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A Supplement to the Mid-Minnesota Shopper Sunday, December 22, 2013 • Edition 12

CountryFocusing on Today’s Rural Environment

Koosmans’ lightspages 10

Frielers’ treespages 16

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MINNESOTASHOPPER

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Tomorrow’s Deals In Today’s Paper

“Committed to being the eyes and ears of our communities.”

Merry Christmas from all of us at Country Acres!

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Tomorrow’s Deals In Today’s Paper EnterpriseThe Albany-Avon-Holdingford

By BRYAN ZOLLMANStaff writer

By LIZ VOSStaff writer

Hunting geese isn’t just a sport for Ryan Kleinschmidt, it’s a passion

Osakis – Ryan Klein-schmidt knew cool before cool was popular. That is if cool is Phil Rob-ertson of Duck Dynasty fame. Kleinschmidt started fol-lowing Robertson 20 years ago, and has watched all his duck hunting videos. He has even met him on more than one occasion at various hunt-ing shows throughout the Mid-west. In fact, one might wonder who is more passionate about hunting birds. It might be clos-

PHOTOS SUBMITTEDRyan Kleinschmidt calls in the geese. He loves nothing more than getting the geese to land near his decoys.

FEDORScontinued on page 4

KLEINSCHMIDTcontinued on page 6

PHOTOS BY LIZ VOSJim and Rose Fedor stand surrounded by Christmas decorations in their Holdingford home. The couple worked as a team unloading eight totes of decorations at Christmas to fill their home with holiday cheer.

Fedors welcome friends,family to their rural haven

Holdingford – Jim and Rosie Fedor love to entertain. Their home and farm in rural Holdingford serves as a gath-ering place for friends, family and neighbors year-round. Their home is inviting and spacious, offering a taste of the country, a modern lay-out and hints of family history throughout. When they were married 13 years ago, Jim and Rosie moved into the small farm-house that had been a retire-ment home for Jim’s grandpar-ents. “It was tiny,” said Rosie of

their original home. “We didn’t have any room and heating costs were through the roof.” They decided it was time to start fresh. They began plans for their new home, which would replace the farmhouse. “The entire house was hauled away in about four dump-sters,” said Jim of the compact two-story home. Jim and Rosie knew what they wanted in a home and were able to meet with their builder to get the layout just right. By October 2009, the new home was complete.

An appreciation of ‘home’

For love of the ‘game’

Acres

er than you think. “I think I was like most boys are who have fathers who hunt,” said Kleinschmidt, 37, a Sauk Centre native who now lives in the country near Osakis. “I wanted to chase after whatever he was hunt-ing, whether it was waterfowl, pheasants or deer.” As he grew older, though, his passion for waterfowl grew. He stopped hunting deer and focused on hunting duck, wild turkey, and mainly geese. “Before I graduated high school I went out and bought some duck decoys and duck calls and started spending

more time on the water chas-ing ducks more than anything else,” he said. “Then I watched a couple of Phil Robertson’s videos and I was hooked even more.” He immediately ordered several of the duck calls Rob-ertson was making, the same duck calls that turned his Duck Commander business into a multi-million-dollar phenom-enon. Kleinschmidt immedi-ately started working on his duck-calling ability.

• Country Acres - December 22, 2013

Country BusinessPublished by

Star PublicationsCopyright 2013

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CountryAcres

By HERMAN LENSINGStaff writer

PHOTOS BY HERMAN LENSINGMarilyn and Rodney Lanners continue providing a family-focused winter outing at the Eagle Mountain tubing slopes. They started making snow in mid-November.

Rodney Lanners uses a snowcat machine to push snow and develop the runs for snow tubing.

In a few hours the snow machines can create drifts of snow on the Eagle Mountain grounds.

Burtrum – Rodney and Marilyn Lanners can’t wait for snow to arrive. Since 2006, they have owned Eagle Mountain and have provid-ed an affordable, family-friendly place for snow tubing. “This is great for families or groups,” Rodney said on Nov. 23 as he watched his three snow ma-chines begin to cover the slopes with snow. “People have been coming to Eagle Mountain since 1968 and are starting to bring their children and even grand-children.” Eagle Mountain snow tubing grew out of a vision from Rod-ney’s father in the 1970s. “My parents, Bob and Ur-sula Lanners, moved here from Bloomington in 1972. They wanted to get back to nature,” said Rodney, who was seven at the time. “Dad had visions of it being a skiing area.” For a time, skiing was fea-tured at Eagle Mountain, but snowfall didn’t always follow the chalet’s schedule. “We are open from the sec-ond weekend of December to the second weekend of March,” said Rodney. “But so much of that is dependent on mother nature.” In the early 1980s, Ea-gle Mountain turned to using snow-making machines to en-sure a more dependable season.

Eagle Mountain meant for families

Those machines are still reliable and are used to cover the slopes. Still, there are some things they could not do. “They were successful on the front hills (those facing the chalet), but never the major ski-ing areas,” said Rodney. Rodney and Marilyn both

have full-time jobs, but for the past month or so they, with the help of friends, worked on get-ting the chalet and grounds into shape for this season. There were the usual fixes around a building that needed tending to. Grass had to be trimmed, tow-cables that pull the tubes and people up three separate hills needed to be looked at and if needed repaired, the food service area reviewed, a handicapped access added and the snow tubes looked at. The tubes used for tubing are no longer just old inner tubes from cars or tractors. They are now plastic-bottomed, round gliding vehicles designed to go down hill on snow. “We have about 250 tubes and they cost about $200 a piece,” said Rodney. Tubing became a part of Eagle Mountain in the 1980s. Shortly after they started making snow, they found the front slopes were a popular place for tubing. With the inconsistent snow cov-er on the back areas, the busi-ness started marketing itself as snow-tubing site. It caught on

quickly. “We’ve had crowds here of 175 people,” said Rodney. Most of those people take a tube down one of the threes slopes. “There is the Main Slope (easily viewed from the cha-let), the Screaming Eagle and the North Slope,” said Rodney. “When some call they ask if the big hill called Eagle Mountain is open.” The Big Hill was primarily a ski slope and is not used unless there is enough natural snow to justify it and for tubers’ safety. It can provide a thrill ride. “People can get going to 15 to 30 mph on Eagle Mountain,” said Rodney. But like all the hills, snow is needed. “We need about a 15-inch base across the three slopes,” said Rodney. “That covers about three acres, and those are steep acres.” It can take anywhere from 18 days to a month to get the right amount of snow made. Well wa-ter is pumped to the machines

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PHOTOS BY HERMAN LENSINGMarilyn and Rodney Lanners continue providing a family-focused winter outing at the Eagle Mountain tubing slopes. They started making snow in mid-November.

In a few hours the snow machines can create drifts of snow on the Eagle Mountain grounds.

Trophies and helmets testify to Rodney Lanners’ interest in snowmobiling as well as Eagle Mountain’s outdoor facilities.

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that produce a mist of frozen water. “The well-water comes out at about 45 degrees,” said Rodney. “It goes into a do-nut-shaped sprayer that sprays into a high-speed fan. When conditions are right, it really piles up.” While making the snow, the machines, weather and wind are constantly monitored. “It’s like a newborn baby,” said Marilyn. “You have to keep checking up on it.” As winds change, the ma-

Rodney Lanners checks equipment, making sure it would be ready to go when Eagle Mountain opened.

chines are adjusted to keep the wind flowing over the machine and blowing the snow over the grounds. “It can be a slow process,” said Rodney. “But that is what you have to do.” After the snow is made, it is packed and worked using a machine called a snowcat. The machine can push snow and it has another function. “On the back is a 15-foot grinder that can turn ice into a nice powdery snow,” said Rod-ney. “I also use the snowcat to

make the safety berms and the bumps.” As the runs are prepared, the chalet is also cleaned and readied during November for the winter season. There are shelves to be dusted. The fire-place is cleaned and checked. Lights are tested and if need be, replaced. The lights in the building have become an iden-tity at the chalet. “We thought of changing the lights,” said Marilyn. “But last year someone said they re-membered them and thought they were cool.” The chalet, built in 1968 by Ron Kuehne, serves as the gathering point, observation post and meeting hall for those returning to Eagle Mountain. A number of those people used to be out on the slopes. What they see is similar to when they took rides down the hills with one big difference. “Rope tows are in the past,” said Rodney. “We don’t use them anymore.” Today, tubers are taken to the top of a hill riding on their snow tube. The tube is attached to a cable and released at the top of the hill. The facility is geared to working with groups. Over the years, FFA, 4-H, church groups and others have all made use of the facility for an outing. It is open on weekends from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., but will open to groups for weekday or night tubing. It will also be open on Christmas Eve from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Martin Luther King Day and President’s Day. During Christmas Vacation it is open every day. “We have a lot of groups. We have picnic tables, a fire pit

and they can bring their own wood to cook outdoors,” said Rodney. One group they do appreci-ate is the Grey Eagle/Burtrum Lions. “They provide a lot of fund-ing for a family fun day,” said Rodney. “It is good for us, good for the kids, and helps the Lions with community projects.” Eagle Mountain would like to invite other local Lions groups to sponsor a day of tub-ing for their area family. Preparing the site for the season does take a lot of work, but Marilyn pointed out there are rewards for doing so that go beyond just financial, and they know their efforts are appreci-ated. “When it is time to go, but the kids want to stay and not go home yet, that makes it worth while,” she said. “One once said it was ‘The funnest place they have been in their whole life.’” Eagle Mountain can be reached at 320-573-2222, [email protected], ea-

glemountainge.com or on Face-book Eagle Mountain Snow Tubing.


