Issuu

ountry C Friday, July 16, 2021

cres A Focusing on Today’s Rural Environment

Volume 8, Edition 27

leave behind What you

Family striving to leave legacy for future generations

PHOTOS BY DIANE LEUKAM

JR (above left) and Colton Leukam discuss the status of tractors in their mechanic’s shop June 25 on the farm north of Sauk Centre.

BY DIANE LEUKAM STAFF WRITER

SAUK CENTRE – Kenny (JR) and Andelee Leukam live just north of Sauk Centre on the farm where JR grew up, with 80 acres planted into a corn, soybean and oats rotation, along with some meadow hay. They also rent 200 acres of land from his uncle near Elrosa, land that belonged to his great-grandparents. There, they grow corn, beans and grass hay. They raise 70 head of beef steers, along with horses and chickens, and they grow a garden. In addition to farming, JR is a mechanic who runs his shop from the farm, working mainly on International Harvester tractors. Andelee teaches third grade in the Sauk Centre Public Schools system. When Andelee works, JR takes care of the kids and when she is home, Kenny works … but not all the time. They spend a lot of time as a family. Colton is 3, Leeandra is 19 months and Baby Leukam will arrive

JR and Andelee Leukam sit on the deck in front of their home June 25 with their children, Leeandra, 19 months, and Colton, 3. The Leukams have chosen a lifestyle on their farm that focuses on faith, family and the environment.

around the end of September. Their two main priorities are faith and family, and those priorities affect their decisions allaround. In fact, in order to live the lifestyle they have chosen, JR sometimes has to turn down mechanic work. “Our main focus is our family and we can only do so much every day; if we do too much there, we are taking time

away from our kids,” he said in his characteristically soft-spoken way. “We want to do our best job possible. I know we need money to live, but we don’t need everything new and fancy, either.” One might say the kids are the spark that has lit a fire in their hearts for the environment that surrounds them. Especially during the winters, JR does a

ST R COUNTRY: Publications bli ti This month in the

The newspaper of today is the history of tomorrow.

Watch for the next edition of Country Acres on August 20!

lot of research on the topic. “The technology is out there and there are a lot of good people doing good things,” he said. “During the winter, we look up so many university studies, test pilots and trials.” Much of what JR researches has to do with crops, such as tillage options, cover crops and pollinator-friendly pesticides. “Some of the stuff is incon-

Making her own kind of history Leaf Valley

A partnership between humans and horses New London

A new sort of shed Diane Leukam column

14 Tractor tire gardening Cold Spring 17 The gamble of farming Sauk Centre

venient and spendy, even with the crops,” he said. “We have gone to all liquid organic-based fertilizers with no broadcasting and all split applications. It is more work and more costly, but research shows it is better for the soil.” In an effort to prevent the release of carbon into the air, they have reduced the amount of tillage on their land. In Sauk Centre, they no-till corn and beans and for oats, they disc in spring and minimum till one pass after combining before seeding a cover crop. Their Elrosa ground is heavier, so they utilize minimum tillage on those acres. JR said that 30 acres of cover crop takes enough carbon out of the atmosphere to average one vehicle’s CO2 release each year. While on a mission to find a pollinator-friendly pesticide for aphids, JR found one that is being used in the southern states that kills aphids but won’t harm

Leukam page 2 21 Country cooking 23 Developing a crop to clean water Westport 27 What’s this? 27 FFA student

Page 2 • Country Acres | Friday, July 16, 2021

Country Acres

Diane Leukam, Editor diane@saukherald.com Ben Sonnek, Writer ben.s@saukherald.com Herman Lensing, Writer herman@melrosebeacon.com Jennifer Coyne, Writer jenn@dairystar.com Evan Michealson, Writer evan.m@star-pub.com Carol Moorman, Writer carol@melrosebeacon.com Natasha Barber, Writer natasha@saukherald.com Sarah Colburn Freelance Writer

Story ideas send to: diane@saukherald.com SALES STAFF

Kayla Hunstiger, 320-247-2728 kayla@saukherald.com Missy Traeger, 320-291-9899 missy@saukherald.com Tim Vos, 320-845-2700 tim@albanyenterprise.com Mike Schafer, 320-894-7825 mike.s@dairystar.com Warren Stone, 320-249-9182 warren@star-pub.com Jaime Ostendorf, 320-309-1988 Jaime@star-pub.com Bob Leukam, 320-260-1248 bob.l@star-pub.com

PRODUCTION STAFF Pat Turner Amanda Thooft Nancy Powell Maddy Peterson Cheyenne Carlson

Leukam from front

butterflies and bees. He called the local dealer, who sourced it for him and now encourages others to use it. The couple has set goals for themselves, and keep an updated “environmentally friendly list,” documenting the changes they have made, including those above and beyond farming practices. Some of those changes are buying a hybrid car, heating their home with a corn/oats stove and switching to LED lightbulbs. They are also trying to completely eliminate single-use plastic, partly due to some of Andelee’s research. “I found out that since recycling began, only 9% is actually being recycled, and that plastic can only be recycled once and then it still ends up in a landfill,” she said. “Metal and glass can be recycled over and over again.” Their attempts to eliminate single-use plastic include things like produce and grocery bags, bar soap, bar shampoo, glass spray bottles for concentrated cleaners, reusable straws, and bamboo toilet paper and tissues packaged in recycled cardboard. Deodorant is from a refillable aluminum canister, something Andelee smilingly admits she finds kind of strange. Cloth napkins are from their wedding reception decorations, and they buy second-hand items when possible, especially children’s clothing.

