Country Messenger 06.24.2020

COUNTRY

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2020

Serving Marine on St. Croix, Scandia, May Township

VOL. 37 NO. 08 www.countrymessenger.com $.75

BUSINESS EXPANSIONS : Council approves. PAGE 2

Socially distanced Founders Day Soirée coming in August

BY C.L. SILL EDITOR@COUNTRYMESSENGER.COM

ELIN BOURNE

Party on the patio Patrons of the Brookeside Bar and Grill enjoy an evening of dancing to the music of Christopher Snyder and friends last Wednesday.

Coronavirus wreaks havoc on dairy farms

The Founders Day Soirée will still take place this year on August 20 in Marine On St. Croix.

But, like everything else these days, it will bend its knee to COVID-19 regulations.

The second annual event will look different than the inaugural celebration last summer, but will still feature many of the same activities.

The event was inspired by a popular French celebration called Soirée en Blanc, or party in white.

“It’s basically kind of a pop up dinner party,” said Charlie Anderson, who helps organize the Founders Day event. “There’s a secret invite and everybody wears white and shows up at a predetermined time. There’s usually live music and dancing and then at a certain time, everybody packs up and poof, they’re gone, just like they’d never been there. So that’s kind of the concept that it’s based on.”

BY DAN JOHNSON STAFF WRITER

In Wisconsin, dairy’s kind of a big deal. Whether it’s the creamer for your morning coffee or the shredded parmesan on a spaghetti dinner, dairy seems to work itself into every part of the day. That’s why we celebrate June Dairy Month every year to show our local farmers some love.

Dairy Month started in 1937 as an incentive for people to drink more milk during the warmer months in summer, as dairy farmers had a surplus of milk that might have gone to waste. Now, over 80 years later, the situation seems very familiar. Coronavirus lockdowns intended to keep people safe and healthy have caused major dairy distributors to close their

SUBMITTED

The Marine on St. Croix Founders Day event will return in 2020, but will follow pandemic guidelines.

DAN JOHNSON

Dairy month began in 1937 and is celebrated nationwide every June.

doors. Now, farmers face one of the largest drops in sales they’ve ever seen. That leaves them with a lot of milk that’s going nowhere.

Lisa Erickson, the plant manager of Crystal Ball Farms in Osceola,

Anderson and the other organizers mixed that idea with the founding of Marine on St. Croix, and came up with the Founder’s Day Soirée. Marine was discovered as a suitable

SEE FARMS PAGE 2

SEE FOUNDERS, PAGE 2

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FOUNDERS: Event returns FROM PAGE 1

location for a sawmill in 1838, but the mill wasn’t actually founded until a year later. “The first log came off the first commercial sawmill in what was the territory of Minnesota on August 24, 1839,� Anderson said. “So the event commemorates the cutting of the first lumber at what would become Marine Mills and then eventually Marine on St. Croix.�

The event will feature all the happenings of a SoirĂŠe en Blanc, with some added midwestern flavor.

There will be food, games and live music from the Riverside Hitmen. Guests are encouraged to wear white or, if they’re feeling a little more locally inspired, dress like a lumberjack. A white pine log will be cut with an old fashioned handsaw and will be branded with the year 1839 to commemorate the founders.

The event will be held in Burris Park and will begin at 7 p.m. Tables will all be spaced six feet apart and social distancing will be encouraged.

Anderson is excited to celebrate the history of Marine and the founding of the mill, but said the event is about remembering other pieces of Minnesota history as well. “This is a celebration, but it’s also important to remember we had a large forested area of the state that built the homes along the whole upper Midwest, down through Ohio and Illinois and Indiana, and we lost a pretty substantial forest at the same time,� he said. “Not to take anything away from the ingenuity or the industry of lumber, but it’s also about knowing that we need to take care of our forests and natural resources.�

The history of indigenous people that called Marine home long before the lumber industry showed up is also part of the celebration. “The folks that came up certainly weren’t the first people here,� Anderson said. “So the event is also about thinking about the history of the indigenous peoples that lived in the area as well.�

Anderson and the rest of the organizers considered cancelling the event in light of the ongoing pandemic, but decided they could largely mitigate the risk. “Really with this being what it is and having the outdoor space in Burris Park and the ability to socially distance, we felt we could hold this event safely,� Anderson said. “And we thought if we could also contribute to a sense of community that it was really important to do so, to reconnect as neighbors and friends.�

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY Laura Collier of Marine on St. Croix graduated with a bachelor of science degree in Construction Engineering. Maria Hoffdahl of Scandia has been named to the spring semester Dean’s List.

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN – RIVER FALLS The following students were named to the spring semester Dean’s List. Marine on St. Croix: Daniel Onufer and Megan Ramberg. Scandia: Savannah Hervig, Jaelon Olson and Mason Olson.

GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS Brooke Copeland of Scandia has been named to the spring semester Dean’s List.

Scandia Marine Lions 2020 Scholarship Recipients Koehler, Grant Kromer, Emma Kronmiller, Steven Lamppa, Maxwell Stiles, Annica Strupp, Adam Taylor, Faith Tomas, Morgan

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Permits for two businesses granted

BY KYLE WEAVER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Three small businesses are looking to open or further expand their operations in Scandia.

The Scandia City Council approved a pair of permit applications for two businesses last week and tabled a third, in order to gather additional information.

Rustic Roots Winery, owned

by Andrea and Greg Sandaeger, received a conditional use permit from the city.

