Mankato Magazine

FARM FRESH A day in the life of the Mankato Farmers’ Market

also in this issue: A tour of WINERIES & BREWERIES Inside KIM SOGAARD’s daylily garden We’ve got KID-OH! Jean Braatz AUGUST 2019

The Free Press MEDIA

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READING SERIES

2019–2020

Fall 2019 September 26

Ada Limón poet

October 23-24

Fall

Nadine B. Andreas Visiting Writer Residency 2019

Hisham Matar

October 23-24 novelist & memoirist

September 26

Ada Limón poet November 14

Nadine B. Andreas Visiting Writer Residency

Hisham Matar

novelist & memoirist Hanna Schultz

Paisley Rekdal

poet, fiction writer & 2019-20 Andreas Graduate Assistant

poet & essayist

November 14

Hanna Schultz

Paisley Rekdal poet & essayist

January 28-31

Eddice B. Barber Visiting Writer

January 28-31

Eddice B. BarberPeter Visiting Geye Writer novelist

poet, fiction writer & 2019-20 Andreas Graduate Assistant

Spring 2020 February 27

Spring Robert 2020C. Wright Minnesota Writer Residency February 27

Bao Phi

Robert C. Wright Minnesota Writer Residency poet & picture book writer

Bao Phi

Peter Geye

poet & picture book writer

novelist

Liz Lanier fiction writer and 2019 Robert C. Wright Award winner

Liz Lanier

March 26

Ross Gay poet & essayist March 26

Ross Gay poet & essayist

April 16 April 16

fiction writer and 2019 Robert C. Wright Award winner

Xhenet Aliu fiction writer Xhenet

Aliu

fiction writer

Forinformation more information the Good Thunder Reading Series visit: gt.mnsu.edu For more on theon Good Thunder Reading Series visit: gt.mnsu.edu All Good Thunder Reading Series events are opentotothethe public.

All Good Thunder Reading Series events arefree freeand and open public.

women’s center

W C

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board thanks to a legislative appropriation from Minnesota State University, Mankato is a member of the Minnesota State system and an Affirmative activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts Mankato is a member of the Minnesota State system and an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity University. Individuals the arts and cultural This heritage fund. The 2019-20 Good Thunder Reading Series also receives support from the Minnesota State University, Minnesota MankatoState University, Action/Equal Opportunity University. Individuals with a disability who need a reasonable accommoand cultural heritage fund. The 2019-20 Good Thunder Reading Series also receives support from the Minnesota State University, Mankato Department of with a disability who need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event, please contact Candace Black at 507-389-2680 (V), 800-627-3529 Department of English, thetheCollege Arts and Humanities, OfficeDiversity, of Institutional the Women’s Center, the Nadine B. Andreas dation participate please contact Candace Black atformat 507-389-2680 800-627-3529 English, College ofof Arts and Humanities, the Office ofthe Institutional the Women’s Diversity, Center, the Nadine B. Andreas Endowment, the Eddice B. Barber or 711Endow(MRS/TTY) at least three to working days priorintothis theseevent, events. This document is available in alternative to individuals (V), with disabilities by calling Visiting Writer Endowment, the Robert C. Wright Endowment, and individual donors. The Emy Frentz Galllery, the Islamic Association of Mankato Wisdom the above numbers. ENG38MS 07-19 ment, the Eddice B. Barber Visiting Writer Endowment, the Robert C. Wright Endowment, and individual donors. The Emy Frentz Galllery, the Islamic or 711 (MRS/TTY) at least three working days prior to these events. This document is available in House, the Arts Center of St. Peter, and Barnes & Noble Bookstore at Minnesota State offer additional assistance.

Association of Mankato Wisdom House, the Arts Center of St. Peter, and Barnes & Noble Bookstore at Minnesota State offer additional assistance. alternative format to individuals with disabilities by calling the above numbers. ENG38MS 07-19

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2 • AUGUST 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

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FEATURE S AUGUST 2019 Volume 14, Issue 8

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FARM FRESH Everyone loves fresh produce, and it doesn’t get any fresher than the Mankato Farmers’ Market.

We spent the day there to take you behind the scenes of Mankato’s summer treasure.

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FAMILY FLOWERS

WINES & BREWS

Kim Sogaard’s backyard garden isn’t just beautiful; it’s personal.

With the number of cute and quaint wineries and breweries cropping up, we figured it’s time for a roundup of all the places in southern Minnesota to tip a few back.