PHOTOS BY DIANE LEUKAM

JR Leukam holds daughter Leeandra so she can peek into the corn/ oats stove that is used to heat their farmhouse near Sauk Centre.

“It’s quite a mix through the farm and everyday living, trying to incorporate a lot of little things,” JR said. “Even when we go through the grocery store it’s like, where is this coming from – U.S. or foreign, how much plastic is used, what is the packaging? Over time you get used to it. We’re not to the point where we are plastic free, but we’re trying to get there.” They do have one spot they know they are struggling. “The diapers, oh man,” Andelee said. “I know other people do it; maybe for this third one!” Gardening is also part of

the picture, with all food scraps composted or fed to the chickens. JR noted how easy that was to do, and that 40% of the volume in landfills is organic material that need not be there. Andelee was not fond of vegetable gardening when she began, but that it is growing on her. “I had horses but didn’t do gardening, no farming, nothing,” she said. “The first year it was annoying and I didn’t like weeding. I enjoy it now, canning and putting everything away and then feeling super

proud taking it out in the winter. It has definitely changed my perspective on things.” They grow sweet corn, pickles, green beans, onions, carrots and broccoli. A perennial patch garden is a work in progress, with raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, rhubarb, asparagus and dill. Produce is frozen or canned using jars with reusable rubber seals. Food is bought in bulk and everything purchased as locally as possible to cut on transportation. When asked where the garden was located, Colton spoke up immediately. “Well, we wanted it right next to the chicken barn because that’s where we have the scraps for the chickens,” he said. The 3-year-old is known for his outgoing personality and being willing to share his thoughts with any adult who comes around. “We have lots of chickens; the first time when we had them in the barn, they flew away and we couldn’t find them,” Colton continued. “They all flew away. I ran and looked at the chickens. I don’t know, I couldn’t grab them. They just made a mess and then I just tried to chase them.” The conversation turned back to their personal mission for the environment. “We’re just doing a lot of little things to try to reduce our carbon footprint,” Andelee

Leukam page 3

Deadlines: Country Acres will be published the first Fridays of April, May, June, September, October and November, and the third Friday of every month. Deadline for news and advertising is the Thursday before publication.

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A garden of sweet corn, beans, onions and other vegetables grows on the Leukam farm north of Sauk Centre, where produce is frozen or Steers lounge together inside the barn at the JR and Andelee Leukam canned and excess organic matter composted or fed to the chickens. farm.

Friday, July 16, 2021 | Country Acres • Page 3

Leukam from page 2

said. “We want to promote it with other people; some of it is really small and it can be easy, but if people don’t know about it they don’t realize that they can make different choices. There are just so many ideas out there to maybe make a switch if people feel so inclined.” JR and Andelee realize their lifestyle is not something that is easy to promote. “We talk about this stuff and it’s kind of tough, because we’re almost like stuck back in the day,” JR said. “Our farm, we’re by no means big. We’re staying small and just trying to do a better job with what we have with less impact on the environment. It’s not about what you have in life, it’s what you leave behind. We talk about leaving a legacy.” The couple spends a lot of time on the deck in front of their house, in a setting quiet enough to hear the hummingbirds approach the feeder. And, they are with their kids, which is right where they want to be. JR noted it was not that long ago when Native American leaders got together to make a decision and they would ask themselves how it would impact the next seven generations. “I guess that is what our focus is, what we do today, how is it going to impact our children,” he said. “We’re not experts or anything, but before we make a decision we ask ourselves that; everything is a work in progress.”

PHOTOS BY DIANE LEUKAM

(Above) Colton Leukam, 3, offers Sky, a quarter horse/thoroughbred, a treat while his mom, Andelee, supervises. (Right) Colton hauls a wheelbarrow of grain through the barn to help feed the steers.

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Page 4 • Country Acres | Friday, July 16, 2021 PHOTOS SUBMITTED

A delicate pink rose blooms on the stem of a bush originally brought over to the family home by Sophia Wussow.

Kristi Wussow cut a few blooms of her grandmother’s peonies and her grandfather, John Meyer’s, tulips so she could enjoy them inside.

