Country Acres Tab - July Edition

Look inside and meet the people from our rural community...
Wild Creek
page 10
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A Supplement to the Mid-Minnesota Shopper
Sunday, July 21, 2013 Edition 7
C
ountry
A
cres
Focusing on Todays Rural Environment
Gruber
page 14
Hellerman
page 18
PRSRT STD
ECR
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
MID-
MINNESOTA
SHOPPER
522 Sinclair
Lewis Ave.
Sauk Centre,
MN 56378
Committed to being
the eyes and ears of
our communities.
Beacon
Melrose Sauk Centre Sau S C Sau Sauk C k Cent entre re
Herald
Tomorrows Deals In Todays Paper
Enterprise
The Albany-Avon-Holdingford
By RANDY OLSON
Staff writer
By MISSY MUSSMAN
Staff writer
WEBERS
continued on page 4
SHEIERL
continued on page 6
The Webers have raised and sold sheep, mostly as feeders, on a commercial level
since 2005 on their farm in rural Sauk Centre after starting with two "pet" sheep in
2002. Left to right: Ashley Weber, Roger Weber, Kim Weber, Casey Weber.
PHOTO BY RANDY OLSON
Father LeRoy Scheierl built a log cabin on his home
farm near Paynesville. Construction on the cabin
began in 2007 and was nished in 2011.
PHOTOS BY MISSY MUSSMAN
SAUK CENTRE
What started out as a
simple pet hobby has
grown much bigger at
the Roger and Kim We-
ber farm in Sauk Centre.
After starting with
two bottlefed pet sheep
named Mufn and Tin-
kerbell, the Webers now
have a ock of a few
dozen sheep, mostly
feeders, raised for mar-
ket with hopes of mak-
ing a prot year to year.
PAYNESVILLEAs a
priest, Father LeRoy Scheierl be-
lieves God speaks the loudest in
silence.
When you plant a seed, it
grows in silence, and when you
have a cut, it heals in silence,
Scheierl said. In silence, God
does some of his greatest work.
In a life with cell phones and
computers, we need to get away
to our own personal sanctuary to
help us grow.
That need for solitude gave
Scheierl inspiration to build his
own personal sanctuary in the
form of a log cabin.
Scheierl grew up on a farm
near Paynesville where he farmed
with his father and brothers.
In 1980, the family sold the
farm but still own nearly 500
Connected to the land
Webers diversify crop farming with sheep
The Webers origi-
nally bought two young
lambs from Larry Lund
in 2002, mostly to give
their young children
something fun to do.
At the time, their son,
Casey, was 6 years old
and daughter, Ashley,
was 3 years old.
They were Suf-
folks, a black-faced,
open-faced mix, said
Roger.
The phrase open-
faced refers to sheep
whose faces are not cov-
ered by wool.
We got really at-
tached to them, said
Kim. We had little
lamb leads to walk them
around the yard. The
bottlefed lambs are very
tame.
Mufn and Tinker-
bell were enough sheep
for a year, but then the
Webers bought three
more and started lamb-
ing them. Lambing re-
fers to the act of a sheep
giving birth.
Creating his own personal sanctuary
Scheierl balances
priest responsibilities,
builds log cabin on
home farm
acres of land and the home site.
So after their father passed away,
Scheierl took the opportunity to
purchase the 9.5-acre farm site
and build his own private get-
away.
I have always wanted a log
cabin, Scheierl said.
At rst, Scheierl was plan-
ning to one-day build a log cabin
near a lake, but decided that home
was where it belonged.
My brothers and mom still
own land around the farm and
they like to hunt. It was a good
t, Scheierl said. I wanted to
build it as a place to get away
to, but to also invite family and
friends over. I always have fam-
ily around.
There was a contractor Schei-
erl knew in one of his parishes he
worked with, and understood this
was his opportunity to build his
log cabin.
I had been making my own
designs for a place like this for
seven years, Scheierl said. I
gured here was my chance.
By 2007, the process was un-
derway. Scheierl decided to use
12- to 14-inch diameter logs of
nearly 100-year-old Lodge Pole
pine trees from British Colum-
bia in a Swedish Cope log cabin
design, with the logs carved spe-
cically to t the log below and
perpendicular to it.
Scheierl didnt want to sit on
the sidelines while someone else
built the cabin.
When you grow up on a
farm, you become a jack-of-
all-trades, Scheierl said. We
helped dad build the buildings
that are still here by hand. I have
a lot of experience to draw back
on.
Scheierl made sure he had his
hand in the process every step of
the way. He worked with debark-
ing, shaving, carving, varnish-
ing, siding, roof work, trim work,
painting and chinking.
I like the sense of accom-
plishment when you do some-
thing yourself. Thats why I dont
buy things I can make. God has
blessed me with a lot of things
and to be able to gure something
out and tackle it, Scheierl said.
Page 2 Country Acres - July 21, 2013
Country Business
Published by Star
Publications
Copyright 2013
522 Sinclair Lewis
Avenue
Sauk Centre, MN 56378
Phone: 320-352-6577
Fax: 320-3525647
Sales Staff
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320-260-8505
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320-247-2728
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Deadlines:
Country Acres will be
published the third
Sunday of every month
and inserted to rural
customers with the
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C
ountry
A
cres
By CAROL MOORMAN
Staff writer
Peace and tranquility
Olive Branch
Retreat is a
rural Grey Eagle
destination
GREY EAGLESer-
endipity.
Thats what Mar-
la Waseka and Jessica
Town-Gunderson gure
brought them together.
Thats what also
landed them at the Ol-
ive Branch, co-owners of
this retreat destination on
Fuller Lake in rural Grey
Eagle where guests can
roast marshmallows down
by what was once a chick-
en barn. They can walk
through the woods, enjoy-
ing nature on many of the
walking paths, take a ride
in a vintage pontoon or go
shing. They can sit in a
small cozy room reading a
book pulled from a library
shelf, play a board game
found in a closet or try on
wedding dresses.
Once you get here,
its a place where you can
relax and enjoy yourself,
Marla said one recent
Thursday, sitting around
the living room table of
the seven-bedroom house
with Jessica, as they pre-
pare for new guests to
arrive for an onsite wed-
ding.
We like to care of
you. We even stack the
wood and have gas in the
boat, said Jessica.
This energetic duo
is dedicated to creating a
unique and peaceful ex-
perience with unexpected
surprises.

Olive Branch endeavor
Both smile when
asked what actually
brought them together.
Marla, originally from
Sebeka, explains how she
went back to school for
architectural design after
she was laid off from Fin-
gerhut. As her intended
program choice was full,
Marla opted to take a year
of training in small busi-
ness ownership rst. Jes-
sica, from St. Cloud, was
her teacher.
Their love of vintage
items led them to restore
historic houses, as MoXie
Ladies, LLC.
Serendipity is also
what they say brought
them to this property
southwest of Grey Eagle,
owned by the Franciscan
Sisters of Little Falls, who
would retreat here during
the summer.
The same month we
purchased the rst house
to restore, a friend invited
us to partner at the Olive
Branch, said Marla, who
had earlier been hired to
do the exterior work on
the retreat.
When I rst saw it,
it was functional but not
pretty, and Im into pret-
ty, said Marla.
Jessica was hooked
when she visited the beau-
tied site.
In 2008 it was pur-
chased from the nuns, and
in 2012 it was sold solely
to Marla and Jessica, who
continue to offer it to the
public for use as their own
private destination.
They gave it the name
the Olive Branch in 2008.
An olive branch is a
symbol of peace, said
Jessica. This was a qui-
et, tranquil place and we
kept it that way.
We are paying hom-
age to what it was in the
past, while making it a
place for families and
others, said Marla.
The Olive Branch has
been renovated and re-
stored into a cozy, upscale
retreat. It includes light-
lled rooms, incredible
views and vintage furni-
ture, wrapped into a cozy
old world aesthetic.
They have preserved
the character of the home,
updating it for modern
comfort. The nuns' cha-
pel, named after Bishop
Peter W. Bartholome, re-
mains a place for quiet
reection.
My 10-year-old calls
it the God room, said
Jessica.
The original footprint
of the home remains, with
a large social gathering
space with a replace,
bedrooms and meditating
spaces. Outdoor dining
and entertaining can be
done on the patio, over-
looking the lake. The
nuns chicken barn has
been renovated into an
entertainment area, with
a wet bar, re pit and
a wood burning stove.