ABOUT THE COVER Jean Braatz of My Minnesota Farmer runs a busy business at the Mankato Farmers’ Market.

She was photographed by “Jackfruit” Forderer.

MANKATO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2019 • 3

DEPARTMENTS 8 From the Editor 10 Faces & Places 12 This Day in History 13 Avant Guardians Bradley Donner

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14 Beyond the Margin The gift of time

16 Day Trip Destinations Skål Crawl

36 Wine

Globalization of wine

37 Beer

Brut IPA

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40 Living 55 Plus 52 Kid-oh!

70 That’s Life

AUGUST 2019

Summer girls

BREAKFAST ON THE FARM:

DAUK

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71 Garden Chat Tomatoes

EDITION

72 Your Style

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73 Community Draws

The Free Press

Swap til you drop

Dork Den

74 Coming Attractions

MEDIA

76 From This Valley

On creative destruction

Coming in September

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For Mankato, September is Pride month. We’ll take a look at the evolution of the LGBT community and the growing annual Mankato Pride festival.

507.625.6412 | SchmidtMankato.com MANKATO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2019 • 5

FROM THE ASSOCIATE EDITOR

By Robb Murray

AUGUST 2019 • VOLUME 14, ISSUE 8 PUBLISHER Steve Jameson EDITOR Joe Spear ASSOCIATE Robb Murray EDITOR CONTRIBUTORS Bert Mattson Grace Brandt James Figy Jean Lundquist Jessica Server Kat Baumann Leigh Pomeroy Nell Musolf Pete Steiner PHOTOGRAPHERS Pat Christman Jackson Forderer

PAGE DESIGNER Christina Sankey ADVERTISING Danny Creel SALES Joan Streit Jordan Greer-Friesz Josh Zimmerman Marianne Carlson Theresa Haefner ADVERTISING Barb Wass ASSISTANT ADVERTISING Sue Hammar DESIGNERS Christina Sankey CIRCULATION Justin Niles DIRECTOR

Mankato Magazine is published by The Free Press Media monthly at 418 South Second St., Mankato MN 56001.

To subscribe, call 1-800-657-4662 or 507-625-4451. $35.40 for 12 issues.

For editorial inquiries, call Robb Murray at 344-6386, or e-mail rmurray@mankatofreepress.com.

For advertising, call 344-6364, or e-mail advertising@mankatofreepress.com.

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Farmer style S trolling through the Mankato Farmers’ Market is good for the heart.

Instead of clogging your arteries with the vile inventions of processed food companies, you can reward those arteries with vitamin K, calcium and folate from leafy green vegetables such as lettuce, kale and spinach. Green bell peppers and radishes wait patiently for you.

Sweet corn, while not as hearthealthy as kale, calls to you like a siren.

Strolling through the Mankato Farmers’ Market is good for the soul.

These are your neighbors. This is the very essence of “buying local.”

They’ve toiled for months. They started these veggies from seeds, lovingly guided them from brown pods of potential to tiny seedlings to towering, fruit-bearing plants. They watered them, weeded between the rows, built fences to keep out the rabbits, pounded stakes to prop up those fledglings. Buying their wares isn’t just a financial transaction, it’s an investment in the community.

Buy shelling out a few dollars for a bunch of basil and a handful of beets, you’re letting your neighbors know that you value their contribution to the Mankato area.

Strolling through the Mankato Farmers’ Market is good for the head.

It’s good to be reminded from time to time where our food comes from. Super markets have their place in our community, but by engaging with actual growers we feed our heads with the knowledge of how food works without the distractions of packaging, branding and marketing. Just a smile on a grower’s face and a willingness to purchase something healthful.

Our feature this month on the Mankato Farmers’ Market takes a deep dive on this Mankato institution. We got up early to see the set up. We talked to growers.

We talked to the market president.

We talked to customers. We even talked to the young woman who

rings the bell at 8 a.m. signaling the beginning of another market Saturday. It’s a comprehensive piece.

We think you’re going to love it.

Also in this issue: n While it’s hard to come up with a definitive brewery and winery list these days — new ones crop up all the time — we decided it was a good time to at least try.

