ountry C Friday, October 15, 2021
cres A
Focusing on Today’s Rural Environment
Volume 8, Edition 32
Farmers advocating
for farmers
PHOTOS BY DIANE LEUKAM
Chad and Krista Willis take a break from combining corn, Oct. 7 at their farm near Willmar. While farming, they also keep busy serving in leadership roles in multiple organizations that promote agriculture.
Willises grow corn, soybeans while promoting ag
W
BY SARAH COLBURN | STAFF WRITER
ILLMAR – As Chad and Krista Willis’s family grew, so did their desire to return to their roots and get back to a farming way of life. The two lived in the northern suburbs of the Twin Cities, one working at Cargill in Big Lake and the other commuting to Minneapolis, their kids growing, hopping from apartment to bigger apartment when they decided they wanted to raise their children on the farm. They both grew up on the farm, and wanted to go back to the life they knew. Today, they grow corn and soybeans, just shy of 1,000 acres of them. Next year, they’ll drop down to 620 when the land they have been renting is no longer available. They’re both as comfortable behind the wheel of a combine as they are with public speaking. Their experiences and their love of farming and rural living is something they now share with others through their multiple roles
ST R
Publications bli ti The newspaper of today is the history of tomorrow.
as public servants. Chad serves as chairman of the U.S. Grains Council. He’s also on the Kandiyohi County Corn and Soybean Growers board; he started there when he first began farming. He was elected to the Minnesota Corn Research & Promotion Council 14 years ago and he’s also served on the ethanol committee, advocating for ethanol and corn products. He said he recognizes the importance of the U.S. grain markets and the value of global trade to the industry. Krista is a public force in her own right. She sits on the local Kandiyohi County Farm Bureau Association Board, she’s involved with 4-H, FFA and ag education. At the state level, she works with Common Ground Minnesota, an organization that features ag women talking with other women about modern practices on the farm. Recently, she talked to
This month in the
Willises page 2
COUNTRY:
Watch for the next edition of Country Acres on Nov. 5
5
Animals we love
6
Cycle of life on Fox Farm Browerville
7
Ornery ole woman up Bertha way Diane Leukam column
Krista Willis combines corn Oct. 7 near Willmar. To her upper right is a field map indicating production of the corn crop in real time, something that can change dramatically from one spot in the field to another, especially in a drought year such as 2021. 12 A family of archers Sauk Centre
24 Country Cooking
17 What’s this? ` 21 Six generations of country living Dassel
28 Safety first Pierz
27 Appreciating family history Holdingford
Page 2 • Country Acres | Friday, October 15, 2021
Country Acres
Published by Star Publications Copyright 2014 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN 56378 Phone: 320-352-6577 Fax: 320-352-5647 NEWS STAFF
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
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.
Rubes Sponsored by Elmdale Mutual
“Committed to being the eyes and ears of our communities.”
PHOTOS BY DIANE LEUKAM
Visible from Krista Willis’s combine window is the home farm where she grew up and is now farming with her husband, Chad.
Willises from front
Twin City blogger moms about what’s happening on Minnesota farms. Together, they work to dispel the myths, advocate for farming and promote the industry. At the heart of things though, they’re farmers working a 50/50 corn and soybean rotation. Chad said they work to reduce tillage and rely on the local co-op as far as the recommendations for their fields. The Willises are in their fourth year of participating in a Conservation Stewardship Program, doing grid sampling so they can be more specific about how they apply fertilizers and nutrition to their soil. “It was nice to be able to add that but it’s an expensive
Corn is fed into the combine as it moves through the field.
process and it takes a couple of years to get the information,” Krista said. Through the program, they’ve added a pollinator habitat to their land where it made sense. They’ve also redone some of their old and aging grove around the house. In order to maintain participation in the program, they hired an outside service, a crop consultant, to handle the paperwork, do the grid sampling and get the chemical and fertilization records from the co-op. At first, Chad said, they needed a lot of help to determine exactly how the programs
could fit their farm. “We farmers and (government scientists) just don’t speak the same language; it’s hard to understand what practices to incorporate into our farm,” he said. Though they were frustrated and overwhelmed at first, they did connect with a Natural Resources Conservation Services officer who was able to help them decipher the lingo and talk about what may work best for their specific property. “She worded it in a way that a farmer could understand,” he said. “There are certain practices that you package together.”
So, that’s what they did. The Willises farm the land that was once owned by Krista’s parents, Vern and Millie Buer. Her father, at 85, still helps farm the land. It was a five-year process for him to step away and let Chad take the lead. “When my dad started to talk about retirement, Chad said all along it would be his dream to farm,” she said. “We were into our 30s and we had an opportunity.”
Willises page 3
Safety Man The Do’s and Don’ts of wood burning appliances: Says... Don’ts: • Burn cardboard, trash or flammable liquids in your appliance. • Install a solid fuel appliance in an attached garage. • Use the appliance with cracked or broken door glass. • Use galvanized pipe for stove pipe. • Use a cracked or crumbling masonry chimney or flue liner. • Install more than one appliance in the same chimney flue.
Safety Man is brought to you by Elmdale Farmers Mutual Insurance Inc. We’ve been standing behind Central Minnesota farmers and homeowners for over 100 years.
Do’s: • Only burn wood that has cured for at least one year. • Install and maintain smoke and CO detectors. • Contact your insurance company prior to installing a solid fuel burning appliance. • Keep all combustible materials three feet from your appliance. • Install your solid fuel appliance according to manufacturing guidelines of clearance to combustibles. • Install proper floor protection according to manufacturer. • Non-UL approved appliances have special installation requirements. • Install outside wood boilers at least 50’ from any insured building. • Install 3’X4’ non-combustible pad in front of outside wood boiler.
• Clean and inspect stove pipes and chimneys frequently. • Install three screws in each stove pipe connection. • Inspect and replace cracked or broken fire brick if appliance is so equipped. • Install fire extinguisher (5# minimum) near appliance, not behind appliance. • Replace Class A chimney if chimney fire has occurred in chimney. • Only use metal storage containers with metal lid for ash removal. • Read and understand owner’s manual of the appliance before using. • Replace broken door glass with only manufacturer’s approved product.
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Friday, October 15, 2021 | Country Acres • Page 3 PHOTO BY DIANE LEUKAM
Krista Willis drives the combine, unloading on the go into a cart being operated by her husband, Chad Willis, Oct. 7 near Willmar.