Their newest addition is a
screened-in gazebo. This
year they also renovated
a two-stall garage into an
entertainment area, large
enough to be used as part
of wedding receptions.
Nature is abundant,
with walking trails and
large yard for play and
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Olive Branch co-owners Marla Waseka (right) and Jessica Town-Gunderson are
excited to welcome people to their retreat destination in rural Grey Eagle. They stand
in their courtyard area, which is alive with plants, chairs and decorative items.
PHOTO BY CAROL MOORMAN
Jessica Town-Gunderson stands inside a bedroom where there are wedding dresses
guests can have fun trying on. PHOTO BY CAROL MOORMAN
OLIVE BRANCH
continued on page 3
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July 21, 2013 - Country Acres Page 3
relaxation. The lake in-
vites guests to experience
loon watching in a canoe,
trophy bass and pan sh-
ing from the boat, leisure-
ly cruising on the pontoon
and a quick swim off the
diving dock.

Olive Branch events
The Olive Branch is
ideal for large and small
gatherings. Since open-
ing in 2008, it has hosted
family reunions and va-
cations, spiritual retreats,
group vision building, in-
timate weddings, couples
retreats, girlfriend week-
ends, grief renewal and so
much more.
We average three
weddings a year, said
Marla.
We had a Tai Chi
group here from China,
said Jessica.
They can accommodate
up to 22 overnight; bed-
rooms given appropriate
names like the Lake
View Suite, and Ritas
Room, named after a nun
who visited the house.
Its a nice place for
families. They can play
games together, cook to-
gether, but there is space
for peace and tranquility,
said Marla.
Its also a place for
healing and personal
growth, Jessica added.
On June 8, they held
their rst Summer Moon
Festival, with seminars,
OLIVE BRANCH continued from page 2_______________________________________________________________________________________________
640 West Highway 23 Paynesville, MN 56362 320-243-4235
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Marla Waseka enjoys reading a book from a library in a
room at the Olive Branch.
PHOTO BY CAROL MOORMAN
A re pit, near what was once the nuns' chicken barn that has been renovated into an
entertainment area, overlooks Fuller Lake. PHOTO SUBMITTED
music, food, massage and
more. Jessica talked about
how two ladies came, g-
uring theyd spend 20
minutes here and ended
up staying three hours.
We would like to see
this health and wellness
festival grow, said Mar-
la.
Ideas continue to
form in their heads about
events they would like to
hold winter, spring, sum-
mer and fall.
Its beautiful out
here in the winter. Its like
a cocoon under a blanket
of stars! Jessica said.
If you would like in-
formation on the Olive
Branch call (320) 393-
7212 or email at info@
OliveBranchRetreat.com
As co-owners Marla
and Jessica, personally
ensure it is ready for their
next guests. Other than
food and personal items,
most supplies needed are
on site.
Guests are encour-
aged to leave notes when
they leave. And many do.
Reading those notes,
Marla and Jessica know
what they are doing here
is meant to be.
The Olive Branch is
staying true to its mean-
ing-that of lending peace
to all who enter.
And that makes Marla
and Jessica happy.
The nuns' chapel, named after Bishop Peter W.
Bartholome, remains a place for quiet reection at the
Olive Branch Retreat. PHOTO SUBMITTED
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They all had names
at rst, said Kim.
By 2005 we bought
10 more ewes and have
been growing from our
own and keeping females
since then, said Roger.
Last year the Webers
kept 16 females, or ewes.
To make it worth
the effort, we had to pen-
cil out some money at the
end, said Roger.
I come from dairy
cows and pigs, but sheep
are a little different. They
grow differently and eat
differently. You have to
be careful about over-
eating.
Sheep are members
of the ruminant category
of animals. Ruminants
are marked by their four-
chambered stomachs and
cud-chewing behavior.
Cud is a food mixture that
is rechewed, regurgitated
and reswallowed.
Rumination takes
place mostly when an
animal is resting and not
eating. Healthy, mature
sheep will chew their
cuds for several hours
each day.
Another trait of ru-
minants is their foraging
behavior as grazers and
browsers or intermedi-
ate grazers. Cattle are
grazers who consume
lower-quality grasses,
while moose and deer are
browsers who eat high-
er-nutrition twigs and
shrubs.
Intermediates such as
sheep, goats and white-
tail deer have nutritional
WEBERS continued from front______________________________________
requirements between
grazers and browsers.
Sheep lean more towards
being grazers.
While Rogers home-
town is Sauk Centre, Kim
was raised in the Twin
Cities and graduated
from Bloomington Ken-
nedy High School.
Beyond farming land
and raising sheep, Roger
is a yardman at Felling
Trailers, Inc. and drives
milk truck part time. Kim
is a paraprofessional in
the Sauk Centre second-
ary school and works
part time in the ofce for
Kane Transport.
Its fun being in the
country and being able to
have animals, said Kim.
I dont get involved with
the eld work or tractor
work, but I was excited
about having sheep.
Roger grew up in a
family that milked 30 to
60 cows. Their farm was
not far from where they
live today. The sheep
herd gives the Webers
plenty to tend to in the
summer, especially with
keeping up the fence.
The thick wool on sheep
somewhat insulates them
from an electric fence.
In recent years, the
value of sheep wool has
fallen dramatically. To-
day, the cost of shear-
ing is worth about twice
what the wool is worth,
according to Roger. The
Webers shearer is from
Long Prairie.
The shearer takes
the wool to his place af-
ter we bag it up on our
farm, he said. Once he
has a semi-load he sends
it down south to the wool
mills. We get a check
around Christmas time
worth about half what we
paid the shearer.
The sheep are all
sold through Central
Livestock in Albany, and
generally they end up in
another herd of sheep
WEBERS
continued on page 5
The ock of Polypay sheep on the Weber farm enjoy
grazing in their 8-acre pasture.
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WEBERS
continued from page 4
in central Minnesota as
feeders.
At times we feed
them out ourselves for
certain ocks, said Rog-
er.
Once the sheep are
sold after being raised to
maturity, they are sent to
Iowa to a meat process-
ing plant. A 70-pound
sheep is currently worth
around $1.05 a pound.
The Webers live on a
38-acre plot that includes
about 25 tillable acres.
Roger started farming
land near their farm in
2001. Shortly after that
his father sold his dairy
herd.
Then we began rent-
ing my dads farm land,
and by then they were up
to about 200 acres, said
Roger.
That same year they
began feeding out Hol-
stein steers in a small
barn on their farm. They
also had buffalo on their
pasture for one year and
hogs for a couple years
before switching to only
sheep. Today, they oper-
ate 315 acres, of which
220 are tillable.
Since about 2004, the
Webers have been feed-
ing out about 60 steers a
year on what was Rogers
dads farm.
The Webers herd
right now is Polypay
sheep, a white, medium-
sized sheep developed
in the 1960s at the U.S.
Sheep Experiment Sta-
tion in Dubois, Idaho.
They are noted for being
a highly prolic, dual-
purpose (meat and wool)
breed, according to Wiki-
pedia.
Weve found them
to be hardier than Suf-
folk, theyve been easier
to raise, said Kim.
Lambing time, which
varies year to year, is
busy for the Webers, as
they often go out in the
middle of the night to
check for sheep having
trouble birthing.
Casey will take
turns with me, said Rog-
er. Hes been working
at it since he was pretty
young. He can pull baby
lambs.
Ashley checks on the
newborn lambs and bottle
feeds them.
Once they get used
to it, its pretty easy.
Theyre tough at rst,
said Ashley.
Because their ock
is all white, it can be dif-
cult to tell them apart
when the sheep lamb.
Casey uses a numbering
system where he paints
each ewe with a num-
ber. Offspring from each
sheep is marked with the
same number.
Raising sheep has
worked out tremendously
well for our family, said
Roger.
Parts of the ock
herd are designated to
both Casey and Ashley,
who also stay active with
school-related activities.
Casey played bas-
ketball as a junior last
year for the Sauk Centre
Mainstreeters. Ashley,
meanwhile, was a mem-
ber of the swimming and
diving team, and last year
was in basketball and
track and eld.
Ashley is also a Go-
pher Prairie 4-H club
member and is looking
forward to the Stearns
County Fair, where shell
show her photography,
cake decorating work and
art work.
