MeetingsVienna Township Board will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 10, in the Kenneth Community Center.
Ag webinars coming in January
The University of Minnesota Extension is presenting four webinars on introductory farm transition and estate planning each Wednesday in January.
Topics include:
•Jan. 4: Developing farm transistion goals and assembling your “team.”
•Jan. 11: All things tax: gifting, selling and transferring.
•Jan. 18: Wills, trusts, ownership titling — what does it all mean?
•Jan. 25: Putting the basics together: estate, retirement, health care and business transfer planning.
Register at https://z.umn.edu/23FarmTransition. Registration is necessary to receive a link to each session.
For more information contact Dave Bau, extension educator, ag business management, Worthington, 507-372-3900 ext. 3906.
 
Blue Mounds State Park offers January activities
•Meet in the Picnic Shelter from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, to learn about beavers, nature’s architects and America’s largest rodents.
Discover how these critters use their unique adaptations to play a valuable role on the landscape. The program will conclude with a short walk down to the creek to look for beaver activity.
•Meet in the Picnic Shelter from 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, for Winter Birding: Owls. Winter can be a great time to view owls. Find out what makes these wonderful birds so special and discover what species are in the backyard.
 
Library launches 50 States Book Challenge
The Rock County Library will launch its “50 States Book Challenge” beginning Jan. 1.
Library staff challenge residents to read 50 books in a yearlong challenge. Each book’s setting must be in a different state.
Various prizes are available based on the number of books read. Any reader who completes the 50 states will earn a grand prize.
Library staff have a list of book suggestions as well as log sheets available beginning Jan. 1.
 
Nutrition for seniors Jan. 5
Nutrition Assistance Program for Seniors 60 & older, sponsored by A.C.E. of SWMN, will be from 2 to 3 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 5.
The drive through distribution will be in the parking lot off Maple Street at the new A.C.E. office on east side of Generations Event Center. Pre-registration is required. Call Linda Wenzel at 507-283-5064.
 
Community Ed
Community Education will offer the following classes in the next few weeks. Call 507-283-4724 to register.
Registration for classes in the new Winter Brochure is now open.
ECFE Classes for children ages 0-5 years and parents offers information and support to parents and provides activities for parents and children to explore together through classes that meet once a week throughout the school year. 
Defensive Driving 8-hour class provides a 10 percent premium discount on auto insurance to anyone 55 years of age or older. The 8-hour class needs to be taken once and the insurance discount is good for three years.  A 4-hour refresher class can be taken every three years to remain eligible for the insurance discount.
New Residents: Census Information Needed for Preschool Children. Call 507-283-4724 with information for children ages 0 to kindergarten. The school district uses the information for planning purposes, mailing out information on school events, including the state-mandated Preschool Screening for all 3-year-old children. If your child is 4 and has not been screened, call to complete the screening before kindergarten.
 
Library Happenings
For more information about library happenings, call 507-449-5040 or email rockcountystaff@gmail.com.
Winter Book Club is currently being organized to meet at different local restaurants during January, February and March.
Trivia Night is at 7 p.m. the first Thursday of every month at Take 16 in Luverne. Team registration begins at 6 p.m.
Reminiscence Kits are available featuring various topics such as gardening, pets, baking, sewing, farming and hunting. The kits are designed to use with a loved one experiencing memory loss, encouraging the loved one to open up about activities they once loved in the past.
 
Food Shelf evening hours
The Rock County Food Shelf is now open for an additional evening shift from 5 to 6 p.m. the first and third Thursdays of the month. Call Mary at 507-227-5548 or Katie at 507-227-3531.
 
CoffeeBreak Bible Study meets Tuesdays
CoffeeBreak Bible Study meets each Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. at the Christian Reformed Church in Luverne. There will be StoryHour Bible stories and playtime for ages 3 to kindergarten, and a nursery is available. It’s free for all faiths and no prior Bible knowledge is necessary. Call Kristi Stroeh at 507-227-5102 or email atkristi.stroeh@hotmail.com
 
A.C.E. respite care available, volunteers needed
A.C.E. of SW Minnesota (A.C.E.) offers respite care services in Rock County for those needing a break from caring for a loved one.
The respite program offers short-term (1-3 hours), temporary care for families and caregivers by providing a brief period of reprieve from the daily cares they provide to their loved one.
Volunteers provide non-professional supportive services to caregivers to give them time for themselves, relieve their stress and help them remain healthy.
Respite care volunteers are also needed. Trained A.C.E. volunteers provide respite care to family caregivers of adults age 60 and older who are suffering from long-term health conditions.
Contact Linda Wenzel at 507-283-5064 or ace.rock@co.rock.mn.us.