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FEDORS continued from front_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

With an open-floor con-cept, Jim and Rosie are now able to open their home even more to guests. “It’s really a fun place to entertain,” Rose said. “We love our home!” The couple’s farm has been the scene of countless parties and gatherings and has even been the site of wed-dings. “We made our barn into a bar,” explained Jim. “When our old house was too small to fit everyone, we did what we could with the space we had.”

Adding to the inviting floor plan of the house are the many antiques, family heirlooms, and vintage wares throughout every room. The couple has a great appreciation for items that have stood the test of time, including a chest belonging to Jim’s grandmother, a cabinet belonging to Rosie’s grand-mother and even the original kitchen from their old farm-house, which was protected from demolition and replicat-ed in the couple’s basement, where Rosie keeps her canned

A set of jingle bells hangs from a mirror in the Fedors’ master bedroom. In the reflection, is an antique dresser. Details, such as the bells, are found throughout the Fedors’ entire home, adding cheer at every glance.

One of the six Christmas trees in the Fedors’ home sits in their basement and holds a string of popcorn that has lasted nearly eight years.

goods. Not only does the couple mix their creative abilities to make every detail of their home unique and special, they also transform their home sea-sonally with an array of deco-rations. “We decorate a lot,” said Rosie. “But Christmas is defi-nitely my favorite, so we do a lot more this time of year.” From the front porch to the backyard, the master bedroom to the living room, the Fedors have adorned their home with twinkling lights, garland, fes-

tive bows of greenery and multiple glowing Christmas trees. “Rosie loves lights,” said Jim as he points out the nooks high and low where lights shimmer. “We go through a lot of batteries at Christmas.” Six decorated trees are spread throughout the interi-or of the home and four trees brighten their deck, yard and porch outside. “I like to get a new one every year,” said Rosie, who works in retail and has an op-portunity to see many options for decorating. A Harley David-son-themed tree sits at the edge of the couple’s kitchen with ornaments they have col-lected or have been given over the course of their marriage, while the tree in their base-ment holds a string of popcorn from nearly eight years ago. “They are all different and they are all special,” said Ros-ie. The Fedors’ home is a joyful meeting space for their loved ones, and Christmas is no different. They are grateful to have such a space to share with those around them and are honored to know others are comfortable in their home and on their farm. “We appreciate having a nice, warm home and having friends and family to gather here,” said Rosie. “We enjoy it every day.”


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(At left) The kitchen from the Fedors’ original farmhouse was salvaged and installed in their basement. The couple keeps a large garden and the basement kitchen serves as a storage space for their many canned goods.

A chair that belonged to Rose Fedor’s grandmother is tastefully garnished with Christmas cheer in the couple’s back porch. The furniture and décor in the porch are mainly family heirlooms and vintage wares the couple has found on their many visits to antique shops.

The view from the Fedors’ living room shows layers of decorations in the dining room, back porch and the deck leading to their backyard.


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KLEINSCHMIDT continued from front_________________________________________________________________________________________________ “That’s when I really start-ed to get bit by the waterfowl bug,” he said. In 2000 he met Ran-dy (The Flagman) Bartz at a goose-hunting seminar in Al-exandria. He started looking into field hunting for Canada geese and his dad, Rick, round-ed up some Big Foot decoys and together they bought some layout blinds. “A year later I took the plunge and bought my first-ev-er high-end goose call and forced myself to learn how to blow it over the next couple seasons.” Once again, he was hooked. That is when goose hunting came to the forefront of his mind. It wasn’t just a hobby anymore. It was a pas-sion.

Truckloads of geese Perusing through Klein-schmidt’s Facebook pictures, one will clearly see he spends much of his spare time hunting geese. He is pictured with rows and truck beds full of the bird, whether hunting alone or with a group of buddies. “From the time the season opens, all of my weekends are spent on the road hunting,” he said. “Most of my week nights during the season are spent scouting and watching the birds, which is one of the most important things a hunter can do to increase their success rate.” Kleinschmidt keeps a per-sonal log of the places he hunts and how many birds he gets, but keeps the information to himself.

“Waterfowlers are like fishermen,” he said. “You just don’t give out too much infor-mation.” But he does like to share his love for the sport. His fa-vorite aspect of hunting geese is calling them into his decoys. Luring the birds is just as fun as shooting them. “Being able to call to the birds and get them to come to where they don’t necessari-ly want to be is very reward-ing,” he said. “I don’t care if I’ve seen it a thousand times. It never gets old when they fi-nally commit to your decoys and swing right into where you want them.” Hunting geese isn’t just a sport to him, it’s a craft. “What I love most is the ability to call and flag to the geese and manipulate them into landing where you want them to finish, especially when you’re not hunting where they want to be.” He said the greatest thrill about hunting waterfowl is that as a hunter, one can make or break their hunt just by the way they set their decoys, hide their blind, call at the birds or run their flag. For Klein-schmidt, it’s all about prepara-tion and reward. Seeing some-thing through from start to finish, whether at work at Fell-ing Trailers, or out in the field, is a hallmark of his personality. “If I had to pass shoot or jump shoot my ducks and geese, even turkeys for that matter, there is no way I would do it!” he said. “I just don’t see the reward in doing it that way.”

A lifelong passion He has been hired by sev-eral outfitters and product companies to represent them at outdoor shows and help teach the sport to beginners. He trav-els throughout the state and the Dakotas. “Working different shows around the state has been a great way to connect with new people in the sport,” he said. “And seeing someone who is new to the sport or just never really been on a great water-fowl hunt and watching the ex-citement that overtakes them when we get a good group of birds to decoy in pretty close is awesome. I really look for-ward to the coming years when I will be able to get my kids out and watch them go through that same excitement.”

Kleinschmidt is married to Abby and they have 3-year-old twins, Blake and Brooke. A little young to be out in the blind with dad, but that day will come soon enough. Kleinschmidt credits Abby with being understand-ing of his love for the sport. He is gone many weekends during the season, and as stat-ed before, is often out at night during the week scouting. “I think I can count on one hand the number of times she has asked me not to go out of town on a hunt,” he said. “I know she has her hands full during the spring and fall sea-sons, but she always seems to make it work and is a fantas-tic mother and wife. She is the most understanding person I know.”

In addition to shooting waterfowl, Kleinschmidt loves to shoot pictures. The above photo shows a successful day’s hunt on a rustic barn.

Kleinschmidt is just as comfortable in a blind as he is in his own bed. When not hunting on the weekends he spends his weeknights out scouting.


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Ryan has invited Abby with plenty of times, but she usually declines. “I have been asking her for years,” he said. “I think she would enjoy it for the most part, except getting up at 3 a.m. each day!” Kleinschmidt process-es some of the meat from his hunts, but gifts a lot of it away to friends and family. When they cook the goose meat they marinate it in teriyaki sauce and make bacon-wrapped jala-peño poppers. “They are unreal!” he said. Most of the meat is pro-cessed into jerky, brats, sau-sage, hot dogs and hamburger. “It’s an easy way to utilize

it and you don’t taste any wild game,” he said. “It’s similar to what most people do with their venison.” But for Kleinschmidt, whether it’s hunting goose, wild turkey or ducks, it isn’t about the food it provides, it’s about the thrill of the hunt and enjoying the outdoors. “As hunters, first and fore-most we always need to respect the landowners and the land they allow us to hunt on,” he said. “It’s critical to maintain good relationships with those individuals and always respect what they ask of you.” He encourages those who like to hunt to get involved in outdoor organizations such as

the local conservation club, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever or the NRA. “Any organization that helps maintain our rights to hunt and the public land that we have access to, please con-sider joining one of them,” he said. “They do a lot of good things to conserve the land for wildlife and to protect our rights as hunters.” Waterfowl hunting might be a sport for most, but for guys like Kleinschmidt, it’s a passion. Who knows, someday if he grows his goatee out, he might just be able to have a dy-nasty of his own.

Kleinschmidt has another goose in his sights. He also enjoys hunting wild turkey and ducks, but geese are his favorite pastime.

Geese by the truckful! What does he do with all that meat? he gifts it to friends and family and also processes a lot for him and his family.


