Christmas has come and gone, and some people get a little depressed when the fun and business subsides.
But for us gardeners, we’re almost waiting by the mailbox on the day after Christmas because that’s the day the new seed catalogs arrive. Magically, those vendors know that we’re ready for a new focus.
Well, that’s me, and I got four catalogs on that day (not counting the legal holiday and in spite of the previous days of snowstorms) and three more since.
As with almost everything else, COVID has affected the prices. When I look at the return on my investment, I am not complaining. I have big gardens and I have expectations for the seed I plant, so I’m particular in choosing the varieties I plant.
I ALWAYS keep a record of what I plant and how satisfied I am with the results. Occasionally I will pick seed from a seed rack but usually find the varieties that are available on those retail racks are not necessarily what I am looking for. … Yes, you can call me a seed snob!
Although I get several other catalogs, these are my favorite mail order vendors:
•Pine Tree Garden Seeds … very reasonable prices and seed quantities.
•Seeds ’N Such … again, reasonable prices if you get a lot of seed packets and small seed quantities.
•Jung Seeds and Plants … lots of everything.
•Select Seeds … only flower seeds.
•Johnny’s Selected Seeds … more suited for a Farmers Market grower but huge selection and the best for cultural information.
You can Google their name to request a catalog and/or order online if you prefer. I get the catalogs, cross reference to make my selections, and order online because that will give me an immediate indication if what I want is out of stock.
And then I wait … and I wait, and I imagine what a marvelous gardening experience I will have when winter gives up!
Thank goodness I have enough experience to know that there is a right time to plan those seeds indoors to get my head start on Minnesota’s brief but intense growing season.

Myla Mae Young, weighing 6 pounds, 10 ounces, arrived at 3:17 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 3, as the first baby of the New Year at Sanford Luverne. Her parents are Brendan and Miranda Young, Sioux Falls, and she joins siblings Geniva, almost 4, and Hazel, almost 2. The Youngs recently moved to Sioux Falls from Little Rock, Iowa, and chose Sanford Luverne for their prenatal care and delivery. Miranda Young said, “We love our doctor (Dr. Kat Dahl) here so much that we’ll keep coming to Luverne for everything. It’s only 25 miles.”

The following article is part of the Diamond Club Member group that began in the January 7, 1943, issue of the Rock County Star Herald. Members of this group consist of persons of age 75 and older.
The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on July 22, 1943.
Whenever you feel you’re working too many hours a day, at too small a salary, think of Mr. and Mrs. William Schuldt, of Hardwick. When they were first married, they had usually worked 40 hours before the week was one third gone, and their only recompense was a bare living.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Schuldt were born in Germany. He was born August 20, 1868, at Mecklenburg, Schwerigen and Mrs. Schuldt on Sept. 24, 1867, at Ludwigschloss. After they were old enough to leave home, both obtained employment at the same farm. Mrs. Schuldt not only did the housework, but also worked out of doors.
Being employed by someone meant working from daylight until dark at a very small salary. Mrs. Schuldt recalls that she has oftentimes loaded three or four loads of hay, not with a fork, but with her bare hands, during the course of a day. She has also bound grain after it had been cut with a scythe, and has hoed potatoes until she was so tired she could hardly move.
After they were married on March 17, 1893, they rented a small acreage, and Mr. Schuldt obtained a job in a dynamite factory at 75 cents a day. One week, he would work during the daytime and the following week he would work at night. He walked to and from the factory, the one-way trip requiring one and one-half hours of fast walking. Those were long days for the young couple, but both survived it well. When he worked nights, Mr. Schuldt recalls he would have to be at work at 6 p.m. That meant that he had to leave home shortly after 4 p.m. to make it on time. He would work until 6 a.m., the following day, then would walk home, arriving there at about 8 a.m. From 8 a.m. until noon, he would take care of his farm work. On many occasions, he related, he would haul in a few grain shocks from the field, and would thresh them with a flail on the floor of his barn until about 12 o’clock, then he would like down to sleep for four hours and then would get up and go back to work at the factory.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Schuldt found it necessary to learn how to work early in life. Mr. Schuldt’s father was a common laborer with only a small income, and the children had to shift for themselves as soon as they were able to do so. Mr. Schuldt herded cattle at the age of eight, and he recalls that often he would arrive at the farmer’s place before he was even out of bed. He’d be out with the cattle all day, and would return home late in the evening. For this work, he would get his clothing and his board. When he became older, and could do more work, he received $14 as his salary for the entire year.
He attended school from the age of 6 to 14, and after that period, was assigned to man-sized jobs at boy-size salaries. However, his pay was better than it had been, for he remembers he received about $53 a year, but out of this he had to buy his own clothing.
Mrs. Schuldt, who before her marriage was Dorothea Wiese, was left without parents at the age of 15. Her father died when she was only seven, and her mother was working in the fields. She’d return from school at noon and would bring lunch to her mother in the field. Returning home, Mrs. Schuldt would take care of the chores, which consisted of feeding the pigs and other hard work, then she, too, would go to the field and help her mother during the afternoon.
She was 15 years old when her mother died and after that was left to shift for herself. It was then that she obtained work at the farm where she met her husband, and there she received an annual salary of $32.
When Mrs. Schuldt was employed at the factory, Mrs. Schuldt spent her time rearing her children, and doing the farm work on their little farm. “Many were times that I put my babies in the wheelbarrow and took them out to the field while I would spade and hoe the ground,” she said. “While I was working, they’d be playing around on the ground.”
“Oh, yes, we found some time to have a little fun once in a while,” Mr. Schuldt said. Sometimes we would go to the music concerts in town. After the orchestra had finished its part of the program and the singers had sung their last song, a little orchestra would be formed by some of the musicians, and there’d be dancing the remainder of the evening.”
 
         Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.

LSS meals at Generations
 
Monday, Jan. 16: Chili, lettuce salad, fruit, cornbread, dessert.
Tuesday, Jan. 17: Chicken ala king, peas and carrots, pineapple chunks, brown rice, gelatin with whipped topping.
Wednesday, Jan. 18: Goulash, mixed green salad with dressing, tropical fruit, bread, dessert.
 Thursday, Jan. 19: Pork loin, candied yams, steamed California Normandy vegetables, dinner roll, bar.
Friday, Jan. 20: Lemon pepper fish, baked potato with sour cream, coleslaw, bread, birthday cake.
Half-Price Day sponsored by American Reformed Church.
LSS Dining offers well-balanced and affordable meals in a community atmosphere.
Call Pam Franken at 283-9846, extension 11 to reserve one day prior, to arrange to pick up a dinner or for home-delivered meals.
Gift certificates are available at the meal site or online at www.lssmn.org/nutrition.

Open House
John Bosch will celebrate his 90th birthday with a come-and-go open house from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15, at the Steen Reformed Church in Steen. He requests no gifts.

Samuel Thomas “Sam” Mc Gaffee, 68, Hills, died Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, at his home in Hills, following a courageous battle with cancer.
A memorial service was Monday, Jan. 9, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Hills. Inurnment was at Eastside Cemetery.
Samuel Mc Gaffee was born Dec. 2, 1954, at Pierre, South Dakota, the son of Samuel and Dorothy (Westhauser) Mc Gaffee. He was raised in the Sioux Falls area and graduated from Washington High School in 1972.
After his education he entered the U.S. Army on Sept. 4, 1973, and was honorably discharged on Sept. 3, 1976, at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He returned home and began working at Heartland Paper Company as a truck driver.
Sam married Glenda Wassenaar on Dec. 4, 1982, at The Reformed Church of Steen. He lived in Hills for 40 years and later began working at Smithfield Packing Plant in Sioux Falls.
Sam was a member of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Hills, serving as head usher for many years. He enjoyed word search and attending car races in area towns. He was a big Dale Earnhardt Sr. fan.
Most of all, Sam cherished his daughters and granddaughter, Henley. He was especially fond of his dog Charlie. He enjoyed his weekly coffee with his buddies in his retirement. Sam also enjoyed sitting outside on the porch visiting with friends who stopped by.
In September of 2019 Sam was diagnosed with Stage 4 prostate cancer.
Sam is survived by his wife, Glenda Mc Gaffee, of Hills; two daughters, Katie (Dustin) Hanson of Sioux Falls, and Samantha Mc Gaffee of Hills; a granddaughter, Henley Hanson; three brothers, Ken (Betty) Garcia of Canton, South Dakota, Martin Strampher of Burwell, Nebraska, and Mike (Carol) Mc Gaffee of Sioux Falls; a brother-in-law, Marv Wassenaar of Sioux Falls; and many nieces, nephews and other extended family.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his parents-in-law, George and Henrietta Wassenaar; two brothers, Marvin Strampher and Pat Mc Gaffee; a sister, Robin Shea; and a brother-in-law, Robert Wassenaar. 
Arrangements were provided by Jurrens Funeral Home of Hills, jurrensfuneralhome.com
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Glenn Elwood Rye, age 95, of Sun City, Arizona, passed away on Monday, Dec. 30, 2022.
A funeral service will be Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023, at 2 p.m. with a visitation beginning at 1 p.m., at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Hills, Minnesota. Burial will follow in Bethlehem Cemetery in Hills.
Arrangements are under the care of Hartquist Funeral Home in Luverne, Minnesota. To sign an online registry, please visit www.hartquistfuneral.com.
