acre to keep the buffer in place for 10 years. In addition, the landowner is allowed to harvest the vegetation twice a year for forage. It is anticipated that by the end of the 10 years the landowner has adopted the buffer into their farm management practices.

PROTECTING WATER

RESOURCES THROUGH A

HAYED BUFFER PROGRAM Photo submitted by Stearns SWCD


What type of ATV do you have? We have a 2015 Polaris 570 Ranger.

How did you get interested in ATVing? We grew up with it. We bought three- and four-wheelers, then my wife, Shirley, told me to get a side by side for picking rocks. They are handy.

What are some of the things you use your vehicle for? What’s your favorite? We use it for all kinds of things: rock picking, going to the chicken barn, checking the crops, fixing fence, hauling tools from barn to barn, spot spraying and cruising down the roads to looks at the crops. It’s relaxing to go check out the area and see what the crops look like.

How many miles do you put on in a year? We average around 1,200 miles a year.

Where do you do most of your riding? The majority of the riding we do is around here.

What advice would you give to someone looking to buy an ATV or side by side? We’ve had two Polaris Rangers and we’ve had good luck with them. Everybody has different needs for size and power. I don’t know what advice I would give them. They are a good investment for the farm.

How do you stay safe while riding? When we go on gravel roads we wear our seatbelts. We also try to use common sense.

Tell us your favorite story of when you were using them. I don’t have a favorite story, but Shirley and I really enjoy driving around in the evening after chores checking out the crops. We have a field road that is a mile long. We also really enjoy taking it to visit with neighbors or driving to Spring Hill.

John JuelkeSauk Centre

Bob Welle with son, Blake, 12Greenwald

What type of ATV do you have? Polaris 500 Sportsman

How did you get interested in ATVing? They appealed to me as a useful and versatile machine that would be useful on our hobby farm as well as recreationally.

What are some of the things you use your vehicle for? What’s your favorite? I use it for hunting, farming, trail riding and putting the dock in and out of the lake! My favorite is trail riding in the mountains of Montana because I like riding slowly and taking time to enjoy the scenery.

How many miles/hours do you put on in a year? It varies from year to year.

Where do you do most of your riding? Public trails of Wisconsin, Montana and North-ern Minnesota, also mountain riding in Arizona with family.

How do you stay safe while riding? Use common sense and drive sensibly, and keep it at a safe speed.

What type of ATV do you have? We have a 2012 Yamaha Viking.

How did you get interested in ATVing? My brother had one and he mentioned how much easier it is getting on and off, and getting around the fields is so much safer.

What are some of the things you use your vehicle for? We use it a lot for running back and forth from one farm to our other farm which is a mile away. We check cows out in the pasture and look over the crops. Having the cargo box is very handy. We use it for every-thing from hauling baby calves to picking sweet corn.

How many miles/hours do you put on in a year? We put on about 1,000 miles a year.

Where do you do most of your riding? Mostly we ride from farm to farm. We have a license for it so we can drive on the roads.

What advice would you give to someone looking to buy? Look at how easy it is to get on and off. You should also consider getting one with a cab so you can stay warm in the winter. This ATV is safer than a four-wheeler.How do you stay safe? We use common sense and practice safe driving.

Tell a fun story of when you were using your ATV. Blake likes to see how much snow he can get through. But we usually end up having to pull him out when he gets stuck!

What type of ATV do you have? A 2012 Polaris 550 XP, 2013 Can-Am 650 Outlander XT, 2014 Polaris 570, 2014 Polaris RZR 800.

How did you get interested in ATVing? My Brother, Ervin, owns property 20 miles north of Park Rapids around the Lake George area. We would visit him and drive his ATV around. Something the whole family enjoyed. That’s what got us hooked.

What are some of the things you use your vehicle for? What’s your favorite? I would say our favorite is to go trail riding all around Minnesota and some in Wisconsin. It’s something we can all do as a family. I also use my RZR for snow plowing and moving non-running autos at my business. We also use them for pulling a trailer around for yard work.

How many miles do you put on in a year? It varies 2014 we did a lot of riding, put on approximately 1,100 miles; 2015 has been a busy year, not able to get out as much so far, about 400 miles, As far as hours well that is priceless with all the time we spend together with family and friends.