We came up with 21 breweries and wineries within an hour of Mankato. (Soon to be 22; MinnOhan will be up and running soon in the Midtown Tavern location in Old Town.) n Kim Sogaard has one of the most beautiful gardens in town. And her daylily selection is unmatched. Sogaard last appeared in Mankato Magazine last December as part of our cancer survivor issue. She’s still going strong and we’re thrilled to be able to bring you the inside story behind her extraordinary, and personal, garden. n This month we say goodbye to our style columnist, Jessica Server.

Jessica wasn’t with us long, but in her short time her perspective on style was refreshing and always extremely well written. Jessica and her family are relocating, so we wish her well.

n Our new comic now has a name: Community Draws. This month artist Kat Baumann takes us inside the Dork Den, where they’re always willing to teach you how to play Magic: The Gathering or Dungeons and Dragons, and they’re fully stocked on comic books and graphic novels. We’re loving this new feature. Kat’s style is one of a kind.

Robb Murray is associate editor of Mankato Magazine. Contact him at 344-6386 or rmurray@ mankatofreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @freepressRobb.

CONTACT ME TODAY! Josh Zimmerman Digital Sales Manager

507.344.6322

jzimmerman@mankatofreepress.com

MANKATO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2019 • 7

FACES & PLACES: Photos By SPX Sports

Beer, Brats & Bourbon for Backpack

This event is a fundraiser for Feeding Our Communities Partners, which is the organization behind the Backpack Food Program

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1. Ben Scruggs, with Watermelon Slush, plays alongside Pete Klug for a live performance at Beer, Brats & Bourbon for Backpack.

2. Volunteers pose for a photo.

3. A table of bourbon.

4. 99 Bags of Food gives people the opportunity to make a commitment to feed a child.

5. Brats get grilled for a warm evening with food, bourbon and live music.

6. Schmidt’s Meat Market, one of the many sponsors of the Backpack program, allowed people to sample their products.

7. The event took place at Feeding Our Communities Partners warehouse in North Mankato.

8. Pete Klug, with Watermelon Slush, plays a live set with an acoustic guitar.

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FACES & PLACES: Photos By SPX Sports

Festival Solstice

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Solstice is a summer music and food festival at Land of Memories Park.

1. Krista Okins sings with the band Poor Lemuel.

2. Naomi Ebel and Chris McEachron enjoy their time floating down the river.

3. Ben Scruggs plays electric guitar and sings.

4. Poor Lemuel was one of the many bands that took stage during the weekend festival.

5. People wave while floating down the Blue Earth River during the Paddle Jam. 6. People enjoyed live music, camping, crafts, food vendors and a Paddle Jam during the Solstice Outdoor Music Festival weekend.

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MANKATO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2019 • 9

FACES & PLACES: Photos By SPX Sports

Lake Crystal Parade

1. Lake Crystal Mayor Brad Ahrenstorff waves as he drives through the parade.

2. The Waconia High School Drumline performs in front of the judges.

Waconia won first place in Class AAA. 3. Loose candy was swiftly picked up from the ground.

4. Excited kids are ready for candy thrown their way.

5. The Mankato Area Shrine Club T-Birds drive through the parade.

6. Hutchinson High School took second place in Class AA. 7. St. Peter High School marches through the parade.

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FACES & PLACES: Photos By SPX Sports

Songs on the Lawn 1. A group finds a spot shaded from the hot sunshine.

2. A large crowd enjoys the great weather and music at the Civic Center Plaza.

3. Janelle and Evelyn Dance together in front of the stage.

4. Mark Flora of the “The Holy Rocka Rollaz” performs on stage.

5. A serving of Nachos is served at the Wooden Spoon booth.

6. (From left) Hannah Boettcher, Lea Schlinger, and Andrea Krueger from Absolute Catering pose for a photo.

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MANKATO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2019 • 11

THIS DAY IN HISTORY Compiled by Jean Lundquist

PRINTING

REFRESHING

COLOR EVERY DAY

Kelly-Miller Circus to Give two performances Monday, Aug. 3, 1959 A circus coming to town in 1959 was a huge attraction. The circus boasted 218 animals, including a four-ton hippopotamus, a jungle-bred rhinoceros, a herd of giraffes and a gargantua tapir, which looks similar to a pig, but is related to horses and rhinoceroses. The circus was slated for Germania park on Third Avenue in Mankato. There was to be a matinee and evening performance, with residents invited to arrive at 9 a.m. to see the “unloading, feeding and watering of the beasts.”

Brett’s Department Store ran three-plus pages of Circus Sale ads in the newspaper, and Madsen’s Grocery Store invited people to come and “See Miss Oklahoma, the worlds largest and only trained Hippopotamus.”