Willises
from page 2 The property had been set up as crop land and some pasture land for cattle, so it was an easy transition to corn and soybeans, Krista said. The couple moved into the family home on the farm site and her parents moved out. The couple started the transition of property in the beginning by renting machinery
grew corn and soybeans and also worked with beef cattle, hogs and chickens. Working off the farm, Chad said, he yearned to be his own boss, set his own schedule and raise his kids on the farm like he was raised. Things have changed a lot since Roger and Naomi farmed and mostly, the changes Krista Kr rista Willi Willis is come in the way of technology. Farmers are working to keep up with the tech, Krista said, and Chad grew up on a farm in the cost to implement it so they from her father and then, every from him. They worked offcouple of years, they’d buy an- farm while they transitioned to Marietta, owned by his parents, Roger and Naomi Willis. They Willises page 4 other large piece of equipment becoming full-time farmers.
“When my dad starte started ed to talk about retirement, Chad said said alll along it would be his dream to farm. farm m. We were w into our 30s and we had d an opportunity. oppportunity.”
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Page 4 • Country Acres | Friday, October 15, 2021
can be more precise and efficient with planting, spraying and fertilizing. That’s what Krista often focuses on in her talks. “There are so many fewer people connected to the farm,” she said. “Even people our age who grew up on the farm, farming has changed a lot and continues to change very rapidly.” The technology, she said, takes everything her dad has always had in his head about the land, the way is ebbs and flows, the way some sections grow better than others, and maps it out to allow for the most efficiencies. Together, the Willises work to create efficienefficiencies on their own wn property while advocating ocating and promoting the work of other er farmers, mak-ing for a better agricultural industry and a better-educated public. Through participation in the Conservation Stewardship program, the Willises have added dded a pollinator habitat bitat to their land. nd.
Chad Willis empties a grain cart Oct. 7 at the Willis farm near Willmar.
Wildflo owers grow in different stages of bloom.
Willises page 5
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from page 3
PHOTOS BY DIANE LEUKAM
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Willises
Friday, October 15, 2021 | Country Acres • Page 5
Animals we
WHEN YOU THANK A FARMER...
L VE
Thank his wife for cooking, delivering meals, running for parts, doing chores and helping in the fields all while taking care of her usual jobs.
Thank his hired man and
Thank the entire family who is
children for working endless hours to ensure the crop is harvested in time.
OK with putting personal wishes aside and working as a team to complete the huge tasks that face them every season. Farming is a family business. We all eat because of the hard work and sacrifice GIVEN BY EVERY FARM FAMILY.
God bless them!!!
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Willises from page 4 PHOTO BY DIANE LEUKAM
An aging grove around the house has been supplemented with native shrubs and trees at the Willis farm near Willmar.
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Friday, October 15, 2021 | Country Acres • Page 7
Ornery ole woman up Bertha way Comedy in the country
Last week’s mail brought a letter ond in value. In 2020, Minnesota pig farmers from an ornery old woman, addressed marketed 16.9 million pigs from more than to me. What could this be about? She 3,000 farms. That’s a lot of bacon which, in started out by saying, “How I love the my mind, should actually be its own food Country Acres magazine! I sit down and group. read thru the whole thing as soon as it Like every other agriculture industry, the comes! I had NO IDEA that so many inswine industry is loaded with producers who teresting places were located in this area! are using the latest science and technology At this time of the year, the articles on available to raise a delicious product while the various apple orchards are really ap- Random Reflections caring for their animals and the environpreciated.” ment. Hog producers big and small, I for one by Diane Leukam I left out some of the enthusiasm appreciate and thank you. here, reducing it to only one exclamation This time of year especially, I often end point per sentence, but you get the idea. I smiled as my columns with a safety reminder because farmI read about her appreciation of the various types of ing is unfortunately the most dangerous occupation apples, especially some of the older varieties she con- in America. In this issue, Don and Mary Tschida of siders more flavorful than some of the newer ones. Pierz have shared their story of the farm accident that She shared a couple apple recipes with us, favor- occurred on July 31, 2018, in hopes of encouraging ites of her family and friends, that you will find on farm safety awareness. Don survived the very serious our recipe page. She always enjoys that page, you accident and now, along with his son, Calvin – a first see. Ordinarily, we do include the names of those responder and police officer for the city of Pierz – who submit our recipes; however, there was a request he shares with us things that are important when it this time: comes to safety on the farm. Please let this be a “stop “Not especially eager to have my real name listed and think” for every person who reads this paper. unless really necessary, but you can say they’re from This must have been a very difficult thing to talk an ‘ornery ole woman’ up Bertha way. I’m kinda about, and for too many of you, it will be very diffiknown by that name anyway!” cult to read. The unthinkable can and does happen in How can I refuse an ornery ole woman? I think the blink of an eye. My heart goes out to all of you she sounds more fun than ornery, truth be told. who have suffered through these farm accidents and October is National Pork Month, and I want to have faced long recoveries or lost loved ones. thank all our pork producers across the state but parWhen it comes to weather, it’s probably safe to ticularly in our area. They are sometimes shy when it say the drought is almost over or at least greatly dicomes to attention, but they deserve praise for their minished. As of Oct. 5, most of our Country Acres hard work, the delicious products they produce and counties were still technically in the abnormally dry for their role in our state’s economy. From the Min- to moderate drought stage on the DNR map, but those nesota Pork Producers website, our state ranks sec- ratings could have changed since then. ond in the nation in number of pigs raised and secHave a great couple of weeks, enjoy this issue of Country Acres and please, take care.
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Page 8 • Country Acres | Friday, October 15, 2021
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Piglets stay with their mothers for five weeks at Fox Farm.
Fox Farm from page 6
Country Acres
out with the business. The hoop buildings were built as a family effort. Arlene shared, “Helping out builds character. It’s good for them, and Laurence is good at keeping things interesting for them.” The children’s unique talents have also improved the running of the farm. One son improved the program for the smoking equipment, perfecting
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Missy Traeger missy@saukherald.com 320-291-9899
the timing of the stages. Some of the children have already grown, and three are still at home. Walking through the farm, a row of voluminous white hoop buildings calls the attention. Inside the ample airy shelter, piglets chaotically intermingle, only to then swarm to their separate mother’s teats, in sudden family order. At the approach of visitors they run, only to have their curiosity bring them crowding back to investigate. Four sows are mothering a combined litter of 43 piglets.