Making her own

kind of history Wussow is keeper of family heirloom plants

story to tell and this year, some are turning 100 years old. Wussow has a passion for plants and a strong, undeniable love BY SARAH COLBURN | STAFF WRITER for keeping the past alive. LEAF VALLEY – filled with history. Each Her yard is evidence. Kristi Wussow’s yard is blossom and bloom has a Wussow is a keeper and protector of the plants. She has heirloom roses that have been on the property for a century. She also has peonies, Lily of the Valley, Iris Versicolor, commonly known as “Blue Flags,” and orange blossom trees that have been passed down through generations. The tulips that spring from the ground each year and usher in the warmth of the season are at least 50 to 80 year old. “I just think it’s amazing they’ve survived this long in a culture where everything is so throwaway,” Wussow said. “If plants could talk, they could tell so many stories. They’ve remained constant throughout so many changes in the world.” Wussow said she feels honored to care for and share the plants. She doesn’t fertilize or mulch, she just keeps the weeds out and waters them as needed. “I figured they’ve gotten along all these years without me and they

Wussow’s grandmother, Sophia Woessner Wussow, was married in 1921 and brought her mother’s heirloom roses, peonies and other plants over from her farm by the West Miltona church. Sophia’s mother died in childbirth and since Sophia was the oldest, she helped raised 12 kids, taking the two youngest with her to raise on the Kristi Wussow family farm where Wussow resides. Wussow Heritage Farm and Valley know how to take care of Music were purchased themselves,” she said. from the original home“They’ll be here long af- steader in 1881 by Wuster I’m gone.” sow’s great-great-grand-

father, Johann Wussow, a widower who immigrated from Germany with his unmarried, younger children. In addition to her grandmother’s plants on her father’s side of the family, Wussow also has plants from her mother’s lineage on the farm. She fondly remembers her grandfather, John Meyer, planting German yellow stringless bean seed, black-eye-side up. “He was such a kind and gentle soul; I learned so much about garden-

Wussow page 5

A harvest of Kristi Wussow’s German yellow stringless beans is ready to be used in a favorite family recipe, German Bean Salad (see page 21).

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PHOTOS SUBMITTED

Kristi Wussow tends to her mother’s yellow rose bush; this particular bush is about 45 years old.

from page 4

the pods, then stores the shelled seeds in her house or in the garage, waiting at least a month for them to dry out. Then, she transfers them to a jar with holes punched in the lid to let out any remaining moisture – just the way her grandfather taught her. “I don’t believe in messing with the nature of heirloom plants,” she said. “Things that have survived this long survived for a reason. We should honor them and how long they’ve been around. (Once they change,) there’s no way to get them back.” The one year her grandfather’s seeds didn’t

germinate as she was growing up, she remembers him going to South Dakota to get some of the original seed from his sisters. Today, Wussow has the seeds split between herself and her sister in the Twin Cities so one of them is always sure to be able to keep the plants going. When she moved back to the farm, one of the first things she did was plant the beans. “In 1997, I took all the seed I could find and I planted it and prayed,” she said. “We didn’t even pick beans that year.” She likes to use the beans to make German

ing from him,“ she said. “It’s history and it brings you back to so many fond memories. Plants are good for the soul.” The seeds for those yellow beans are passed down from her grandpa, John’s, family who arrived by boat from Germany in 1879. Both sides of Wussow’s family came over to the United States from neighboring towns in Germany; all of them went through Ellis Island. “History is not taught enough now these days,” Wussow page 6 she said. “I think we need to know what our roots are.” Wussow looks at the importance of roots, literally and figuratively. She’s a purist when it comes to planting. Though she said she understands and appreciates the need for modified seeds that better withstand drought and insects, she works hard to keep the lineage of her plants clean. In fact, each year she collects seeds from the plants, leaving some of the beans to hang and dry on the vine. She recalls her grandfather picking the whole plant and hanging them to dry in the granary. She picks Brilliant peonies dot the landscape of Kristi Wussow’s

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Page 6 • Country Acres | Friday, July 16, 2021

Wussow from page 5

Bean Salad, complete with vinegar, cream, bacon and onion. The recipe was never written down until her mother, Eilene Meyer Wussow, started writing a book of favorite family recipes and the stories behind them. The recipe is an outline, as all “good cooks” know you flavor to taste, Wussow said. Wussow is teaching the art of making German Bean Salad to her niece so it doesn’t die with her and her sister. Her ties to the flowers on the property are just as strong. Her mother, Eilene, passed on the many fam-

ily stories along with the flowers from her motherin-law and father. Wussow and her grandmother, Sophia, are the only female owners of the farm in its sixth-generation history. Through the years, she’s transplanted some of the starts of the heirloom roses and now she has six or seven clumps of them throughout the property. Her father, Norman, who will be 94 in September, lives with her and though he doesn’t spend a lot of time looking at or appreciating flowers, he definitely appreciates crops on the land. The two would often go for rides together to check out her brother’s crops. Upon

returning home, Wussow would drive around the farm pointing out her plantings, her beloved “crops,” hoping to get her dad to acknowledge how absolutely wonderful it is to grow flowers. The roses flourish on the south side of the house, brilliant in their dark, hot-pink colors. They send out runners into the yard and Wussow has to be quick to transplant them before they get mowed off. “The heirloom roses have such an intoxicating smell,” she said. The peony bushes, more than a dozen of them, bloom white and red, hot pink with yellow, pink with yellow in the middle and simple,