The 80-acre winery operation at 20168 St. Croix Trail will eventually feature commercial grape cultivation and processing, wine-making, tours, tasting and retail sales.

The business is expected to employ up to 20 people and can host crowds of up to 150 people at a time during weekday and weekend hours.

The council also allowed the winery operation up to six special events per year.

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to four smaller weddings in a day, each between two to four hours long.

City Planner Merritt ClappSmith said the proposal would likely lessen the neighborhood impacts of the business overall, in terms of traffic, outdoor lighting and the use of amplified music. Roughly the same number of people would be allowed at the site throughout the day as opposed to one large group attending a single wedding or reception.

The Gaceks told the council they requested the permit changes because they anticipate the wedding business will be trending toward smaller gatherings in light of COVID-19. “We honestly feel that there’s a bend in the road coming,� Jeff Gacek said.

The council granted the business’s annual permit and also instructed the city’s planning commission to consider changing the city’s ordinance to allow the wedding barn to operate under a one-time conditional use permit, instead of having to obtain a permit annually.

Redeemed Farm Because of the challenges brought on by the pandemic, Redeemed Farm owners Jeff and Julie Gacek sought city approval to expand their wedding barn operation in new ways.

In lieu of hosting one wedding a day, the business can now host up

Better Place Forests Scandia’s first-ever “conservation memorial forest� could be coming to 112 acres of undeveloped woodlands between Big Marine Lake and Fish Lake, north of Lakamaga Trail.

A San Francisco-based start-up

company called Better Place Forests is seeking a permit to install and operate on land currently owned by Janice Riermann.

The memorial forest, which operates somewhat like a cemetery, promises to ensure that the tract of land would stay forested and undeveloped permanently.

Instead of selling traditional burial plots and gravestones, the company dedicates trees within the forest with small memorial markers and accepts cremated remains to be mixed with the soils beneath the dedicated trees.

Improvements to the site would be limited to a small building for a shelter and bathrooms and 14 parking spaces.

Though seeming to be in favor of the concept overall, the council raised several questions at its June 16 meeting that led them to table the proposal until July.

Clapp-Smith noted that city code does not specifically allow “conservation memorial forests� and suggested the proposal could be evaluated under its rules for cemeteries.

Mayor Christine Maefsky wondered whether the city might be getting more than it bargained for with the proposal—as she believes they did in allowing commercial solar gardens a few years ago.

The council also observed that the proposal promises, but does not SEE COUNCIL, PAGE 5

FARMS: COVID-19 pandemic continues to effect dairy farms FROM PAGE 1

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

Day, Samuel Douglas, Kaia Feidt, Samantha Gemuenden, Kate Glumack, Taylor Halley, Grace Jackomino, Isabella Jankowski, Alexander Johnson, Sydney

Wine, weddings and funerals: Council endorses business expansions

Wisc., knows just how important dairy is to communities. “There’s so many different variables, but yet you have one product,�

Erickson said, admiring the versatility of cheese. “Just in Wisconsin alone, there are over 600 different kinds of cheese, made by different artisanal cheesemakers.�

Indeed, Wisconsin’s cheesemaking efforts are globally recognized.

A Wisconsin cheese won best in show at the World Champion Cheese Contest in 2016. But arguably more important is the impact Wisconsin’s dairy services have on the state’s economy and food industry.

In 2019, 23 percent of US dairy farms were in Wisconsin, according to the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin. Wisconsin dairy farms also produced about 14 percent of US milk in 2018, and annually generate around 43.4 billion dollars for the state’s economy.

But to the people like Erickson and the rest of the Crystal Ball Farm staff who spend day after day crafting Wisconsin’s prized food group, dairy is much more personal.

With all the training, certificates, and day-today labor, dairy production ends up being an intense journey. “Crystal Ball stands

for looking into the future of dairy,� Erickson said. Troy DeRosier and his wife Barb own the farm and are always seeking innovation in their trade.

However, not even Crystal Ball Farms could predict this year’s events. “I don’t think anybody expected it,� DeRosier said about the damage caused by the Coronavirus. “[It] took everybody by surprise.�

Just because people have been staying home these last few months doesn’t necessarily mean they’re drinking less milk. However, the larger issue is where they’re getting their milk. Where consumers purchase their dairy products determines what distribution channels are available to dairy farms. “All of a sudden, schools are shut down,�

Erickson said. “A lot of milk goes to schools; well, now where is that milk going to go now?�

Students are still drinking milk, but now they’re getting it from the grocery store. For milk producers who cater to schools, transitioning to selling to grocery stores is challenging, and it needs to happen quickly. For the farmers who have no means to accomplish this, the loss is significant.

Other businesses that

local dairy farmers frequently rely on are coffee shops and restaurants.

Even with take-out and drive-in options, sales at cafes have been drastically cut. Therefore, the cheese, coffee creamer, and milk have all been cut too. “You can’t shift and change distribution,�

Erickson said. “We’ve heard a lot of stories about people dumping milk – we never dumped any milk here. But they dumped it because they had no distribution channels.�

Tragically, thousands of gallons of milk are being dumped and wasted. Sales are down, and farmers have no reason to process any of it.

Fortunately for Crystal Ball Farms, they’ve found ways to reduce waste, such as sending excess milk to a co-op.

Once the milk is there, the co-op processes it and uses it in various products.

DeRosier explained that about half Crystal Ball’s sales went to coffee shops and restaurants.

Combined with drastic price cuts on their products, cutting out restaurant revenue was a major blow to finances. “I think at that level,� he said, “we were losing about fifteen thousand dollars a month.�

And that leads to another problem: the economy. Because dairy

products play a significant role in fueling Wisconsin’s economy, the losses from dumped milk and price cuts only make things look bleaker.