The school district sign along Highway 75 in Luverne will soon be replaced with a larger, more modern sign, according to action at the city’s December Planning and Zoning meeting.
The commission approved a new sign that’s 20.5 feet high, 18.3 feet wide and two feet deep with a 10-by-18-foot Daktronic digital screen.
It will replace the existing 1990s structure that has a 2-by-10-foot screen that’s no longer working.
The new free-standing sign will be placed in the same vicinity as the old one.
ACE Signs, Sioux Falls, has the contract for the sign at $223,792. Cost is through a private donation received by the school.
Free-standing signs of this size and design along city boulevards require variance by way of a public hearing.
No one appeared at Tuesday’s hearing with concerns about the proposal, and the commission approved the school’s variance request.
The new sign will be installed this summer, pending any supply delays.

USDA Rural Development has funding availabile for very low- and low-income individuals and families seeking to purchase or repair a home in a rural area.
The Direct Home Loan program offers financing to qualified very-low and low-income applicants that are unable to qualify for traditional financing. No down payment is required, and the interest rate could be as low as one percent with a subsidy. Applicants must meet income and credit guidelines and demonstrate repayment ability. The program is available in rural communities of generally 35,000 people or less.
The maximum loan amount is $40,000 at a one percent interest rate, repayable for a 20-year term, and can be used to improve or modernize homes and do essential repairs. Grants of up to $10,000 are available to homeowners 62 and older and must be used to remove health or safety hazards, such as fixing a leaking roof, installing indoor plumbing, or replacing a furnace.
Time is limited to receive funds for the current fiscal year. Contact a USDA Rural Development Housing Specialist in your area today to see if you qualify.
Contact the USDA office in Marshall at: USDA Rural Development;
1424 E. College Drive,   Suite 500; Marshall, MN 56258-2090 / Call 507-537-1401 ext. 4
USDA Rural Development loans and grants provide assistance that supports infrastructure improvements, business development, housing, community services such as schools, public safety and health care, and high-speed internet access in rural areas.
For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/mn.

Renee Knobloch (left) and Harley Fransman hold plaques presented to them by Hills-Beaver Creek School District Board Chairman Arlyn Gehrke Dec. 27 at the district’s last meeting of 2022. Knobloch served four years on the board with Fransman serving 14 ½ years.

When the Luverne Cardinal Academies debut in January, all elective classes will have a career focus at Luverne High School.
Each elective the school offers is assigned to a career focus. Students who complete a set of electives in an area can receive recognition and skills to further their career choices.
“We want all students to have the opportunity to learn, explore and grow through the academy program,” said counselor Amy Cook.
“I remind students that everyone needs a plan after high school — no matter if you are at the top, middle, bottom of your class — everyone can benefit from being in an academy.”
Participation in the Cardinal Academies is voluntary.
Each of the school’s current elective courses is included in one or more of the five career clusters or academies: business, arts and communications, technical, health and service.
In each academy, students gain experience and connect and build relationships with local professionals. Upon completion (which takes two years), students are recognized at the spring awards banquet.
As freshmen, students are introduced to various careers and the academy program. They can apply for one or more academies beginning with their sophomore year.
Eight elective courses are necessary for successful completion of an academy along with a capstone project at the end of the second year.
Representatives from the Minnesota Private Industry Council, scheduled during the school’s Flex Time, help with interview tips, résumé building and other job-finding skills.
As seniors, students can finish electives or opt into a second academy.
“For some students, it is going to allow them to explore what possible careers are available,” Cook said.
“This may allow them to find a career field, but for other students it may help them see what they don’t want to do.”
High school staff brought the academies idea to Cook and high school principal Ryan Johnson three years ago.
An exploratory committee toured a high school with an academy system and made simple changes that led to the five-academy initiative.
Cook and Johnson oversee each student’s class schedule and encourage students to apply to the academy.
Johnson made a YouTube video explaining the academy concept to parents and students.
“We want them to aim for something,” Johnson said.
“We want all kids to start processing and thinking through what their future is going to be and what their pursuits are after high school — whether it is college, apprenticeship programs, the trades, or even to get into the workforce.”
While application is necessary for Cardinal Academies, no student is turned away.
According to Cook, “Any student that applies will be accepted into the academy.”