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PHOTOS SUBMITTED

Kristi Wussow’s grandfather, John Meyer, died in 1985 and Wussow transplanted hostas from his flower bed to her front porch music studio in her family home.

traditional, light and airy white and pink. They make their home on the lawn just north of the house and west by the garage while the Lily of the Valley now encompass an entire 10- by 30-foot space alongside the north side of Wussow’s orange brick 1903 home. Wussow uncovered two orange blossom trees on the property in the woods, and there’s a third on the north lawn – she has vivid memories of her father trimming one down when she was a kid and promising her it would come back as she cried and cried. As her brother farms the cropland that once supported dairy and beef and now grows beans, corn, grains, hay and wheat. Wussow makes her own kind of history, tending to the flowers and plants on the land. It’s her way of passing along her family history, stories, seeds and all, to the next generation. “I find history fascinating, and in a world where everything changes so fast,” she said. “It’s good to have things that have been around for a Kristi Wussow enjoys the annual fragrance of her grandmother’s orange blossom tree, planted with Lily of while.”

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New London

from page 10

PHOTOS BY DIANE LEUKAM

LaNae Steinhaus brushes her leased horse, Bo, June 17 at the New London Equestrian Center. The center caters to riders of all ages.

Having the two arenas allows the Balays and Wehselers to keep the facility operational for riders year-round. During the winter, they are as busy the summer, something they found especially beneficial last year. “During COVID, we had to shut down for a while, and then we opened up a little bit,” Nancy said. “Everything was scattered and everyone was wearing masks and it seemed unnatural, but it was an outlet. The kids really needed it. They didn’t even necessarily want to ride, they just wanted to come out and be with their horses.” Riders of all ages used the facility – riders

like LaNae Steinhaus, who has a high-pressure job and is currently leasing one of Eleanor’s horses. She stopped by to ride June 17 and expressed her appreciation of the center and the people involved. “I’m so blessed to have them here; it’s just so great,” she said. “I have always loved horses, and Claudia is such a good instructor. She’s so patient for an older person like me. I want to learn it and do it right, but it sure doesn’t come natural!” Tyna Larson, who often works at the center along with her mother, Heather, has taken over the care of one of the older horses and is involved in the 4-H and FFA projects. Students work on judging, health-care, and multiple horse disciplines. “It is known that we want to work with youth in our area; it’s almost a

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mantra,” Al said. Another rider, Katherine, was just 8 years old when she met the Balays. Her horse, Sam, was one of the horses she graduated up to when she rode while at their previous farm, and Sam was given as a gift to her by the Balays when she went away to college. Katherine was married last summer, and Eleanor Wehseler gets equipment out of her custom-built tack their wedding locker. There are a total of seven custom lockers at the center. photos were taken at the another student arrives center with her bridal par- 4-H kids. Their lesson schedule for a lesson. About 30-35 ty and Sam. She continues to work there, helping board is full. Every one with lessons and today’s and a half or two hours, New London page 12

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chased the next two on her own,” Nancy said. “She did the research, negotiated the price and paid for them herself from her earnings. She learned to buy and sell her tack … I am very impressed and just proud of what she can do and is capable of at age 17.” Claudia echoed that opinion, saying Eleanor is very responsible. To Eleanor, though, the center is simply her favorite place to hang out. Eleanor has an extensive background in both the 4-H and FFA, programs that are integral to many of the educational activities at the center. They provide a safe place for them to learn about horses and horsemanship, and to ride. “This was the premise for buying the place,” Claudia said. “We were catering to the kids at the beginning. We have a lot of rules; there are things they can and can’t do. There are also rules on the Glacial Ridge State Trail; it adjoins the property and gives access to local communities and gravel roads. The trail is paved, but horses have to ride on the grass alongside, and any waste from the horses must be picked up. The equestrian center itself consists of the original show horse barn built in the 1990s, with an apartment space, office, stalls and feed and tack rooms connected to an indoor arena. Outside is a larger arena and several paddocks, including one quarantine paddock where animals coming in are required to spend their first 10-14 days at the facility. Most of the fences have been rebuilt.

Page 12 • Country Acres | Friday, July 16, 2021

New London

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Riding student, Anyara Basant, takes a riding lesson on Champ at the New London Equestrian Center.

from page 11 students are given lessons each week. Students begin their first lessons by starting on the ground, brushing the horse, cleaning feet and spending time with the horse. They learn basic care, types of tack, tools, bits and saddles. They learn the basics of horse sense, good balance, good hands and horse health. They learn how to direct a horse and to communicate. They try English, Western and bareback riding. They become equestrians. “It is a partnership, but the rider has to be the leader of that partnership,” Claudia said. “The horse is always looking for a leader, and if the rider is not a leader, things can go wrong in a hurry. Every horse is different and they have to understand how to apply their skills to meet that horse’s personality.” In the end, there is a deep concern for both asAntiques, Vintage and Gently Used Womens Fashion and Jewelry

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One Tough Animal

Page 14 • Country Acres | Friday, July 16, 2021

Tract r tire

Lloyd Weber holds fresh peas grown in vegetable gardens inside tractor tires, for ease of care, on the property where he lives with his wife, Connie, near Cold Spring.