PHOTO BY CHRISTINE BEHNEN
Laurence pointed out the orange Smidley farrowing huts to one side, “This is where the sows farrow. Pigs are the only warmblooded animals that build nests. Natural wild pigs will go to nest for 10 days. We’re just duplicating that in this environment.” Each sow will farrow twice a year, with about 10 piglets to a sow. After five weeks with their mothers, the pigs are already eating independently and easily weaned. In just seven
Fox Farm page 9
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Fox Farm from page 8
to eight months, more or less, these tiny piglets will weigh around 275 pounds and be ready for slaughter or to move on to a career in breeding. “We’ll save pigs from a good mother – some are better mothers; we try to pick amiable, gentle sows,” Laurence explained. Once a sow reaches 600 pounds, after perhaps six to eight litters, she will graduate from farrowing. Nevertheless, pork season is never done. Sows are farrowing every other month all year long. There are always hogs in all stages, from gestating to piglet to finished. In order to grow to such an incredible size, a hog needs to eat. Laurence feeds his pigs on conventional grains including corn, barley, oats, peas and soy. These grains are grown in the fields. A feed nutritionist devised the proper rationed mixes needed for the hogs according to their unique age and needs. For example, a sow with pigs will have a different feed from that of a pig eating to grow until finished. The craft of what to feed a pig on the farm differs from what a pig might eat if left to itself or in the wild. Pigs are not naturally choosy about what they eat, but the people who eat them might be. “Pigs will eat anything; they are naturally omnivores,” Laurence said. “They will eat snakes, lizards, bugs. In the wild they function as scavengers, rendering plants, cleanup stations. They suppress germs and
disease carriers. Here we feed only grains with no animal nor grain by-products, mixed with vitamins and minerals. No antibiotics are used. We’ve had very little sickness.” Fox Farms got into the feed business after a customer inquired after buying the Fox Farms feed mixes, so Laurence began selling them. What had begun as a practical step to provide quality feed to his hogs turned into an opportunity to add another source of income. Laurence led the way to the building where the feed is processed. Feed is ground and mixed with the added vitamins and minerals. A large machine called a “bagger” or “bag system” turns that feed into the crisp manila bags that are often seen at the feed store. An auger
PHOTOS BY CHRISTINE BEHNEN
A hog’s snout can root, work like a shovel, and even take down a small tree.
Inside the farrowing hut, the piglets can stay warm and close to their mother.
dumps the feed into a bin to the left is a dangling ready for sale. Pigs have unique seahigh on the bagger. Below sewing machine to close it fills into a bag. One step up the bag and the seed is sonal needs. As they can-
not sweat, Laurence has a few tricks to help them through the summer. The high ceiling hoop buildings deflect heat from the sun with their white tops and open ventilation. In order to help them wallow and cool off, their bedding may be sprayed with water or a hole dug which could more easily fill with water. Alternately, by the time the cold weather arrives, the pigs have prepared themselves a hot bed. “The bedding pack rots and can get to 85 to 90 degrees inside; it’s like a sauna,” Laurence said.
Fox Farm page 10
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Page 10 • Country Acres | Friday, October 15, 2021
Fox Farm
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Ritchie Cattle Fountains
from page 9
Call or stop in today!
Mondloch, Inc.
320-548-3255
125 Main St., St. Martin, MN 56376 Fax: 320-548-3705
CA O t15 1B TV CA-Oct15-1B-TV
Protecting what is
Important To You!
“They go into the winter with an established compost bedding pack, then we clean it out in the spring. When we keep them comfy, they feed. Otherwise, they wouldn’t want to.” The next stage in the hog business is butchering. With Fox Farms expanding to incorporate a meat processing setup, Laurence needed to hire several employees, whose skill has been of great help. They not only butcher pork from Fox Farms, they also process outside animals. “About half of the work is for others,” Laurence said. “We do cus-
Fox Farm page 11
PHOTOS BY CHRISTINE BEHNEN
Laurence Fox demonstrates the bagging system
320.351.2436
512 Main Street S, Ste 2 Sauk Centre, MN 56378 Claire Rieland
Stop in to see Claire or Darcy! Darcy Jennissen Pfeffer
Monday-Friday 8AM-4:30PM • Appointments available at anytime
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Laurence Fox stands with recently bagged feed, which is their own brand sold through the farm.
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s r e w o l F m e t ! e S m e i t u l t s B o m l a s t’
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Page 14 • Country Acres | Friday, October 15, 2021
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PHOTOS SUBMITTED
Keegan Middendorf sights with his right eye, drawing with his right hand.
Middendorfs from page 13
we know life is busy. that’s why we do the work for you. simple human sense
320-252-6650 | advantageoneins.com
ALBANY 140 5th Street, Albany, MN 56307
ST. CLOUD 3801 North 3rd Street St. Cloud, MN 56303
HOLDINGFORD 580 Main St., Holdingford, MN 56340
LONG PRAIRIE 9 Central Ave Long Prairie, MN 56347
PIERZ 205 Main St N Pierz, MN 56364
SAUK CENTRE 864 Main Street Sauk Centre, MN 56378
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MELROSE 6 3rd Ave NE Melrose, MN 56352
Laurie explained, “You see how with one eye it jumps? In a sense, if you’re trying to aim with that eye, then it is always going to be off. Mylee shot for two years as though she was righteye dominant, but when she started the actual archery program and they tested her, they saw she was left-eye dominant. She had to adjust. It feels weird at first, but she adjusted quickly.” Sidedness isn’t the only crucial piece of technique to learn. Just drawing the bow revealed a number of other steps helpful for a new archer to learn. For example, just like when a photographer sets their camera on a tripod, steadying for a clear and crisp shot, so too, Keegan provided stability as he demonstrated how to aim and release the arrow. The stance of the feet begin the architecture of the archer. The hand that pulls the arrow ingeniously finds anchor points for the fingers at the “kisser button,” aka, corner of the mouth. The edge of the hand finds another anchor at the cheek. Even the tip of the nose
Keegan Middendorf shows a perfect round of 50.
touching the string adds yet another reassurance that a tremor or breathe of air will not send the arrow astray. An arrow to a bullseye is the goal in a competition. The bullseye expands through five colored concentric circles, from the coveted tiny yellow spot in the middle out through red, blue, black and white. Each color has two degrees of accuracy. The two inner yellow circles are worth 10 points, but one point is lost through each degree until the outer edges of the square target are
worth zero. Achieving a full round of five arrows all within the two inner yellow circles, for a total of 50 points, is such an achievement that a pin is rewarded to any who can do it. Keegan has earned a handful of these pins. While developing their focus occurs in practice at school and at home, competition can challenge the difficult inner balance needed to find that bullseye under pressure. Competitions occur in the winter season. At state competition a line of
Middendorfs page 14
Page 16 • Country Acres | Friday, October 15, 2021
YO U R FA M I LY D E A L E R S I N C E 1 9 9 5 WE ARE OPEN Mon - Thu: 7:30 am – 6:00 pm Fri: 7:30 am – 5:30 pm | Sat: 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
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LITCHFIELD: 320-693-3224 OR 877-693-3224
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2015 Chevrolet 1500 LT
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Crew cab, Boss v-plow, leather buckets, trailer tow package, power front seats, sharp.
