The Stevens County Times
Stevens County Times Extra
Saturday, July 27, 2019 1
at the
FAIR
Volunteers dedicated to best fair possible By Rae Yost Stevens County Times
D
uring the week of July 14 Stevens County Fair Board members and other volunteers were busy working on facility improvements at the fairgrounds for the Aug.6-11 fair. Board chairman Ryan Sleiter was working on the fairgrounds that week when he stopped to see one of the improvements. “It looks fantastic,” Sleiter said of the
upgraded restroom on the end of the fairgrounds near where the carnival midway sets up. “It’s a huge improvement,” Sleiter said of the restroom. A concrete restroom may not be flashy but it’s an important improvement for the thousands of folks who are at the fair each year, he said. The restroom upgrade is just one of the facility improvements on the fairgrounds.
FAIR: Page 3
Harris teaches 4-Hers about showing, training hogs By Rae Yost Stevens County Times When Al Harris matches a hog with a 4-Her he’s making a commitment. “I’ve got an investment and an
interest in how the kid does,” Harris said. Harris is involved with the 4-H members and their hogs from the time of sale through showing at the Stevens County Fair. Several 4-H
members will be showing Harris’ hogs at this years fair from Aug. 6-11. “He (works with kids) from the breeding all the way to showing the hogs,” Pat Smith said. Smith and her husband Mark’s three
kids Bennett, Carter and MaKenzie, all worked with Harris and his hogs. Harris will have about eight 4-H members from Stevens County and other counties showing hogs they bought from him
this year. “It’s been as high as 15 or 16,” Harris said. Harris is around 80, so the past few couple of years he’s wanted to keep the numbers to a more manageable single digits. He’s been supplying
hogs and instruction for a number of years. When he started it was more common to visit the sites where the 4-H member was raising the hog.
HARRIS: Page 4
Abner Sales Everything for Fertilizer & Chemical Application
320-589-1922
001757166r1
900 Atlantic Avenue Morris
513 North Hwy. 29, Benson, MN 1-800-450-6666
Home of the People Lover! Your symbol for service, quality and value in Morris. Crackling crisp fruits & vegetables Meals to go at Willie’s Deli Fresh groceries, meats, bakery, frozen foods and dairy
Open 7am to 10pm - 7 days a week 25 East 7th Street, Morris (320)589-4040
Alexandria • 763-6622 Morris • 320-589-1424 Brandon • 834-2249 Bremer.com Bremer.com Member FDIC Member FDIC
2019 Stevens County Fair
2 Saturday, July 27, 2019
The Stevens County Times
Schedule of Events Tuesday, August 6
11-5 Project Build MN – build a birdhouse 11:30am - 4-H Dairy Show Noon-9:00pm - Lee Center Booths Open 1:00pm - Family Fun Show Carnival Opens 3 shows – Magic Joe Productions 3 shows - The Strong Man 2:30pm - 4-H Beef Show BMX Mega Jump Shows 5-6pm Storck Bandshell: Red Letter Band 7:00pm – Denco II Enduro Race @ Grandstands 8 - Midnight – Red Letter Band @ Met Lounge Beer Gardens
5:00pm - Fair Appreciation Supper --Spirit of MN Tribute Bell Program 7:30pm - 4-H Companion Animal Show 7:30pm - Tonic Sol-fa @ Grandstands Advance tickets available at Willie’s Supervalu
Wednesday, August 7 All Day - Rockin J Petting Zoo & Pony Rides All Day - Spirit of Minnesota Tribute Bell 8am-5pm - Open Class Entry Day 10:00am - Food Concessions Open 2:00pm - Open Beef Show 7:00pm - 8:00 pm - Homemakers Entry 1 show - The Strong Man 2 shows - Magic Joe Productions 6:00pm - 4-H Rabbit Show