Where do you do most of your riding? The majority of our riding is done in northern Minnesota. From my brother, Ervin’s property we can go in almost any direction. He is located right in the middle of many DNR trails systems and ATV club trails. After a day of riding we sit around the campfire and let the stories begin.

What advice would you give to someone looking to buy an ATV or side by side? Do some research and test ride some different machines. Make sure you are comfortable and fit the machine.

How do you stay safe while riding? We are big believers in wearing helmets and proper clothing/riding gear. Also we made sure all of our children went through the DNR Safety Program, which now is mandatory.

Tell us your favorite story of when you were using them. We have so many. My son, Austin’s, friend showed off and hit a mud hole so hard he flew off his ATV right into the mud hole. When we go to Wisconsin with family and friends, we have a parade of ATVs – close to 20. Favorite stories always include stopping along the trails to take in the scenery, enjoy a snack and refreshment and good conversation.

Lynn Hiltner and Loren PundsackMelrose

Kevin Klaphake with his dad, EldredSpring Hill


Cherished memories from years past

SAUK CENTRE – “I just can’t get it out of my system.” What Dorothy Bieringer can’t get out of her system is something many people would never take a second look at. An old oak tree that has been part of her life since she was a little girl. Dorothy was born on July 22, 1916, to Frank and Clara Jenc, on a farm near Padua. Throughout her life, one constant was going to Mass in Padua, and on the way, regardless of the various places she lived, she passed the oak tree along the way. Her first deep thought about the tree was when she was a young child. One day on the way to Mass, she thought, “My goodness, my mother sat under that tree when she was a child.” Dorothy’s mother, Clara, was born in 1897, to Herman and Margaret Wiener. Herman rented 160 acres of land from an old bachelor, Anton Kranick, when Clara was a young girl. They rented the land to make hay. During the summer, they’d go over in the morning with the horses and the hayrack, bringing their dinner along. At noon, they’d stop to feed and water the horses, letting them rest while they themselves had their dinner.

Under the old oak tree

PHOTO BY DIANE LEUKAMDorothy Bieringer of Sauk Centre stands with an old oak tree in the background that she first became attached to over 90 years ago.

Bieringer relives childhood memories

By DIANE LEUKAMStaff writer

Their place of rest and relief from the heat was none other than under the old oak tree. When the hour was over, it was back to work.

PHOTO SUBMITTEDRaising chickens helped the Bieringers make ends meet in the early 40s. Above, Patricia and Robert help carry water to 1,000 Rhode Island Reds.

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Clara grew up and married Frank Jenc, and they raised five children near Padua, three boys and two girls, of which Dorothy was the oldest. All of them were born in the house on the farm.

Farm work was important, but Dorothy wishes she could have gone to high school. Her last day of school was at the age of 12, at which time she had earned her eighth grade diploma, which now hangs in the little red


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school house that sits at the intersection of Hwy. 71 and I-94 in Sauk Centre. “That’s my school,” she said. Five generations of her family attended that school. It was later moved into town as a historical marker representing schoolhouses of days gone by. In 1936, Dorothy married John Bieringer, Sr., son of Anton and Mary Bieringer. Anton was the only surviving child of parents who had come from Germany. When Dorothy and John got married, they had nothing. They didn’t have a car or a place to live and like Dorothy, John also had an eighth grade education. They started out living with his parents for the first winter. With 13 kids in the family, and many still home, Dorothy kept busy. “I’d stand by the kitchen stove in the morning for hours making pancakes,” she said. They also helped Anton make hay. Dorothy remembers feeding wire through a block on the old baler. An inherently dangerous job, it was critical to watch for the plunger that would come down to push the bales through. The next summer, they went to live with and help a neighbor family. When nothing seemed to be working, Anton went to the bank in Sauk Centre and borrowed money to purchase 40 acres of land. He told John and Dorothy they would then be on their own with that land. The old oak tree stood nearby. In the 40s, John and Dorothy worked for the man who owned the 160 acres where the old tree stood. The land was planted in Junegrass, and when it went to seed, John and Dorothy harvested it. They used a box that had nail heads in it to strip the seeds off the grass. It had wheels on both sides, and they went

PHOTOS SUBMITTEDAt right, photographed by Dorothy Bieringer in 1965, this tree was old when her mother, Clara, sat under it around 1905. Above is a photo taken in the spring of 2015, 50 years later. The old oak tree still stands in a cornfield near Padua.