Glenn Elwood Rye was born in Valley Springs, South Dakota, to Gullick Rye and Emma (Thompson) Rye on Feb. 9, 1927. He attended school in Hills, Minnesota. He graduated from Augustana College and obtained a Master’s Degree from Loma Linda University.
Glenn served in the United States Army and was a veteran of World War II. In recognition of his service, Honor Flight sent Glenn and his daughter, Ramona, to the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Glenn worked as a school teacher in Minnesota, Arizona and Colorado. He also owned real estate brokerage companies in California and Colorado. Glenn was the chairman of the Loveland, Colorado, Planning Commission. He cofounded and was chairman of the City of Loveland Housing Authority. Glenn conceived of and received much recognition for H.O.U.S.E., Home Ownership Using Sweat Equity. Under Glenn’s leadership, the Housing Authority provided housing for families left homeless after the 1976 Big Thompson Flood. Glenn was the 1979 Loveland Realtor of the Year and was a member of Rotary.
Glenn was preceded in death by his daughter, Angela Ann Rye (1955-1968), his parents, and sisters and brothers, Gullick Rye, Emma Rye, Norris Rye, Opal Nelson, Eldora Bakk, Beverly Nerison, Raymond Rye and Vivian Helgeson, and son-in-law, Scott Perkins.
Glenn married Donna Entenman on August 19, 1954, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Glenn is survived by former wife, Donna, son Randy Rye (Ellen Laubhan), son Dan Rye (Brigid Devney-Rye), son Greg Rye (Lisa Rye) and daughter Ramona Perkins (Rye). Glenn is also survived by grandchildren: Court Rye, Cassia Hanton, Summer Rye, Sam Rye and Ben Rye and great-grandchildren: Kalen and Dylan Hanton.
Glenn was dearly loved by his family and extended family. He made friends easily and was especially caring of those who needed encouragement. He had a bright mind, wonderful sense of humor and excellent memory. He was the repository of family history and enjoyed being the storyteller at family gatherings.
The family of Glenn Rye wishes to extend sincere thanks to his caregiver, Cecilia Celaya, The Veteran’s Administration and Hospice of the Valley.
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Henry Van Maanen, 75, Luverne, died Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, at the Human Services Center in Yankton, South Dakota.
A funeral service was Monday, Jan. 9, at the Hartquist Funeral Home in Luverne. Burial followed at Pleasant View Cemetery in Valley Springs, South Dakota.
Henry Van Maanen was born on Jan. 18, 1947, to Jacob and Margaret (Vrolyk) Van Maanen in Luverne. He received his baptism and later confirmed his faith. He was raised in the Hills and Beaver Creek area and graduated from high school. He worked for area farmers, then at Rapps Auto Sales, next at the Luverne Country Club, and later at A.R. Wood Manufacturing.
On Aug. 6, 1969, Henry married Shirley Flystra at the Wayside Chapel in Sioux Center, Iowa. The couple made their home in Luverne. In 1972 Henry began working at Luverne Bumper and continued there until his retirement in 2009.
Henry was a member of the American Reformed Church in Luverne. He enjoyed watching sports, putting together puzzles, and vegetable gardening. He especially enjoyed watching his grandson play football. Henry loved getting together at family gatherings and spending time with family.
 
Henry is survived by his daughter, Andrea (Dan) Kubesh of Luverne; his grandchildren, Damian Reese of San Antonio, Texas, Zoey Matthiesen of Canton, South Dakota, and Paige and Destiny Kubesh of Luverne; a sister, Gerardina “Carrie” (George) Hazuka of Lake Andes, South Dakota; a niece; and other relatives.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Shirley Van Maanen in 2003; his parents; a brother-in-law, Howard Petersen; and a nephew, Harlen Petersen.
Arrangements were provided by Hartquist Funeral Home of Luverne, hartquistfuneral.com.
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