Big future in new soybean variety Thursday, Aug. 2, 1944 Tucked in the newspaper pages among stories of war news and polio fears was some good news for farmers. On a trial plot owned by R.C. Matzke, on the Good Thunder Road, a new soybean variety called Early Anna was planted next to a traditional variety called Richland. The Early Anna was a taller, earlier maturing plant requiring only 100 days to maturity — compared to 105 days for Richland beans.

Although it was too early to determine if the new variety was more prolific than the old, it was determined that the oil extracted from the new variety was of superior quality.

The Matzkes were excited about getting the news to their son, Walter, who was deployed on a ship in the South Pacific. “He’ll be glad to hear about the new beans,” said Mrs. Matzke.

Growing excitement in downtown Mankato – The Rebirth of a City Monday, Aug. 1, 1977 The development of the Mankato Place Mall in downtown Mankato was well underway, though not close to being finished, when the developer decided to entice Mankatoans and others to the area during construction.

Accompanied by a preliminary drawing of the retail layout of the new mall, the developer told shoppers, “If we’ve caused you a little inconvenience because of the noise due to construction, our ‘sandy streets,’ or if your shopping has been hampered by the presence of a cement truck, we certainly want to apologize. BUT … things are getting better all the time.” The ad promised to reward shoppers with a new climate-controlled mall and a revitalized downtown. It also gave parking advice — ask merchants for free parking in the ramp and the gated Pike Street lot.

Blue Earth County Fair Opens Monday Blue Earth County Fair Opens Monday The County Fair was an event not to be missed. In fact, Blue Earth County offices all closed at noon on Tuesday so employees could attend the fair.

Employees had to attend the fair, and sign in once there, or have the time deducted from their vacation account.

In addition to 4H and Open Class exhibits, the entertainment included the Schell’s Hobo Band, Skeet’s Trio led by Skeets Langley, the 1963 accordion champion of the world, and his tuba soloist, who has appeared on the Lawrence Welk Show.

The Fair ran Monday through Wednesday.

1750 Northway Drive • North Mankato, MN 56003 www.corpgraph.com

AVANT GUARDIANS

By Leticia Gonzales

Growing into expression

Bradley Donner’s work blossomed in his 20s

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ith just a little over three years until his retirement, Bradley Donner has already mapped out what will take to transition into a full-time artist when that day arrives.

Donner, who lives just north of Waseca, has always had a background in art thanks to his mother, who made a habit of signing him and his brother up for watercolor and acrylics art classes.

“My brother decided to go a different direction, but I always did art in some form,” said Donner.

His art transpired when he was in his early 20s and began taking canoe trips to the Boundary Waters, where he encountered a lot of wildlife. Donner said he found “being out in the open air inspiring.”

“I started doing pictures of loons and eagles and things like that,” he said.

As he began raising a family, Donner said art became “more of an amusement and kind of a break” where he could unwind. With his children grown, Donner has spent the last five years honing the skills he learned in his younger years.

He has done shows at the Art Center of Saint Peter, the Carnegie Art Center and the Waseca Art Center. He also serves on the Waseca Arts Council Board of Directors.

“I have been kind of shy about my work; kind of a closet painter and kind of a hermit in some ways,” Donner said.

“But when I started showing, it was kind of cool to get amongst people and to hear how they enjoy my work.

Now I am kind of jazzed about showing art.”

He is currently working on pieces for a show at the Waseca Art Center in September 2020.

“The project I am working on now is totally different,”

said Donner. “It’s a Native American-themed project and it’s about cultural heritage.”

Having grown up in New Ulm, Donner said he often heard stories about the Sioux conflict in the area, which led him to study more about the indigenous culture.

Through his reading, he encountered history about Wounded Knee and other tragic incidents that impacted the local tribes.

“All of a sudden the horse culture of the plains disappeared, the buffalo were gone, and they were put on reservations,” said Donner. “They were not allowed to practice their religion. Their culture was in jeopardy and virtually dead.”

Donner said the history shouldn’t be forgotten.

“We hear a lot about genocide in Germany and in Europe and things that happened during the Holocaust, but sometimes we tend to forget there was a holocaust here and a genocide here.” he said. “People’s way of life was virtually wiped out and silenced.”

He aims to show not only what happened to those affected, but how they are regaining the life they lost.

Donner said he is fortunate to have the opportunity to “convey emotions and feelings through art.”