Saturday, August 10 All Day - Rockin J Petting Zoo & Pony Rides All Day - Spirit of Minnesota Tribute Bell 9:00am - 4-H Round Robin 10:00am - Food Concessions Open 12-9:00pm - Lee Center Booths Open 1:00pm - Family Fun Show Carnival Opens 1:00pm - 4-H Livestock Auction 3 shows – Brodini Comedy Magic Show 3 shows - The Strong Man BMX Mega Jump Shows 7:00pm – Dacotah Bank MN Xtreme Bull Riding @ Grandstands 8-Midnight – Shane Martin Band @ Met Lounge Beer Gardens
Thursday, August 8 All Day - Rockin J Petting Zoo & Pony Rides All Day - Spirit of Minnesota Tribute Bell 8-11:00am - Homemakers Entry 9-11:00am - Daycare Day 4 shows – Magic Joe Productions 10:00am - Food Concessions Open 10:00am - 4-H Poultry Show 1:30pm - 4-H Goat Show 3 shows - The Strong Man 4:00pm - Family Fun Show Carnival Opens * Freddie Justice Comedy Hypnosis Show 5-9:00pm - Lee Center Booths Open 5:30pm - 4-H Lamb Lead 6:00pm - 4-H Sheep Show 6-10:00pm - Family Fun Show - Wristband Night ($20) 7:30pm - Lawnmower Demo Derby in Grandstands * Freddie Justice Comedy Hypnosis Show 4:30pm - Storck Bandshell: Nick Moser
Sunday, August 11 All Day - Rockin J Petting Zoo & Pony Rides All Day - Spirit of Minnesota Tribute Bell 10-Noon - 4-H Fun Horse Show 10:00am - Food Concessions Open 10:00am - Church Service Noon - 4-H Rabbit Costume Class 12-8:00pm - Lee Center Booths Open 1:00pm - Family Fun Show Carnival Opens 3 shows – Brodini Comedy Magic Show 3 shows - The Strong Man 1:30/3:30/5pm - Sherwin Linton 5:00pm - Bike Drawing @ Info Booth 6:00pm - Heartland Motors Demo Derby
Friday, August 9 All Day – Rockin J Petting Zoo & Pony Rides All Day – Spirit of Minnesota Tribute Bell 8:00am - 4-H Swine Show 10:00am - Food Concessions Open
001757827r1
West Central Implement 1100 Atlantic Ave., Morris
215 Atlantic Ave, Morris (320) 589-3553
320-589-3696
001757830r1
Your Partner in Agricultural Energy Needs
See you at The 2019 Stevens Your Partner in Agricultural Energy County Fair Agralite assists our members with:
(320) 842-5960 170 Hwy. 9 NW Benson, MN
$ Lighting efficiency and rebates $ Farm energy strategy $ Variable Frequency Drives (VFD’s) Agralite assists our members with: $ Agricultural ventilation milk cooling $ LightingYour efficiency and rebates $ Efficient grain drying$ DairyEnergy Partner in Agricultural Needs $ ENERGY STAR Appl $ Farm energy strategy $ Irrigation energy Agralite assists our members with: Ground source and air $ Variable Frequency Drives milk cooling $$Lighting and rebates $$Dairy Dairyefficiency milk cooling $ ENERGY STAR Appliances energy strategy heat pumps (VFD’s) $$Farm ENERGY $ Ground source and air source $ Variable FrequencySTAR Drives Appliances $ Custom energy efficie $ Agricultural ventilation pumps heat $(VFD’s) Ground source and airheat source pumps $ Custom energy efficiency Agricultural ventilation project grants $ Efficient $grain drying Custom energy efficiency grants projectproject grants Efficient grain drying $ Irrigation$$energy
HHVETSERVICE.COM Kathleen Jost, DVM • Melissa Nelson DVM • Paul Syverson DVM • Jaclyn Carlson Van Lith, DMV
$ Irrigation energy
AgraliteElectric Electric Cooperative Agralite Cooper P.O. Box 228, East Hwy. 12 • Benson, MN
P.O. Box 228, East Hwy. 12843-4150 • Benson (320) or 1-800-950-8375 (320) 843-4
2019 Stevens County Fair
The Stevens County Times
FAIR From Page 1
Volunteers have repainted the floors of the open class building and the homemaker’s club exhibit building. The hog barn was also repainted. “The horse barn will have more ventilation. We’ve added 14 fans that are 42 inches,”
Sleiter said. “Those will be pushing a lot of air.” The fair board also decided to add two portable hand washing stations, Sleiter said. These stations will have running water, he said. Sleiter said a carpenter and retired plumber offered to build the portable stations. The improvements on the fairgrounds are paid for with proceeds from