To keep up with how other farms are handling the ever-developing situation, DeRosier and Erickson have been doing a lot of research.

By talking to their distributors and investigating other local dairy producers, they can get a sense of how to navigate business these days and support their fellow farmers. “One of the reasons why I fell in love with the dairy industry,� Erickson said, “is that dairy farmers – or cheesemakers, or creameries – help each other. And we sell each other’s products.�

Despite the Coronavirus’ dismal effect on the dairy industry, Erickson believes that some good will come of it. Currently, consumers are realizing the importance of shopping locally and supporting community farmers. With intentionality to educate local residents, farmers might be able to gain lasting support beyond the end of the pandemic. Now is the time for people to realize how beneficial it is to buy local, for their health and for their community.

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Don’t abuse freedoms

T

HE FIRST AMENDMENT of our Constitution provides for five important freedoms and they don’t deserve to be abused.

The First Amendment reads, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

The First Amendment protects the rights of citizens to protest the Owner Minneapolis police murder of George Floyd.

Gene Johnson But looting, burning of stores and destruction of businesses is an unacceptable way to protest the murder of George Floyd.

Protests and demonstrations are not new in this 200 year old democracy.

The protests of the 60s ranged from the Civil Rights movement to our involvement in the Vietnam War. Subsequently we have experienced the Gay Rights Movement, the Environmental Movement, plus a number of issues have changed our lives in many ways.

We have experienced a great deal of social change because of these movements, made possible by the First Amendment.

The First Amendment allows us to speak to issues and redress government regarding its policies and legislation.

The recent protests are an excellent example that there is a need for change of police culture and how we provide

safety and protection of citizens.

It’s becoming clear that we may have expected police to perform too many roles. It’s also clear the training of officers is not adequate and/or disciplines and accountability are not adequate in some departments.

The protests/protestors are rightfully calling attention to this. But action by others who damage property, injure people and place economic burdens on neighborhoods should never be acceptable and distract from the goal of the protest.

Racism is so deep-seated we haven’t been able to overcome it. In the George Floyd case, people around the world were witnesses to a crime and saw no one take an immediate action when the officer was taking Floyd’s last breath away. Are we going to continue to be witnesses to injustice?

Protests will continue to be in order, but if you are protesting the State government, go to the steps of the State Capitol. If you are protesting County government, go to the County Courthouse.

If you are protesting issues in your own city, go to the City Hall and clearly state your issue.

America has changed, but tough questions have been ignored. We have made some progress with equal opportunity and equal rights and I do not think there is justice for all.

Hopefully, now is the time we no longer ignore the tough questions on racial inequality and the current protests will result in a major shift in America so there is more equal opportunity, equal rights and justice for all.

KYLE WEAVER

Uncommon visitor A small fisher was spotted recently in the Osceola area along the St. Croix River.

Along with badgers and wolverines, fishers are a species of the weasel family. Their appearance in the wild is still fairly rare due to over-trapping and their long reproductive cycles.

Minimize conflicts with bears this summer Is your yard or campsite attractive to bears? Bears rely on small, scattered patches of natural foods: specific types of young green vegetation in spring, certain species of ants and ant pupae in June, berries in summer, and nuts

in fall. If bears can get concentrated, high-calorie, easily accessible foods around people’s homes and campsites, they are easily enticed away from their natural food sources. Don’t condition bears to associate your home or campsite with an easy

meal by leaving out unsecured garbage, birdseed or pet food.

Learn more about how to reduce property damage, and the chance of human-bear conflicts, on the DNR website.

PUBLIC NOTICES State of Minnesota District Court Washington County Tenth Judicial District Court File Number: 82-FA-20-2222 Notice of Issuance of Emergency (Ex Parte) Order for Protection by Publication (Minn. Stat. § 518B.01, subd. 8)

not be a defense to prosecution for violation of the Court's order.

In the Matter of Rebekah Rose Robinson vs REPOLIA KEITH ROBINSON To Respondent: YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an Ex Parte Order for Protection has been issued in this case. You may request a hearing if you contact the court administrator's office within 12 days of the date of publication of this notice.

You may obtain a copy of the Ex Parte Order for Protection and the form to request a hearing from the court administrator's office at the following address:

Summary of Proceedings Washington County Board of Commissioners May 26, 2020

Washington County District Court 14949 - 62nd St. N; PO Box 3802 Stillwater MN 55082 Failure to request a hearing or to obtain a copy of the Ex Parte Order will

Dated: June 16, 2020 Annette Fritz Court Administrator Published in The Country Messenger June 24, 2020

Present were Commissioners Fran Miron, District 1; Stan Karwoski, District 2; Gary Kriesel, District 3; Wayne Johnson, District 4; Lisa Weik, District 5. Board Chair Miron presided.

Commissioner Reports – Comments – Questions Commissioners reported on meetings and other events that they attended. Please see archived web streaming of the board meeting for full commissioner reports at www. co.washington.mn.us, under “County Board”.

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Community Services - Approval of Resolution No. 2020059, delegating the Director of Community Services to authorize project specific plans within board approved master grant contracts with the MN Department of Employment and Economic Development.

General Administration Approval of the following actions: - April 28, 2020, and May 5, 2020, County Board meeting minutes.

- Appoint George Stone, Community Services Division Manager, to serve on the Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties Board of Directors effective May 12, 2020.

