BENTON AG Plus
Saturday, September 2, 2023 I Sauk Rapids Herald
Serving rural Benton, Morrison, Mille Lacs and Kanabec counties
Road trip “What are you doing on Wednesday,” my husband asked one Sunday afternoon. “I don’t know. Why,” I answered. “We’ve got a road trip to make. We bought a corn RUMINATIONS head south of the WITH MARY cities.” MARY BARRON-TRAUT A road trip! One of those farm tasks that I enjoy immensely. He explained that he and our son had needed it for our second combine and so had sealed the deal. The Tuesday evening before the trip, preparations were made to the pickup and the combine head trailer — greasing bearings and checking tires. On Wednesday morning, I nished all of my household work early and packed food while my hubby completed milking and chores. We couldn’t leave until a little after noon because our son wouldn’t get off of work until then. By the time we were ready, I had lled most of the truck’s backseat with everything I needed. My laptop bag with the computer, cell phone chargers, magazines, the food cooler lled with our lunch and snacks, and our border collie Trixie — she loves road trips as much as we do. Also, just in case they were in the mood to talk about it, I brought along the folders containing information about the shed they’d been talking about building for ve or more years. With Trixie and me comfortably in the back seat, my hubby driving, and my son in charge of navigating, we hit the road. The decision was made to stay off of freeways due to the trailer length and the slower speeds we would need to maintain. All in all, it would make for a less stressful trip and more enjoyable scenery because the guys like to check out the crops and I like looking at farmyards for landscaping ideas.
Road trip page 3B
d e c e l e Fto meet you PHOTOS BY HANS LAMMEMAN
(Top, left) An alpaca peeks its head over a fence at Triple T Alpaca Aug. 19 in rural Foreston. The herd fluctuates in count but typically totals between 35 and 50 alpacas.
Triple T Alpaca opens farm to visitors BY HANS LAMMEMAN STAFF WRITER
W
hen you love alpacas as much as Beth Turner and her family at Triple T Alpaca in rural Foreston, it is only natural to share that passion with others. Ranked the second in the nation for new alpaca breeding farms by the Alpaca Owners Association, the Turner family has opened the doors of their operation to guests for Open Farm
Days events since 2019. With an array of offerings like farm tours and face painting, Open Farms Days attract crowds looking to learn more about alpacas and local vendors. Turner and her husband, Brent, son Jameson and in-laws John and Darlene — all of which were voted as the Mille Lacs County Farm Family of the Year for 2023 — look forward to the events as a chance to inform visitors about the species they adore. The farm has three events left
Beth Turner displays an alpaca fleece blanket for sale at one of Triple T Alpaca’s Open Farm Days Aug. 19 in rural Foreston. She said Triple T contributes to a fleece cooperative.
this season: Sept. 23, Sept. 24 and Oct. 14. “They are a very interesting animal; they are not like any other livestock,” Turner said of alpacas. “They are very sustainable. The more we help educate other people on their eece and ber and their uses, the better the industry will do as a whole.”
Triple T Alpaca page 2B
SPREADERS, SPREADERS, SPREADERS... New Kuhn 242
Two New Kuhn VB242s
w/horizintal beaters
On the Lot
Several other used Kuhn spreaders to choose from! Stop in and check em out and speak to Rod
1960-2023 Celebrating 63 years!
Just Delivered
FLUEGGE’S AG Farm Material Handling Specialist
ROD FLUEGGE “the boss”
2040 Mahogany St., Mora, MN 320-679-2981 BA35-1B-BL