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Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom (MAITC) is accepting grant applications for its 2014 Ag Literacy Grant Program. Up to $400 of special project grant funding is available to K-12 practicing teachers wishing to bring agriculture “to life” in the classroom, garden or on a field trip. The goal is to provide a financial incentive for teachers to effectively integrate agricultural content into core academic subjects such as science, so-cial studies or language arts. “We know teachers are always in need of funds to help them engage their students in special ways,” said Al Withers, MAITC program director. “It’s amazing what they can do and the positive impact they can have on their students’ learning with just a few hundred dollars in their lesson plan budget.” MAITC is looking to support grant applications for field trips to farms or agriculture processing sites, school gardens and other unique proj-ects aimed at educating youth about agriculture. To access the online grant application, please visit, www.mda.state.mn.us/maitc <http://www.mda.state.mn.us/maitc> . All 2014 calen-dar year grants will be funded based on applications received by the Jan. 15, 2014 deadline. MAITC is a unique public/private partnership between the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the MAITC Foundation. The program provides a variety of K-12 education-al materials and professional devel-opment opportunities to Minnesota’s education community. For more information, contact Michael Crusan, MDA Communica-tions, at 651-201-6629, [email protected]

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Spicer – What do you get when you string together 350,000 light bulbs, us-ing 15,000 zip ties and four miles worth of extension cord? A pretty darn awesome Christmas light display, that’s what. The display is at the home of Chad and Angela Koosman, who live between Spicer and Willmar just off County Road 9. They call it “Celebrate the Light” and it benefits the Kandiyohi County Salvation Army. Their home is a hop, skip and a jump from the outskirts of Stearns County near Belgrade and a straight shot down Highway 71. And for those who make the drive, it is well worth it. “If you string all the lights, cable and extension cord together, it would stretch 40 miles,” said Chad. Chad started the display six years

By BRYAN ZOLLMANStaff writer

PHOTOS BY BRYAN ZOLLMANChad and Angie Koosman stand outside their Spicer home where they have one of the most extravagant light displays around. Chad started the project when he wanted to help raise money for the Salvation Army. Since he started the light display six years ago, he and Angie, along with countless other family members and friends who volunteer, have raised more than $170,000.

Chad checks “his” tree, a 40-foot-high telephone pole with an abundance of lights attached that dance to music. Angie also has a 40-foot high tree. To vote on whose is better, go to their Facebook page.

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ago because he was looking for a way to compete against the Salvation Ar-my’s top fundraiser. Koosman owns a lawn irrigation business and likes to keep busy with other projects in the winter months. He volunteered to be a bell ringer, and when he was challenged to raise as much as the top bell ringer in the area, he took it a step further. “I’m a busy-body,” said the 31-year-old who grew up in Willmar. “I tried to figure out something to do with my time. When I said I would challenge the top bell ringer, I guess I didn’t know what I was getting into.” At first, Koosman increased his volunteer hours and rang a bell at var-ious locations for three hours a day. But whenever he did, the top bell ring-er, Roger St. Clair, would ring for five hours. Koosman had already begun work-ing on putting up an elaborate Christ-mas light display and asked if it would be cheating if he put a kettle out by his driveway for people who drove by to see it. He contacted local businesses to match the kettle on certain days and be-fore he knew it, he had raised $5,800.

“That was my way to beat the best bell ringer,” he said proudly. But he wasn’t finished. Especially after one little girl visited him while he was bell ringing. She put a dollar into his kettle and eagerly announced, “I can’t wait to get a present from you this year.” It touched him deeply as he saw the effect the Salvation Army kettle fund-raisers has on children. So he took it one step further. “I thought if I could make all my Christmas lights dance to music I could really make this thing soar,” he said. Koosman jumped in with both feet, lined up corporate sponsorships and worked on putting together one of the most dynamic light shows not just in the state, but in the country. He spent countless hours arranging lights to blink according to the beat of several Christ-mas carols. He uses a transmitter and has his own radio station where those who come to see the lights can sit in the warmth of their vehicle, tune in and watch the lights dance. The idea worked. In the past four years he has raised $170,500. Last year alone, he and Angie raised $57,000.

Ringing bells to wedding bells In his third year, Koosman decided to add another fundraiser to the mix. He ordered Christmas trees and sold them with all proceeds going to the Salvation Army. But the idea didn’t take and he ended up losing $2,500 and burning all his leftover trees. But it was well worth it. That was also the year he met his future wife. Angie stopped in and bought a dec-orative holiday pot. Chad was imme-diately drawn to her. She paid with a check and Chad put it aside. “We had a little chat and later that night I googled her,” Chad said. “Our first date was New Year’s Eve.” Almost a year later, the couple got engaged. Part of Chad’s holiday dis-play is a movie night on the first two Saturdays of December. On one partic-ular Saturday, he posted a video of him-self down on one knee asking Angie to marry him. There were 300 cars in the parking lot and they all began honking their horns. “I think everyone in the town knew he was going to ask, but me,” said Ang-ie.

shine!


Chad checks the dozens of extension cords used just to light one tree. He said it takes him and his crew about 800 hours to get everything set up.

This is the view from the front yard looking out over the 5-acre property. For more information on the Koosmans’ display and directions to the property, go to www.celebratethelight.net.

Pictures really don’t do the light display justice. It is something people have to see to truly enjoy. All the lights on the property blink in beat with seven different Christmas carols that are broadcast over an FM station. More than 24,000 people visited the home last year alone.

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How could she say no to that? Now the two are a team. Angie and her family have also jumped in with both feet along with Koosman Family by helping Chad raise money for the Salvation Army by volunteering as bell ringers and helping set up the display. “He is Christmas light crazy,” said Angie. “But it’s a good kind of crazy.” Angie has come to love it just as much. She works as an HR manager in Willmar and returns home every eve-ning to the dancing lights. This year, they added his-and-hers 40-foot light trees. The lights are hung on telephone poles. Angie’s is pink, purple, blue and green while Chad’s is red, white and green. They have a competition on their Facebook page to see which tree people like better. Angie also has an ice skating rink around her tree. “Hers glimmers and flashes,” said Chad. “We call it the Hollywood tree. Mine is the dancing tree because it dances to the music.” So far, Angie’s tree has gotten more votes. “She’s kicking my butt,” said Chad. But that’s okay. If anyone is going to beat him at something, he is glad it is the pretty girl who bought the decora-tive holiday pot from him. “I lost $2,500 that season,” he said. “That was an expensive phone number to get. But it was worth it.”

800 hours and 40 miles long Chad employs his summer crew and they all begin working on the light project just after Halloween. By then, the irrigation season has come to a close and without taking much of a break, Chad gets going on stringing the

lights together. When it is all said and done, it takes about 800 hours to complete. The 40 miles of lights, extension cords and cables would stretch darn near from his house to Sauk Centre. But he isn’t done. He hopes to make it bigger and better in the coming years. After hearing about the world record, he is set on adding another 150,000 lights. “That’s our next goal,” he said. This year they added a tunnel at the entrance of their long driveway that took 10,000 lights and an addition-al 5,000 lights spread throughout the 5-acre property. They use 22 light-a-rama control-lers, with each one having the capacity to make 352 different items throughout the 5-acre property blink. Chad’s tree alone needed 2,000 feet of extension cord to make it dance the way it does. Getting the lights to dance to the music was one of the biggest challeng-es. “I had a friend living downstairs at the time,” he said. “I asked him if it could be done, and he said yes. But I don’t think he knew what he was get-ting into.” Chad and his friend, Danny Graves, spent countless hours sitting in Chad’s truck trying to get the lights to mesh with the song. Chad’s tree alone took 22 hours to program the music. Chad and Danny would sit in his truck from 5 p.m. until sometimes 5 a.m. trying to get it right. But it paid off. It is what makes the display unique and brings throngs of cars down their driveway every winter. Last year an estimated 24,000 people visited the lights. “Last year, we spent 15 hours on one song and when we were done, we decided to throw the song out,” he said. “This year we tried it again and the first second of the song took three hours to program. But this year, we kept it.” In the end, it’s all worth it. Every dollar that gets put into the kettle goes to the Salvation Army. This year the company where Angie’s father works (CHS - a leading global agribusiness owned by farmers, ranchers and coop-eratives across the United States) has offered to match the amount raised on Christmas Eve up to $7,000. Other sponsors pay $1,000 a season and get mentioned on the radio after every three songs. The electric bill is cheaper than many would think, run-ning just $500 over the course of the 45-day season. Chad said it’s because 98 percent of the lights used are LED lights.

Last weekend, they had carriage rides, real reindeer on site and a pro-fessional photographer taking pictures of kids with Santa. They even invited families into their home for the Santa photos. All proceeds go to the Salvation Army, and that’s even before expenses. The Koosmans do not keep a dime. The carriage ride weekend is Ang-ie’s favorite. “There are kids everywhere,” she said. “It’s great to see all the smiles on their faces.” While they are waiting to see San-ta, families make cookies in the garage. One thing the Koosmans make sure of is that it is always affordable for fami-lies. “There is never a cost to anything,” said Angie.

They hope that instead people will make an offering to the kettle. Every year Chad and Angie receive feedback that helps validate their efforts. One woman told them her grandson was say-ing his bedtime prayers and prayed for the “house with the Christmas lights.” “He said Dear God, please don’t let the house with the Christmas lights burn down,” said Angie. “Yes, it’s a lot of work, but we do it to raise money and to hear stories like that.” In the end, it’s the Christmas and giving spirit that really shines from within Chad and Angie Koosman, and helps brighten the lives of those less fortunate. This year, they hope to break the $60,000 mark for the Salvation Army. Pretty sure that makes Chad Koos-man the best bell ringer around.


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PHOTOS BY DIANE SCHMIESINGAbove, my grandchildren with their portraits on Christmas 2012. From left: Collin, Eli, Jake, Isaac, Carmen, Gemma, Noah, Luke and Carter.

The cookie jar Christmas theme was a hit with my daughters. Pictured with their matching antique jars like the one their grandma had when they were little are (from left): Shanna, Melissa, Melanie, Amy and Danielle.