“We learn a lot because we learn through our eyes, and that goes into our minds, the things we see. Sometimes we can’t even describe it in words,” Donner said. “Think about seeing a sunset. We can’t even put words to it, but it’s equally a difficult challenge to take that which you have stored in your brain and put it on a canvas. I just feel really blessed to be able to do that, and I can’t imagine my life any other way.”

MANKATO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2019 • 13

BEYOND THE MARGIN

By Joe Spear

The gift of time And the power of tools

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y father’s hands were round and meaty and shaped by a long life of gripping tools.

He taught us the need for a firm handshake and how to use boxing gloves. His right index finger was permanently pinched, likely due to some machinery that was faster than he.

The industrial revolution and the post-World War II building boom required men and women to do physical labor and many like my father came to physical fitness by their trade. As the symbol industries took over during the 1990s, we got fatter and flabbier.

It was important I learned how to use my father’s tools when I was growing up. This was the 1970s, when it still seemed likely kids would follow their fathers into their trade or profession.

My father was a sheet metal worker. He was skilled in crafting and bending sheet metal to create everything from tool boxes to heating ducts for airplane hangars.

I could pound a nail at an early age, use a power drill by the time I was 10 and construct chugs and forts by 12. A chug is like a Soap Box Derby car, but lower end with wheels from old wagons or carts. Think Pinto or Gremlin as opposed to Buick.

My father had a variety of tin snips. Most were made of forged steel with delightful, finely honed teeth that cut through 18-gauge rolled steel like butter.

The blades of a tin snips have serrated edges to stop the metal from slipping out while cutting.

Michael Warren Spear bought Sears Craftsman tin snips that had the words “cuts straight” on them. He put the initials M.S. on his tin snips by pounding little dots in the tool itself with a center punch.

When I graduated high school, my father set me up with an interview at a local metal fabrication shop. I told the man I wasn’t sure why I was there as I was going to college. He looked at me and nodded and told me a little bit about the job. They had a union shop.

The pay was good.

I went to college that fall not to make things but to write about people who make things. A lot of water under the bridge.

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August marks the 30th anniversary of my father’s death. He was 68. I was 28.

He died of mesothelioma, an aggressive form of lung cancer related to his long working life in the building trades. It develops from asbestos fibers that get lodged in the lung and can take decades to manifest themselves.

When you’re 28, you take the passing of a family member for what it is: A thing you can’t control, and something maybe you shouldn’t waste mental energy agonizing over for long periods of time.

There will be time to revisit, you tell yourself, when you’re less busy. Well, it’s getting close to that time.

I’ve been without my parents almost the entire time I’ve been a parent myself. As our kids grew up, they had one grandparent from a very early age.

I’ve never been one to contemplate the past or commemorate anniversaries as such. But as you get older, your own mortality gets you thinking about those who have gone before and the value of time.

People say giving your time to some effort or volunteering is a gift because we don’t know how much we have left. Time is a finite commodity. The less of it we have, the more valuable it is. We’re reminded of time’s passage with each new wrinkle or ache.

My hands are boney and hard, shaped by a long run across the landscape of a typewriter keyboard.

Keys that in the early parts of my education required striking with force, and were followed by a clack and a bang of metal hitting a hard rubber roller.

A right cross advanced the line.

The sound of my work has now become quieter, with more ergonomically friendly keyboards. What used to take muscle now takes vision, and both are ailing.

There’s not a lot of need for a center punch in my current profession, or a hammer or a drill. Though they might come in handy as verbs.

Tools my father used were built to last a very long time. I can tell when I hold them.

Joe Spear is editor of Mankato Magazine.

Contact him at jspear@mankatofreepress.com or 344-6382. Follow on Twitter @jfspear.

MANKATO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2019 • 15

DAY TRIP DESTINATIONS: Skål Crawl

By James Figy

Copper Trail Brewing Co. is just one of the many places you can hit on a Skal Crawl in Alexandria and Okasis.

Drink like a viking Skål Crawl in Alexandria and Okasis offers a quest to a distillery, winery and two breweries

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wo years ago, three craft alcohol producers in Douglas County teamed up with the simple goal of helping visitors drink like vikings. The result was the Skål Crawl, which offers beer, wine and spirits at locations in Alexandria and Okasis.