BIERINGER continued on page 23

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by Wendy Womack, DVM

Well it is prime allergy season, and the phones are ringing off the hook at my veterinary clinic concerning itchy pets. Seasonal allergies are things in the air like pollen and mold spores. These aller-gens are inhaled and come in contact with the skin and wreak havoc every year with the worst time for many pets from August-October. Follow-ing are some things you can do for your pet to combat allergic itching before having to resort to prescrip-tion medications. The first defense against aller-gies should always be avoidance if possible. When the allergen is in the air, it is not easy to do. But, there are some simple steps that can help. Keep your pet indoors in air conditioning as much as possible, especially when the grass is being mowed. Keep yards mowed short and avoid exercising pets in areas of tall grass and weeds. Use a filter system with your air conditioner or a separate air filtration sys-tem to remove airborne allergens like pollen and mold spores. Limit the number of houseplants you have be-cause these can be a source of mold spores. Finally, since allergens can trigger itching just by contact with your pets’ skin, wipe them down with a damp towel or rinse them off after being outside. The next layer of protection and relief is from topical shampoos, cream rinses, sprays and lotions. Bathing at least once a week can help. When skin is irritated, cool water is better than warm. Bathing will provide short-term relief for about 1-3 days, longer if you use a cream rinse. One of the ingredients to look for in a shampoo or cream rinse is colloidal oatmeal. Just like it does for people with poison ivy, colloidal oatmeal pulls inflammatory toxins out of the skin. Es-pecially if you use a cream rinse, you may be able to bathe your pet twice weekly without overly drying its skin. There are other shampoos that contain topical anesthetics to bring relief. When using a therapeutic shampoo, be sure to leave the suds on for a full 10 min-utes before rinsing to get the full benefit of the product. If your pet has scabs and sores from scratching, con-sult your veterinarian about shampoo selection. Topi-cal antihistamine and cortisone sprays and lotions can be used on small areas of irritation, but remember that

pets tend to lick these products off and some over-the-counter medications may be unsafe if licked. Omega-3 fatty acids can be an important founda-tion for your wall of allergy protection. They disrupt production of inflammatory chemicals in your pet’s skin. They do not work fast, but take a minimum of 4-6 weeks to build up in your pet’s system for full effect. I recommend giving the fatty acids to your pets year-round so they are always present at effective levels. The best source is from full body fish oils. Fish liver oils like cod liver oil can contain toxic levels of Vita-min A and D for pets. The omega-3 fatty acids from sources like flax cannot be used by cats and are ineffi-ciently used by dogs as they age. You want to look for the initials EPA and DHA on the label – these are the omega-3 fatty acids you want to supplement. As the only weapon against allergies, they help about 10-25 percent of pets. When used in combination with other medications, like antihistamines, they are synergistic, which means that together these chemicals work better than either one used alone. Oral antihistamines can also offer relief. While histamine is the primary chemical causing inflam-mation in people, it is only one of several causing inflammation in dogs, which is why they don’t work as reliably in dogs (up to 30 percent will get relief). That being said, some antihistamines will work better than others in your individual dog, so it is worth doing two-week trials of different antihistamines to see if you can find one that gives relief. You should consult your veterinarian about the dose and frequency of adminis-tration of different antihistamines before trying them. Cats respond much better to antihistamines with up to 70 percent gaining relief. Do not use over-the-counter allergy products which contain multiple active ingre-dients, especially Tylenol. These can be dangerous or even life-threatening, so always make sure the antihis-tamine is the only active ingredient. For some pets, all of the above combined won’t be enough to deal with their seasonal allergies, but for many, these approaches will work. Even if you still end up in the veterinarian’s office, you may not have to use drugs like predinose. For severely affected dogs, im-munotherapy with allergy shots or prescription drugs like Atopica or Apoquel may be the ultimate solution to your pet’s misery.