Themes make Christmas easier Every year Christmas comes up too fast, and here we are again. In all the busy-ness, Christmas can sometimes come and go without nearly enough time spent on the true meaning of it. Christmas as a kid seemed so simple (though for mom, with eight kids, I’m sure it was just as much work as moms have to-day). There was the magic of the Christmas tree all lit up in an otherwise dark living room, and the peaceful-looking na-tivity set reminding us of the real Christmas story. I remem-ber making popcorn balls and pulling taffy. Before Christ-mas, there would be the favor-

ite shows on TV, like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snow Man – the same ones every year. And always, red and green paper chains marked the days until the big day. I re-member looking out on Christmas Eve trying to catch a glimpse of San-ta riding across the sky

in his sleigh. And of course, there was all the excitement when he actually showed up. I could never figure out how he always got that big box of gifts into our house without us see-ing him! Over the years, there have been some memorable gift-giving events. The most satisfaction I’ve gotten has been when I’ve had a theme,

which seemed to simplify the process for me. I don’t ever go overboard with any individu-als, because there are so many I couldn’t possibly do it. With nearly 45 people on my list, having a theme eases up on some of the stress and decision making. Once, when the girls were teenagers, I bought them all jeans and sweaters (risky I know) and they all five liked them. Every single item. Think about it – that is actually like another Christmas miracle! When my kids were little, their grandma, Marge, had an owl cookie jar. The older kids, especially, remembered it well, so just a few years ago I decid-ed to search for one for each of them for Christmas. Luckily, I thought of it already in July. My friend, Don, and I had a lot of fun that summer scour-ing through antique shops in our search for Hootie the Owl cookie jars from Robin-son Ransbottom. We actually found two of them in one place the first day, but searched the rest of the summer to no avail. Well, you can’t just have two of them, so I learned how to shop on ebay, and by the time I was done, my set of five was complete. Next I decided along with the cookie jars they should get a recipe book. So, I collected cookie recipes from grandmas, aunts and godmothers. I made five copies with simple covers of decorative paper and bound

them with ribbon. When Christmas Eve came, I had the girls open them all at once. When the first one was open, there came a loud shriek of delight. That sound alone made it all worth it. Then last year, I paint-ed a small portrait of each grandchild. It was fun to see the excitement on their fac-es, and their parents’ too. I didn’t know how they’d react, but it was so rewarding when two-year-old Gemma started stamping her feet and shouting over and over, “It’s Gemma! It’s Gemma!” Three-year-old Collin had a different reaction. He looked at his and said, “It’s Jake,” set it down and walked away. Keeps me humble, and I never think about it with-out chuckling. I will be doing more children’s portraits in the

future, as this year I was bless-ed with three more grandsons! As crazy as Christmas can get, it seems like the best times are the simplest ones. One of my favorite Christmas meals was just tacos. I decided that with so many little grandkids, it would be easy, quick and stress free. I wouldn’t do it ev-ery year, because I’d miss the traditional fare, but once in a while laid back is perfect. Whatever traditions you have, I hope they bring you joy and peace. I especially keep in mind all of you who will spend the holidays, maybe for the first time this year, with-out your loved ones. For you, I know, this can be agonizing, and I pray for some measure of peace for you as well. May there be many blessings on your families, and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!


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Albany - While winter can be a challenging season for Minnesotans, it can be an especially difficult time for Minnesotans’ animals. Whether they’re pets or domesticated animals such as cattle, sheep or horses, the var-ied and hard-to-predict weath-er of Minnesota makes animal husbandry challenging. For horse owners, one simple accessory can provide a little style and a great deal of function: the horse blanket. A horse blanket is an an-imal coat designed to keep a horse warm and protected from wind or other winter el-ements such as sleet or freez-ing rain. They wrap around a horse’s body from the chest area to the rear quarters. Straps cross under the belly to keep the blanket in place while al-lowing the horse to roam free-ly in the barn, pen or yard. Anita Dobmeier, whose family owns three horses on their Albany-area dairy farm, stressed one important aspect of utilizing a horse blanket. “When a horse is chilled, they start to shiver and shake. The result is that they metab-olize stored fat in their bod-ies and lose weight,” she ex-plained. Horse owners use the Hen-neke Body Conditioning Scor-

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points of a horse’s body. A score of four, moderate-ly thin, is described as “Ridge of spine and outline of ribs are visible; tail head may or may not be visible depending on the breed; withers, shoulders, and neck do not appear overly thin.” A score of five, moderate, is described as “Spine and ribs cannot be seen however ribs

can be felt; tail head is spongy; withers, shoulders, and neck are rounded and smooth.” Dobmeier and her hus-band, Tom, operate a 44-cow dairy farm with their teenage children, Austin and Gracie. Their children enjoy working with the horses just as much as they do. “They have learned all about caring for horses. Our

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PHOTOS BY RANDY OLSONDixie is ten years old and cared for by Gracie Dobmeier, the daughter of Tom and Anita Dobmeier of Albany.

horses, in turn, are like family to us,” said Dobmeier. The Dobmeiers’ youngest horse is Dixie, 10 years old, and is considered Gracie’s horse. In the winter, Dixie is clad in a pink-colored blanket. Next is Zip, a 13-year-old horse that all but refuses to wear a blanket. “We don’t know exactly why, but Zip will not wear a blanket. He tears it to shreds. We think it is a combination of getting too warm in the blan-ket, and the blanket causing him to itch,” said Dobmeier. Their oldest is Montana, 20 years old. Blankets are sometimes used to keep a horse’s hair short. If horses are blanketed at the start of fall, especially if kept in a lighted area for 16 hours a day, they will not grow a winter coat. If a horse is subjected to cold weather without either a blanket or a natural hair coat to keep it warm, it may become ill, and vulnerable to sickness-es such as influenza. Heavy blankets for warmth make up most of the horse blanket market, although light blankets can be used in the summer to help equine shed flies. “With shelter from severe winds, some level of cover from freezing rains and a blan-ket to help store heat, a horse can handle just about any type


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Frielers enjoy tradition of selling Christmas trees

It’s ‘all hands on deck’

Upsala – “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” When it comes to picking out the perfect Christmas tree, Peggy and Neil Frieler know that firsthand. As owners of Frieler Farms northeast of Upsala, they see people choose their perfect Christmas tree from their lot of precut trees or out in their fields filled with thousands of Balsam Fir, Fraser Fir, Scotch Pine, White Pine and Colorado Spruce trees. “Sometimes it isn’t about finding the most perfect tree,” Neil said one recent Wednesday walking around a field of Balsam Fir trees with Peggy in search of a three-foot tree. “The most important thing is that people find what they are looking for,” said Peggy. It’s no different than when Peggy was growing up on this same farm and they would venture out into the field and find a Christmas tree. Well, ex-cept there are many more trees to pick from, these days. Little did she know back then, that it’s a tradition she and Neil and their

PHOTOS BY CAROL MOORMANThere are a variety of Christmas trees available at Frieler Farms. Peggy and Neil Frieler stand in front of precut trees for sale on their Christmas tree lot northeast of Upsala. They also have trees that can be cut down in their fields.

children, Amanda, Jacob, Eric and Nick, would continue to do—along with many other people. Frieler Farms is a Christmas tree destination. They also have Christmas wreathes, crosses and garland for sale.

Neil Frieler shows how they will often twirl a tree around for a customer when they are choosing a tree.

“It’s so much fun watching people pick out a tree,” Peggy said. Neil said it’s “all hands on deck,” with their children coming home to help out. For Neil, running a tree farm is a

dream job come true. After years of working at a nursery in the Twin Cities, they decided Frieler Farms would be his full-time job, while Peggy works at Holdingford schools. They are licensed tree growers with a quality-grown nursery stock of trees for sale spring, summer and fall. But this time of the year it’s all about Christmas trees. “I always liked being outside,” said Neil, who has a degree in forestry and also served as a Marine for four years. When asked how the two met, he said, “We were (Upsala) high school sweethearts.” Peggy said they have known one another 32 years and have been married 26 years. Practicing what they preach, each year they put up a real Christmas tree and watch their children decorate it. “Our first Christmas I went into the Superior National Forest and cut down a white spruce tree,” said Neil. “We had a permit.” Fifteen years ago they planted a couple thousand Balsam Fir, Frasier Fir and Scotch Pine tree seedlings, know-ing it takes six or seven years to harvest that first crop of Christmas trees. Each spring, as soon as the ground thaws, they still plant anywhere from 3,500 to 4,000 seedlings, using a hand planter.


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dream job come true. After years of working at a nursery in the Twin Cities, they decided Frieler Farms would be his full-time job, while Peggy works at Holdingford schools. They are licensed tree growers with a quality-grown nursery stock of trees for sale spring, summer and fall. But this time of the year it’s all about Christmas trees. “I always liked being outside,” said Neil, who has a degree in forestry and also served as a Marine for four years. When asked how the two met, he said, “We were (Upsala) high school sweethearts.” Peggy said they have known one another 32 years and have been married 26 years. Practicing what they preach, each year they put up a real Christmas tree and watch their children decorate it. “Our first Christmas I went into the Superior National Forest and cut down a white spruce tree,” said Neil. “We had a permit.” Fifteen years ago they planted a couple thousand Balsam Fir, Frasier Fir and Scotch Pine tree seedlings, know-ing it takes six or seven years to harvest that first crop of Christmas trees. Each spring, as soon as the ground thaws, they still plant anywhere from 3,500 to 4,000 seedlings, using a hand planter.