- County Administrator Kevin Corbid reported on updates to the Phase I plan of reopening Washington County.

- Mr. Corbid reported on state and federal legislative updates.

- Board correspondence was received and placed on file.

Information Technology - Approval of Amendment No. 3, Contract No. 11109, with Insight Public Sector Inc. in the amount of $200,000.

Property Records and Taxpayer Services

Approval of the following actions: - Plat 3 of Keller Farm Country Estates in May Township.

- Contract No. 13464 with The Masters Touch LLC in the amount of $319,270 for printing, mailing, and emailing services of tax statements, valuation notices, truth in taxation notices, and to receive electronic pdf files for posting on the Washington County website.

Public Health and Environment - Approval of amendment to Grant Agreement No. 12532 with the MN Department of Health to assist in preparation and response to public health emergencies, which increases the grant award to $175,416.

Public Works Approval of the following actions: - Cost Share Agreement No. 13406 with Valley Branch Watershed for a feasibility study on County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 10 and Goose Lake.

- Amendment No. 4 to Lease Agreement No. 11627 with the State of MN, acting for the benefit of the Department of Employment and Economic Development at the Woodbury Service Center.

- Contract No. 13426 in the amount of $734,369 with OMG Midwest Inc.

dba Minnesota Paving & Materials for CSAH 15 and CSAH 13 pavement preservation projects.

- Resolution No. 2020-060, permanent transfer of right-of-way from the City of Woodbury to Washington County.

- Board workshop for an update on the progress of the Washington County Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan “MOVE Washington County.”

Washington County Community Development Agency - Approval of Resolution No. 2020061, approving the amendment to Washington County’s 2019 Annual Action Plan for the Community Development Block Grant and authorizing submission of such grant request to the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development.

A complete text of the Official Proceedings of the Washington County Board of Commissioners is available on the county’s website: www. co.washington.mn.us, under County Board, or for public inspection at the Office of Administration, Washington County Government Center, 14949 62nd St. N., Stillwater, MN.

Published in The Country Messenger June 24, 2020 NOTICE OF TOWN BOARD MEETING TOWNSHIP OF MAY WASHINGTON COUNTY

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Town Board of the Town of May will be conducting their monthly board meeting virtually on Thursday, July 2, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. All interested parties are encouraged to submit public comments to the Town Clerk/ Treasurer by Noon on Thursday, July 2, 2020 via email linda@townofmay. org or by attending the Town Board Meeting via telephone conference/ video conference (the ZOOM invite is posted on the town’s website (www.townofmay.org)).

Dated this 19th day of June, 2020.

Linda M. Tibbetts Clerk/Treasurer Town of May Published in The Country Messenger June 24 and July 1, 2020

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JUNE 24, 2020

Watch out for the pendulum

F

ull disclosure: I’ll admit I’m an older white guy and because of my life experiences have precious little to offer in the discourse underway about racial equality. Like many of you, I am trying to make sense of the changing times and adapt while remaining true to who I am.

That’s a tall order, but I think we are all capable of understanding a lot if we can keep an open mind and listen to others.

Last week I read and listened to news coverage about steps being taken by businesses and the entertainment world to be more racially inclusive. I have also been following the news about the Civil War and I have a few thoughts.

Our society tends to swing back and forth like the pendulum of a cuckoo clock, going from one Publisher extreme to another as one philosophy gains traction. Technology Tom Stangl has accelerated the speed of the pendulum, in my opinion. The printing press was seen as a subversive tool by those in power, newspapers have been a force for change for centuries and now the internet spreads multiple viewpoints in the blink of an eye.

Keeping on top of it all can seem like a full time job.

Can we overcome centuries of subjugation by getting rid of movies made nearly a century ago and changing brand names of some packaged foods?

I don’t think so, but it is something that can be achieved with a tweet. And, as we all know, that’s enough to fix anything.

Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben should have been retired long ago. They are old stereotypes from a time that has passed. Their rapid terminations last week made me wonder about other advertising icons.

Mia, the native maiden from Land O’Lakes packaging, disappeared earlier this year. Robert DesJarlait, son of Patrick DesJarlait, the artist who designed Mia in 1954, wrote an interesting op-ed in the Washington Post about the Ojibwe origins of the design. DesJarlait never believed Mia was a stereotype and understands why she was removed.

When these types of things get going, like the pendulum swing, they gain momentum. I can’t help but wonder if Betty Crocker, Mr. Clean, Chef Boyardee, Mario and Luigi, Little Debbie and Col. Sanders are on borrowed time.

The fuss about “Gone With the Wind” is a bit more nuanced, in my opinion. Yes, the novel and movie romanticize the Antebellum South. Did southerners paint the past in rosier hues to deal with the loss of slavery and superiority? Certainly. Is the movie a documentary? Nope. Is it entertaining? Yes. Have an introduction about history when it runs. Novels, movies, fashions and even food brands are products of their times to be understood in context.

Should we rename the 10 military bases named after Confederate soldiers? If the bases indoctrinated soldiers into racism or remained segregated, sure. Otherwise, leave it alone. The history made by the brave men and women who trained there is more important than the forgotten person the base is named after.

Let’s leave Washington on the dollar bill and not tear down the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial because they owned slaves.

We are going to grapple with racism for many, many years. We need to learn from the past, not rewrite it.

As always, I welcome your comments. You can reach me by email at tstangl@theameryfreepress. com, telephone 715-268-8101 or write me at P.O. Box 424, Amery, WI, 54001.

Thanks for reading I’ll keep in touch. Feel free to do the same.