Seasonal allergies in our pets


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back and forth across the meadow. When they were done, someone from the seed company would bag it up to be sold for seed. Another source of income was their chickens. Every summer they raised 1,000 Rhode Island Reds. The roosters were sold and the hens kept for layers. They had an incubator upstairs in the house where they kept eggs for hatching, which were then sold to Swift & Co., a hatchery in Sauk Centre. They also sold eggs to people from the cities that would stop in on the weekends. “That’s how we got on our feet. We made a good living from the chickens,” Bieringer said. Later, they were able to rent and farm the 160 acres. Though she didn’t think about the tree much in those years, she still looked at it every time they went to Padua for Mass. In the spring of 1965, Dorothy took her first photo of the oak tree, and has taken others on occasion, including one this spring, 50 years later. “I’ve been thinking about that tree for 90 years,” she said, still amazed her mother sat under it well over a hundred years ago. John and Dorothy had four children

– Robert, Patricia, Eugene and John. They eventually built another home in the country where they retired. John, Sr. passed away in September 1996, when Dorothy was 80 years old. She no longer lives in her home in the country, but in a townhome in Sauk Centre, ironically, on the same piece of land where Swift & Co. was located so many years ago. The stately oak tree still stands alone, perhaps a hundred yards off of County 18, this year in the middle of a beautiful corn field. Somehow it has escaped the fate of many others like it, as farming has evolved to bigger fields and bigger machinery. No one could be happier about that than Dorothy. She still gets out to see it every chance she gets, lighting up with joy as it comes into view. To her, the old oak tree is a very important part of her life, a symbol of her heritage. At 99 years young, she is full of energy and zest for life, with a memory and wit many people half her age would envy. She wakes up every morning, joyful at what she is sure will be a great day. As she puts it, “I love it…my life hasn’t been easy, but I’ve been so blessed.”

BIERINGER continued from 21

Raising chickens helped the Bieringers make ends meet in the early 1940s. Above, Patricia and Robert carry water to 1,000 Rhode Island Reds.


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How long have you lived in the country? All our lives. Melvin was born and raised on the home farm.

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What is your favorite thing about living there? We like living in the country because it’s peaceful. You don’t have neighbors right on top of you like in town. We also love seeing the Sacred Heart Church steeple in Freeport lit up at night, as well as the lights when they play softball. We can also see the lights from the Melrose football field when they have games. We’ve enjoyed married life in the country for 53 years.

What is your favorite activity to do at your place? Karen: I love cutting lawn. I like to cook and bake, in addition to my part-time job. We enjoy watching TV, especially the Twins. And we love when the grandkids come over. Melvin: I love mowing lawn, too, but I usually don’t have time. I enjoy helping with the chores and feeding the heifers. Whatever farm work there is to do at the time.

What’s been your most memorable country living experience? We had six kids, and we enjoyed raising them on the farm. They all had jobs to do and they really never complained because they knew they had to do them. Melvin: I just enjoyed working on the farm with my dad and now with the boys.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? Karen: Watching the Twins, going shopping, reading. We enjoy playing cards and sometimes going to the casino - usually Mille Lacs. Melvin: Someone once told me my favorite thing is to aggravate people. I do, but they give it right back.

Tell us something about yourself that most people may not know. We love to travel. Some favorites have been Hawaii, Alaska, the Canadian Rockies and a Caribbean cruise. Also, before our trees grew to big, we used to be able to see three churches from here: Freeport, St. Rosa and St. Anthony.

PHOTOS BY DIANE LEUKAMMelvin and Karen Goebel stand next to a flower bed at their home near Freeport. In the background is the farm where they raised their children, now being operated by their son, Dale.

Melvin and Karen Goebel enjoy the view of the city of Freeport from their home. Note the Sacred Heart Church steeple and Freeport water tower in the background.


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PHOTOS BY DIANE LEUKAMMelvin and Karen Goebel stand next to a flower bed at their home near Freeport. In the background is the farm where they raised their children, now being operated by their son, Dale.