At the end of every year, various publications, websites, etc. have their “Top 10” or “Top 5” list for that year. In this issue of “Focus on Ag,” I am highlighting my “Top 5 Ag Topics” for 2022, based on issues that were discussed in the columns throughout the year. Following are my “Top 5 Ag Topics” for 2022.
 
Strong U.S. net farm income levels continue in 2022
Based on the data in the latest “2022 Farm Income Forecast” that was released by the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) in early December, U.S. net farm income is expected to increase by $19.5 billion or 12.8 percent above 2021 levels, which followed an increase of over 40 percent in 2021 as compared to 2020 net farm income levels. The estimated 2022 net farm income is now estimated at $160.5 billion.
In the recent farm income report, USDA estimated the total U.S. net cash income for 2022 at $187.9 billion, which is an increase of $39.7 billion or 26.7 percent from a year earlier. When adjusted for inflation, the 2022 net farm income is the highest since 1973, while net cash income would be at the highest level since USDA began tracking this data in 1929. Net cash income includes cash receipts from all farm-related income, including government payments, minus cash expenses for the year. Net farm income is accrual-based, which includes income adjustments for changes in inventories, depreciation, and rental income.
The very strong improvement in U.S. farm income levels that began in 2021 and continued through 2022 are considerably higher than farm income levels from 2014-2020. The improvement in 2021 and 2022 net farm income has largely been driven by continued strong commodity prices for crops and livestock, strong export markets, and better than expected crop yields in some areas. By comparison, the positive U.S. net farm income levels in 2019 and 2020 were largely driven by very high levels of government farm program payments, which included payments for trade-disruption and COVID-related payments, as well as some traditional farm program payments and disaster payments.         
 
Inflation and rapidly increasing farm input costs
Almost every input cost for crop and livestock production increased in 2022 compared to expense levels in 2021, and expenses are likely to increase again in 2023. Much of the focus has been in higher fertilizer costs for corn, which doubled for many producers in 2022, compared to average 2021 fertilizer costs. Input costs in 2022 were also significantly higher for crop chemicals, diesel fuel, propane, repairs, custom work, and labor. In addition, the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank increased the prime interest rate from 3.25 percent at the beginning of 2022 to 7.5 percent by year-end in December, which will likely result in significantly higher interest costs for many farm operators in 2023. The cost of farm equipment and other capital improvements has also increased substantially in 2022 from a year earlier, which will likely increase depreciation and other overhead costs in the coming years.
The combination of significantly higher crop input costs, along with increasing land rental rates, will likely put more pressure on crop breakeven price levels for 2023. Using typical crop input expenses, other direct costs, average overhead expenses, together with a land rental rate of $275 per acre and a targeted return to the farm operator of $50 per acre, the breakeven price on cash rented acres to cover direct and overhead expenses for corn in the Upper Midwest for 2023 will likely be around $5.50 to $6.00 per bushel. This compares to corn breakeven levels of $5.00 to $5.25 per bushel in 2022 and $3.75 to $4.00 per bushel in 2021. The breakeven soybean price to cover the cost of production and $275 per acre land rent in 2023 will likely be about $12.00 to $13.00 per bushel, which compares to soybean breakeven levels of $11.00-$11.50 per bushel in 2022 and $9.00-$9.50 per acre in 2021.
 
Strong grain prices continue in 2022
As in most years, where farmers were positioned in the grain market and the grain marketing decisions that were made by farm operators will have a big impact on the profit levels for their crop enterprise in 2022. Both corn and soybean markets have remained quite strong throughout most of 2022, due to increased demand both for domestic uses and for export markets, especially to China. The “basis” level between Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) prices and local corn and soybean prices has remained extremely tight in many areas of the Upper Midwest due to strong local demand and tight grain supplies, which has also enhanced grain marketing opportunities during the year.
“New crop” cash corn price bids in southern Minnesota were near $5.25 per bushel early in 2022, before rising to near $7.00 per bushel by April and staying above $6.00 per bushel for the remainder of the year. The cash corn price was above $6.50 per bushel in mid-December. The 2022 “new crop” cash soybean bids in southern Minnesota started the year at $12.50-$12.80 per bushel and rose to near $15.00 per bushel by late April, before finishing the year in the $13-$14 per bushel range from July to December. The cash soybean prices were above $14.25 per bushel in mid-December at many locations.
USDA is currently estimating the average farm prices for the 2022-23 marketing year, which ends on Sept. 30, 2023, at $6.70 per bushel for corn and $14.00 per bushel for soybeans. The current forward price bids being offered in many areas for the Fall of 2023 are near $5.50 per bushel for corn and $13.25 per bushel for soybeans.
 