COUNTRY

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Embracing the suck

G

ene Hill has a story in his ‘Hunter’s Fireside Book’ about rain.

It’s always been one of my favorite stories.

I like to brag that I have a signed copy of the book and will sometimes tote it out in front of my outdoor loving friends to show them Hill’s name inscribed on the inside cover in immaculate brown ink. What I generally fail to mention is on the next page it says “To Larry, Love Barbara.”

I bought the book on Amazon and it just happened to be signed. And although I was not the intended recipient of Barbara’s affection, I relish the stories all the same. Especially his piece about rain.

I love rain. And snow. And all manor of ill-tempered weather. Being out Editor in a storm always gives me a healthy dose of uninterrupted happiness, C.L. Sill and the wetter and more uncomfortable I am, the happier I get. It’s what some military buddies of mine might refer to as ‘embracing the suck.’ I’m not sure why anyone else enjoys getting dirty, wet, cold and uncomfortable — but I think I do it mostly just so I can get warm again.

In his story, Hill says “Once you’re soaked and get warm again you can understand where they got the phrase happy as a clam.”

I think I sometimes go outside just to get freezing cold and half submerged in muck, then come back

home, dry off and curl up on the couch with the dog for an afternoon nap. It makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something, even if I haven’t. It’s the most deserving sleep I get.

The first clap of thunder hit at around 3:30 on Sunday afternoon. I was on the couch, procrastinating as usual, and the noise woke me from a semi-comatose state. I suddenly had the urge to go fishing.

I hurriedly threw my stuff in the truck and sped off, racing the weather to my favorite spot on the Rush River. As I turned south I could see the clouds encroaching from the west, spreading the electric, looming uncertainty of a classic June thunderstorm.

I prayed to the rain gods that it wouldn’t start until I got there — I didn’t want to miss a drop.

I had just rounded the bend on a trail that opens up into a wide meadow flanked by the river on the east and a steep hillside on the west when the rain began to fall. This spot always makes me feel particularly alone, in a good way. I secretly consider it ‘my spot,’ and on the rare occasion I meet another fisherman on this stretch of the trail I always feel a little like they’re trespassing.

I fished my way downstream as the storm intensified. My raincoat almost immediately threw in the towel and I was quickly soaked to the bone (In my experience, ‘waterproof’ is almost always more of a theory than a law, even with modern fabrics).

As I crossed the river heading south and came to a hole I’m particularly fond of, the storm hit its high SEE SILL, PAGE 7

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Cooking with kids is worth it

S

trawberries are in season and adults and kids alike love them. Picking your own is fun and nothing tastes better than local fresh picked.

Bring the whole family for a fun activity.

I wanted my kids to participate in cooking or the food preparation process when they were young.

As a parent, helping them understand where their food comes from was just as important as teaching them life skills. I involved them in both the harvest and cooking process. It seemed they gravitated towards cooking over the hot stove or wanting to cut things with sharp knives—which always scared me!

Finding recipes that were safe to cook or bake with my kids was a challenge. This recipe does have Wild Chow boiling water, but not over a stove.

The kids chopped the strawberries Lisa Erickson with a pastry blender or a hardboiled egg slicer—each easy for little hands to manipulate.

A favorite memory was taking them to the strawberry patch. They loved picking berries. If they were worn out, they were happy to play with a toy alongside me. It was a win-win. They got to see and understand all the work and time that went into growing foods they loved.

THE POSTSCRIPT

My Neighbors the Superheroes

I

think my next-door-neighbors might be superheroes.

They both work with computers (at least that’s what they say) and then, every spare moment, they are off doing superhero type things.

My neighbor, Jason, runs 100mile marathons.

He’s even done a few 200-plus-mile marathons. These are held in the mountains. He starts running Columnist before the sun is up, runs up a Carrie Classon mountain all day, then runs down a mountain all night, then runs up another mountain the next day. He wears a headlamp so he can see the trail in the dark. Last weekend, Jason and a friend (who is probably also a superhero) left the house and ran 70 miles—for fun.

“He’s crazy,” Jason’s wife, Allison, says.

I’m not sure Allison is in any position to judge.

Allison is tiny and she trains in their climbing shed. (Before I met these folks, I’d never heard of a climbing shed.) There is a window in the shed so I am not technically spying on her when I see Allison climbing up the wall.

The wall starts out vertical and then it gets steeper until Allison is hanging upside down from her fingers like a spider. I don’t think this is something ordinary human beings are supposed to be able to do.

Our superhero neighbors never seem to get grouchy or tired.

They are always cheerful and helpful. I sometimes bring them desserts because I figure superheroes are too busy saving the world to have time for baking.

Unlike normal people, they never seem to worry about calories— hanging upside down by your fingers burns up quite a few, I imagine.

Sometimes, I think it would be fun to be a superhero. I’m a writer and I started writing late in life so I figure I need to keep busy if I’m ever going to be any good. But the truth is, writing is easy—not because I am super disciplined or have any super talent. It’s easy because I enjoy it.

Some days I do stare at the proverbial blank sheet of paper for a few minutes but that’s okay.

I look at the pine trees outside my window. I drink a little coffee. I remember how lucky I am to be able to spend time doing something that makes me happy. I think I’m probably as happy as Allison when she’s hanging upside down or Jason when he’s running up a mountain in the middle of the night.

The word “should” kills a lot of joy.

I know a lot of writers who found out they could write and so they decided they “should”—and that was the end of the writing.

