Columns
By Scott Rall, outdoors columnistSeptember 14, 2021Most hunters pay little attention to protecting their hearing from the loud blast of a shotgun. Rifle hunters, on the other hand, almost always wear substantial hearing protection. Some will even spend north of $1,200 to adapt their rifle to a suppressor, which is quiet enough not to require hearing protection. It the past I never wore hearing protection while hunting. I did not shoot enough…
By Mavis Fodness, reporterSeptember 07, 2021Poultry roaming around our farm is a common sight. Over the years there have been ducks, geese, chickens and guineas. Of all the poultry, guineas by far exhibit the strangest behavior. They scamper silently from location to location. Frequently they come up behind you in the yard or in the barn and utter a noise that I can only describe as a well pump in need of oil. If you’re not prepared, the…
By Rick Peterson, general managerSeptember 07, 2021I would imagine every one of us remembers exactly where we were when we first heard the news of the attacks on the World Trade Center building. I was walking down Second Street in Redwood Falls on my way to the Redwood Gazette office. It was about 9:30 in the morning, and from across the street Jay Eykyn yelled over, “Hey, Rick, did you hear about the plane that flew into the World Trade Center…
By George Bonnema, Luverne HorticulturalistSeptember 07, 2021This summer has been one of the more frustrating summers for gardeners in recent years. Persistent drought, heat, and pests have presented challenges than were not encouraging. I am grateful for the abundant rain we have been blessed with in the past week because going into winter with limited top and sub soil moisture can be a critical factor for survival of many of our trees, shrubs, and…
By Betty Mann, president, Rock County Historical SocietySeptember 07, 2021The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on May 20, 1932. Raccoons are Latest Addition to Park Zoo Alderman Peschon Secures Pair from Arnold Schoon to be Exhibited with Deer and Bear at Park An important addition to the zoo annex at Luverne’s public park was made the first of the week by Park Commissioner Frank Peschon, when he secured a pair of raccoons, which are now on exhibit…
By Scott Rall, outdoors columnistSeptember 07, 2021Minnesota’s pheasant opener this year is Oct. 16, a week later than the normal opening weekend, cutting the season short by seven days. I have attended the Minnesota Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener for the past 10 years or so, but the jury is still out as to whether this is actually going to happen in 2021, so I made other plans. My Pheasants Forever chapter and I are now hosting a ladies-only…
By Brenda Winter, columnistAugust 31, 2021I’ve become a crotchety old lady. I used to delight in the silly ways of happy creatures such as puppies. Now they annoy me. My sister recently added a furry bundle of joy to her life named Snoop. I call him Snoop-id. My relationship with Snoop-id went south the day he ate my sandal. Not just any sandal – my $80 orthopedic sandal. The sandal I need to support my falling arches, plantar fasciitis…
By Betty Mann, president, Rock County Historical SocietyAugust 31, 2021The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on May 10, 1935. Roller Skating Rink To Be Opened Here Amusement Company Erecting Portable Floor and Tent on East Main Street; Formal Opening Next Week The roller skating rink which is being erected on the vacant lot on East Main street just west of the B. F. Olberding filling station, by the Mott & Leach Outdoor Amusement and Concession…
By Scott Rall, outdoors columnistAugust 31, 2021It is mid-August and the past several free days and evenings have been spent doing public lands habitat improvements. These improvements have been in the way of spraying a leaf application brush killer on volunteer trees that for all practical purposes pollute grassland ecosystems. One tree here or one shrub there provides no wildlife value. In fact, they actually reduce the habitat quality and…
By Esther Frakes, copy editorAugust 24, 2021Well, I had another birthday last week … not a significant one, though. At St. John, a birthday is significant if it can be divided by five. Significant birthdays are announced and prayers are offered. (Wouldn’t it be great if we only needed to count those birthdays!) I’m getting too close to the birthday numbers that often lead to an open house … and serious birthday cards. At our August coffee…
By Rick Peterson, general managerAugust 24, 2021Earlier this month Mary and I celebrated our 44th wedding anniversary. A couple of weeks after that, I added another year to my age. I bring up both of those milestones because with our aging we have noticed some not-so-subtle changes that are starting to creep into our daily lives. Body aches and pains are more frequent, and I can handle that. But the hard part about those aches and pains is…- By Betty Mann, president, Rock County Historical SocietyAugust 24, 2021The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on March 29, 1935. Rock County Burial Assn. Re-Elects Four Directors Encouraging Reports on Past Year’s Business Submitted at Annual Meeting of Stockholders Four directors were each re-elected for two years at the annual meeting of stockholders of the Rock County Co-Operative Burial association, held Saturday afternoon at the Luverne Commercial…
By Scott Rall, outdoors columnistAugust 24, 2021The first fall gunning season is only two weeks away. The fall hunting season starts with the mourning dove opener on Sept. 1. The mourning dove is the most numerous game bird in North America, and states have been hunting them for decades. When the season started in Minnesota more than a decade ago, it was a pretty big controversy. A segment of the population thought they should be left alone,…
By Lori Sorenson, editorAugust 17, 2021As a first-year gardener I’ve made plenty of rookie mistakes this growing season. … Planting too late in the spring, spacing plants too closely together, and not reading the directions on the seed labels. Actually, the garden wasn’t intended to be a garden in the first place. It started as a swath of dirt our neighbor turned over for us with his tiller. “How big do you want it your garden?” he…
By Betty Mann, president, Rock County Historical SocietyAugust 17, 2021The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on March 8, 1935. Taking of Muskrats Unlawful this Year State Game and Fish Division Issues Prohibitory Order After Dangers of Undue Depletion are Shown Trapping of muskrats or taking of them in any other manner will be unlawful throughout this year, according to an official statement received by County Auditor Ray Koehn from Erling Swenson,…- By Mavis Fodness, reporterAugust 10, 2021Perched atop the old hog house roof on our farm east of Hardwick, I called my husband, Bryan, on my cell phone. As the phone rang through, I pondered my predicament — I had climbed on the roof to fetch the dog’s frisbee and now I was stuck. My errant throw landed Lucy’s favorite toy out of reach, and her eyes darted eagerly between me and the direction the toy was thrown. I knew she’d pester me…
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