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2012 Chevrolet Tahoe LTZ
2017 Chevrolet 1500 LT
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ON A
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Contact us today to learn more about available offers on Bobcat Utility Vehicles:
Purchase a new VersaHANDLER® telescopic tool carrier from participating dealers in the United States & Canada and receive 0% APR for up to 36 months* or in lieu of financing rebates of $4,000 USD* / $5,200 CAD*. The offer starts 10/01/2021 and ends 12/31/2021 *Offer ends 12/31/2021. Available at participating and eligible dealers only. Offer may vary by product type, series, model and select units in dealer's current inventory. Must take delivery from dealer stock by 12/31/2021. Offers available on new equipment in US and Canada only. Some restrictions apply. Length of contract may vary. Prior purchases not eligible. See dealer for details. Financing provided on approval of credit by authorized Bobcat finance providers to well-qualified buyers. Administrative fees may apply. Offer not available to government accounts, national accounts and municipal/utility bid customers. Non-commercial customers may not be eligible for low rate financing. Bobcat Company reserves the right to extend or discontinue any of these programs at any time without prior notice.
SEE PARTICIPATING DEALERS FOR DETAILS.
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Visit Bobcat.com/Offers or stop by today for details.
Bobcat®, the Bobcat logo and the colors of the Bobcat machine are registered trademarks of Bobcat Company in the United States and various other countries.
One Tough Animal
®
? THIS
Friday, October 15, 2021 | Country Acres • Page 17
WHAT’S
This is a puffball mushroom, commonly found in wooded areas in the fall.
According to Minnesotaseasons. com, “Giant Puffball is the largest of the puffball species, reaching up to 20 inches or more across. No other puffballs in Minnesota exceed 4 inches in diameter at maturity. It is one of the “Foolproof Four,” the four most easily identified mushrooms. It is edible when young and solid inside.”
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Kevin and Mylee Middendorf shoot a round at their Sauk Centre home, where their shed is set up for the sport of archery. PHOTO BY DIANE LEUKAM
“At the th annuall Fun F Shoot, Sh t our coach got me started. That day was the first day I ever shot. I shot hours straight. I couldn’t stop. It must have been intriguing to me!”
2
YEAR
WARRANTY
Customer Satisfaction Guaranteed!
HUNTING FOR THE PERFECT ATTACHMENT? LAND LEVELER
WOOD SPLITTER/TREE SHEAR
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TREE/POST / PULLER
Mylee Middendorf Traditions may arise from the past and culminate in the present. In this case, the tradition arises in the present and has the potential of a future. If archery should be a Middendorf family tradition, it is a tradition formed by the joining of one, and then another, and then all of them, together.
IN STOCK! Checkk out vide Ch videos and other products ts on our website at www www.messerepair.com! me Located 1.5 miles west of Sauk Centre at 42739 County Road 184
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rivals, which playfully expands to include Owen and Mylee. Mylee shores up her calm and resolve when shooting by Keegan. They may all be just shooting arrows, but it is the action of individuals, each bringing something different to the mix, that makes this a family venture.
PROUD TO BE YOUR HOMETOWN LUMBER COMPANY SINCE 1971! Bork Lumber & Steel is a lumber company and building center located in Central Minnesota. Our Mission is to provide our customers with the best service, lumber and building materials available to meet their residential, commercial and agricultural needs.
18508 County Rd 130, Paynesville, MN 56362
320-243-7815 • www.borklumber.com
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season. I have never met him, but I got to know his name watching the scores online.” Nevertheless, rivalry changes from impersonal and mysterious to intense when shooting against Dad. The entire family laughed and joked about how Kevin and his son work hard to outdo each other. If one of them shoots a better round, the other will not rest easy until he can come out on top. Even Mylee is moving up in the family ranks. In fact, everyone in the family knows where they like to stand in relation to each other when shooting, literally. Laurie finds confidence shooting by Kevin. Kevin and Keegan are enthusiastic
SFACTION GU ATI
NTEE ARA
from page 15
30-DAY S
Middendorfs
ONLINE LAND AUCTIONS 2 FARMLAND AUCTIONS
Page 18 • Country Acres | Friday, October 15, 2021 Online Only
GRESSER GOLF CARS | AUTHORIZED EZGO DEALER
35+ years of experience
SWIFT COUNTY, MN TIMED ONLINE AUCTION!
DECEMBER 1 – 10, 2020
96.78 Tillable Acres +/-
58.08 Acres Pasture/Creek +/TIMED ONLINE AUCTION • Acres OCTOBER 1.17 waste/road 25 +/- – 29, 2021
315 ACRES TO BE SOLD IN 3 PARCELS - SECTION 20 OF MARYSLAND TOWNSHIP AND SECTION 15 OF TARA TOWNSHIP, SWIFT COUNTY, MN Parcel 1: 80.32 Deeded Acres (+-) 76.42 Tillable Acres (+-); Excellent Soils CPI of 93.7! Parcel 2: 155.06 Deeded Acres (+-); 145.84 Tillable Acres (+-); Soils CPI of 62.3 Drainage ditch on east and south boundaries. Good future drainage access. Parcel 3: 79.40 Deeded Acres; 73.88 Tillable Acres (+-); Soils CPI 62.3 Drainage ditch on west & south boundaries. Good future drainage access. Property has been surveyed.
Sales, Service, Rental, Parts & Accessories
TIMED ONLINE AUCTION NOV. 29 - DEC. 3, 2021 156.27 ACRES IN SECTION 36 TORNING TOWNSHIP, SWIFT COUNTY, MN 156.27 Deeded Acres (+_), 152.36 Tillable Acres to be sold as one unit. Great Soils with a CPI of 91.2! Farm also has Drainage Tile. Property has been surveyed.