gardening

Weber raises beds, enjoys bountiful harvests

BY SARAH COLBURN STAFF WRITER

COLD SPRING – For years, Lloyd Weber enjoyed gardening. He and his wife, Connie, have 20 acres in Cold Spring, 10 of which they rent out for corn planting and the rest of which they enjoy themselves. Lloyd grew up on a farm and his mother, Loretta Weber, always had a garden. The youngest of 10, he played in the gardens and the dirt with his sisters, picking foods, weeding and eating veggies straight off the vine. From strawberries to apples, he said, gardening is just part of who he is. “I’ve been gardening my whole life,” Weber

PHOTOS BY DIANE LEUKAM

Lloyd Weber hauled in 1500-pound tractor tires to create his gardens after his knees began making it difficult to garden in the ground. The raised beds allow him to plant, weed and harvest more easily.

old tractor tires. Eleven tires hold his vegetable gardens and three more hold an array of colorful flowers. He has even filled an old hot tub with flowers, making it easier to plant and weed. When his old septic tank fell in,

said. Eventually, his knees started to give out and that is when he began looking for creative solutions to raise his garden beds. Now, he has flowers and vegetables in raised beds made from

he covered the space with concrete blocks sitting on their ends and planted in each of the holes, leaving the center space for

Weber page 15

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PHOTOS BY DIANE LEUKAM

Lloyd Weber leans on a compost bin while looking at one of his 11 tractor tire vegetable gardens near Cold Spring.

Weber

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Fresh compost is ready to be used in one of the many tractor tire gardens on the Lloyd and Connie Weber property.

carrots. His asparagus is doing so well he picks it nearly every day for a while. The stems are a penny or nickel thick and they grow 8-10 inches before he cuts them. Some things, he said, don’t grow as well in the tires. Strawberries have frustrated him through the years. At one time he had 120 strawberry plants; they all bloomed and he picked half an ice cream pail of fresh, delicious berries. He went back out to pick more and the deer

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Weber page 16

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had eaten every last one. He constructed a fence around the plot and the next year decided to plant them in one of his tire gardens – they all froze. Other less-delicate plants do much better. Typically, Weber starts everything from seed in the ground with the exception of a few things like tomatoes and brussels sprouts, that he buys already started from

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perennials. The tires that help him keep doing what he loves are 18 inches tall, 6 feet in diameter and sit 3-4 feet apart. They weigh 1,500 pounds and had to be transported two at a time on a big flatbed trailer and moved with a skid steer. Using a Sawzall, he cut out the rim of each tire back to the treads to create another 8 inches of planting space. Some of the tires were sourced from a place that shreds tires and others he gathered from friends. He filled them with dirt from his land, choosing dirt that has the benefit of leaf compost through the years, and then, once the tires were full, he planted seeds. This year, Weber is growing tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, sugar snap peas, green beans, lettuce, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus and

Page 16 • Country Acres | Friday, July 16, 2021

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PHOTO BY DIANE LEUKAM

Lloyd Weber prepares tractor tires for planting by using a Sawzall to cut the rim of each tire back to the treads to create another 8 inches of planting space.

Weber

from page 15 the greenhouse. “I’m not in a big hurry to get a harvest in the first part of August,” he said. “If it comes in the first couple weeks of August or the first part of September, that’s still good.” He used to start seedlings in his sun porch on the south side of the house using grow lights but found the process was too hard to control and he didn’t like running electricity to grow the food. He and Connie plant the gardens together as much as they can. He handles most of the weeding and cutting. “It’s so neat watching nature let things grow and then you get to eat the good stuff,” he said. “I’ve got no chemicals on my food; my vegetables are just all pure.” He considers the abundance of food from the gardens a reward and said they have fun planting and tending to the foods. Weber is a veteran

who spent six years in the service and couldn’t re-up because he was injured. He worked for 20 years at the St. Cloud Veterans Hospital and retired at the age of 43. Not only does he simply enjoy gardening, he said they save a lot of money by growing their own foods. The couple does buy fresh fruit from the grocery store but they usually have enough vegetables to freeze for the winter months even after sharing with friends. Weber uses an abundance of the foods to create his own salsa. He doesn’t have a recipe to share per say, but instead uses the tomatoes and the end-of-the-garden harvest for the base. “I grind up everything and throw it in the salsa,” he said. “Whatever is in the garden, whatever is left over – tomatoes, beans, broccoli, cauliflower.” He adds some onions and said it makes a chunky salsa that sticks to the chip. “My friends don’t want pints, they want quarts,” he said. The flowers are just as fruitful. This year,

the Webers planted 140 marigolds, petunias, geraniums and pansies, purchased from a greenhouse. The tires are filled with flowers as are the cement blocks. In addition, they usually till up and down the edge of their driveway and plant nearly 50 packs of flower seeds. “We enjoy it,” Weber said. “We just sit out on the deck and look at our pretty yard.” The land is quiet, sitting a half-mile mile east of Fish Lake; they can hear the boats and jet skis in the distance, the fire alarm from the fire hall and the school marching band. Five pileated woodpeckers have made their home on the land and they feed them with suet blocks. They get blue jays, swallows, crows, yellow finch and cardinals stopping by their seed feeders and they feed the squirrels corn and the deer apples from the trees. Every so often they see a fox running across the land. For them, they are the sounds and sights of peace. For them, and the animals of the land, it’s home.