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Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cake1 cup oatmeal1/2 cup butter1 3/4 cup boiling water1 cup brown sugar1 cup sugar2 large eggs1 3/4 cups flour1 tsp. soda1/2 tsp. salt1 Tbsp. cocoa2 cups chocolate chips Pour boiling water over oatmeal and butter and cool. Add brown sugar, sugar and eggs and stir until blended. Mix flour, soda, salt and cocoa together and add to oatmeal mixture. Add 1 cup chocolate chips. Put into 9x13 inch pan and sprinkle 1 cup chocolate chips on

top. Bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Apple Broccoli Salad6 cups broccoli florets2 large apples, diced1/2 cup raisins, or more to taste1/2 cup pecans, chopped1/2 cup prepared coleslaw dressing In large bowl, combine first four ingredients. Drizzle with dress-ing; toss to coat. Refrigerate leftovers.

Rhubarb or Apple Butter Crunch6-8 cups rhubarb or apples, cut up1 1/4 cups sugar1/2 cup flour1/4 tsp. saltTopping:1 cup brown sugar1 cup flour1 cup oatmeal1 cup butter, melted Mix rhubarb or apples with sugar, flour and salt. Put in 9x13 inch pan. Mix topping ingredients and sprinkle over rhubarb or apples. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Sour Cream Christmas Cookies1 cup shortening1 3/4 cups sugar2 eggs1 cup sour cream1 tsp. salt1 tsp. vanilla4 cups flour1 tsp. soda1 tsp. baking powder Beat shortening, sugar and eggs. Add sour cream, salt and va-nilla; beat well. Combine flour, soda and baking powder and add to mixture. Roll out cookie dough and cut – not too thin, so they stay soft. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.


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Rolled Molasses Christmas Cookies1 cup sugar1 cup molasses2 1/2 tsp. soda1 tsp. cinnamon1 tsp. salt1 Tbsp. lemon juice1 cup shortening1 cup sour milk5 1/2 cups flour1 tsp. ginger1 Tbsp. vanilla2 eggs Combine all ingredients and refrigerate. Roll out and cut. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Picante Sauce16-18 tomatoes2 cups onion6 garlic cloves3 cups green or red peppers4-5 hot peppers4 Tbsp. salt4 Tbsp. sugar 2 Tbsp. pepper3 Tbsp. chili powder1 cup vinegarTomato paste (if necessary) Finely chop all vegetables and put in large kettle. Add re-maining ingredients and summer for 1 hour or more. Thicken if necessary with tomato paste. Process in pint jars in boiling water bath for 30 minutes. Makes 12 pints.

Honey Glazed Chicken1 chicken, cut up1/2 cup flour1 tsp. salt1/2 tsp. red pepper8 Tbsp. butter, divided1/4 cup brown sugar1/2 cup honey1/4 cup lemon juice1 Tbsp. soy sauce1/2 tsp. curry powder Mix flour, salt and red pepper in bag. Add chicken and shake. Melt 4 Tbsp. butter in cake pan; add chicken and turn to coat. Bake uncovered 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Mix brown sugar, honey, lemon juice, soy sauce and curry powder. Melt 4 Tbsp. butter. Stir into honey mixture and pour over chicken. Bake 45 minutes, uncovered, basting a couple times. I use my own chickens and cut them up, but you can use chicken breasts or thighs, or whatever combination you choose.

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[email protected], 352-6577.


Hours: Mon.- Fri. 8-6 • Sat. 8-4 • Hwy. 23 Richmond(320) 597-5975

• Live Bait • Tackle • Accessories • Much More!

www.channelmarineandsports.com

BOOK EARLY & SAVE BIG!BOAT STORAGE AND SERVICE COUPONS

Discounts on storage for the 2015-2016 storage season

On Labor for Repairs Performed between

November 1st, 2015 & March 1st, 2016

15%DISCOUNT

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

SAVE $8 PER FOOTon Shrink Wrapping and Onsite/Outside

Boat Storage

HALF OFFPickup & Launch

from CMS channel

FREE Spring Start Up &

Battery Check

$20 OFF on Fog/Lube

Coupon Code JWA10. Please mention coupon code on phone orders.



ON ALL STORED BOATS!


Expires 10/31/2015

Valid only on work performed between Nov. 1, 2015 & Mar. 1, 2016

Expires 10/31/2015

Expires 10/31/2015

COUPON COUPON

COUPON COUPONCOUPON

15% OFF Labor on Winter

Boat Repairs

• New and Used Sales • Service • Winterizing Storage • Archery • Bait & Tackle

Documents

CountryAcres September