Our sheep herd has
given our kids a nice side
hobby that also gener-
ates some income, and it
keeps us active and con-
nected to the land. Thats
really what farming is all
about, added Roger.
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Roger holds a young sheep, the only one in the ock identied by a brown marking.
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SHEIERL continued from front________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A stained glass window from the old
Catholic church in Paynesville hangs
in the living room of the cabin as a
memorial to Scheierls father, who had
purchased the window and re-leaded it.
The loft is one of the rooms Scheierl designed specically for his cabin. Scheierl
made sure he was involved every step of the way. He worked with debarking, shaving,
carving, varnishing, siding, roof work, trim work, painting and chinking.
Scheierl built a prayer tower from one of the buildings he tore down, which overlooks
one of the two lakes on the property. Scheierl travels out there morning and night to
pray and do some bird watching.
I worked with every stage of it. I had
a lot of good volunteers from my parish
and friends that helped.
Scheierl had nearly 30 volunteers
helping him build the cabin when they
had time.
Although his duties at the church
kept him busy, Scheierl took whatever
time he had off to work on the cabin.
For three years, I took every mo-
ment I had off to work on this, Schei-
erl said. I put a lot of blood, sweat and
tears into this place.
With construction underway, Schei-
erl wanted to make sure one specic
item was incorporated into the cabin,
a stained glass window his father pur-
chased from the old Catholic church in
Paynesville.
His father had re-leaded the stained
glass window since it was in pieces, but
never had a chance to re-paint it before
he passed away. Scheierl nished the
window with hopes of using it in his new
cabin.
I wanted to highlight that window
as a memorial to my father, Scheierl
said.
By 2011, the cabin was basically
nished. Scheierl tore down the original
house on the property and a few of the
other buildings on the farm.
All I have left yet is the ooring in
the cabin, Scheierl said.
The cabin wasnt the only piece to
make his private sanctuary complete. He
had also built a prayer tower from one
of the buildings he tore down, which
overlooked one of the two lakes on
their property. Scheierl travels out there
morning and night to pray and does bird
watching, which is one of his favorite
pastimes.
Scheierl and his brothers also put
some of the land they still own into CRP
and RIM programs. They use some of
the land as food plots for the wildlife in
the area and made some trails on their
land as well.
Some days I spend taking care of
the food plots and managing the trails,
Scheierl said. I am in community with
nature. God called me through nature.
The cabin site also has a small apple
orchard that his sister runs and a 3.5-acre
garden Scheierl and his brothers work
with each year.
When Scheierl is at the cabin, he
goes kayaking on the Crow River that
runs through their property and watches
the reies light up the 70-acre lowland
on their property at night.
It is lit up like a Christmas tree,
Scheierl said with a smile.
With the cabin nished, Scheierl
feels a sense of pride in all he has ac-
complished.
I know every square inch of these
logs after all the time I worked with it,
Scheierl said. It is a reward now that it
is complete. There is nothing like it.
One of the benets of living in the
country is the natural beauty all around
us. If you drive
through the country-
side, you will likely
see cornelds, hay-
elds, silos, and once
in awhile, a pasture
with some grazing
cows. When we see
things every day, they
become mundane and
we stop paying atten-
tion. When was the
last time you really looked to see the
beauty around you?
And it looks different every day,
depending upon the light, the seasons
and the atmosphere. Claude Monet, a
French artist who painted in the 1800s
and early 1900s, actually did a series of
25 paintings in late 1890-91 that was
simply called Haystacks. Mundane
subject, maybe, but he saw beauty in it,
and the popularity of those paintings is
still phenomenal. The painting you see
in the photo, Haystacks, Last Rays of
the Sun, sold in 2001 for $47.2 mil-
lion. If you wanted to go out and buy
one of the eight haystack originals
still owned privately, it might cost you
just as much, but it would probably be
a good investment, because most of
them in his time sold for under $2,000.
If Monet were here today, hed be
out there painting round bales instead
of haystacks. Hed feel right at home,
too, because the French countryside
looks very similar to ours, as you will
see in the photo of a painting I did
called Monets Garden. A friend of
mine visited Monets home in Giverny,
and asked me to paint the gardens for
her when she returned.
Artists have been painting old
barns and grazing cows for genera-
tions. The images call to mind memo-
ries of home for so many people who
are nostalgic about growing up on a
farm. In fact, just last week I got an
email from a cousin of mine in New
Orleans who wants a painting of a red
barn to remind her of her childhood.
As an artist, I have done many
paintings of subjects from the country.
Ive been commissioned to paint trac-
tors, barns, farm scenes, farm families
you name it, and its always fun when
theres nature involved. The beauty of
everyday things in nature never ceases
to amaze me.
For example, after a recent storm I
was helping a friend clean up the mess
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by Diane
Schmiesing
of branches. Lying on the lawn was
a small piece of wood that had fallen
from a tree. It had lichen on it, and a
wide array of colors that I thought
were gorgeous together. I took several
photos of it, vowing someday to deco-
rate a room with the colors I saw on the
log (see photo). I gured if the good
Lord saw t to use them together, who
am I to argue?
I have driven to Montana many
times and I hear people saying its
such a boring drive. I dont think I
could ever be bored, because it always
seems like a feast for the eyes. Driving
through North Dakota? Love it. My
ultimate test as to the beauty of some-
thing is whether or not it chokes me
up. Thats happened numerous times
in the mountainsI particularly think
Natural beauty can be found in
unexpected places, like this fallen
branch after a recent storm.
PHOTO BY DIANE SCHMIESING This painting, Haystacks, Last Rays of the Sun by Claude Monet, sold at auction
in 2001 for $47.2 million. If Monet was in central Minnesota today, hed be painting
round bales.
Our landscape is much like that of the French countryside, shown here in a painting
I did called Monets Garden.
of a warm and very rainy June in Yel-
lowstone. Sorry Sedona. Youre beau-
tiful but no tears.
You dont need to be an artist to
see beauty, and you dont have to take
a trip to see it either. You just need to
take another look. Next time youre
out driving, take a look at whats going
on in the ditch. Look at the variety of
plants, the light and shadow, the shades
of green. Watch the wind in the grass.
On a hazy day or any day for that
matter look at the way the trees fade
and turn slightly more bluish with each
layer as they get closer to the horizon.
Look at the relationship between the
sky and the color of the water. Take a
good look at the subtle color combina-
tions you see in the landscape and the
way they soften and change over the
summer.
If you are fortunate enough to live
in the country, I hope you are making
the most of it. And before you take that
log and throw it in the woods, take an-
other look.
320-845-2747 or 320-248-5253
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Patience. Minnesota
gardeners usually have
plenty of it because of
our long win-
ters; but, it has
never been as
truly needed as
this year. I feel
like it is a story
about Goldi-
lockstoo cold,
too wet, too
hot, too dry
you get the idea.
Watering can be
a challenge in a normal
year so it is even more so
this year.
A general rule of
thumb is one inch of
water per week if you
have clay soils; and
- inch of water two
times a week if you have
sandy soils. Mother Na-
ture doesnt usually fol-
low this rule so we have
to adjust accordingly.
If you have heavier
soil, make sure you are
checking the soil mois-
ture before watering. It
is very easy to overwater
and drooping leaves can
either mean its too wet
or too dry. Many areas
in my garden that dont
have as much compost
have stayed fairly wet
and cool. If this sounds
familiar, try to work up
some of the soil to aerate
Hwy. 71 South, Sauk Centre 320-352-6543
Hwy. 27, Pierz 320-468-2161
www.modernfarmequipment.com
Store Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8-5:30 Sat. 8-3
MODERN FARM EQUIPMENT
FARM RAISED.
Todays machines have increased cutting demands. New Holland sections, knives and guards provide the highest
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Call for Hay
Preservative
Prices
by Staci Kalthof
Horticulturist
Minnesota gardeners need
patience this year
and let oxygen get down
to the roots.
Sandier soils may not
have to worry
so much about
compaction and
ooding, but
regular supple-
mental watering
may be neces-
sary. Adding
organic matter
such as compost
is a great way to
create soils with
better water holding ca-
pacity.
Many gardeners
have reported lost plants
(annuals, perennials and
shrubs) due to the wet
spring and wash outs. If
you are replanting annu-
als, check the maturity
dates on seed packets.