At that moment, writing became a chore. I know even more people who say they “should” exercise (or save the world) and they never get a moment of the joy Jason and Allison experience every day.

I admire what Jason and Allison can do but, more than that, I respect how much they enjoy it.

When they said they were going to build a climbing shed I admit I thought, “How often will you use that?” Every day is the answer.

Allison climbs in that shed every single day. Jason doesn’t go running to win any prizes—although I’m sure he’s happy when he does.

He spends his free time running for superhuman distances because he loves it.

I’m sure, like me, they sometimes hesitate before they start.

Maybe they even get discouraged.

But then they do their superhero things—not because they should, but because being a superhero makes them really happy.

Till next time, Carrie Carrie Classon’s memoir is called, “Blue Yarn.” Learn more at CarrieClasson.com.

Early summer fishing patterns

Wh we got h d the h strawberries b i When home, I prepped and they would pick a recipe to make.

This recipe contains three things kids love: Jell-O, strawberries, and ice cream. They can come up with their own flavor combinations. You’ll want to help them with the boiling water, but they can do most of the rest.

SEE ERICKSON, PAGE 7

TO THE EDITOR Cell tower Marine needs a good discussion of the public health aspects of cell tower placement.

There is plenty of world research into ways cell signals affect people and animals.

Professor Joshua M. Pearce of Michigan Technological University wrote a November 2019 article surveying the state of research into this. He cites 24 scientific studies which you can look up and read online. His article is Limiting Liability with Positioning to Minimize Negative Health Effects of Cellular Phone Towers. Professor Pearce is a chaired professor of electrical engineering and materials science at Michigan Technological University. Read the full text by searching for title above (in italics), and click on ResearchGate, then click on Download full text PDF at the right of the page.

Pearce says “There is a large and growing

body of evidence that human exposure to RFR from cellular phone base stations causes negative health effects, including both neuropsychiatric complaints such as headache, concentration difficulties, memory changes, dizziness, tremors, depressive symptoms, fatigue and sleep disturbance; and increased incidence of cancer [from] living in proximity to a cell-phone transmitter station.”

Here are tools for your own reading, your own “research.”. (1) Pubmed, the database of the National Institutes of Health contains millions of health science articles going back to 1865. (2) GoogleScholar.

It will take you to more scientific and scholarly articles than just plain Google. And of course, you can search (3) Google for less science and more news articles about cell towers and health.

Larry Martin Marine on St. Croix

W

e have officially moved into summer fishing. The spawn is mostly over around here.

We did manage to take a bunch of beautiful bull bluegills the other day and we released some big females with a few eggs in their swollen bellies. There are other indicators it’s summer. Fireflies are lighting up the evening. Mosquitoes think you’re their lunch. People are at the cabin or camping and boat launches are full on weekends. Kayaks are stacked high on trailers or piled in trucks.

My old buddy Jon, The Fish Whisperer, holds many keys that open fish-catching doors. Jon McCorkle, now dealing with Parkinson’s in his early 70s, was planning on going after trout a day after a big rain Wild River storm.

“I like to fish for trout right after a good rain. The rain runoff stirs Trails things up by washing in worms Jim Bennett and all kinds of bugs. Trout go on a feeding frenzy after a good rain!

My favorite bait is a beaded hare’s ear nymph on a fly rod. It looks like all bugs in one. If I want to eat fish I’ll use worms. Trout can’t resist a worm after a rain,” added McCorckle.

If McCorkle wants to have fun this time of year he heads out in a boat and works the tops of the weeds.

“There is nothing more fun than working buzz baits over weeds for pike and bass. A pike will violently attack buzz bait. Small pike or large, they want to just rip them up. Bass explode out of the water and do most of their fighting on the surface.”

But what if you want to catch walleye? To get those answers I talked to Ben Elfelt of Prime Time

Guide Service who just placed well in the recent AIM Pro Weekend Walleye Series on Mille Lacs last weekend.

Ben’s quote of the week, “Fish eat fish!”

“That is why you’ll always find minnows in my boat when I fish for walleye. When everyone else was out on Mille Lacs trolling lead core and other rigs I was in the weeds with a sucker minnow and a jig. Presentations may change a bit depending on the lakes but this time of year walleyes are in the weeds.”

I asked Elfelt how to fish weeds and not get all snagged up. “I look for weeds that aren’t thick. You can’t fish weeds that are all matted up but you can fish patches of weeds. I like cabbage. They have open pockets to cast in. You need to use the lightest jig possible and I use fatheads. You have to realize that it’s OK to end up with a few weeds on your lure; on many casts you won’t have any weeds on your hook. You have to realize that’s where all the baitfish are and that’s where the game fish are going to be too.”

Elfelt digs a secret weapon out of ice fish tackle this time of year too. “Jig-n-Raps are great this time of year. I’ll find a weed edge and work the bottom.

I don’t tip them with anything. It’s a reaction bite.”

I’ve fished with Ben using this method. Have a good grip on your rod!

If you’re after crappies and sunfish it’s no different. We were working weed edges with leeches finding some great sunfish action. All you have to do is look for spawn beds but don’t fish those.

Instead move back out of that shallow area because spawning is finished, so get out to the weed edge at SEE BENNETT, PAGE 8

COUNCIL: Council endorses business expansions FROM PAGE 2

clearly guarantee, future sale and development of the site.

Liam McNally, a land specialist with Better Place Forests, said the company currently has a purchase agreement in place for the land, but could not guarantee that the company would not sell off a smaller portion of the land in the future.

McNally insisted that the company’s goal is ultimately to preserve the lands under a conservation easement, even if sold.