2021 EZGo Valor
1222 Atlantic Ave Benson, MN 56215 info@HughesRealEstate.net
Jesse Hughes #76-24 • Broker/Auctioneer • 320-815-0460
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Steinke Family, Owners
Available in EFI Gas or 48V Electric. 2" Lift Kit, Head and Tail Lights, Horn, Options: Top, Rear Facing
Want a
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Web Presence? 770 HWY 23, COLD SPRING, MN 56320
320.685.3656 | GresserGolfCart.com
VALUE PRODUCTS PRICED RIGHT!
Tandem Bale Racks
Check out these websites created by our team:
CONTACT ME TO LEARN MORE Bob Leukam
Marketing Consultant Office: 320-352-6577 Cell: 320-260-1248 bob.l@star-pub.com
WEB DESIGNS
522 Sinclair Lewis Ave. | Sauk Centre, MN 56378
Heavy Duty!
Big Bale Dump Racks • Big Square And Big Round Bales • Heavy Duty • Double acting hydraulic lift • 10’x24’ Bed • 8 Bolt Hubs
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Heavy Duty HARMS LAND ROLLERS Dump Trailers
Wagons
Transports Easily
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• Single or double axle • Double acting hydraulic dump • Priced competitively
• 8-20 Ton sizes • Professional welding • Extend reach BEST trailering wagon ever built
HARMS MFG., INC. 14451 430TH ST. • BERTHA, MN 56437
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• Heavy Duty • All Steel Construction • Guaranteed To Trail • 10’x30’ bed
Friday, October 15, 2021 | Country Acres • Page 19
AG WeLENDING know it...We live it
INSURANCE PROTECTION FOR RURAL MINNESOTA PROPERTIES. INSURING FARMS, HOMES, LAKE HOMES AND HOBBY FARMS FOR HAPPY AND SAFE HARVEST
Please check with any one of our agents at our many locations listed.
Pioneer Lake Mutual grows because of our reputation, pricing and the strong efforts of our great agents!
Call Freeport State Bank...
Where agriculture is your business and ours.
Jennifer Klaphake Vice President
Gary Schmitz Vice President
Derrick Meyer Vice President
Brittney Zimmer Loan Officer
CA-Oct15-1-B-MT
Local lenders who know you.
Cornerstone Insurance St. Stephen 320-202-8920 Marshik Agency, Inc Little Falls 320-632-2328 Schomer Insurance Howie Schomer Pierz 320-468-2525 Hanneken Insurance Little Falls 320-632-2967 The Insurance Shoppe Foley-Milaca-Princeton 320-968-6217
Hanneken Insurance Pierz 320-468-6177 Hanneken Insurance Chris Hanneken Pine River 218-587-2722 Royal Insurance Chad Bukowski Royalton 320-584-5353 Hanneken Insurance Matt Hanneken Brainerd 218-829-3251
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“Customer Service Is Our Priority” Freeport • New Munich • Melrose • Greenwald
Proud to be recognized by Bauer Financial as one of the strongest financial institutions in the country.
800-252-9856
Reiny Hanneken - Manager 401 S. Main St. | Pierz, MN • 320-468-2516 CA-Oct15-1B-BL
L A R U R
Repor ter WRITE
Stop by our NEW LOCATION and buy your military or US flags for Veterans Day
Do you love to , but nobody pays you to do it? Are you experienced in communications, writing, or a recent college graduate? Do you have an interest in rural lifestyles? Full-time position available. We are a growing company with benefits and plenty of opportunity to grow your career. Experience is preferred, but we will train applicants that show aptitude and a positive attitude.
Let’ s Talk!
If you are interested, we would love the opportunity to meet with you. All applications are kept confidential.
Flags of Every
Type, Shape & Size • Custom flags • Team flags • US flags • State flags
• Military flags • Telescoping pole • Dock - pole banners • Custom made
• Banners • Custom embroidery • Military patches
We’re taking
embroidery orders every day!
New to our store, patriotic pictures for your home, business or cabin
Please submit resumes to:
joyce@saukherald.com PHS-tfn-JA
(320) 253-8160 | www.coilsflags.com 2803 Clearwater Road, Suite B • St. Cloud, MN 56301
CAOct15-1B-BL
Position Available!
Page 20 • Country Acres | Friday, October 15, 2021
COME AND CHECK OUT OUR ® FALL SALE ON PURINA LICK TUBS We have a variety of other Purina ® products on hand too! Horse, Dairy, Cattle, Poultry, Swine, Goats & Sheep, also Show Animals
Purina® Wind & Rain® All Season 4 Mineral Tub Beef cattle minerals in a cooked molasses tub that is designed i d tto correctt th the mineral i deficiencies of the available forage in a highly palatable, weather-resistant form. This line of minerals is designed for cow/calf and seedstock operators that need a free choice mineral supplement to assure that their cattle are getting the proper levels and ratios of all of the 14 essential minerals cattle need for health, growth, and reproduction. Wind and Rain® Mineral Tubs provide these benefits in cooked molasses formulas packaged in a non-returnable plastic tub. This gives the producer a mineral that is the ultimate in weather resistance, palatability and consistent consumption, all in its own mineral feeder.
Purina® RangeLand® 30-13 Cattle Tub, 225 lb. Purina® RangeLand® Protein Tubs are a free choice supplement designed for cattle on forage diets providing less than 8% protein. The low moisture, cooked molasses products in a non-returnable plastic container will enhance intake and utilization of available forages, while reducing labor for producers.
COLD SPRING CO-OP &
COUNTRY STORE Monday – Friday: 8:00AM to 6:30PM Saturday: 8:00AM to 3:00PM • Sunday: Closed
300 Main St., Cold Spring, MN • (320) 685-8651 CA-Oct15-1B-WS
ountry C Friday, October 15, 2021
cres A Volume 8, Edition 32
Focusing on Today’s Rural Environment
PHOTOS BY DIANE LEUKAM
Travis and Tory Piehl, with daughters Macey, 5 (standing) and Faye, 3, and their dog, Bo, are pictured Oct. 5 at their home south of Dassel. Travis and Tory are the fifth generation of the Piehl/Radunz family living on the farm.