You may not want some-
thing maturing in Oc-
tober if you dont have
a way of protecting it
from frost. Most peren-
nials should be up and
growing. Gardeners with
perennial hibiscus have
had a long wait for plant
growth with some rotting
in the wet, cool soils. If
you have had shrubs that
had leaves turn brown
and fall off due to ood-
ing, dont despair. Once
the soil dries out again,
loosen the soil around the
shrub and check mois-
ture levels. I have had
some start to resprout.
Branches that bend are
still viable and require
more patience, branches
that snap and are dried
out, require pruning.
To reduce the
amount of stress on
plants, keep these ideas
in mind:
Mulch wherever
possible. This keeps the
soil cool and moist dur-
ing the heat of summer,
helps with weed suppres-
sion and helps prevent
large soil temperature
uctuations in spring.
Water plants well,
but not as often. To help
plants become more
drought tolerant, water
thoroughly and then let
them get dry. This makes
the roots reach down for
moisture, creating a bet-
ter root system. This is
especially important for
healthy lawns. If you
have pots, make sure you
water until it comes out
the bottom.
Water in the early
morning. The leaves will
have all day to dry out,
which helps prevent dis-
eases and less evapora-
tion will occur resulting
in more water for the
plants. Watering at the
base of the plant or using
drip irrigation is also a
good idea.
Annuals require
more fertilizer than pe-
rennials, trees or shrubs.
But, make sure you do
not fertilize during ex-
treme hot, dry weather as
this can cause burning on
the leaves and/or roots.
Compost, compost,
compost. If nothing else,
this year should have
taught us the importance
of rich, organic matter
in soils. Organic matter
in clay soils, helps loos-
en and drain the heavy
ground. Organic mat-
ter in sandy soils helps
with moisture retention.
Compost also has many
natural nutrients (fertil-
izer) that our plants need
to stay healthy.
Our cool, wet spring
may have been a chal-
lenge; but, on the bright
side, how often do you
get to see peonies bloom-
ing alongside roses in
July? Who knows what
well enjoy next. Visiting
public gardens or going
on garden tours is a great
way to see different com-
binations or varieties to
ll in the holes left from
plants that didnt make it
through the winter or wet
spring. Happy weeding!
SAUK RAPIDS
1035 35th Ave. NE 800-645-5531
PAYNESVILLE
725 Lake Ave. 866-784-5535
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ANTIQUE TRACTORS on display from the Greater MN Two-Cylinder Club
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CUSTOMER APPRECIATION DAY
Tuesday, July 23 3 - 7 pm
1035 35th Ave. NE - Sauk Rapids
Wednesday, July 24 4-8 pm
725 Lake Ave. S - Paynesville
We thank you for your business and support throughout the year!
Join us for - Door Prizes
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You never know what you might see while on a country drive!
Jordan Zirbes of Moonlight Vineyards east of Sauk Centre couldnt resist
wearing his 4th of July getup one more time. Above, he was seen tucking
Marquette grape vines into trellises on a beautiful summer day. His parents,
Bobbi (in the background)and Chad Zirbes, grow four varieties of grapes in
their vineyard. PHOTO BY DIANE SCHMIESING
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A full afernoon of
fun featuring the Wild
Creek Entertainers will
help complete fve days
of fun at the 2013 Stearns
County Fair. Tey per-
form between 1 p.m. and
5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 4,
the fnal day of the fair.
Wild Creek Enter-
tainers, based in central
Minnesota, works to
provide family-oriented
entertainment while pro-
moting the era known as
the Wild West dating
back to the late 1800s to
the early 1900s.
Wild Creek coming to Stearns County Fair
By RANDY OLSON
Staff writer
Adeline Boucher,
whose family makes up
one of the many families
involved with the group,
is excited about having
Wild Creek Entertainers
Can-can girls entertain the audience.
PHOTOS SUBMITTED
Luke Payne and friends pose for a picture. PHOTOS SUBMITTED
KEN UTSCH
Cell 320.292.0956
31161 Sauk Valley Rd Paynesville, MN 56362
Farm - Home - Commercial Trenching
Licensed - Bonded - Insured
Grain Bin
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Barn Lighting
Shop Lighting
performing at the Stearns
County Fair.
We have quite a few
families involved in the
show. We are hoping for
a nice turnout for the fair.
We want people to enjoy
the afernoon with us and
be entertained, she said.
Wild Creek Enter-
tainers performs humor-
ous skits and fctional
scenarios based on real-
life events from the Wild
West-era to provide en-
tertainment and educa-
tion to their audiences.
Our shows focus on
the love of the old West-
ern times, the old days,
when life was so much
diferent than it is today,
added Boucher.
Te beginning of
Wild Creek Entertain-
ers goes back to the frst
Wild West Show held fve
years ago at the Dan and
Terri Winters Bog Creek
Ranch in rural Spring
Hill.
What then devel-
oped is what we have
today, and we were soon
arranging for more ac-
tivities, taking part in
parades and doing shows
at private events, said
Boucher.
Because of the rapid-
ly growing interest, Wild
Creek Entertainers out-
grew the Spring Hill loca-
tion and relocated to El
Rancho Maana Camp-
ground and Riding Sta-
bles in rural Richmond.
We simply outgrew
our space in Spring Hill,
said Boucher.
We had our annual
big show the third week-
end of June. Te camp
there has more parking
and better arrangements
for camping. We want
families to come and stay
there and enjoy it togeth-
er.
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14451 430TH ST. BERTHA, MN 56437
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Reg. Hours: M-F 7 am-5:45 pm; Sat. 7 am-12 Noon
After Hours: 351-8995 or 351-8625
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112th Annual
Stearns
County Fair
July 31-Aug. 4, 2013
Stearns County Fairgrounds,
Sauk Centre, MN
Wed., July 31 - Entry Day
Thurs., August 1 - Senior
Citizen's Day
Fri., Aug. 2 - Children's Day
Sat., Aug. 3 - Children's Day
Sun., Aug. 4 - Fun for All
Sauk Ce
S
F
R
E
E
G
A
T
E
!
More than 20 Rides & Attractions!
See you there for Food Fun & Thrills!
For more information go to
www.stearnscountyfair.com or refer to the
2013 Stearns County Fair Guide
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48713 State Hwy. 28
Villard, MN 56385
Cell: 320-298-0036
Home: 320-352-9907
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Keep kids healthy at
the petting zoo
Deb Botzek-Linn
University of Minnesota Extension
Summertime brings the opportu-
nity for kids and families to visit pet-
ting zoos, county fairs or farms. Chil-
dren enjoy feeding the goats, petting
a rabbit, holding a baby chick or rid-
ing a pony. Unfortunately, in addition
to the cute baby animals, petting zoos
sometimes allow kids to meet critters
with names like Salmonella or E. coli.
These bacteria live in the intestinal
tracts of some animals and are shed in
the droppings. Animal fur, hair, skin
and saliva can become contaminated
with bacteria from the droppings and
transmission may occur when kids pet,
touch or are licked by animals.
While petting zoos can be an ex-
cellent educational and social event,
unfortunately, many people become
sick every year because of a visit to
an animal exhibit. The human/animal
contact can result in an uncomfortable
bout of stomach and intestinal illness
with dehydration or more serious ill-
ness. At a higher risk for infection are
children less than 5 years of age, preg-
nant women and those with weakened
immune systems.
The good news is that your kids
can have a fun time with the animals
as the intervention to prevent illness is
knownits called handwashing! Al-
ways wash hands after leaving the ani-
mal facility and petting or holding the
animals. In a 2012 Minnesota County
Fair Petting Zoo Study, 96% of the
petting zoos provided hand hygiene fa-
cilities but on average, only 25% of the
visitors washed their hands after leav-
ing the petting zoo (Schiffman, unpub-
lished data 2012). Creating soap lather
during a 20-second handwashing after
leaving the zoo and before eating is
signicantly protective.
Avoid bringing items into the pet-
ting area that would go into babies
and childrens mouths, such as baby
bottles, paciers, spill-proof cups,
food, beverages and infant toys. These
items can easily fall on the ground and
become contaminated.
If possible, park strollers outside
of animal areas as the wheels get dirty
and contaminate the car and house, and
kids play on and around strollers.
The most important rules to fol-
low when visiting the petting zoo are
to wash your hands, make sure the
animals dont kiss your face and keep
childrens ngers out of their mouths.
All children/animal contact should be
carefully supervised by an adult. Have
fun and stay healthy!