“Raising a tree from a seedling takes anywhere from six to 12 years, depending on the tree,” said Neil. It also depends on the weath-er, which plays an important part in Christmas tree growth. Tending to their trees is a full-time job, especially when it comes to trim-ming each individual Christmas tree, as they walk through fields of trees. Even with that, there is no guarantee a tree will make it from the field to a home, decorated for Christmas. “It takes three trees to bring one marketable tree,” said Neil. It amazes them that they can go out into a field and trees that were planted at the same time can range in size from six-feet to 12-feet tall. Eight years ago, they harvested their first crop of Christmas trees to sell. When asked who they sold the first tree they cut down to, Neil laughed as he said, “Probably us.” Their most popular trees are Scotch Pine and Balsam. “The Scotch Pine is affordable and the Balsam has good needle retention,” said Neil. They cut down a variety of tree siz-es, giving customers a wide variety to choose from. “We sell a lot of 12- to 14-footers because so many people have vaulted ceilings,” said Neil. They even sell a few 20-footers. Standing in their yard is a tree shaking machine, which ensures all the dead needles are removed from the tree before it is tied up with colored string in a baling machine right beside the shaker. They also tell people if they are not going to put up their tree immediately,

Neil Frieler pulls a tree out of their baler, while Peggy watches. They shake and bundle trees for customers.

Neil Frieler shows how one of the tree stands they have for sale works. The stand ensures the Christmas tree is stable.

they should make a fresh cut at the bot-tom of the tree before they do. Peggy said people need to make sure their tree stand is large enough to hold enough water. “A real tree drinks a lot of water,” said Neil, who said people even bring their stand along for him to put their tree in. They have two varieties of tree stands for sale. “We have everything you need to put your tree up,” he said. They have many repeat customers; so much so, that they’ve watched fam-ilies grow up right before their eyes. “I might not know somebody’s name, but as soon as I see them, I know what tree they bought,” said Peggy who keeps a yearly record of who pur-chased what variety of tree. Every year they start selling Christ-mas trees the day after Thanksgiving. And they are pretty firm on that date, even this year when Thanksgiving was late. They are open Monday through Thursday from 3 to 8 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. This year once that Friday rolled around, it was a flurry of activity at Fri-eler Farms. Snow flurries, that’s what they were also hoping for since snow adds to the Christmas tree experience. “It’s like people have an extra skip in their step,” said Peggy, with Neil adding, “Following the first snow it’s like people are giddy. They will bring sleds and pull their kids around as they pick out their own tree to cut.” They already know their last trees will leave the lot on Christmas Eve. “There are a couple of families whose tradition is to come on Christ-

mas Eve Day to get a tree,” said Peggy. People will also leave with candy canes and wishes for a Merry Christ-mas. The Frielers are thankful the need for Christmas trees has remained steady and are hopeful they, and their grown children, have many years of selling Christmas trees in their future.

“It just wouldn’t seem like Christ-mas if we didn’t sell Christmas trees,” said Neil. “It’s a happy time of the year,” adds Peggy. Each Christmas tree that leaves their lot is a beautiful sight, especially knowing it will end up in someone’s home decorated for the season.


The Christmas holiday is a busy time full of shopping, cook-ing, decorating and enjoying friends and family. Unfortu-nately, it can also be a time when you may find yourself sitting in a veterinarian’s office dealing with collateral dam-age from the festivities. These problems usually have some-thing to do with your cat or dog consuming or chewing on something they shouldn’t – plants, cer-tain foods or inedible items. The result can be anything from a simple upset stomach to a serious toxicity or a need for life-saving surgery. The most common holiday plants we worry about are poinsettias, mistle-toe, holly, lilies and amaryllis. The dan-ger from poinsettias is quite limited. The sap from the stem and leaves can irritate the mouth and possibly cause gastrointestinal upset but this is usu-

by Wendy Womack, DVM

Be aware of holiday hazardsally mild. Mistletoe can be quite toxic

if large quantities are ingested. Symptoms can range from just vomiting and diarrhea to car-diovascular collapse and death. There are different varieties of mistletoe with varying toxicity but it is safest to use all mistle-toe with caution in homes with pets. Holly berries are toxic and can cause vomiting and diarrhea and mental depres-

sion. Lilies are particularly dangerous to cats and can cause kidney failure. Amaryllis, especially the bulb, can cause gastrointestinal problems and tremors. Some less common holiday plants which can be harmful to pets are American and European bittersweet, chrysanthemums, Christmas rose, and Jerusalem cherry. Remember, it is hard to find a place high enough or inacces-sible enough that a curious cat can’t reach to investigate that strange new

thing in the room. There are two general dangers that can arise from pets eating “table or people” food. The first is to eat over-ly fatty foods like pork products, gra-vy, butter, etc. Dogs in particular are prone to developing pancreatitis from consuming these types of food. Pancre-atitis and inflammation of the pancre-as usually cause severe vomiting and diarrhea. Often the dog cannot even keep water down and the diarrhea can become bloody. This condition usual-ly requires hospitalization on IV fluids to maintain hydration and to allow the pancreas to rest while nothing is given orally for a few days. Rarely, pancre-atitis can be fatal. It is tempting while we are enjoying our holiday feasts to share some with the family dog, but try to resist this temptation and ask holi-day guests not to share either. Beyond fatty foods, there are sev-eral human foods which are actually toxic to pets. I am just going to mention a few we often have around more at the holidays – yeast dough, chocolate, and sugar free treats containing xylitol. The smell of fresh bread baking is intoxi-cating, but if your dog ingests some of the raw yeast-contained in dough while it is rising, it can truly be a toxin. The dough continues to rise rapidly in the warm environment of the stomach and can cause vomiting and bloat. The fer-menting yeast produces ethanol which can lead to neurologic symptoms from ethanol toxicity. And yes, this same ethanol toxicity can occur if you allow your pet to drink alcoholic beverages. Next – chocolate, you knew I was going to have to talk about chocolate. The chemical in chocolate that is toxic to pets is called theobromine. At lower doses it causes vomiting and diarrhea. At higher doses it can cause hyperex-citability, tremors, and abnormal heart rhythms. It is capable of causing death. This being said, the lowest amount of theobromine per ounce is found in milk chocolate – 44-60 mg/oz. Concentra-tions increase to about 150 mg/oz. in dark and semisweet chocolate and in-crease further to 390-450 mg/oz. in unsweetened baker’s chocolate. How serious chocolate ingestion is depends on the type of chocolate, amount eaten

and the size of the pet, so call your vet-erinarian if your pet eats chocolate to see if it is enough to cause a problem. The artificial sweetener xylitol is found in many sugar free gums and candies. Depending on the amount eaten, a life-threatening drop in blood sugar can occur causing seizures, coma and severe liver damage. Be very careful what foods you offer your pet during the holidays and what treats are left within easy reach of a curious pet. Finally, there are all the scattered toys and holiday decorations just beg-ging to be chewed on or eaten. Plugged in electric cords if chewed on can cause a nasty burn on the tongue and lips or death from electrocution. Tinsel and ribbons are absolutely irresistible to young cats and kittens who may swallow them, causing a lot of intesti-nal damage and the need for lifesaving surgery. Batteries have corrosive mate-rial in them which is dangerous if they are chewed on or swallowed. I can tell you from experience that there appears to be no limit to what a dog or cat can and will swallow. Especially in homes with children and all those brand new toys often left on the floor, it is import-ant to keep them picked up to avoid tears over ruined gifts and veterinary bills for foreign body surgeries. So en-joy the holidays with your four-footed friends and family members, but re-member to protect them from these and other avoidable dangers. May you all have a blessed and safe Christmas.

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Awaiting the Great PumpkinThulls haul in 10 tons of product for three-acre patch

Editor’s note: The following article was in the Eden Prairie News and it was requested to be reprinted in Coun-try Acres. John and Jenny Thull work on the Thull family’s 5-acre Oakshire Vineyards near Melrose, with John’s parents, Richard and Marion Thull.

Melrose - It all started as a pet project. To make use of some extra space at the University of Minnesota’s Horticultural Research Center (HRC) near Victoria, John and Jenny Thull planted 20 varieties of squash, pump-kin and gourds. Six years later, they’re up to 180 varieties and have their sights set on hitting 200. “That seems like a good, round number,” said John. Despite a less-than-ideal growing season this year, the married couple were able to haul in 10 tons of product from their three-acre pumpkin patch along Highway 5. Although the Thulls primarily work with the HRC’s vineyard, grow-ing and testing grapes for wine, they have taken on the pumpkin patch proj-ect with great gusto. The goal is to “introduce people to more edible varieties of squash,” said Jenny, who is also a trained chef. Her personal mission is to help others erase those childhood memories of bland acorn squash and replace them with a

whole new palate of possibilities. Jenny said that she prepares a cu-curbit (the plant family name encom-passing pumpkins, squash and gourds) just about every night. “You can use them in every-thing from tarts to stir fries,” she said. “They’re so versatile.” John is slightly less enthusiastic about incorporating them into the reg-ular meal rotation. “Twice a week is enough for me,” he said, smiling sweet-ly at his wife. “But every night ....” For the beginner interested in giv-ing squash a try, Jenny recommends the kabocha squash. Also known as a Japanese pumpkin, the kabocha looks like a round watermelon. Jenny likes it because it has a nice texture and a “ton of Vitamin A.” “You just cut it in half and put it face down on a cookie sheet with some water in the bottom. Bake it for 20 min-utes at 375º and serve.” Jenny’s favorite cucurbit to bake is the Australian butter squash. “You don’t need to add anything,” she said. “And it tastes like pumpkin creme brulee.” Her enthusiasm for this particular squash has already translated into sales at the AppleHouse, where at last count, there was only one remaining. Their other cucurbits are also disappearing quickly. “Last year, we sold out,” said Jen-ny, who expects to do the same this year. Jenny has amassed an impressive

By MOLLEE FRANCISCOContributing Writer

PHOTOS BY MOLLEE FRANCISCOHusband and wife team, John and Jenny Thull harvested 180 kinds of pumpkin, squash and gourds.