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Friday, July 16, 2021 | Country Acres • Page 17

The gamble of

farming

Christens deal with drought conditions BY BEN SONNEK | STAFF WRITER

SAUK CENTRE – In some areas of his fields, Glen Christen can be almost up to his waist in a good, healthy crop. However, if he just takes a few steps, he could enter an area where the plants are hardly higher than his boots. The Christen farm is a snapshot of how the drought has affected farms in the area; while the recent rains and cooler temperatures have been helpful to the thirsty crops, it will take much more of the same to keep everything growing. And, July and August are not famous for those conditions. “When corn is short, it doesn’t take much moisture,” Glen said. “But, now the corn is getting taller, and it takes a lot of moisture to sustain it. As of right now, things don’t look too bad on this farm in this area, but if we don’t get more rain going forward, it’s just not going to produce much of anything.” Glen and his wife, Becky, have farmed their land southwest of Sauk Centre since 2006 when they started

buying the land from Glen’s parents. Their primary source of income is their dairy herd; in a regular year, about half of their crop of corn, alfalfa and wheat is kept for feed, and the other half is sold as supplemental income. This year, the Christens bought the rest of the land, expecting that the extra crops would help with the payments, but that will be more difficult to achieve than anticipated. Before the July precipitation, the last decent rainfall the Christens received was in mid-April. Some crops were planted before the rains came, but the ones planted after the weather dried up faced a harder growing period. “You’ll see the unevenness in the fields because it didn’t all emerge at the same time,” Becky said. “The seed in dry ground had to wait until it had enough moisture to germinate. So, that is why you’ll see fields where the

Christens page 18 PHOTOS BY BEN SONNEK

Glen Christen checks the height on a field of wheat July 8 at his farm southwest of Sauk Centre. Their area did not receive a decent rain from about mid-April to July.

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Friday, July 16, 2021 | Country Acres • Page 19

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Friday, July 16, 2021 | Country Acres • Page 21

COUNTRY COOKING KATHRYN OLDENBURG |

Garfield, Douglas County

WANT YOUR FAVORITE RECIPES TO BE FEATURED IN COUNTRY ACRES?

Contact Diane at diane@saukherald.com

Texas Slaw • 7-8 cups cabbage, chopped or shredded • 1/4 tsp. cumin • 1/4 tsp. coriander • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder • 2 jalapeños, minced, with seeds removed and discarded

Laci’s Grannie’s Cookies • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained • 1 cup ranch dressing • Juice of 1 lime • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped • 1 (8-ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese

In large bowl, thoroughly mix cabbage with cumin, coriander, garlic powder, jalapeños and black beans. Add remaining ingredients and mix. Refrigerate 1 hour or more. Add more dressing if needed.

Wild Rice Chicken Salad • 2/3 cup wild rice, uncooked • 1-1/2 cups cooked chicken, diced • 1 cup cashew pieces • 1 cup green grapes, halved

• 1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and sliced • 1 cup mayonnaise OR Miracle Whip • Salt to taste

Cook wild rice according to package instructions; drain and cool. Mix all ingredients; cool 3-4 hours or overnight. Add more mayonnaise if needed.

Rueben Soup • 1/2 cup celery, chopped • 1/2 cup onion, chopped • 1 cup butter • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1 tsp. pepper • 1 tsp. salt • 1/2 tsp. caraway • 1/4 tsp. tarragon • 1/2 cup flour

• 1 (32-ounce) can sauerkraut, drained • 1 quart half-and-half • 1-1/2 pounds corned beef, cooked and chopped • 4 cups beef stock • 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce • 2-1/2 to 3 cups shredded Swiss cheese

In a large heavy soup pot, sauté celery and onion in butter. Add garlic, pepper, salt, caraway, tarragon. Sprinkle with flour, stir, and brown for 10 minutes. Add sauerkraut, half-and-half and corned beef; bring to a low simmer. Add beef stock and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a low simmer. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Keep stirring to keep from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Continue to stir while adding Swiss cheese until melted. It is ready to serve.

Ice Cream Pumpkin Pie

• 1/2 cup ground flax seed • 1/2 cup sunflower nuts • 3 Tbsp. chia seeds • 2-1/2 cups oatmeal • 1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour • 1-1/2 cups chocolate chips

• 1-1/4 cups butter, softened • 1-1/2 cups brown sugar • 2 cups peanut butter • 3 eggs • 2 tsp. vanilla • 1 tsp. baking powder • 1/2 tsp. salt • 1 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix butter and brown sugar; add peanut butter and mix. Add eggs, vanilla, baking powder, salt and soda and mix. Add flax seed, sunflower nuts, chia seeds and oatmeal; mix well. Add flour; mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by 1-inch balls onto cookie sheet and flatten with sugared fork. Bake 10-12 minutes. Let rest on cookie sheet an extra two minutes; I use three cookie sheets. Makes about six dozen cookies.