Deb Botzek-Linn is a food safety
educator with the University of Minne-
sota Extension.
Over 96 percent of petting zoos in Minnesota, including Ericksons Petting Zoo
in Osakis (shown above), provide hand sanitizer or washing facilities for use after
petting the animals. PHOTO BY ERICKSON'S PETTING ZOO
43965 450th Street Sauk Centre
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Karl Larson 320-808-8012
Dave Bailey, Manager 320-352-6961
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Established in 1975
Jason Marthaler is
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3/4 Miles West of the Downtown Stoplights
on Sinclair Lewis Ave. in Sauk Centre
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On Tuesday, June 25, at Midwest Machinery in Sauk Centre, Princess Kay of the
Milky Way Christine Reitsma (above) was on hand to help with Cowabunga a cow
bingo where you could buy a $10 ticket and win $1000. After a grid was painted on the
grass, the cow was let loose to wander while attendees waited for her to, wellpoop.
The lucky winner in the chamber event was Julie Meyer of Sauk Centre.
Cowabunga!
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FREEPORTRon Gruber
grew up on a farm near Lake
Henry and never let the farm
get far away from him.
Since 1980, this Freeport
man has helped area dairy
farms improve, as a Dairy
Herd Improvement Associa-
tion (DHIA) eld representa-
tive.
Freeport was a new area
for me. I grew up around Lake
Henry, he said. When I
started here, the DHIA board
guaranteed me so much money
a month and I had to get new
herds.
He discovered the Free-
port area was a great location
to grow the business and stay
in touch with dairy farms.
It was a good area and
still is. I was able to stay pretty
much in a 10-mile radius, he
said. There are a few that are
farther out.
His work pretty much puts
him on the same time schedule
as a dairy farmer.
It used to be most milked
at about 5:30 or so twice a
day, he said.
Gruber would be at the
farms once a month, taking
samples of milk which were
analyzed for somatic cell
counts, mastitis, fat, protein,
Questions? Contact us at 320-352-2028,
Toll-Free 1-800-369-2697
Special Services
24 Hour turn-around on NIR samples - 36 Hour
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Milk Testing - accurate testing for dairy herd
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825 12th St. S
VISA, MasterCard and Discover are accepted
Email: stearnsdhialab@stearnsdhialab.com
www.stearnsdhialab.com Email: stearnsdhialab@stearnsdhialab.com
DHIA eld rep has seen changes while improving herds
By HERMAN LENSING
Staff writer
etc. as farmers tried to improve
the volume and quality of milk.
I started with 16 to 20
herds a month, he said. At
one time when my wife, Dar-
lene, helped me we had over
a hundred herds. Today, there
are fewer herds but more cows,
and farmers are milking three
times a day.
The average herd size test-
ed in Stearns County is 119, al-
though there was one herd that
was ve cows.
Herd size is not the only
change. Years ago, Gruber
would draw a sample of milk
just before it was put into a bulk
tank and record the identity of
the cow and the jar the sample
was recorded in a notebook.
Today, much of that informa-
tion is recorded on a computer.
Gruber and his wife, Dar-
lene, were among the rst
DHIA eld reps to use laptops
in their work.
We were on a pilot pro-
gram to test the computers and
get all the bugs out of the soft-
ware. We used the DOS sys-
tem. That was my introduction
to computers. Now I wouldnt
have it any other way, said
Gruber.
His quick adaption to com-
puters is a reason he received
the DHIA Career Service
Award earlier this year.
Technology has become
more a part of his work. Al-
most all of his sampling is done
by meters connected to milk-
ing systems. Electronic meters
analyze and record much of
the information, formerly done
in labs, and is stored on zip
drives.
Its amazing how much
information can be stored on
that drive. Now, I just back it
up and Im on my way, he
said.
Usually, he is on his way to
another farm.
He still collects samples
that are used to review herd
health. In recent years, tests
and technology have allowed
for pregnancy tests from milk
samples. Cows can be tested
as early as 35 days after breed-
ing and 60 days after calving.
That same sample can be used
to test for Johnes and Leukosis
diseases.
Technology is also appar-
Freeport area
proves to be a great
location for Gruber
Milk samples are collected and measured in marked tubes. Samples of the milk are taken from the
tubes for testing. PHOTOS BY HERMAN LENSING
ent in other areas. He works
with herds that have robotic
milk machines. He nds the
concept interesting but noticed
it has not completely caught on
in this area.
DHIA
continued on page 15
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In Europe they have been around a
long time, he said. But each robot can
only milk 60 cows.
The machines also need to be cali-
brated regularly for fat, protein and
mastitis. They are compatible with
DHIA recordkeeping systems.
Technology will become more and
more integrated into dairy herd opera-
tions, Gruber said.
People use smart phones to access
dairy records and check on herds, he
said. Im considering getting one to
access records.
But providing records and nding
ways to get the information to farmers
quickly is only one part of the reason
the area has developed some great dairy
herds.
The farms have turned into family
corporations, he said. They are large
dairies, but they work because they are
good operators.
Gruber admires people who stay in
the dairy business, particularly the suc-
cessful small farmers.
The base price for milk is $18.50
cwt. Feed costs run from $12 to $15
cwt. with quality hay costing over $300
a ton. Prot margins are tight, Gruber
said.
There has been one request he does
not see technology helping with.
Ive had farmers ask if I could
help create a ve-day cow so they can
have weekends off, or at least a six-day
cow so they can have Sunday off, he
said with a laugh.
Gruber enjoys his job as a DHIA
eld rep, especially when he is able to
visit with farmers he serves.
Farming is a lifeline for them and
for Gruber.
Using test
meters,
computers
and sample
bottles,
Ron Gruber
helps farmers
improve the
quality of
their milk
and milk
production.
DHIA continued from page 14
What is your name? Kim Imdieke
Where do you live? 2. 2 miles south-
west of Elrosa
Are you taking a vacation this sum-
mer? Yes
Describe your favorite vacation
youve ever taken in Minnesota? We
went to Taylors Falls when the kids
were young. Went canoeing, to the wa-
ter park, sightseeing and camping.
youve ever taken out of state? Its
hard to choose a favorite because we
liked different places for different rea-
sons. But, the memorable ones would
be Wisconsin Dells, Bahamas cruise
and the Moon Palace Resort in Cancun.
What are your favorite things to do while on vacation? Take maybe one or
two days for an excursion and relax the rest. My favorite is sitting by a pool.
Why are vacations important to you and your family? Its a good way to
stay connected with family and friends. Memories are created that can last a
lifetime!
What is your name?
Jim and Joan Gondringer
Where do you live?
Avon Township
Are you taking a vaca-
tion this summer? Pos-
sibly a circle tour around
Lake Superior
Describe your favorite
vacation youve ever
taken in Minnesota?
Duluth and North Shore
Drive. We were im-
pressed with Canal Park
in Duluth, Split Rock
Lighthouse and Grand
Portage Visitor Center.
Our kids enjoyed watching the ships come into the harbor in Duluth.
Describe your favorite vacation youve ever taken out of state? Last fall we
went to Fair Oaks Dairy in Indiana, the Lincoln Museum and Lincolns Tomb
in Springeld, Illinois. We also visited President Reagans boyhood home in
Dixon, Ill., as well as President Grants home in Galena, Ill. We also toured
the John Deere Cotton Picker factory in Des Moines, Iowa and we toured John
Deere headquarters and Pavilion in Moline, Ill., as well as John Deeres original
blacksmith site in Grand Detour, Ill.
What are your favorite things to do while on vacation? Sightseeing. We en-
joy seeing the country as well as museums and historical places of interest such
as Mount Rushmore, Yosemite National Park, Grand Canyon, Pikes Peak just
to name a few.
Why are vacations important to you and your family? Now that we are
semi-retired we have the time to see those places that we have read or heard
about. We also visited relatives in California while on vacation.
www.surfacespecialists.com
Kimball 320-248-3456
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Scouts available to look for Aphids in
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John Vanderbeek
Agronomy Manager
Certied Crop Advisor
Loren Pearson
Seed Specialist
Serving
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Community
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PAYNESVILLE FARMERS UNION SOIL SERVICE CENTER
Call John or Loren
11 800 22
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Where do you like to vacation?
What is your name? Kathy OHara.
Where do you live? I live in Holding-
ford with my husband, Marty. We have
one son, Ross.
mer? Actually, I just got back from va-
cation a couple weeks ago. Every June,
my mother, sister and I take a trip.