“There are just too many variables that can’t be accounted for tonight,” council member Steve Kronmiller said.

Other business: • City Administrator Ken Cammilleri reviewed the city’s COVID-19 Preparedness Plan with the council, noting that city staff will be encouraging absentee balloting to all city residents, maintaining limits to in-person business at the city office and the closure

of the Community Center, and encouraging mask-wearing and social distancing efforts.

• The council approved two setback variances: for Gary Markgraf, 23820 Lofton Ave., to replace a septic system near a wetland; and for Peter and Karissa Goers, 12730 182nd St. N., to reconstruct their residence near Big Marine Lake.

The next Scandia City Council meeting will be held July 1 at 6:30 p.m.

6 COUNTRY MESSENGER

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JUNE 24, 2020

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JUNE 24, 2020

COUNTRY MESSENGER

7

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SILL: Embracing the suck FROM PAGE 4

notes. The kind of slow, rolling thunder that reminded Bob Seager of a song from 1962 was replaced with quick, straight-to-the-point, lighting strikes.

I sat under a tree by the bank to wait it out, munching on soggy beef jerky and relishing in how wonderfully miserable I was.

As the storm started to ease, trout began hitting the top of the water in pretty regular intervals. As they continued to feed, one swirl in particular stood out among the rest as belonging to a fairly large fish.

Guessing the size of a rising

ERICKSON: Cooking with kids

trout is an optimist’s game, but even Debbie Downer would have put this fish in the 14-15” range. That’s nothing to write home about in the grand scheme of things, but I’d never caught a fish that went 15” on this stretch of river, so he had my attention.

I worked him for an half an hour, changed flies three times, lengthened my tippet and still couldn’t get him to take. He just kept mocking me, continuing to feed on anything and everything that wasn’t my fly — Finally he started to piss me off a little.

I thought about throwing a big rock in the water where he was and then storming off like an 8 year old who doesn’t

get what he wants.

“I’m all for embracing the suck but for the love of God throw me a bone here.”

Eventually I calmed down, resigned myself to failure and decided I was sufficiently wet and cold. I backtracked my way upstream, heading to the truck. The rain had eased some but was still steady as I walked back through my meadow with pruny fingers brushing the tops of wet grass. I thought about my couch and the nap to come — and I felt like I’d accomplished something.

C.L. Sill can be reached at editor@countrymessenger.com

Magic Ice Cream Summer Treat Adapted from Barb DeRosier Serves 9 1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs (16-18 crackers crushed) ¼ cup sugar ¼ cup butter softened 3 oz. Jell-O any flavor or sugar-free 1 ¼ cup boiling water 2 cups ice cream, any flavor 1 ½ cups strawberries, chopped

by hand, mix until combined.

Press into 8 x 8 square pan.

Refrigerate until ready to use.

Dissolve the Jell-O in the boiling water. Add ice cream and stir until melted. Stir in fruit and slowly pour into the prepared crust. Refrigerate until firm. Top with more berries and serve.

In a large bowl, combine crushed crackers, sugar, and butter. With a hand mixer or

Lisa Erickson is a food columnist who loves adventure and food. For more recipes, you can email her at wildchowrecipes@gmail.com.

PHONE: 651-433-3845 | FAX: 651-433-3158

23

102

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8 COUNTRY MESSENGER

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JUNE 24, 2020

SHERIFF’S REPORT City of Marine on St. Croix

JUNE 8 At 9:26 p.m. a disturbance was reported on Oak Knoll Drive.

At 10:02 p.m. a disturbance was reported on West Maher Drive.

City of Scandia

At 5 p.m. a complaint about noise in the 12000 block of Mayberry was received.

At 5 p.m. an alarm sounded on O’Brien Trail.

At 5:10 p.m. an animal bite in the 23000 block of Manning Court was reported.

JUNE 6

JUNE 5 At 2:13 a.m. a medical need in the 19000 block of Quinnell was reported.

At 7:37 a.m. an alarm sounded in the 21000 block of Ozark.

At 10:56 a.m. a complaint about an animal in the 10000 block of Mayberry was received.

At 11:32 a.m. follow-up was done in the 12000 block of Mayberry.

At 11:52 a.m. public assistance was needed in the 18000 block of Layton.

At 4:10 p.m. follow-up was done in the 12000 block of Mayberry.

At 1:04 a.m. suspicious activity in the 14000 block of Scandia Trail was reported.

At 1:10 a.m. an alarm sounded in the 19000 block of Meadowridge.

At 10:33 a.m. a road hazard on Scandia Trail and Meadowbrook was reported.

At 1:19 p.m. an animal bite in the 23000 block of Manning Court was reported.

At 2:22 p.m. a gas driveoff in the 14000 block of Scandia Trail was reported.

At 3:54 p.m. a complaint

about a watercraft on Lake Keewahtin was received.

JUNE 7 At 11:44 a.m. a follow-up was done in the 19000 block of Larkspur.

At 1:42 p.m. an accident on Scandia and Manning Trails was reported.

At 2:22 p.m. public assistance was needed in the 15000 block of Scandia Trail.

JUNE 8 At 10:09 a.m. an alarm sounded in the 21000 block of Killian.

At 2:54 p.m. found property was reported in the 14000 block of Scandia Trail.

At 3:29 p.m. a complaint about an animal in the 22000 block of Meadowbrook.

At 3:35 p.m. an abandoned vehicle on Scandia and Manning Trails was reported.

At 11:53 p.m. a medical need in the 20000 block of Meadowbrook was reported.