fees charged to vendors, donations, admission prices and sponsorships. Sometimes, vendors and people will ask what the board does with all the money it receives, Sleiter said. “We’re not rolling in money. Every dollar...goes into the (fair and fairgrounds).” The fair organization now has 5013c status which means donors can apply donations to tax
deductions, Sleiter said. “It will make it easier for people to give,” Sleiter said. While money is used for improvements at the fairgrounds, it’s also used for entertainment. The fair has free admission and lots of the entertainment is free to visitors. Sleiter said The Strongman and Brodini are two of the acts
Saturday, July 27, 2019 3
returning to the free stage entertainment this year. Both are back by popular demand, he said. Brodini will be making at least his seventh appearance, Sleiter said. “He draws a crowd,” Sleiter said. “Two years ago we did not have him, and parents asked us ‘Where’s Brodini? Our kids love him.’” Brodini will be at the fair for two days and another magician, Magic Joe, will be at the fair on other days, Sleiter said. Some of the paid entertainment has changed this year. The fair will have a lawn mower demolition derby this year. A lawnmower derby is like a car demolition derby as lawnmowers smash into each other. Sleiter said fair officials were contacted by a Big Stone County Fair official who said he had interested participants who were willing to compete in Stevens County, he said. That official even volunteered to help with a Stevens County Fair derby so the local board agreed, Sleiter said. While volunteers were working during the week of July 14, volunteers also work year-round on the fair, Sleiter said. When asked to estimate how many volunteer hours are logged between fairs, Sleiter said it had
to be “hundreds of thousands of hours. To be honest that morning after the fair, we start planning for the next one.” “It takes a lot of work,” board member Mary Hill said. But, “we work together well. We have fun together,” she said. The work doesn’t end when the fair starts. Volunteers are working at the fair each day. Depending on the day, some volunteers may start as early as 6 a.m. and stop at 11 p.m., he said. The volunteers work because they are passionate about the fair, Sleiter said. Volunteers want the best fair possible, he said. It may be long hours and hard work but there is a satisfaction in it. “For me, it’s about three o’clock on Saturday afternoon seeing all the people visiting and enjoying as snow cone or cotton candy or steak on a stick.” A scene like shows that volunteers are doing their job, Sleiter said. The state fair may boast that it’s the great Minnesota get together, Sleiter said he likes to think of the Stevens County Fair as the great west central Minnesota get together.
001757690r1
Rentals of all kinds! Check us out! See us for all your hardware, painting, sporting goods and houseware needs!
710 Atlantic Avenue Morris
589-3822
20 Industrial Blvd Morris, MN 56267
Joe & Deb Peterson
Productive Yields Are in Your Future
With the right loan, you can purchase land, livestock equipment, feed, seed, and supplies, or use the extra money to construct buildings or make farm improvements. Talk to us today about your plans for enhancing production levels on your farm, and what we can do to help.
• Home Loans • Consumer Loans • Farm & Business • CDs & IRAs Loans • Checking Accounts We have a number of attractive loan programs with competitive rates and flexible terms to meet your agribusiness needs.