We take turns picking the destination.
Weve gone to San Francisco, Wash-
ington, D.C., San Antonio, Orlando
and this year was San Diego. My hus-
band and I will probably take a couple
trips yet this year to Laughlin, Nev. and
Las Vegas.
youve ever taken in Minnesota? If I
had to pick a favorite Minnesota vaca-
tion (there are so many) I would pick Duluthbeautiful citywatching the boats
come and go, the countryside and the cool weather.
Describe your favorite vacation youve ever taken out of state? My all- time
favorite vacation outside of Minnesota is the Alaskan Cruise we took with three
other couples from Holdingford. It was a trip of a lifetime - all the ports - each
different in their own way - whale watching, lumberjack show, train ride, tram
ride up the side of Mt. Roberts, shing and of course shopping.
Sightseeing is probably the number one favorite thing to do on vacation. Also
trying new foods and meeting new people and just relaxing.
Why are vacations important to you and your family? Vacations are im-
portant to us because its like therapyde-stressing, unwinding and just getting
away and forgetting about all lifes problems for a week. You feel like brand
new when you return and feel refreshed.
What is your name? John Weimer-
skirch
Where do you live? I live south of
Sauk Centre with my wife, Rosella
mer? Yes, several
youve ever taken in Minnesota? Just
last week we were are a resort north
of Park Rapids for one week with 12
family members. We did some boat-
ing, shing, grilling meals, golng and
played other games.
youve ever taken out of state? We
have enjoyed trips to Folklorama in
Winnipeg, Canada, to the Canadian
Rockies and Red Deer, Alberta, to see family members, also trips to southern
states in winter.
What are your favorite things to do while on vacation? Do new things, see
different things.
Why are vacations important to you and your family? I think its important
to take vacations. But Im retired, so Im always on vacation.
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Rick Hellermann wont
call himself a grill master
when it comes to backyard
barbequing. Despite years of
experience, and two first-place
finishes at the Melrose Car
Show & Cook Off, he refers to
himself simply as someone
who likes to cook.
And eat, he says.
It is a warm Tuesday
night, and Hellermann is in the
backyard of his 5-bedroom
home in rural Melrose that sits
on two of the 40 acres he owns
with his wife Peg (Brinkman)
and their four children Adam,
Lindsay, Brianna and Abby.
His parcel of land is the
easternmost 40 acres of the
280-acre farm of his parents
(Richard and Kathy) he grew
up on off County Road 168. It
is what he calls his little piece
of heaven.
I remember when we
moved into town, he said of
the time after he got married
and started a family. After
about one minute I was ready
to move back out of town.
Growing up on a dairy
farm was where his love for
the country was instilled.
I loved the field work,
By BRYAN ZOLLMAN
Staff writer
The backyard
barbecue man
he said. And I didnt mind
the cattle, but I didnt like
milking.
He remembers traveling
with his siblings to an old
abandoned house on the land
where there was a pump to fill
stock tanks. While the tanks
were filling, they would check
the fence and count the animals
and then play in the abandoned
house.
But its a different sort of
tank he fills these days-as in
propane.
He likes to cook using a
gas grill, and that is exactly
what hes doing on this
particular night. It is where
you can find him many nights
after he returns from his job at
Napa Auto Parts, where he has
worked since March after
deciding to sell Melrose Auto
Body & Tire One, the business
he has owned and operated for
more than 28 years but hasnt
sold yet.
With the burners set, he
begins placing the seasoned
meat on the grill. Tonights
menu includes cheddar brats,
venison steaks and boneless
chicken breasts. Inside, Peg
and their daughters, Breanna
and Abby, prepare the side
dishes with their foreign
exchange student Monica, and
Abbys friend, Katelyn Becker.
Rick and Pegs other daughter,
Lindsay, is off doing her own
thing on this night.
Along with the
smorgasbord of meat, Rick
grills potatoes with peppers
and onions.
I like cooking, period,
he said. It doesnt have to be
grilling, but we grilled on the
farm a lot growing up because
we raised our own beef and
chickens. I grew up with it.
He is a meat and potatoes
kind of guy.
If there isnt meat it isnt
a meal, he says. You have to
survive the winters around
here somehow!
Hes never been big on
vegetables, although they have
started a vegetable garden off
to the side of their house.
Me and my brother used
to hide our vegetables under
our napkins when we were
kids, he said. We tried to get
out into the barn before mom
noticed.
Hellermann is a natural on
the grill. How else can he
explain winning first-place
ribbons in the only two grilling
contests he has entered?
The first time was in 2007
when he received a call from a
friend saying they needed
grillers for the Car Show and
Cook-off for brain cancer
research. The event has grown
in popularity and is a staple of
Melrose summers now. Back
then, though, it was new, and
so was entering a cooking
contest for Hellermann. But he
and his son, Adam-who now
lives in St. Joe-and his nephew
Alex Brixius, obliged.
When he received the call
to grill in the cook-off contest,
he wasnt sure he was up for
the competitive side of
cooking.
I grilled a lot because I
like to eat! he said. And I
only did it in my backyard or
at the office.
Rick Hellermann and his son, Adam and his nephew, Alex Brixius, hunt often together, and often the
meat from the animals they hunt ends up on the grill, like the piece of venison he holds up here.
PHOTOS BY BRYAN ZOLLMAN
HELLERMANN
continued on page 19
Rick Hellermann is an award winner
when it comes to his grilling skills
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Grillers in the contest
could cook chicken, brisket,
ribs or turkey. Hellermann
picked chicken.
I played it safe, but I had
never grilled chicken on the
bone before, he said.
He seasoned the chicken
and rubbed it with a little olive
oil-a little too much it turned
out.
We ended up with a grill
fire, he said. So we had to
cook it the rest of the way in a
tinfoil pan and then put it back
on the grill right at the end.
And it worked! It turned out
really, really good.
He ended up winning fist
place. So the next year when
he entered he tried ribs.
I had never done ribs
before either, he said. But I
won again, so the next year I
just handed it off to Adam and
Alex and let them do it.
He, Adam and Alex had
formed a great trio, both on
the grilling field and in the
killing field. They do a lot of
hunting together, much of it
on the land behind his home
where 27 acres is supplied
with tall standing trees where
wildlife likes to roam. An
11-acre field to the east is for
farming and is rented out to a
neighbor.
Last year alone they
processed more than 400
pounds of meat. They do a lot
of their own processing,
toying with different recipes
and casings.
We have all our own
equipment for a locker, but we
need a grinder, he said.
The processing has
become a hobby for him, his
son and nephew, something
they enjoy doing, something
that is the cherry on top of
their hunting trips. And
something that keeps the grill
burning most nights in the
spring, summer and fall.
Such as on this night. It is
after 8 p.m. as the meat slowly
cooks on his grill. He doesnt
turn the meat often, letting the
heat do its work. When it is
done everyone sits down for
the evening meal on the patio
of their backyard. The girls
help set the table and get the
drinks, which consist of milk
and soda. Everyone grabs
whichever meat they would
like from the assortment of
venison, pork or chicken and
dig in.
And its hard to tell which
is better, the food, or the view.
To the north is the stack of
trees that gives the backyard a
natural wall of seclusion. To
the east a hill rises, revealing
perfect rows of planted corn.
The three dogs rustle in their
kennels to the west, no doubt
smelling the aroma of the
freshly-cooked meat. A dirt
road separates the home from
another set of trees, but behind
the house the Hellermanns and
their guests are secluded, only
a few bothersome flies paying
a visit during the meal.
As the food gets eaten,
conversation takes over.
I like the solitude back
here, says Peg. The
quietness. I like to be able to
do whatever you want to do
and not worry about anyone
else.
As usual, Rick cooked
more than enough meat. But
the venison is tender and juicy,
the chicken seasoned just
right, and the cheddar brats a
pure delight. When everyone
is finished, the girls begin
cleaning up the plates.
Rick likes to cook and
the girls get to do the dishes,
says Peg with a smile. Its
Ricks rule.
As the girls head inside to
clean up, Hellermann sits on
his patio. A call from Monica
inside asks if he would like
some ice cream, and he does.
Breanna appears from the
sliding glass door with her
own idea of dessert-a bag of
Oreo cookies.
My dad always said you
have to top off a good meal
with a little bit of sugar, says
Rick, whose father passed
away in 1992 of cancer.