• 1-1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs or ginger snap cookies, finely crushed • 1/4 cup sugar • 1/3 cup butter, melted • 1 quart vanilla ice cream

Mix well in bowl, the press into a 9-inch square cake pan and refrigerate one hour. Take ice cream out of the freezer to soften, but try not to get it too soft. In separate bowl, mix pumpkin, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Add ice cream into filling mix and fold together well. Put into crust and cover. Freeze overnight. Take out of freezer about 5-10 minutes before serving to make it easier to slice. You can also use a pre-made cracker crust if you like.

KRISTI WUSSOW

JOYCE NOTCH

Leaf Valley, Douglas County

St. Augusta, Stearns County

Old Fashioned Bean Salad

Summer Salad • • • • •

1/2 cup vinegar 1 cup sugar Salt Pepper 1 stalk celery, diced

small • 2 cucumbers, diced small • 4-6 tomatoes, diced small

When my folks were first married, my dad wanted Mom to make bean salad, but she had never heard of it. So, Dad told her what went into the salad. Mom didn’t usually have bacon in her salad, but Aunt Helen always did and our family likes lots of bacon. These yellow beans are from seed my dad always kept from year to year, and now we have the last seeds. We save seeds each year. “Snippled” means the beans are cut thin on a slant. These seeds were brought along from Germany when my ancestors emigrated in 1879.

Stir together the vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Add vegetables and marinate in the refrigerator; it makes its own juice as it sits.

• 1 quart yellow beans, snippled • 6 slices bacon • 1 onion, chopped • 3/4 cup cream

Salad Dressing • 1 cup vinegar • 1 cup sugar • 1/2 cup water

• Salt • Pepper

Stir together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; store in the refrigerator.

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Cook beans in water until done; cool. Fry bacon until crisp; cool. Mix cream, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper (I don’t use any salt when I add bacon). Stir in cooked beans, bacon and onion; cool.

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• 1 cup canned pumpkin • 1/2 cup brown sugar • 1/2 tsp. salt • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon • 1/2 tsp. ginger • 1/4 tsp. nutmeg • 1/8 tsp. cloves

Friday, July 16, 2021 | Country Acres • Page 23

Developing a crop to clean water Perennial grain shows promise in removing nitrates BY SARAH COLBURN STAFF WRITER

WESTPORT – Jake Jungers has a dream for the future of Minnesota’s drinking water and $10 million to help make it come true. Jungers is an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota. He’s working locally to study the impact of planting Kernza®, a perennial grain harvested from intermediate wheatgrass developed at the University of Minnesota, on the nitrate content of the local drinking water. Jungers is working with the Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Pope County Soil and Water Conservation District as well as the Rosholt Research Farm at Westport. The work of the partnership at the research farm is funded by

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

Jake Jungers, assistant professor at the University of Minnesota, along with Rhyan Schicker from Lac qui Parle Soil and Water Conservation District, explains how Kernza reduces nitrate leaching while referencing results from their research.

the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources. The LCCMR makes funding recommendations to the legislature for environmental and natural resource projects and the local project set the stage for Jungers to receive the multi-million-dollar USDA grant to support

research and activities focused on breeding, agronomics, environmental quality, supply chains and education for developing crops such as Kernza. The large grant supports the work of eight project partner institutions, universities and non-profits as well as more than 50 individual collaborators.

55.5-141.4 HP

on the map at the federal level,” he said. “(The LCCMR project) laid the foundation for this $10 million grant from the USDA.” Minnesota, he said, is leading the way for the rest of the states in getting Kernza on store shelves. “It shows Minnesota is innovative and for-

Clean water page 24

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Jungers is also working in Minnesota with the Forever Green Initiative which allows him and his colleagues to study the viability of 17 new crops that serve a dual purpose, being profitable and improving the environment. Kernza is furthest in development. “It puts Minnesota

ward-thinking,” he said. At Rosholt, a collection team uses lysimeters to extract water from 2 feet below the surface to test for nitrates. Dennis Fuchs, of the Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District, explains why the testing is important. “If there are high concentrations of nitrates, there’s a good chance you’ll have nitrate moving into the groundwater,” Fuchs said. Kernza combats that. With a root system that can extend down to 15-feet deep, Kernza soaks up the nitrate, harvesting it and using it for energy. Then, the protein of the plant becomes edible. The Kernza grain can be de-hulled and then ground for consumption. Kernza flour can be used for baked goods and the grain can be used by the beverage industry to create drinks including beer. Because the plant is perennial, Jungers said it has a lot of benefits to the environment and to farmers looking to save on production costs.

