Saturday, March 4, 2023 | Country Acres South • Page 1 PRSRT STD ECR U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #278 Madelia, MN 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave Sauk Centre MN 56378
SOUTH SO S O OUTH UTH Saturday, March 4, 2023
Vo Volume ollu ume 1, Edition 19
Focusing on n Today’s Rural R Environment
PHOTO BY AMY KYLLO
Elk rummage through a blanket of snow Feb. 24 at Harvest rvest Grove Farm near Plainview. The Wurst family have 40 head ad of elk and sell elk meat to customers and a few restaurants.
Unique farm diversity Wurst raises elk, grows chestnuts out the winter as does the bull as he grows his antlers. He keeps the animals on 15 acres PLAINVIEW - Kraig Wurst delved into cre- and said he can put three elk where one ating an elk farm after reading a magazine article. beef cow would go. He has five different Years later, an article on chestnuts prompted him to pens he moves the elk through. diversify his farm and add those too. “The more you’re around them and Today, he has about 40 head of elk and sells elk deal with them, the tamer they get or meat, cows and bulls. He’s awaiting his first crop of calmer they get,” Wurst said. “The first chestnuts from the 1,000 trees he has planted across couple years there were always one or 10 acres at Harvest Grove Farms. two who would never go where you wanted The farm has a seasonal rhythm. them to and it was a battle.” “Chestnuts are spring, and I’m busy with elk He’s still careful with the bulls during the rut. early summer,” Wurst said. “In September the “They’re ornery. I try not to handle them any chestnuts should drop, and October becomes a busy more than I have to,” he said. “They’re in with time for the elk – moving them the cows, and I try to stay out and getting them into pens for of the pen most of the time.” breeding.” The mothers, he said, In September His elks calve in late May tend well to their calves. or early June, and he takes the Wurst used to cut velvet the chestnuts bull calves to auction when from antlers to be used in arshould drop, they are a year old. thritis/pain medication, but “They’re a pretty animal he doesn’t do that anymore. and October to deal with,” Wurst said. “It’s Now, he has a market for the becomes a busy fun. They’ve got their own hard antler sheds. People use personalities. They’re different them as dog chews. time for the elk. than a beef cow would be.” Wurst used to ship his - Kraig Wurst Wurst said elk are fairly bulls out of state to ranches low maintenance, and he said out west where people could they are hardy animals who arhunt animals, but he said, en’t bothered by Minnesota winters. He processes with tightened regulations due to chronic wasting the elk a couple of times each year for shots and disease, that has become a lot more difficult. He said the animals are susceptible to worms, so he does still sell cows and bulls to other farmers. works to prevent them. The elk graze the pasture – eating grass – and are raised on hay. The young ones get oats throughWurst page 2 BY SARAH COLBURN | STAFF WRITER
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This month in the
Country: Watch for the next edition of Country Acres on March 18, 2023
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Memories from the car Amy Kyllo column
6
Junk to art Wanamingo
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Kraig Wurst tends to a threeyear-old chestnut tree at Harvest Grove Farms. This year will be the first in which he gets to harvest a crop of chestnuts.
10 Ushering in efficiency Winona