Its nearing the end of the
night now, the mosquitoes
ready to make their presence
known. A steady wind has
picked up and there is the
smell of rain in the distance.
The sun is setting, and it is
here, at this moment where
Rick Hellermann, his belly
full of good food he himself
pursued, killed and then
grilled, is truly in a happy
e
N
HELLERMANN continued from page 18_______________________________________________________________________________________________
The Hellermanns love their little piece of heaven out in the country
in rural Melrose. Pictured are (from left) Abby Hellermann, family
friend Katelyn Becker, foreign exchange student Monica Da, Peg
Hellermann and Rick Hellermann. At their feet is one of their
three dogs, Sally.
place. He has a chocolate ice
cream cone as he looks out
over his 40 acres. Could it get
any better?
Whats not to enjoy
about living out in the
country? he says. Peace.
Quiet. Solitude.
The sun peaks through the
treetops, shining rays of gold
across the rows of corn.
This time of night right
here, he says. This is the
best.
His little piece of heaven
indeed.
Rick Hellermann shows off
his smorgasbord of meat he
prepared for an evening meal
on Tuesday, July 9. Hellermann
is a two-time winner for his
barbeque recipes at the annual
Melrose Car Show and Cook Off.
It is summer and the
time for litters of orphan
kittens. If you
nd yourself in
the position of
foster-kitty mom,
there are three
critical things you
must provide:
warmth, calories
and uids. To do
this properly, you
must rst have a
reasonable idea
of the age of the
kittens. You may be lucky
enough to know their birth-
date; if not, look for these
developmental milestones.
The umbilical cord falls off
in roughly three days. At
7-10 days of age their eyes
and ear canals open (they
wont have normal vision
and functional hearing un-
til about four weeks old).
At 1-2 weeks of age they
are crawling, at 2-3 weeks
walking, and at 3-4 weeks
cutting their rst teeth (ca-
nines and incisors).
First we will address
their immediate environ-
ment and the critical com-
ponent of warmth. Kittens
cant regulate their own
body temperature well
until about four weeks of
age. This is why they sleep
in piles and cuddle up to
mom. The optimal envi-
ronmental temperature for
one-week-old kittens and
younger is 89-93 degrees;
for two weeks of age 81-89
degrees; for three weeks of
age 75-81 degrees; and for
four weeks and older 75 de-
grees. This can be accom-
The care and feeding of orphan kittens
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plished with a heat lamp or
hot water bottles wrapped
in soft cloth. Heat-
ing pads are dis-
couraged because
they can heat un-
evenly and cause
burns. Always
arrange the heat
source so that the
kittens can move
to a cooler spot
if they need to.
Use disposable or
washable materi-
als for bedding and change
it frequently. Warmth is
so critical that you should
not attempt to feed a kitten
with a body temperature
below 97 degrees as their
digestive system no lon-
ger functions normally and
their body will be unable to
digest the food.
Calories and uids go
hand-in-hand as kittens
less than 3-4 weeks of age
should be on an all-liquid
diet. If you know of another
mother cat with kittens un-
der two weeks of age, you
can try letting her foster
the kittens. If there is not
one available, or she cant
or wont help out, then you
will need to feed a milk re-
placer specically made for
kittens; goat or cow milk is
not adequate.
Follow the mixing in-
structions on the label and
only prepare enough milk
replacer for 24 hours. Keep
it refrigerated in between
feedings. Small nursing
bottles or syringes without
the needle can be used to
feed. A hole or slit will need
to be cut in the nipple of the
nursing bottle. It should be
big enough so that when
the bottle is held upside
down, a drop of milk will
slowly form. Trying to feed
a kitten too fast will cause
them to inhale some of the
milk which often leads to
pneumonia. Hold the kitten
in a natural nursing posi-
tion with its head elevated.
The average kitten
weighs about 100 grams
at birth and gains 10-15
grams/day. An inexpen-
sive kitchen food scale can
be used to monitor their
progress. Stomach capac-
ity is 4-5 mL for every
100 grams of body weight.
Bottlefed kittens tend to
control their own intake
but use that as a guideline
for starting newborn kit-
tens. One hundred grams
= 4-5 mL per feeding. For
the rst week of life, feed
every 2-4 hours. After that,
feed roughly every 4-6
hours until weaning. I tend
to use a breakfast, lunch,
dinner and before-bed rou-
tine. Always warm the milk
replacer before feeding. I
test it on the inside of my
wrist to make sure it is not
too hot or too cold. If you
use a microwave to warm
it, be sure to mix it well to
distribute the heat. Wash all
materials used for feeding
with hot soapy water.
At 3-4 weeks of age
you can start the weaning
process by offering warm,
canned kitten food with
milk replacer mixed in on
a at dish or saucer. Offer
it several times a day while
continuing to bottle feed.
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This is a messy process
and kittens often learn to
eat solid foods after walk-
ing through it and consum-
ing it as they groom it out
of their fur. By 5-6 weeks
of age, they can start chew-
ing dry kitten food.
Of course the process
of eating has a byproduct
of urine and feces. A kit-
ten under three weeks of
age must be assisted in the
process of urination and
defecation. After every
feeding, take a warm damp
tissue or cloth and gently
stimulate the anogenital re-
gion to stimulate urination
and defecation. This repro-
duces the effect of a mother
grooming them. Kittens
should urinate every time
but may not defecate after
every meal. At 3-4 weeks
of age you can add a litter
box to their environment.
You will need to nd a
small container with very
low sides to start with and
use a non-clumping litter
ideally. The lid of a shoe
box works great.
Warm, healthy, well-
fed kittens less than three
weeks of age mostly sleep
between feedings. If the
kittens you are working
with are restless and crying
a lot, then there is a prob-
lem and you should consult
your veterinarian. Raising
orphan kittens is a very re-
warding experience and I
hope this information gives
future kitty moms the con-
dence to go for it.
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July 23 & 24 .....4-H Arts-In Rehearsal
4-H Building, Stearns County Fairgrounds, Sauk
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July 30 ..............4-H General Projects (Non-Livestock)
Judging 2:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 4-H Building, Stearns
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July 30-Aug 4 ...Stearns County Extension Ofce
Relocated to Stearns County Fairgrounds, Sauk Centre
July 31-Aug. 4 ..Stearns County 4-H Fair
Stearns County Fairgrounds, Sauk Centre
August 2 ...........4-H Blue Ribbon Auction
6:30 p.m. Show Arena, Stearns County Fairgrounds,
Sauk Centre
August 6 ...........4-H State Fair Meeting
6:30 Non-livestock 8:00 Livestock
Holy Family School, Albany
August 7 ...........4-H Day Camp Around the World
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Sinclair Lewis Park, Sauk Centre
August 8 ...........4-H Day Camp Around the World
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. North Park, Albany
August 21-25 ....4-H State Fair Livestock Encampment
State Fairgrounds, St. Paul
University of Minnesota Extension calendar
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By Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition
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NDSU Extension Service
When I grow up, Im going to buy my food at a
store, I announced to my parents as I crawled along
the ground planting long rows of Bermuda onion sets.
I was in elementary school at the time, and my grum-
bling didnt relieve me of helping in the garden. I was
handed a bag of corn seeds to plant when I nished
with the onions.
The gardens of my youth seemed to cover acres
of land. One year, we had a bumper crop of onions.
We had so many that we lled the bed of our pickup
truck heaping full of the white softball-sized globes.
We gave away many, many bags of onions that year.
Ive eaten my no gardening for me words many
times through the years. I prefer fresh produce picked
close to home whenever that is possible. A bag of
those homegrown onions would be welcome.
The other day, I was admiring the tall stems of the
onions in our backyard garden. I doubt they will reach
the size of softballs, but I know we will use them in
casseroles, soups and stews, and as part of grilled ka-
bobs.
Onions are among the most popular vegetables,
contributing avor, vitamin C, ber and health-pro-
moting natural antioxidants to your recipes. Accord-
ing to the National Onion Association, we each eat
about 20 pounds of onions per year.
However, some people think of crying or halito-
sis (bad breath) when onions are mentioned. These
potential downsides can be managed.
If cutting up onions prompts tearful cooking in
your kitchen, keep these tips in mind. Chill the onions
about a half hour before preparing them, then use a
sharp knife and leave the root end intact until the end
of the preparation process. The tear-inducing sulfur
compounds are concentrated in the root end. Next,
cut off the top and peel the skin, then cut as desired.