Variable crop yields across the Midwest
Some crop farmers in southern Minnesota and northern Iowa would categorize 2022 crop yields as “better than expected.” Following a somewhat late planting season, favorable growing conditions for both corn and soybeans allowed crops in many areas to make rapid progress. Weather conditions turned very hot and dry from late May through July. Many portions of this region only received 50-75 percent of the normal growing season precipitation from May 1 through Sept. 30, and much of that came in mid-August or later. However, the combination, of excellent planting conditions, no-drown-out loss, timely rainfall, and above normal growing degree units resulted in average to above average corn and soybean yields for the year in some portions of the region.
On the other hand, Mother Nature was not kind to many producers in Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota, and Western Iowa, as well as in portions of western Minnesota, as producers in those areas experienced some of the worst drought conditions since 2012, and in some cases the worst drought since 1988. The drought in these areas resulted in corn and soybean yields that were 20-30 percent or more below APH yields. The drought also resulted in very low hay and pasture production, which led to many cow/calf producers in the region being forced to liquidate a portion of their beef herd.
 
Sharp increases in land values
Iowa State University recently released the “2022 Farmland Survey” results, which showed that average farmland values in Iowa increased by 17 percent in 2022 as compared to 2021 farmland value. The rather large percentage increase in annual land values this year came one year after a 29 percent increase in 2021, which was the second highest on record, trailing only a 32.5 percent increase in 2013. The 2022 average farmland value in Iowa was $11,411 per acre, compared to $9,751 in 2021 and $7,559 per acre in 2020.
            The 2022 average is at the highest nominal land value since Iowa State began surveying land values in 1941. Recent U.S. Federal Reserve data reported year-over-year average annual land value increases in the third quarter of 2022 at 30 percent in North Dakota, 27 percent in Kansas, 24 percent in Minnesota, 22 percent in Iowa, 20 percent in Nebraska and Illinois, 13 percent in South Dakota, and 12 percent in Wisconsin. The higher land values were largely driven by high farm profit levels in 2021 and 2022. 
For additional information contact Kent Thiesse, Farm Management Analyst and Sr. Vice President, MinnStar Bank, Lake Crystal, MN.  Or call 507- 381-7960;  email kent.thiesse@minnstarbank.com); website is http://www.minnstarbank.com/

It’s that time of the year for our 2023 New Year’s resolutions.
If you find yourself in or near Luverne, you don’t have to look far.
If you’re looking for a place to start a resolution to be more fit, I’d recommend the Luverne Aquatics Center.
Sam Honerman and her staff can help you reach your fitness goals.
The facility is quite amazing. You can do anything from water walking to lap swimming, weightlifting, yoga, bike riding, treadmills, senior dance, kick boxing and more.
They’ll teach you how to use the equipment and give you nutritional advice. 
If you prefer fewer people and a more private setting, the Luverne Power and Fitness on Main Street has great exercise equipment as well.
Membership costs at both places are reasonable and senior citizens can probably get in free as part of their Medicare Advantage plans.
Mental health experts encourage us to turn off social media, Netflix and iPhones and to get outside more.
Humans are made to interact with others, and if your resolution is to socialize more and experience new things that are good for your brain, check out a Green Earth Players production at The Palace Theatre.
Play bingo or trivia at Take 16 Brewing. 
Visit the library and enjoy all the fun activities there.
And don’t forget about The Loop for walking or biking.
Generations has fun activities for everyone including quilting, cards, meals and games.
Get out and cheer on our high school athletes, whether at the gym or ice arena. We have wonderful youth who would appreciate your support.
A few places to find upcoming activities include Luverneevents.com, the community events listings in The Announcer and/or the recently distributed Luverne Community Education catalog.
If your resolution for 2023 involves more focus on spiritual health, Luverne is also the place to come.
Consider joining a church or being more active in your current church.
Plan more focused time with your family members.
Register as a volunteer with A.C.E. of SW Minnesota.
Sign up a big brother/sister or just help a neighbor.
If you have a little extra in the nest egg, consider a local gift to the Luverne Community Foundation (LACF). They hand out dollars to well deserving area nonprofits that involve bettering your health, experiencing new events or having some fun.
Good luck with your New Year’s resolutions and have a happy and healthy 2023.