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Page 26 • Country Acres | Friday, July 16, 2021

Clean water

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Farm Safety is no accident!

duce mixes for things like pancakes. Her team works with companies interested in sampling Kernza, and they also assist in setting businesses up with Kernza suppliers when they’re ready to include it in their products regularly. So far, AURI is working with 20 Central Minnesota businesses and some located in the Twin Cities that are including Kernza in their products. One such business is Perennial Pantry, a company that works to bring climate-positive food staples to the kitchen. Jungers said right now it’s a balancing act between farmers who are excited to reduce their production costs and incorporate the grain into their rotation, and creating the market to use that grain. “We talk to farmers about the reduction in input costs and labor,” he said. Kernza, he said, uses half as much nitrogen fertilizer as compared to corn and only has to be planted every three years, reducing seed costs. Additionally, because the crop is perennial, it serves as weed control and reduces the reliance on herbicides. On the other hand, he is encouraging farmers to truly study the crop to understand if it’s right for them. “It’s not a perfect crop yet,” Jungers said. “In some cases, we’re holding the reigns a bit; there’s a lot of interest and a lot of excitement, but we’re early in the stages of development.” The biggest task now is to solidify and increase the supply chain and find companies to handle the raw product so it can get to end users, all of which is moving along thanks to Jungers’ umbrella grant. There’s also a coop, called the Perennial

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

Kimberly DeMorrett, one of the interns at the Rosholt Research Farm, samples the Kernza plots.

PUBLIC FIELD DAY

At 9:30 a.m. Aug. 19, there will be a public field day welcome and registration at Rosholt Research Farm. Rotation to the various plots begins at 10 a.m. Farmers and the public are invited to learn more about the crop as well as other perennial crops being studied at the site. Participants will rotate around different stations and plots. Topics include Nitrogen Management for Corn in Irrigated Sands; Irrigation Management for Profitable Crop Production and Water Quality Protection; Kernza: A New Perennial Grain Crop to Improve Drinking Water; and Adding Value to Kernza: An Update on AURI’s Efforts to Identify Processing Methods and Early Supply Chain & Market Opportunities for Kernza in Minnesota. The event is organized by Pope and Stearns Soil and Water Conservation Districts and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. The work at Rosholt has been funded by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR), Minnesota Department of Agriculture Agricultural Fertilizer Research and Education Council (AFREC), and the Clean Water Fund as a part of the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment. For more information visit www.lccmr.leg.mn and www.legacy.mn.gov/clean-water-fund. The event is free and open to the public and includes a meal. Pre-registration is encouraged. To register, go to: https:// www.eventbrite.com/e/rosholt-research-farm-field-day-tickets-162430805913 or call 320-634-5327.

Promise Growers Co-Op, made up of a group of early adopter growers who are partnering together to bring some efficiencies to the process and provide a place for the grain to be distributed. There are grant funds available for farmers

ready to plant Kernza. “It’s a great opportunity to explore and experiment in these areas, and have some public funds for the farmer,” Jungers said. “(Then) they don’t have to take as much risk with the crop.”

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A crew samples a cream ale from Minnewaska House Brewing Co and Grill with Kernza as one of its ingredients. Pictured are Keith Nygaard, Chair of the Pope Soil and Water Conservation District (from left), Holly Kovarik of the Pope SWCD, Angie Anderson and Darren Anderson of Minnewaska House Brewing Co and Grill, and Dennis Fuchs of Stearns SWCD.

WHAT’S

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Form: Height 60’ to 80’, diameter 12” to 36”; trunk often continues straight into top of dense rounded crown. Bark: Light gray, smooth; becoming dark gray with shallow, vertical ridges. Leaf: Simple, alternate on stem, length 3” to 6”, nearly as wide, heart shaped, saw toothed, sharp pointed at tip; at maturity thick, shiny, green above, paler underneath, turns yellow to orange in autumn. Fruit (seed): Rounded, nutlike drupe covered with short, thick, brownish wool, attached in clusters to a leafy bract that later acts as a wing to carry seeds away on the wind; fruit often hangs on tree long into winter. Flowers are fragrant, and from them honey is made by bees. Difficult to propagate from seed. Range: Common throughout the state except in the extreme northeastern part; grows chiefly on rich, water-deposited soil; shade tolerant. Wood uses: Light, soft, tough, not durable, light brown with scarcely distinguishable sapwood; used for carving and in the manufacture of paper pulp, wooden ware, furniture, trunks, crating, drawing boards, kegs, barrel heads and lumber. Basswood trees are recommended for ornamental plantings.

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This is the flower of an American Linden, or basswood tree. The following information is courtesy of the Minnesota DNR:

Friday, July 16, 2021 | Country Acres • Page 27

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Tell us about your FFA program and your involvement in it: Our FFA program does a lot of activities to educate our community and our younger members. We started doing a petting zoo and stations during FFA week to teach the younger kids about FFA and what we do in outlet chapter. We also work at taco feeds at the Starbuck VFW. What is the greatest benefit you have received from being involved in FFA?My greatest benefit I have received from being in FFA is being a leader and learning how to run our own meeting and chapter. What other hobbies and interests do you have outside of FFA? Some of my hobbies outside of FFA are showing cattle, farming and playing football. What are your plans for the future? My plan for the future will be attending Alexandria Technical and Community College for diesel mechanics, along with eventually taking over our family farm.

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