Six generations
of country living
Piehls treasure history, upkeep of family farm BY DIANE LEUKAM | STAFF WRITER
D
ASSEL – Living the country life can be sweet in and of itself. Travis and Tory Piehl absorb the beauty of their acreage south of Dassel, with rolling hills, a creek running through a scenic pasture and trails running throughout. In the distance, they can see the slough were ducks and other wildlife thrive, and a tree line that marks the edge of their 120-acre property. “Obviously, it’s not a full-blown big farm by any means, but we’re keeping what we’ve got nice and enjoying it,” Travis said Oct. 5 at the farm. Macey Piehl holds one of her pet chickens, Bella. Macey is the sixth generation of her family living on the farm.
It was late afternoon and daughters Macey, 5, and Faye, 3, were running around the farm as kids do, chasing chickens or playing with the cats and dogs, just like their father did at their age. They are unaware of being the sixth generation from their father’s family to live on the land. For Travis and Tory, their daily life is immersed in the generations that came before Travis. The history is written and preserved in many details of the property. The Piehls can point to the spot on a hillside where the small home of Travis’ great-great-grandparents, Friedrick and Bertha Radunz, once stood. They homesteaded the farm in 1901. His great-grandparents, Lawrence Piehl and Edna (Redunz), milked cows in a unique
Piehls page 22
Friday, October 15, 2021 | Country Acres • Page 23
Chores taking too long? Your livestock chores take long enough without having to wait for the water tank to fill up so your cows can drink. Low water pressure may indicate that your pump requires service or possibly replacement.
320-251-5090 141 28th Ave. S. Waite Park, MN trautcompanies.com
To improve your water pressure, contact Kyle, Residential Service Manager 320-251-5090 or kylem@trautcompanies.com
PHOTOS BY DIANE LEUKAM
Cattle graze on the Piehl farm Oct. 5 south of Dassel. The hillside in the foreground is where a round barn once stood.
Piehls
from page 22
Spring chicks finally laying? COUPON This 30- by 30-foot machine shed was built in 1940s by Travis Piehl’s great-grandfather, Lawrence Piehl.
Both of them consider the upkeep of the farm to be very important, not only to themselves, but to the future of their family. This is visible front and center in the yard where the farmhouse stands, still solid on the field stone foundation it was built on in 1913. A full three stories, the house features the char-
acter of its day, with wide wood trim and farmhouse details. Over the years, the Piehls have updated some of the walls to make larger rooms, and currently, they are nearing the completion of a remodel-
Piehls page 25
, MN Brooten
HELP WANTED
GET 16% ESSENTIAL OIL LAYER CRUMBLE BLEND • Promotes Gut Health • Non-Medicated
SALE PRICE RICE Reg Price $14.14 // 50 0 lb. B Bag
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3/4 Miles West of the Downtown Stoplights on Sinclair Lewis Ave. in Sauk Centre, MN
320-351-2227 Centra Sota - Little Falls, MN | 320-632-3631 • Centra Sota - St. Martin, MN | 320-548-3245 Centra Sota - Upsala, MN | 320-573-2186
AUCTION
CA-Sept18-1B-MT CA-Oct15-1B-MT
and wild grapes climbing to the top. Travis’ grandparents, Kenny and Darlene Piehl, were dairy farmers on their own farm, but often helped out on this farm; Lawrence and Edna sold the cows during their farming years. Later, Travis’s parents, Kevin and Kari, farmed and raised beef cows. “When I was little, Dad was still farming and driving truck; then he had to work in the cities and it didn’t work to keep farming, but we always kept beef cows,” Travis said. In 2010 when his parents moved to Cold Spring, Travis and Tory took over the farm. Both work off the farm in Hutchinson; Travis does maintenance/mechanical work at 3M and Tory is a registered nurse in the hospital’s obstetrics unit.
CA-Oct15-1B-WS
Brooten , MN
Saturday, October 16th 9:30 AM
MELROSE IMPLEMENT IS SEEKING
Service Technicians & Diesel Mechanics
Location: 24785 100th Ave Brooten MN. 1/2 Mile Northwest Of Brooten MN On MN Hwy #55 And 2 1/2 Miles North On 100th Ave
To join our dedicated and knowledgeable service team!
Technicians/Mechanics will perform repairs, maintenance & setup on tractors, skid steers, and farm equipment.
Tractors, Farm Machinery, Horse Drawn Equipment & Collectibles, Collector Vehicles, Harness & Tack, Antiques & Collectibles, Shop Equipment & Tools, 1997 Dodge Laramie SLT Ram, 2009 Yamaha 4 Wheeler, Farm Misc and Much More!
Position is a perfect fit for experienced techs who can perform diagnostics, troubleshooting, overhauls, clutch work, electrical and full service repairs on ag equipment. Applicants should have a valid in-state driver’s license with acceptable driving record, the ability to read and interpret written information and instructions, and be able to operate machinery for diagnostic purposes. Preferred Candidates will have prior experience with agricultural or diesel equipment. Having a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) will also be a plus!
$2,000 SIGN-ON BONUS
Pay rate will be based on prior experience.
We offer qualified employees bonuses, health insurance and 401K
Call 320-256-4253 to apply, stop in or find us on facebook or the web WWW.MELROSEIMPLEMENT.COM
MELROSE IMPLEMENT
CA-Oct15-1B-MT
NOW OFFERING
Bid Live and Live Online! Visit www.ziemerauctions.com for more pictures and info. Online Items To Sell At 10:30 AM
CA-OCT15-1B-MS
Einer Jensen Estate Auctioneers: Mark Ziemer - 320-354-4312, Brian Ziemer - 320-354-5308, Terry Hilbrands - 239-777-3120
Page 24 • Country Acres | Friday, October 15, 2021
COUNTRY COOKING RECIPES SUBMITTED BY AN ORNERY OLE WOMAN FROM UP BERTHA WAY | Todd County WANT YOUR FAVORITE RECIPES TO BE FEATURED IN COUNTRY ACRES?
Contact Diane at diane@saukherald.com
RECIPES FROM MINNESOTA PORK
Apple Pizza Pie Pastry 1-1/4 cups sifted flour 1 tsp. salt 1/2 cup shortening 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese • 1/4 cup iced water Topping and filling • 1/2 cup powdered non-dairy creamer
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed • 1/2 cup sugar • 1/3 cup sifted flour • 1 tsp. cinnamon • 1/2 tsp. nutmeg • 6 cups apples, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice • 1/4 cup butter
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. For pastry, combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening until crumbly; add cheese. Sprinkle water over gradually and shape into a ball. Roll pastry into a 15-inch circle on a floured surface. Place on a greased baking sheet (pizza pan) and turn up 1/4 inch rim. Combine creamer, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Sprinkle half of this mixture over pastry. Arrange apple slices in circles on crust, overlapping slices. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Cut butter into remaining creamer mixture and sprinkle over apple slices. Bake for 30 minutes or until apples are tender. Cut into slices or squares. This is a huge hit with family and friends or anywhere I take it.