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*Limited-time offer valid from 12/01/13 through 03/31/14, subject to product availability. Requests must be postmarked on or before 04/30/14. Once submitted rebate requests are validated, rebate will be issued in the form of a prepaid card. Prepaid card is issued by MetaBank™, Member FDIC, pursuant to license by MasterCard International Incorporated. MasterCard is a registered trademark of MasterCard International Incorporated. Cards are issued in connection with a loyalty, award or promotion program. Card issued in the name submitted on rebate form and is not transferable; card cannot be issued to minors. Card does not have cash access and can be used wherever Debit MasterCard is accepted. Card valid for up to 6 months, unused funds forfeit at midnight EST the last day of the month of the valid thru date, subject to applicable law. Country restrictions apply and are subject to change. Card terms, conditions and limitations apply; see MyPrepaidCenter.com/site/mastercard-promo for details. Offer cannot be combined with any other offers, promotions or discounts. Offer limited to 16 qualifying Firestone brand rear radial tractor tires per address. Offer subject to Terms and Conditions available on the offi cial Claim Form and at FirestoneAg.com. Offer valid only for purchases of qualifying tires at participating Certifi ed Firestone Farm Tire Dealers in the 50 United States and DC and void where prohibited, taxed or restricted. This is a limited-time offer and may be subject to change.

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E. Hwy. 12, Willmar, MN • 320-235-4180

Delivery Available Western

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GN Flatbed Trailers25’, 28’, 32’ & 36’

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Snowmobile Trailers•Trails West

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Utility TrailersATV TrailersEnclosed • Open

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Cucurbits (plants from the family of squash, pumpkins and gourds) come in many shapes and sizes. The Thulls oversee the University of Minnesota Horticultural Research Center’s pumpkin patch, where they are up to 180 varieties and have their sights set on hitting 200.

collection of cucurbits over the years. “I’ve got pumpkins, squash and gourds from every continent,” she said. “Well, except Antarctica of course.” She goes through phases. This year, Jenny was particularly attracted to a collection of Native American va-rieties of out Tuscon. But she’s always keeping an eye out for her next acqui-sition. Starting in December, Jenny will begin combing through seed catalogs and creating her wish list for the next year’s crop. “You have to act quickly,” she said. “Some of these [seeds] get snapped up right away.” The Thulls usually plant the seeds in May (although this year’s weath-er delayed them several weeks). The summer is then spent weeding the patch with the harvest kicking off in September. The harvest is impressive in both sheer numbers and variety. There is a rainbow of colors – whites, greens, yellows, blues, reds and oranges. There are a multitude of shapes – acorns, cup-cakes, snakes and bottles. And there are a wide range of sizes – everything from tiny, hard pumpkins and gourds perfect for decorating all the way up to monster-size pumpkins. This year, the biggest pumpkin they hauled in was a 282-pound Atlantic Giant. So with all that time spent in the pumpkin patch, have John and Jenny seen the mythical “Great Pumpkin” from Charlie Brown? Not yet, said Jen-

ny. What about Linus? “I think we are Linus,” said Jenny with a laugh. John and Jenny invite people to join them for the 2014 fall displays at the Arboretum.

(south side of I-94 across street from Wells Concrete)

In the Albany Industrial Business Park209 CTY RD 156 • ALBANY, MN • 320-845-7199

Hours: Mon - Thurs. 9:00 - 7:00 • Fri. 8:30 - 7:30 Sat. 8:30 - 6:30 • Sun. 11:00 - 5:30

Off Off Off Off Off Off 10 Off Off Off Off Off Off Off Off Off Off Off%

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New Year’s Party Items:

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Hours: Mon - Thurs. 9:00 - 7:00 • Fri. 8:30 - 7:30 Sat. 8:30 - 6:30 • Sun. 11:00 - 5:30

(south side of I-94 across street from Wells Concrete)

CountryAcresSend story ideas to [email protected]


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2014

2014

2014

Something for Everyone!

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Ser-vice (NRCS) is opening the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) for new enrollments for federal fiscal year 2014. Starting today through Jan.17, 2014, pro-ducers interested in participating in the program can submit applications to NRCS. “Through the Conservation Stewardship Program, farmers, ranchers and for-est landowners are going the extra mile to conserve our nation’s resources,” said NRCS State Conservationist Don Baloun. “Through their conservation actions, they are ensuring that their operations are more productive and sustainable over the long run.” The CSP is an important Farm Bill conservation program that helps estab-lished conservation stewards take their level of natural resource management to the next level to improve both their agricultural production and provide valuable conservation benefits such as cleaner and more abundant water, as well as healthier soils and better wildlife habitat. Baloun said today’s announcement is another example of USDA’s comprehen-sive focus on promoting environmental conservation and strengthening the rural economy, and it is a reminder that a new Food, Farm and Jobs Bill is pivotal to continue these efforts. CSP is now in its fifth year and so far, NRCS has partnered with producers to enroll more than 59 million acres across the nation. The program emphasizes conservation performance; producers earn higher payments for higher performance. In CSP, producers install conservation enhance-ments to make positive changes in soil quality, soil erosion, water quality, water quantity, air quality, plant resources, animal resources and energy. Some popular enhancements used by farmers in Minnesota include: · Using new nozzles that reduce the drift of pesticides, lowering input costs and making sure pesticides are used where they are most needed; · Modifying water facilities to prevent bats and bird species from being trapped; · Establishing pollinator and/or beneficial insect habitat; · High-level integrated pest management, reducing pesticide risk to the envi-ronment; and · Rotating feeding areas and monitoring key grazing areas to improve grazing management. Eligible landowners and operators in all states and territories can enroll in CSP through Jan. 17 to be eligible during the 2014 federal fiscal year. While local NRCS offices accept CSP applications year round, NRCS evaluates applications during announced ranking periods. To be eligible for this year’s enrollment, producers must have their applica-tions submitted to NRCS by the closing date. A CSP self-screening checklist is available to help producers determine if the program is suitable for their operation. The checklist highlights basic information about CSP eligibility requirements, stewardship threshold requirements and pay-ment types. For the checklist or to learn more about CSP, visit the NRCS CSP website at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/financial/csp/ or visit your local USDA NRCS office.

Applications for Conservation Stewardship Program due Jan. 17

Phone: 320-243-3494 WATS: 1-800-232-4265

John VanderbeekAgronomy Manager

Certifi ed Crop Advisor

Loren PearsonSeed Specialist

Certifi ed Crop Advisor

3320200 2424243 33 33 3494494494 WWAWATAT

C

Call Us Today!

Ask about pre-pay options for next year’s crop production needs.

December 30th & 31st pre-pay days.

Now is the time to start planning ahead

PAYNESVILLE FARMERS UNION


110 Avon Avenue North • Avon, MN 56310www.blackfi nancialservices.com

• Retirement Planning - IRA’s • 401(k)s • 401(k) Rollovers

• Financial Planning• Insurance• Investments

Securities and advisory services offered through SII Investments, Inc., member FINRA, SIPC and a Registered Investment Advisor. Black Financial

Services, Inc. and SII Investments, Inc. are separate and unrelated companies.

Call for a FREE consultation: (320) 356-9031

Margo Black Scepaniak

Financial Advisor

- Trusted Locally Since 1960 -

We stand behind our service work for all makes & models.

701 Railroad Ave., PO Box 537 • Albany, MN 56307Hours: Mon.-Fri.

8 a.m. - 5 p.m.320-845-4856

• Complete Auto Repair • Alignments • Snowmobiles

• Motorcycles/ATV Repair

Joel SchneiderJoel SchneiderS E R V I C E

Reinke recognizes Modern Farm Equipment with Gold Pride Award at annual convention

Omaha, Neb. – Reinke Manufacturing Company, Inc., a leading manufactur-er of mechanized irrigation systems, is excited to an-nounce that Modern Farm Equipment, Inc. in Sauk Centre has received a Gold Reinke Pride Award in rec-ognition of the company’s 2012-2013 marketing year success. The Reinke deal-ership was honored during Reinke’s recent annual convention held Oct. 20-22, 2013, in Omaha, Neb.

“Congratulations to Modern Farm Equipment on this recognition of their ongoing hard work and success,” said Reinke Vice President of Market-ing Tim Goldhammer. “We appreciate their ongoing commitment to Reinke and to their community. We are proud to have them as a dealer.”

Reinke dealerships from across the United States and Canada gath-er each year to attend the company’s convention. The convention awards ceremony recognizes se-lect Reinke dealerships for their hard work and ded-ication to sales and mar-keting throughout the past year.