61904 State Hwy 28, Chokio
Schedule your tour today
Phone: (320)324-7171 Fax: (320)324-7173
hooterslumber@fedteldirect.net
001757825r1
Hancock Office 320-392-5278 www.comdevbank.com
001757804r1
www.riverviewllp.com
Owners: Joe & Jean Kohout Manager: Jay Lindahl 001757782r1
2019 Stevens County Fair
4 Saturday, July 27, 2019
HARRIS From Page 1
These days, he’s more likely to get a text from a parent or 4-H member, with questions about the hog or with updates. The Smith kids all sent text messages to Harris when they were working with hogs. “He always answered questions,” Smith said. Harris has a couple of guidelines for selling hogs to 4-H members. “I won’t let a pig off here alone,” Harris said of not selling one hog to one 4-H member. And he always wants a parent to be involved with the 4-H member and the hog. He wants 4-H members to get more than one hog because “It gives the 4-Her more opportunities to show,” Harris said. If the kid doesn’t do as well in one class, he gets another chance with a second pig, he said. “Hogs are competitive, they like a little bit of competition,” Harris said. So, it’s important to have at least one other pig around. Pigs like another pig’s company. You end up with healthier hogs,” he said. The instruction from Harris starts the day the 4-H-er is looking the hogs. “I spend an hour or two in the barn with them,” Harris said of when the 4-H member
and a parent arrive on his farm. “He’s really good at what to look for when picking an animal,” Smith said. “I will ask them if they have a source of feed and what is it,” Harris said. “I spend a lot of time on health issues.” Harris wants the 4-Her and their adult to understand what’s involved in raising show hogs. The instruction continues after the hogs are bought. Harris will remind them of health issues. “Every spring, I tell them to get a source of straw if they can and bed them,” Harris said. They also need to keep drafts off the hogs in early spring, he said. Harris said it’s disappointing if the kids are too focused on obtaining a hog that is a winner. “They don’t look at the educational side,” Harris said. “What am I going to learn from this?” Harris said showing pigs and other 4-H projects teach kids so many skills that they will use throughout life. He doesn’t want them to miss the full opportunity that comes with showing hogs. Harris missed his own opportunity back in high school when an instructor asked him about joining FFA. He was a town kid who didn’t understand the benefits and the teacher didn’t explain them. Years earlier, he
SEE YOU AT THE FAIR!
had missed another chance at learning when a group of town kids that raised and showed pigeons were rejected in a request to form a club
and join 4-H. While, “I can tell you what to do and show you, in the end, you have to get out there and perform,” Harris said of what he
The Stevens County Times
stresses to 4-H kids. “He wants the kids to do well,” Smith said. And, Harris always tries to watch as many of the 4-H kids show those
hogs in Stevens County or in a neighboring county. He’s happy to know he’s given them an opportunity to learn.
• Feed • Grain • Milling
5 East State Hwy 28 Morris, MN 56267 320.585.4000
Faucets• Tiolets • Tiolets •• Sinks Sinks ••Tubs Faucets Tubs• Furnaces • Furnaces WaterHeaters Heaters •• Air Water AirConditioners Conditioners
MOHRPlumbing Plumbing and Heating MOHR and Heating
001757786r1
canrepair...we repair...we can WeWecan canreplace! replace!
www. grandstaymorris. com
001757772r1
Independent Farmers Agricultural Services, LLC
24913 Cty Rd 1, Hancock (320) 392-5927 • 877-303-3587
46400 St. Hwy. 28 •Morris, MN 56267-4507
46400 St. Hwy. 28 •Morris, MNof56267-4507 Morris, Inc. of Morris, 320-589-1006 • Phil Harpstead, Owner Inc.
320-589-1006 • Phil Harpstead, Owner
320-589-4033 605 West 5th Street morrisvetcenter.com morrisvet@fedtel.net
Aaron M. Rokey DVM Marcia C. Barck DVM
Complete Livestock and Companion Animal Care
INNOVATIVE
VETERINARY
SOLUTIONS A swine-exclusive veterinary clinic offering customized solutions for your business. Serving pork producers since 1998.
601Atlantic Atlantic Ave., 601 Ave.,Morris Morris (320) 589-3933 (320) 589-3933 mcginnisappliance.com mcginnisappliance.com
001558806r1
001757786r1
621 Pacific Avenue Morris, MN 56267 (320)589-0111
www.suidaehp.com