Apple Raisin Betty • 1 cup seedless raisins • 1 Tbsp. quick-cooking tapioca • 2/3 cup water • 2 cups tart apples, pared and chopped • 1/3 cup sugar • 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice • 3/4 cup sifted enriched flour • 1/2 cup brown sugar • 1/4 tsp. salt • 1/3 cup butter or margarine
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In saucepan, combine raisins, tapioca and water. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 5-8 minutes or until mixture thickens and raisings are plump. Add apples, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice. Pour into greased 11x7 inch baking dish. Mix flour, brown sugar and salt; cut in butter or margarine until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over apple mixture. Bake about 35 minutes or until apples are tender. Makes 6-8 servings. I have been making this recipe since 1962.
Chili & Cheese Ground Pork Quesadillas • • • • •
1 pound ground pork 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. black pepper 2 Tbsp. chili seasoning blend 1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
One-pan Pork Loin with Brussels and Apples • 1 to 1-1/4 pound pork loin*, patted dry (It works best to use a loin that isn’t super thick – about 3 inches in diameter works best to get meat and veggies done at the same time) • 2 Tbsp. Dijon or spicy brown mustard • 2 Tbsp. olive oil or avocado oil, divided • 1 Tbsp. maple syrup, optional • 4 cloves garlic, finely minced • 1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped (may substitute 1 tsp. dried rosemary, lightly crushed)
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1/2 tsp. thyme 1/2 tsp. oregano 1/4 tsp. marjoram 1/2 tsp. rosemary 1 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper
Place pork roast in slow cooker. Mix remaining ingredients and drizzle over roast. Cook 5 hours on high.
• 2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves (may substitute 3/4 tsp. dried thyme leaves) • 3/4 tsp. salt, divided • 3/4 tsp. black pepper, divided • 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half if large • 2 medium apples (such as Honeycrisp, Braeburn or Pink Lady/Cripps Pink), cut into 3/4-inch chunks • 1 small red onion, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. To make the rub, combine mustard, 1 Tbsp. oil, maple syrup (if using), garlic, rosemary, thyme, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a small bowl. Place the pork loin in the center of the baking sheet and rub with the mustard mixture, coating all sides. Add Brussels, apples and onions to the baking sheet around the pork loin. Drizzle vegetables with 1 Tbsp. oil, sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. each of salt and pepper and toss well to coat. Bake, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, tossing vegetables halfway through cooking time. Pork loin is done when an instant-read thermometer reads 140 F. when inserted into the thickest part. When pork is done, remove the baking sheet from the oven, tent loosely with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing pork and serving with roasted veggies. Notes: *A thick pork tenderloin may also be used in place of a pork loin, though it may cook faster and you may need to remove it from the pan and return the vegetables to the oven to finish cooking depending on the size of the tenderloin.
Browerville, Todd County
• 3 pound pork roast • 1 onion, chopped • 2 garlic cloves, chopped • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 4 bone-in pork loin chops • 3 Tbsp. oil • 1/2 onion, diced • 2 Tbsp. garlic, minced • 1–2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped • 1 pound apples, peeled and sliced to about 1/4 inch • 3 Tbsp. butter • 4 Tbsp. brown sugar • 1/2 cup apple cider • 1/3 cup heavy cream • Salt and pepper
Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add ground pork, cooking 8-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in chili seasoning, beans and corn. Cook about 4 minutes until heated through and ground pork reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Arrange 4 tortillas on baking sheet and top half of each tortilla with ground pork mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and fold tortilla in half. Spray top of tortilla with cooking spray. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until quesadillas are lightly browned and edges are crisp.
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Friday, October 15, 2021 | Country Acres • Page 25
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house,” Travis said. derstand this is simply the There is no sense of way of generations before fear or anxiety about anPiehls page 26 cestors passing away on the farm; rather, they unLX Series
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ing project. They are adding a laundry room and mudroom, and have re-sided the whole house, removing the original wood siding and replacing it with steel. Travis said choosing those colors was a challenge and a bit nerve-wracking, knowing there would be no more painting, and the old farmhouse would keep those same colors from that time forward. A flat roof that still needs a new railing is Tory’s favorite part of the house. The main part of the project, though, is adding a garage, something that has been talked about for generations. “Grandpa said in the 1950s, his parents were talking about putting a garage on the house; I finally was the one to get it done,” he said. Grandpa Kenny is now 84 and still comes out to the farm to check the progress of the construction. The old house is part of the fabric of his life. “Grandpa Kenny was born in the living room,” Travis said. “And, he woke up one morning and found his grandpa [had passed away] in the front porch which was his makeshift bedroom. There is lots of family history here.” Tory pointed to a hillside across the driveway from the house that holds memories, where Lawrence and Edna lived in a trailer house until they died. They just couldn’t leave the farm. “Grandma and grandpa’s house was right here, they didn’t want to leave the farm so they got a trailer house and actually both died in the trailer
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them, people who lived their entire lives on the farm they loved. Travis and Tory share their sentiments. These days, it is considered a hobby farm, but it is still loved as much as ever. They enjoy trail rides around the farm, raise their beef cattle, have some hay ground, and grow sweet corn on a level patch of ground, already neatly tilled and ready for next year. A dozen chickens from a variety of breeds wander the yard. Soon, they will start laying eggs. Bo the Black Lab keeps watch while Coco, an elderly house dog who can’t see anymore, makes an appearance outside once in a while. The kids run around just like their dad did years ago. Will one or both of the girls take over the farm one day, as the sixth generation of family on the land? “We’re hoping so,” Travis said. “The house is very well-built, and with all this work we’re putting into it, we don’t want it to go to waste.” As the kids ran around the yard, Macey was asked what her favorite thing was about living
Faye Piehl holds a favorite cat, Betty. Like her older sister, Faye is the sixth generation of her family living on the farm.
in the country. Her answer was simple: playing. Asked if she wanted to live in the country when she grew up, the answer was an emphatic “No! Too much jobs!” Travis laughed. “She says all I do is work, work, work,” he said. “I like to keep everything up and clean so I’m always out here doing something.” Regardless of the future, Travis and Tory are happy to keep the farm
going. Tory grew up in town, but has grown accustomed to country living. “I love it, I [still] have to get used to the cows, but I can’t imagine ever going back to town,” she said. They realize they are fortunate to be there. “We pretty much got it all right here and that’s kind of nice,” Travis said. What will the sixth generation do? Only time will tell.