Reinke recognized re-cord attendance during this

year’s convention. Gold, silver and bronze Reinke Pride awards were given to a total of 118 dealer-ships. The Reinke Pride awards are determined as part of an incentive pro-gram that distinguishes su-perior achievement levels according to an evaluation based on a dealership’s ex-

terior and interior house-keeping and maintenance, indoor and outdoor dis-plays, safety, retail envi-ronment, merchandising, professionalism, promo-tions and event participa-tion and market share.

“It’s great to be able to come together each year to applaud the efforts of

Pictured are Reinke President Chris Roth; Mike Bushard, owner, and Justin Moore with Modern Farm Equipment; and Reinke North Central Territory Manager Rich Miller.

our dealers and recognize them among their peers,” said Goldhammer. “Our annual convention is an opportunity for Reinke and our dealers to share ideas, have some fun and get set for another successful year in the agriculture indus-try.”

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The great thing about snow is it makes your lawn look as good as your neighbor’s!

PHOTO BY BRYAN ZOLLMAN


Age: 10Parents: Pam

and Lee WolbeckTown: Sauk

CentreSchool: Holy

Family School, Sauk CentreWhat’s your favorite activity during Christmas break? Why? Watching movies with my family when my Mom and Dad have some days off of work. I like it when Mom and Dad have days off and we can relax.What is the best Christmas gift you’ve ever received? Nerf GunsWhat’s your favorite Christmas movie? Christmas Vacation 2What’s your favorite Christmas food? Peanut Butter Star Cookies and BBQ Little Smokies.What’s your favorite Christmas memory? Getting to see my cousins.What are some good things you try to do during the Christmas season? Help my Mom make plates with treats for our neighbors.

Age: 10Parents: Pam and Lee WolbeckTown: Sauk CentreSchool: Holy Family School, Sauk Centre

What’s your favorite activity during Christmas break? Sleep in and no

homework! What is the best Christmas gift you’ve ever received? Our dog, Coco. We got her when she was a puppy.What’s your favorite Christmas movie? Christmas Vacation 2What’s your favorite Christmas food? Cornflake

Goodies (my Mom makes them).What’s your favorite Christmas memory? Going to my grandparents’ houses.What are some good things you try to do during the Christmas season? Go to church and remember that it is Jesus’ birthday.


What’s your favorite activity during Christmas break? Why? Snowmobiling.

It’s fun! We get to go on trips with our family and friends.What is the best Christmas gift you’ve ever received? Big Lego setsWhat’s your favorite Christmas movie? Christmas Vacation 2What’s your favorite Christmas food? Caramel “Pigs-in-a-Blanket” (my aunt makes them).What’s your favorite Christmas memory? Getting together at my grandparents’ houses.What are some good things you try to do during the Christmas season? Go to church.

Age: 7 1/2Parents: Autumn and Jeff NelsonTown:

MelroseSchool:

St. Mary’sWhat’s your favorite activity during Christmas break? Spending Christmas with my family and building snow forts.What is the best

Christmas gift you’ve ever received? The Secret of the Wings movie.What’s your favorite Christmas movie? Santa Clause 3What’s your favorite Christmas food? Dirt salad.What’s your favorite Christmas memory? The Sunday after Thanksgiving we go and cut down a Christmas tree as a family.What are some good things you try to do during the Christmas season? I try to be nicer to my brothers and listen to my parents the first time.

Age: 9Parents: Glen and Leslie RitterTown: Albany

School: Albany Elementary

What’s your favorite activity during Christmas break? Why? Playing in the snow because it’s fun!What is the best Christmas gift you’ve ever received?

My American Girl doll.What’s your favorite Christmas movie? The GrinchWhat’s your favorite Christmas food? Christmas cookies.What’s your favorite Christmas memory? Waking up Christmas morning and seeing that Santa visited.What are some good things you try to do during the Christmas season?• give to people less fortunate • try not to fight with my brothers • if you do not like your present or already have it still say thank you• be merry!

Age: 14Parents: Jennifer Koenig and Mike SandTown: Albany and New MunichSchool: Albany Area High SchoolWhat is your favorite activity during Christmas break? Why? My

favorite activity during Christmas break would be snowmobiling. Because you don’t have to sit inside and do absolutely nothing!

What is the best Christmas gift you’ve ever received? The best gift would be my Red Rider BB gun when I was in 3rd grade because it was pretty cool to have one then.What is your favorite Christmas movie? My favorite Christmas movie is A Christmas Story hands down!What is your favorite Christmas food? My favorite Christmas food is the homemade Christmas candy that we make every year.

What is your favorite Christmas memory? My favorite Christmas memory was when we decorated our huge (real) Christmas tree at my grandpa’s farm.What are some good things you try to do during the Christmas season? Fun things I do during the holiday season are: Going outside, hang out with friends, and spend time with family.

Age: 12Parents: Joe and Pam LoehrTown: Spring HillSchool: Melrose

Jr. High SchoolWhat’s your favorite

activity during Christmas break? Why? I like to go snowmobiling because I enjoy outdoor activities with my dad and brother.What is the best Christmas gift you’ve ever

received? The best Christmas gift was a Wii.What’s your favorite Christmas movie? Home Alone 3.What’s your favorite Christmas food? Cutout Christmas cookies and ham.What’s your favorite Christmas memory? Coming home from Christmas Eve Mass to find presents under the tree that Santa brought.What are some good things you try to do during the Christmas season? Spend time with my family and friends.

Age: 13Parents: Ron and Doris BuermanTown: Albany

School: Albany Jr High School

What’s your favorite activity during Christmas break? Why? Sledding, because it’s a way to spend time with my little sisters. What is the best Christmas gift you’ve

ever received? My first Castle jacket.What’s your favorite Christmas movie? ElfWhat’s your favorite Christmas food? Grandma’s white cut out Christmas cookies.What’s your favorite Christmas memory? My favorite Christmas memory is decorating the tree as a family.What are some good things you try to do during the Christmas season? I try to pray more and be more respectful.

Age: 8Parents: Kurt and Amy MiddendorfTown: Long

PrairieSchool: St. Mary’s

What’s your favorite activity during Christmas break? Why? Going sledding with my brothers and sisters.What is the best Christmas gift you’ve

ever received? My American Girl doll, LanieWhat’s your favorite Christmas movie? Elf. It’s so funny, I like to smile.What’s your favorite Christmas food? My mom’s chocolate Christmas cake.What’s your favorite Christmas memory? Getting to celebrate Jesus’ birth and getting to wear a beautiful Christmas dress.What are some good things you try to do during the Christmas season? Be extra nice so I don’t get coal.

Q&A

Mackenzie Sand

JohnLoehr

EvanWolbeck

RiaNelson

AdamWolbeck

RyanWolbeck

Courtney Buerman

KalieRitter

Greta Faith

Middendorf

Adam Evan Ryan


Stop By One Of These New Holland Dealers For Details...

©2013 CNH America LLC. All rights reserved. New Holland is a trademark of CNH America LLC.

WINTER SURVIVAL KIT

ALL NEW T4 SERIES:MEET THE ULTIMATE

FARMHANDWhen you hire someone to work on your farm,

what qualities do you look for? Versatility? Dependability? Strength? Fortunately for you,

you’re bound to fi nd all of these qualities in a NEW T4 Series tractor, the ultimate

farmhand, from New Holland. And like a T4, sometimes good looks don’t hurt either.

Visit us to see them in person!

TWO ERGONOMIC PLATFORMS - ROPS OR THE NEW VISIONVIEW™ CAB

TRANSMISSION CHOICES – 12X12 WITH MECHANICAL OR POWER SHUTTLE

POWERFUL, FACTORY-INSTALLED LOADERS – UP TO 3,428 POUNDS OF LIFT CAPACITY

DEPENDABLE, CLEAN, COMMON-RAIL ENGINES – 70, 82, AND 91 PTO HORSEPOWER

BUILT AROUND YOUThe New Holland product development team worked with over 1,000 valued New Holland and competitive skid steer customers for three years to develop fi nal concepts for the 200 Series.

The product development team then used virtual reality technology and New Holland’s Arizona proving grounds to test these concepts with prototype units and customer groups.

New Holland listened and designed a loader that met the challenges, answered the requests and fulfi lled every wish list. It’s the skid steer loader you would want on the job – one that’s durable, reliable and productive. New Holland proudly manufactures the 200 Series skid steers and compact track loaders. 70, 82, AND 91 PTO HORSEPOWER

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The 200 Series is BUILT AROUND YOU and

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www.modernfarmequipment.com

SAUK CENTRE, MN 320-352-6543 Hwy. 71 South

PIERZ, MN320-468-2161 Hwy. 27 West

MODERN FARM EQUIPMENT

MELROSE IMPLEMENT INC.

SALES - PARTS - SERVICES. Hwy. 13 & 94

Melrose, MN • 320-256-4253

A&C Farm Service, Inc. Jct. Hwys. 55 & 23, Paynesville

320-243-3736 www.acfarmservice.com

Goodies (my Mom makes them).What’s your favorite Christmas memory? Going to my grandparents’ houses.What are some good things you try to do during the Christmas season? Go to church and remember that it is Jesus’ birthday.


What’s your favorite activity during Christmas break? Why? Snowmobiling.

It’s fun! We get to go on trips with our family and friends.What is the best Christmas gift you’ve ever received? Big Lego setsWhat’s your favorite Christmas movie? Christmas Vacation 2What’s your favorite Christmas food? Caramel “Pigs-in-a-Blanket” (my aunt makes them).What’s your favorite Christmas memory? Getting together at my grandparents’ houses.What are some good things you try to do during the Christmas season? Go to church.