JUNE 9 At 10:11 a.m. a gas drive-off in the 14000 block of Scandia Trail was reported.

At 10:15 a.m. an ordinance violation occurred in the 18000 block of Layton.

At 10:57 a.m. a complaint about an animal in the 19000 block of Manning was received.

At 3:08 p.m. a follow-up was done in the 21000 block of Meadowbrook Circle.

At 4:31 p.m. a complaint about an animal on Scandia and Manning Trails was received.

At 6:38 p.m. a complaint about an animal in the 11000 block of Mayberry was received.

JUNE 10

At 12:05 p.m. an alarm sounded in the 21000 block of Newberry Court.

At 12:09 p.m. a disturbance in the 21000 block of Olinda was reported.

JUNE 11 At 2:39 a.m. a burglary in the 23000 block of Oldfield was reported.

At 6:13 a.m. a medical need in the 15000 block of 240th was reported.

At 4:30 p.m. recovered stolen property was reported in the 23000 block of Oldfield.

At 4:30 p.m. an accident on Highway 95 at Highway 97 was reported.

At 5:14 p.m. a complaint about an animal in the 21000 block of Lofton was received.

At 6:43 p.m. welfare was checked on O’Brien Trail.

Town of May

JUNE 5

Spotlight on Area Businesses Security State Agency – familiar name, small-town care With Security State Agency, you’re getting more than just a familiar name; the business has longstanding ties to the St. Croix area.

Security State Agency has been serving the community for over 90 years. The agency is located in the Scandia Plaza on Highway 97 and in offices with Security State Bank of Marine.

Security State Agency is an independent agency representing a number of insurance companies.

The agency offers auto, home, boat, motorcycle, recreational vehicle, business, life and health insurance.

Contact one of Security State Agency’s licensed agents, Katie Giefer or Jane Dreyer, for a quote or stop in.

Security State Agency’s small-town location allows the agency to foster a personal business relationship with their clients.

JUNE 6

Jane Dreyer

Katie Giefer

Agent

Agent

jdreyer@themarinebank.com kgiefer@themarinebank.com

Contact Security State Agency at 651-433-5753.

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Serving Marine on St. Croix, Scandia, May Township

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Heating and Air Conditioning Inc.

At 1:11 a.m. an alarm sounded in the 12000 block of Arcola Trail.

At 2:24 p.m. suspicious activity in the 16000 block of Kimbro was reported.

At 6:32 p.m. a boat was stopped on the river.

At 6:39 p.m. trespassing on Arcola Bridge was reported.

At 6:55 p.m. a boat was stopped on the river, just north of Arcola Bridge.

At 7:26 p.m. public assistance was needed in the 13000 block of St. Croix Trail.

At 7:30 p.m. a 911 line on Moonlight Bay was abandoned.

At 8:27 p.m. a boat was stopped on Big Carnelian Lake.

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At 2:41 a.m. suspicious activity on Arcola Bridge was reported.

At 12:28 p.m. a driver in the 13000 block of St. Croix Trail was stopped for a traffic violation.

At 3:46 p.m. a complaint about parking in the

12000 block of Otchipwe was received.

At 6:31 p.m. an alarm sounded in the 14000 block of 170th.

At 7:45 p.m. a complaint about parking at Big Marine Lake Boat Landing was received.

At 11:08 p.m. a medical need at Arcola Bridge was reported.

JUNE 7 At 5:35 a.m. suspicious activity on Margo and 177th was reported.

At 4:57 until 7:23 p.m. three parking incidents occurred on Arcola Trail.

At 7:41 p.m. suspicious activity on Partridge and 130th was reported.

JUNE 9 At 7:54 a.m. an accident in the 14000 block of Ostrum was reported.

At 10:35 p.m. welfare was checked in the 13000 block of May Avenue.

At 2:45 and 2:51 p.m. two complaints about parking at Square Lake were received.

At 5:34 p.m. a medical need in the 16000 block of Kimbro was reported.

JUNE 10 At 12:52 p.m. a scam was reported in the 13000 block of Keystone.

At 10:08 p.m. an abandoned vehicle in the 13000 block of 170th was reported.

JUNE 11 At 12:31 a.m. an accident on Highway 95, just north of 152nd, was reported.

At 3 p.m. a driver on the 12000 block of Norell was stopped for a traffic violation.

At 8:16 p.m. trespassing on Arcola Bridge was reported.

At 8:54 p.m. a complaint about an animal on Norell and Square Lake Trail was received.

At 10:47 p.m. suspicious activity in the 14000 block of St. Croix Trail was reported.

BENNETT: Patterns FROM PAGE 5

around 8 to 12 feet. We were working that depth midmorning to midday and doing very well using slip bobbers fished about half way down to bottom.

While we were out I noticed a couple trolling nearby while we anchored out from the weeds casting into the edges. They were trolling small live bait presentations and catching crappies, again off the weed edges in 8 to 12 feet of water. I tried casting plastics a bit deeper after marking them on my electronics and found crappie eager to smack my white paddle tail fished on a small jig head. I’d cast out and count down to certain number, say 5-one thousand and reel in. I continued doing this, adding a number until I hit the depth the fish were in. They were eager to hit my jig. After pinpointing them and getting anchored in the right spot I’d cast and often several fish were closer to the surface and ready to smack my bait before I was done counting. That was OK; math was never my best subject.

Jim Bennett is an outdoorsman who lives and worked in the St. Croix River Valley and can be reached at jamesbennett24@gmail.com