Friday, October 15, 2021 | Country Acres • Page 27
Appreciating family history Young remodels great-grandfather’s tractor
Opatz, Zach Schlepper and Dustin Schmitz, under the direction of agriculture education teacher John Roberts, restored the piece. Two days a week, from 1-4 p.m., the crew meticulously worked to bring the tractor back to its original luster. Tin was straightened out, the exhaust manifold and front tires and rims were replaced and a new coat of paint was applied. The entire project cost around $1,800, Young said. The group finished the restoration just before Pioneer Days. Young enjoyed restoring the tractor and learned a lot about it in the process, giving him the confidence to do other restoration projects. “I’m hoping to restore my John Deere H next summer,” he said. Not only does he now have the knowledge and experience of tractor restoration, he also has a piece of family history he and his family can appreciate for generations. He hopes to take it to Pioneer Days every year, so others can appreciate it too.
BY KATELYN ASFELD STAFF WRITER
HOLDINGFORD – For years, the Young family of Holdingford attended the Albany Pioneer Days Threshing Show in September to view the expansive display of tractors, machinery, gas engines and equipment, along with the demonstrations. But this year, for the first time, one family member decided to be a show exhibitor. After months of restoration work, Holdingford High School sophomore Aiden Young brought his great-grandfather’s 1941 Farmall B tractor to the show to display. It was the perfect year for it as this year’s show featured lines of International, McCormick, McCormick-Deering, Mogul, Titan and Farmall tractors and equipment. Young, the son of Ed and Shelly Young, decided to restore the tractor as part of his summer agriculture class. “My great-grandpa Bauer bought it brand new in 1941 for around $850, and it’s been in the family ever since,” Young said. “I thought it would be fun to tear into it a little bit and have a good-looking tractor.” The tractor was on Uncle Delroy Young’s farm, and, according to
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Aiden Young (on tractor) and Holdingford High School agricultural education teacher John Roberts Sept. 13 ready this newly remodeled Farmall B tractor at Holdingford High School to display at Albany Pioneer Days. The tractor belonged to Young’s great-grandfather, who purchased it new in 1941. (right) Aiden Young, of Holdingford, drives his great-grandfather’s Farmall B tractor with a two-bottom plow behind in the fall of 2020. As part of his 2021 summer agriculture program class, Young and three classmates remodeled the tractor.
Young, “It’s the only red tractor on the farm.” Although it started up and ran, the now gleaming, bright red tractor
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Page 28 • Country Acres | Friday, October 15, 2021
first Tschida is testament that farm accidents can happen to anybody BY NATASHA BARBER | STAFF WRITER
PIERZ – “I wonder what God has in mind for you.” From a dream state, Don Tschida remembers his brother, Paul, uttering these words by his hospital bedside in early August 2018. And while Don may not know the path God intends for him, he knows one thing for sure: He is lucky to be alive. “I’m very, very fortunate,” Don said. “There are so many farm accidents that don’t turn out this way. We are blessed that we survived this.” Farm accidents account for 30% of work-related deaths in Minnesota each year, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the agricultural sector remains the most dangerous in America with 573 fatalities in 2019. Don survived what he now deems as a PHOTO BY NATASHA BARBER preventable accident. In sharing his story, Don and Mary Tschida he hopes to forewarn others to slow down stand on their thirdgeneration farmstead and make safety a priority when working Sept. 15 in rural Pierz. on the farm. Together, the Tschidas “I was just in too big of a hurry,” Don survived a farm accident said. “It was an accident, obviously, but in July 2018 that involved there is guilt.” Don being run over by a tractor and attached round baler.
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Friday, October 15, 2021 | Country Acres • Page 29
equipment before coming back to the tractor and baler shortly after 7 p.m. This time, the tractor wouldn’t start. “We had been having trouble with that tractor since spring,” Don said. “I had to turn the key multiple times before it finally would start.” Repeated attempts were ineffective. So, in an effort to beat the sunset, Don decided to jumpstart the equipment. He retrieved his pickup and hooked up cables with no result. “I knew if I put the
cables on the ground (negative) and touched the starter bolt, it would work; that’s what I did,” he said. The engine fired and Tschida began to remove the clamps, but he quickly realized something was wrong. “I felt something on my leg. I looked down and the wheel was rolling up my leg,” Don said. “I tried getting my leg out and I couldn’t. I remember telling myself to get as much out of the way as I could. I don’t remember a lot after that.”
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Farm safety page 31
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The early evening hours at the Tschida farm July 31, 2018, parallel settings found on farmsteads across the country. Don’s wife, Mary, was inside the couple’s whitee farmhouse fixing supper er while Don tended to the he fields on their third-genneration property in rural al Pierz. “We were harvesting g oats right in this field and d had just finished combining,” said Don as he sat at his dining room table Sept. 15, gesturing to a field north of his home just beyond a tree line. “I cleaned the combine off and evening was approaching. I wanted to rake the outside rounds as Mary’s brother was coming to bale straw the next day. It’s just a lot easier if those outside rounds are done.” Don prepared for the next day, driving to the field a 90-horsepower John Deere 4040 tractor with an attached round baler. He raked the edges of the field using other
“I’m very, very fortunate. There are so many farm accidents that don’t turn out this way. We are blessed that we survived this.”
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from page 28
As the tractor, and then baler, ran over the th left side of his body, Don le was snagged underneath w and dragged about 20 an yyards before he was released. The tractor conle tinued its path another 60 ti yyards before stopping in tthe nearby tree line. Alone, in a field, and in i and out of consciousness, what happened next n can ca only be explained as a miracle, according to Don D and Mary. “My phone is always in the tractor – always,” Don said. “When I’m D running those tractors, ru the th ash tray is there and it’s it a smaller phone, so it fits right there. … It’s either in the tractor or in my left pocket and that’s what got ran over. It should have been crushed if it was in there.” Yet, when he needed it most, Don’s phone was there, laying on the ground next to him. Unable to move or yell, Don was able to call 911. He asked for dispatch to call his son, Calvin – a Pierz police officer and first responder who lives nearby his parents’ property. When Don hung up, he called
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