The National Onion Association has videos about
how to cut onions at http://www.onions-usa.org.
What about the dragon breath issue? Fresh
parsley acts as a natural breath mint, and brushing
your teeth or rinsing your mouth with a mixture of
lemon juice and water might help. You might want
to hang around with people who ate the same onion-
containing recipe, too.
Onions are available in various sizes and colors,
including yellow, white and red/purple. Green onions
are called scallions and small onions are called shal-
lots. Yellow onions usually are the all-purpose on-
ions, while white onions tend to have a sharper avor
that is retained during cooking. Purple onions often
are used raw in salads because they are sweeter.
When you select onions at a grocery store or
farmers market, be sure they are rm and even col-
ored without bruises or mold. At home, keep them in
a cool, dry place. Avoid storing onions near potatoes
because potatoes are high in moisture, which might
be absorbed by the onions.
A medium onion yields about a cup of chopped
onion. If you peel and dice more onion than you need,
Try these bountiful onion tips
you can place it in a sealed bag or other container in
the refrigerator. Use cut onions within a week.
If you grow your own onions, keep in mind some
harvesting tips. When most of the tops are falling over
and drying out, onions are ready to harvest. You can
leave them in the ground for a while if the weather is
warm and dry.
If you plan to store whole onions for later use,
place them in a ventilated, warm area (75 to 90 F)
for at least a couple of weeks to cure. The outer skin
should be dry and the necks should be tight. You can
braid the tops or cut the tops back prior to storing in a
cool, dry place.
Onion rings and onion blossoms are among the
most popular restaurant foods. However, they are
very high in fat and calories. One estimate placed a
typical restaurant onion blossom at 2,700 calories
and 200 grams of fat. Even if you share it with a few
people, that is an energy-intense appetizer. Here is
a lower-calorie version of onion rings, which can be
baked in your oven.
Oven-baked Onion Rings
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 c. nely ground toasted bread crumbs (low sodium)
1/4 c. our
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 large mild onion, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch rings
Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a large, shal-
low baking sheet with foil. Brush with oil. Stir bread
crumbs, our and salt together and spread on a large
plate. Whisk the egg slightly. Separate the onion
rings, dip in egg and press into the bread crumb mix-
ture, turning to coat both sides. Place the breaded on-
ion rings in a single layer on the pan and bake for 15
minutes. Turn over the rings and bake for another 15
minutes or until golden and crispy.
Makes four servings. Each serving has 150 calo-
ries, 9 grams (g) of fat, 4 g of protein, 15 g of carbo-
hydrate, 1 g of ber and 350 milligrams of sodium.
(Julie Garden-Robinson, Ph.D., R.D., L.R.D., is a
North Dakota State University Extension Service
food and nutrition specialist and professor in the De-
partment of Health, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences.)
Grilled Chicken, aka Arban Chicken
Marinade:
1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
1 cup lemon juice
1 quart water
1 tsp. pepper
In large bowl, mix together and add chicken. Marinate in refrigera-
tor for 2-3 hours. Put on grill, and while grilling, baste frequently with
marinade. When chicken is nicely colored, remove and put in roaster
with remaining marinade, cover and bake for 30 minutes at 350. Make
sure chicken is thoroughly cooked.
My family calls this Arban Chicken, because its the recipe that used to be
used during parish festivals in the town of Arban, bordering our land between
Holdingford and St. Anthony. The church was called Sacred Heart and the build-
ing now stands in the Pioneer Club in Albany. The town is gone now, except for
a shrine and cemetery, but thousands of people used to come for the festivals.
Grilled Steaks
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. to Tbsp soy sauce, to taste
Pepper
Mix together and place in shallow dish over steaks. Marinate in
refrigerator for a 2-3 hours or overnight. During grilling, baste with
marinade frequently, and grill according to how you like your steak. Use
T-bones, New York strip or cut of your choice.
Darlene has seven children, and when they were growing up she encour-
aged them to learn to cook by using recipes with simple ingredients that they
liked. Te following are some of those recipes.
Recipes Submitted by
Darlene Young
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Holdingford
Almond Bark Cookies
1 (2 lb.) package almond bark, melted and slightly cooled.
Mix in bowl:
2 cups Rice Krispies
2 cups crunchy peanut butter
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 can dry roasted nuts
Stir and add almond bark, and mixed until evenly coated. Drop by
spoonfuls onto waxed paper.
Porcupine Meatballs
1 lb. ground beef
1/4 cup uncooked rice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup chopped onions - optional
1 can (10 1/4 oz) tomato soup
In large bowl, mix together ground beef, rice, salt and onion. Shape
into 1 balls. Place into a casserole dish. Pour tomato sauce on top. Bake
at 350 for 1 hour.
Frosty Fruit Salad
1 package (16 oz.) frozen whole strawberries
1 can (15 1/4 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
In a medium bowl. Mix all of the ingredients together. Pour into
cupcake liners in mufn tins or into an 8x8 pan. Freeze until rm, about
3 hours. Remove from freezer 10 minutes before serving.
For variety, add 1 cup of sliced bananas.
Taco Salad
1 lb. ground beef
1 (1 3/4 oz.) package taco seasoning mix
1 medium head lettuce, torn in bite-sized pieces
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup sliced black olives
1 tomato, diced
1 (6 oz.) package corn chips
1/2 cup Thousand Island dressing
In a frying pan, brown ground beef. Drain and add taco seasoning
with beef. In large bowl, combine beef, lettuce, cheese, olives, tomato,
corn chips and dressing. Toss together and serve at once.
Fun for kids:
Snapping Turtle Salad
Body = 1 canned pear half
Feet = 4 pecan halves
Head = 1 green olive
Eyes = 2 cloves
Place pear half hollow side down on a salad plate. Use pecan halves
for the feet. For the head, use a green olive, with cloves stuck in for the
eyes.
Finger Paint
1/2 cup cornstarch
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups cold water
Food coloring
In medium saucepan mix all of the ingredients except food color-
ing together. Cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes until the mixture is
smooth and thick. Stir with a wooden spoon while the mixture is cook-
ing. After it has thickened, let it cool.
Divide the mixture into as many containers as the number of colors
you want. Stir the coloring in rst, then decide if you want to add more.
Cover tightly to store.
South of the Border Taco Casserole
1 lb. ground beef
1 package (1.25 oz) taco seasoning mix
1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls
1 cup sour cream
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups chopped lettuce
1 tomato, chopped
Taco sauce
In large frying pan, brown ground beef. Drain. Stir in taco season-
ing and set aside. Remove crescent roll dough from can, unroll and t
into the bottom of a greased 9 pie plate. Sprinkle beef mixture on top of
dough. Spread sour cream over beef mixture. Sprinkle cheese over sour
cream. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle lettuce and tomato on top. Cut into
wedges and serve with taco sauce.
Pistachio Dessert
1 cup our
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 tsp. sugar
Mix together and put in ungreased 9x13 cake pan. Bake at 350
10-15 minutes. Cool.
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
2/3 cup powdered sugar
5 oz. Cool Whip
Mix and put over baked crust.
2 (3.5 oz.) packages pistachio pudding mix
2 1/2 cups milk
Mix and pour over cream cheese mixture. If desired, add Cool Whip
and cherry. Chill.
Hometown Pride Days
Join us during Cold Springs
July 26-27
Grand prize and
door prizes will
be given away!
Sign-Up on July
26 or 27!
Drawing will be
held on Saturday,
July 27 at 3 pm
Pet supplies, Pet food, Treats, Toys and Kennels
Horse Supplies and Large Variety of Horse Food
Clothing for Men and Women
Gifts Milk Cheese Butter
Some Meat Products
Lawn and Garden
Products
Fertilizers for
Lawn and Garden
Fencing Products
Steel and Wood
Steel Gates
Wire Panels
S
ig
n
-U
p
th
e

D
ay o
f!
Dont miss the Childrens
Tractor Pedal Pull
Friday, July 26 at 5 pm
in our parking lot
hh
COLD SPRING
COUNTRY
STORE
Purina Checker
Board Days
Saturday, July 26
300 Main Street, Cold Spring 320-685-8651
Mon.-Fri. 8:00 am - 6:30 pm
Sat. 8:00 am 3:00 pm Sun. 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
Come check out
our selection!

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