Ryan


512 Main Street S, Ste 2 • Sauk Centre, MN 56378Hours: Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm • Appointments available at anytime

www.billmarks.com • 320.351.2436

Darcy Jennissen

Pfe� er

ClaireRieland

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Contact Darcy or Claire today for all of your insurance needs!

Richie Cattle Fountains

Mondloch, Inc.

320-548-3255125 Main Street

St. Martin, MN 56376Fax: 320-548-3705

Call or stop in today!

A S K A B O U T

Hashbrown Quiche3 cups frozen loose-pack shredded hashbrowns - thawed1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted1/2 cup diced, fully-cooked ham1 cup (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese1/4 cup diced green pepper (optional)5 eggs1/2 cup milksaltpepper

Press hashbrowns between paper towels to remove excess moisture. Press into the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9” pie plate. Driz-zle with butter. Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes. Combine the ham, cheese and green pepper; spoon over crust. In a small bowl, beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over all. Reduce heat to 350 degrees. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Hamburger Soup1 lb. ground beef5 cups water1 (16 oz.) can tomatoes, cut up1/2 cup onions1 cup carrotspotatoes1/3 cup pearl barley1/4 cup ketchup3 beef bouillon cubes2 tsp. salt1 tsp. crushed, dried basil1 bay leaf1/4 tsp. pepper

Brown hamburger and drain. Combine ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cover for 1 hour. Makes 10 cups.

Recipes Submitted byAnn MiddendorfC

OU

NTR

Y ACRES

CACountry Cookin'RE

CIP

ES FROM OUR REA

DERSCC

Long Prairie

MF104Cco43

Dealer Imprint Here

MASSEY FERGUSON and Hesston are registered trademarks of AGCO. © 2010 AGCO Corporation, 4205 River Green Parkway, Duluth, GA 30096 (877) 525-4384

Utility Tractors2600 Series


Mid-Range Tractors5400 Series

Sub-Compact TractorsGC Series

Since Daniel Massey began making farm implements in 1847, the Massey Ferguson® name has stood for innovation, value and dependability. Today, whether you’re a hobby farmer looking for a compact tractor or a professional producer replacing your combine, you’ll � nd the heart of the original Massey Ferguson brand still beats under the shiny new exteriors of every piece of equipment we make. Considering our extensive warranty, excellent � nance rates as low as 0%APR and dedicated dealer support, you couldn’t make a wiser investment. Visit masseyferguson.com for details.

160 years of getting the job done.

Compact Tractors1600 Series

Commercial EquipmentZero-Turn Mowers

Utility TractorsHD Series

Square Balers1800 Series

Round Balers1700 Series


Mowers & Mower Conditioners

Tillage & SeedingEquipment

MF104Cco43

Dealer Imprint Here

MASSEY FERGUSON and Hesston are registered trademarks of AGCO. © 2010 AGCO Corporation, 4205 River Green Parkway, Duluth, GA 30096 (877) 525-4384



Mid-Range Tractors5400 Series

Sub-Compact TractorsGC Series

Since Daniel Massey began making farm implements in 1847, the Massey Ferguson® name has stood for innovation, value and dependability. Today, whether you’re a hobby farmer looking for a compact tractor or a professional producer replacing your combine, you’ll � nd the heart of the original Massey Ferguson brand still beats under the shiny new exteriors of every piece of equipment we make. Considering our extensive warranty, excellent � nance rates as low as 0%APR and dedicated dealer support, you couldn’t make a wiser investment. Visit masseyferguson.com for details.

160 years of getting the job done.

Compact Tractors1600 Series

Commercial EquipmentZero-Turn Mowers

Utility TractorsHD Series

Square Balers1800 Series



Mowers & Mower Conditioners

Tillage & SeedingEquipment

Since Daniel Massey began making farm implements in 1847, the Massey Ferguson® name has stood for innovation, value and dependability. Today, whether you’re a hobby farmer looking for a compact tractor or a professional producer replacing your combine, you’ll fi nd the heart of the original Massey Ferguson brand still beats under the shiny new exteriors of every piece of equipment we make. Considering our extensive warranty, excellent fi nance rates as low as 0%APR and dedicated dealer support, you couldn’t make a wiser investment. Visit masseyferguson.com for details.

Smooth. Nimble. Downright beastly for heavy lifting.

Our Massey Ferguson© 4600 Series mid-range tractor features the new power shuttletransmission. During loader work, it displays the muscle and maneuverability to goforward to reverse and back without clutching. Ideal for mixed farming operations, fromhay to livestock to poultry. Come by and see what we mean or visit masseyferguson.us.

0.0%APR

FINANCING

1375371565

23661 Hwy. 4 , Lake Henry, MN (320) 243-7411

www.lakehenryimplement.com

Pierz ImplementImplement inc.

14152 Hwy. 25 So., Pierz, MN (320) 468-2511


Case IH is a registered trademark of CNH America LLC.

BE READY.

SEE US TODAY.

For over 25 years, Case IH Magnum™ series tractors have powered through the toughest conditions with less fuel, hours and stress. Our Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology and our Diesel Saver™ Automatic Productivity Management (APM) system ensure that you won’t sacri�ce power for fuel ef�ciency. And with a proven engine and simple emissions control system, you’ll have more uptime between each service. Combined with a suspended cab, intuitive controls and an integrated AFS Pro 700 control center, Magnum series tractors won’t just make your operation productive, but ef�cient.

UNCONDITIONAL PERFORMANCE FOR THE TOUGHEST CONDITIONS.

ARNOLD’S OF KIMBALL, INC.701 STATE HIGHWAY 55 EASTPO BOX 388KIMBALL, MN 55353320-398-3800www.arnoldsinc.com

Kimball320-398-3800

Willmar320-235-4898

Glencoe320-864-5531

St. Martin320-548-3285

No. Mankato507-387-5515

Alden507-874-3400

Pizza Burgers1 onion. chopped1 lb. ground beefsalt and pepper1 small can pizza sauce or tomato sauce1/2 cup Velveeta cheese1/4 cup cheddar cheese1/4 cup colby cheesemozzarella cheeseoregano

Brown ground beef, onion, salt and pepper. Drain off liquid. Add pizza sauce and shredded Velveeta, cheddar and colby cheeses. Simmer for 20 minutes. Refrigerate until cold. Spread on buns, top with mozzarella and sprinkle with oregano. Wrap individually in foil and heat for 20 minutes at 350º. Note: mixture can be frozen or refrigerated for a while. I use 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and omit colby.

Snicker Bars (Great for the Holidays!)1st layer: 1 cup milk chocolate chips 1/4 cup butterscotch chips 1/4 cup peanut butter Melt chips and peanut butter and spread in 9x13 pan. Cool.2nd layer: 1 cup white sugar 1/4 cup milk 1/4 cup butter or margarine Boil 5 minutes and add: 1/4 cup peanut butter 1 tsp. vanilla 1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme (7 oz.) 1 1/2 cups chopped dry roasted peanuts Spread over 1st layer3rd layer: 11 1/2 oz. pkg caramels (40) 4 Tbsp. heavy cream Melt and spread over second layer4th layer: 1/4 cup peanut butter 1 cup milk chocolate chips 1/4 cup butterscotch chips Melt and spread over caramel. Cool before cutting.

Easy Tator Tot Hotdish1 1/2 lbs. ground beef1 large can cream of mushroom soup1 1/2 small bags frozen mixed vegetablestater totsshredded cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef. Drain grease. Add soup and mixed vegetables. Mix together and spread out in 9x13 cake pan. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese and cover with a single layer of tater tots. Bake at 375º for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until tater tots are done and the rest is bubbling.

Chicken on Sunday1 chicken, cut up and browned1 can cream of mushroom soup1 can cream of chicken soup1 can cream of celery soup1 envelope Lipton onion soup1 cup milk

Mix all soups and milk together. Reserve 1 cup mixture to put on top of chicken later. Add 1 1/2 cups uncooked rice to the rest of the mixture. Put in large cake pan. Arrange chicken on top of rice and dot with mixture which you reserved. Cover tight with tin foil and bake at 350º for 3 hours. Uncover for the last 1/2 hour to brown.


Buy a NEW or USED vehicle at Yarmon Ford and defer payments up

to 90 days.

Sale hours: M-F 8am-5pm; Sat 8am-Noon;

Sun CLOSEDService Hours:

M-F 7:30am-5pm; Sat 8am-Noon;

Sun CLOSEDAnytime by Appointment

Pick Your Payment

on Any Vehicle!

www.yarmonford.com640 West Highway 23 • Paynesville, MN 56362 • 320-243-4235

2008 Chevrolet Malibu LT2

2012 Ford Raptor SVT

Fully Loaded 6.2V8

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3.7L V6. Ride in style in this sharp Lincoln MKS!! It has all the luxury features you can

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Heated Leather Seats, Flex Fuel, Running Boards, Premium Sound System, iPod/MP3 Input, Satellite

Radio, Overhead Airbag, Alloy Wheels, Trailer Hitch, Back-up

Camera, Heated Mirrors.

Stock #44782A

Call for Price $28,995

$10,750 $39,995

Check out our full inventory of NEW & USED Vehicles

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2013 Lincoln MKS FWD

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