While I try not to use words that cliché, I know that’s what it sounds like to others when I say things like “When we were in school …” or “Back in the ’90s”…
As I get older, I find myself saying things like that more often.
Sometimes these statements are just for fun. An attempt to entertain.
Other times they are simply sharing a memory that makes me feel good.
Often, though, it’s the history teacher in me coming out.
My unsolicited trips down memory lane are usually intended to educate.
My niece and nephew, my students, really any younger people, or even people “new to Luverne” (which means less than 25 years or so) are often recipients of these mini history lessons.
I might tell them how we used to do things at Luverne High School when I was a student at the school I teach at now.
Or maybe I tell fellow church members how I remember a particular tradition happening the exact same way when I was a kid.
Often my reminiscences may be intended to inform others about how things were better in the past. Nostalgia is a big part of “back in my day” stories after all.
Maybe more often, though, I’ve recently found my “When I was your age …” comments shining a more positive light on today.
“When I was your age, we had to listen to K101 and wait for the DJ to read the school closings. Sometimes we had to listen to 15 minutes or more of classic country music before we heard!
“When I was in school, we had to eat lunch down in the basement and only had two choices to pick from.
“In the ’90s, we had to go to the library and look in a card catalog and check out all these books to do research. And if another kid had the book checked out, we were out of luck.
“Years ago, you had to actually go to the game, the concert, the church service, etc. to be able to watch it and you only saw it or heard it once.”
Now, of course, we get text messages for school closings. Students have multiple choices for lunch in a large commons with two-story windows. 
There is unlimited free research information on the internet, and we can watch most games and concerts and even church from the comfort of our homes.
Maybe “back in my day” wasn’t always the best. Maybe there’s a lot of good now if we just notice it.
Of course, the other most common topic for the “When I was your age ...” stories is massive snow amounts when we were young.
“We don’t have winters like that anymore,” people are known to say. 
 
After these last few weeks, I’m not sure the old days won in that category either.

Question:  How do you determine if your tires are unsafe for winter driving?
Answer:  Over the years, I have investigated numerous crashes where worn tires were a contributing factor. Tires with inadequate tread depth may cause your vehicle to skid or slide out of control on a slippery or wet road surface. It is important to remember that unsafe tires can hydroplane on both wet and snow covered roadways.
When losing control of your vehicle, you can easily go off the road and into the ditch, or into oncoming traffic, possibly causing serious injury or death.
According to Minnesota State Statute 169.723 a tire shall be considered unsafe if it has:
(1) Any part of the ply or cord exposed; or
(2) Any bump, bulge or separation; or
(3) a tread design depth of less than 2/32 (1/16) of an inch measured in the tread groove nearest the center of the tire at three locations equally spaced around the circumference of the tire, exclusive of  tie bars or for those tires with tread wear indicators; or
(4) Been worn to the level of the tread wear indicators in any two tread grooves at three locations; or
(5) A marking “not for highway use,” or “for racing purposes only,” or “unsafe for highway use;” or
(6) Tread or sidewall cracks, cuts or snags deep enough to expose the body cords.
My best advice is to keep an eye on your tires.  Check your tire pressure often as it can be as much as 50 percent underinflated before it is visibly noticeable. Use a pressure gauge to check each tire and know what your pressure should be. Routine maintenance is good insurance; rotate, balance and be sure that your vehicle is correctly aligned, according to your vehicle owner’s manual. 
Taking a few seconds to walk around your vehicle before leaving for your destination can pay off, potentially keeping you from getting into a crash. Speaking from personal and professional experience, the “snow” tires I run at this time of the year have made all the difference throughout some of the deepest snow and treacherous conditions. I would not want to be without them. Having a set of tires with good, legal tread depth will increase your chances of not being involved in a crash, especially when the weather and road conditions become poor.
You can avoid a ticket — and a crash — if you simply buckle up, drive at safe speeds, pay attention and always drive sober.  Help us drive Minnesota toward zero deaths.
If you have any questions concerning traffic-related laws or issues in Minnesota, send your questions to Sgt. Troy Christianson – Minnesota State Patrol at 2900 48th Street NW, Rochester MN 55901-5848.  (Or reach him at, Troy.Christianson@state.mn.us)