BENTON AG Plus
Sauk Rapids Herald | Sat., April 1, 2023
Beefy bind
Serving rural Benton, Morrison, Mille Lacs and Kanabec counties
Carstensen strings together business to meet demand
RUMINATIONS WITH MARY MARY BARRON-TRAUT
I stand at the kitchen counter and stare at the pound of white paper-wrapped hamburger. Beef, again. Don’t get me wrong. I’m grateful to have the meat to prepare, but when living on a dairy farm, one is faced with a rather unique situation in that creativity is lacking when you consume ground beef three to four times per week. Goulash, meatloaf, chili, hamburger gravy, spaghetti, patties, chow mein. Those have been my staple go-tos, but (yawn) after a while, it all gets humdrum. When time permits, I have been known to throw together a tasty lasagna, but that takes pre-planning because I don’t usually have cottage or mozzarella cheese on hand.
Beef page 2B
Filling the gap with fence F BY MAURA WENNER STAFF WRITER
or some, spring means the start of planting season. For others, it means turkey hunting. But for Bryan Carstensen, owner of Popple Creek Fencing in rural Sauk Rapids, spring marks the beginning of another season building fences. “This year is my third season,” Carstensen said. When it took two years before someone became available to build fence on his beef operation, and with
other friends waiting for installs as well, Carstensen saw an opportunity in the agricultural industry. “I knew there was a need in the area,” said Carstensen, who also owns Popple Creek Wedding and Events with his wife, Meghan. “There was a lot of demand for building fences and not a lot of people do it. I think because the old way of building fence wasn’t fun.” The “old way” is difficult and timing consuming and consists of people having to dig holes and push posts by hand. However, Carstensen said the process of building fences
Bryan Carstensen, owner of Popple Creek Fencing in has evolved into a less labor intensive Sauk Rapids, stands near and quicker means over the years. his skid “A lot of the equipment, fence loader at his itself, type of wire used, techniques farm March and quality have all changed,” 27 in rural Carstensen said. “With the right Sauk Rapids. equipment, it’s actually pretty easy, Carstensen and I have fun doing it.” is entering The main piece of equipment his third Carstensen uses as he constructs season of fence fences for area producers is his skid building loader with a post pounder attachafter filling a ment. demand he saw in the agricultural Carstensen page 2B industry.
DEER HUNTERS! ON THE LOT
COMING IN Pro-Push 2044 VB 440 bu., 6yrs old, truck tires, going through shop
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Knight 8024
Knight 725
500 bu.
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NEW - JUST IN
Tar River No-Till Drill SAYA-507 Call for Pricing
Kuhn PS242 Horizontal - CALL FOR PRICING 1960-2023 Celebrating 63 years!
PHOTO BY MAURA WENNER
JUST COMING IN - Kuhn VB2044 Pro-Push Vertical Beaters Truck Tires, 7years old CALL FOR PRICE
FLUEGGE’S AG Farm Material Handling Specialist
ROD FLUEGGE “the boss”
2040 Mahogany St., Mora, MN 320-679-2981 BA-13-1B-BL