For $15, visitors receive an official tasting glass, T-shirt and punch card for $2 off tastings at Carlos Creek Winery, Copper Trail Brewing Co., Panther Distillery, as well as 22 Northmen Brewing Co., which just opened in June. Upon completion, the victorious vikings receive a discount card to use at all locations during the next visit.

Derived from Old Norse, the crawl’s website says, Skål means “a raising of glasses while drinking and saying, ‘Cheers!’” The Skål Crawl business offers something different, from beverages to stories, but each provides good reasons to raise a glass.

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Carlos Creek Winery & 22 Northmen Brewing Co.

Situated between Lake Carlos and Lake Ida, Carlos Creek Winery appears inherently Minnesotan. However, the winery opened in 1999 to bring a relaxed, West Coast winery vibe to the North Star State. When Tami and Kim Bredeson purchased the winery in 2008, they wanted to maintain the winery’s high quality while focusing on something just as important: fun.

“We are the official wine of Minnesota fun,” says Vice President of Marketing Michelle Bredeson. “When you come to our winery we ensure that no matter where you are in your wine journey that you will leave with a new bit of wine knowledge, but also a new sense that wine is something to enjoy and have fun with — not necessarily for just special occasions or to drink with a meal.”

While celebrating Carlos Creek’s 20th anniversary this year, the owners also branched opened 22 Northmen Brewing Co. next door to the winery.

“Opening a brewery has been in the works for us since 2010 and has been a dream of ours,” Bredeson says. “...

Our brewery takes on the same feel, offering a unique experience apart from the winery, and includes (the Valkyrie Wood-Fired Pizza Kitchen). At the brewery, we focus on classic beer styles made with ingredients from all over the world.”

6693 County Road 34 NW Alexandria, MN 56308 carloscreekwinery.com 22northmen.com

Copper Trail Brewing Co.

Just like the Skål Crawl, Copper Trail Brewing Co. is focused on helping visitors enjoy the journey. After homebrewing together for years, the brewery’s co-owners, Head Brewer Adam Graf and CEO Dave Gibbons opened Copper Trail in 2016.

“The inspiration came from the many nights of enjoying the company of friends around bonfires,” Gibbons says.

“The copper light of the fire and everyone sharing their journey in life turned into the idea that embodies Copper Trail to this day.”

Copper Trail’s vibe is apparent in the relaxed atmosphere, with the brewhouse on display and cribbage boards drilled into the picnic tables, but also in its quaffable, typically malty beers.

“With so many other beers in this market that have wild and crazy ingredients in them, we have done a great job of making approachable beers that most everyone that comes through the door can enjoy,” Graf says.

The brewery plans to maintain this vibe while moving to Alexandria’s historic downtown in the near future.

“We will be a block from Big Ole Park, and will increase our square footage nearly four times,” Graf says. “...

Customers will start to see some really fun beers coming up in our lineup.”

410 30th Avenue East, Suite 103 Alexandria, MN 56308 coppertrailbrewing.com

Panther Distillery

As the first distillery in Minnesota and producer of the oldest whiskey and Bourbons in the state, Panther Distillery recognizes that making great liquor requires using the best ingredients. “Our distillers and I grow the grain we use,” says General Manager Brett Grinager.

Panther Distillery offers many different variations on these drinks. Among them is the complex and spice-forward Saint Paul Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

Channeling the state’s bold north, Minnesota 14 Maple is another mixes the flavors of all-natural maple syrup with the distillery’s classic whiskey.

Since it was founded in 2011, Panther Distillery has worked to increase the range of flavors. “Adrian Panther saw an opportunity to be the First Distillery in Minnesota and wanted to make great Bourbon,” Grinager says.

The only Skål Crawl destination not in Alexandria, Panther touts its hometown pride for Okasis. “We have a great small town with awesome shops and places to eat,” he says. “(There are) Knights Grub & Pub, O-Town Tavern and Tip Top Dairy Bar, to name a few.”

300 East Pike Street Osakis, MN 56360 pantherdistillery.com

Festival weekends

The only time Skål Crawl passes cannot be used is during festival weekends, mostly in September, although these have their own draw.

Moonshine Madness takes place Sept. 7 at Panther Distillery, and visitors can watch a live Bartender/ Mixology competition, tour the distillery and enjoy food and drinks.

The Grape Stomp Festival, which runs Sept. 13-15 at Carlos Creek Winery, allows visitors to stomp grapes while enjoying three stages of live music and entertainment, more than 150 food, art and craft vendors, and plenty of wine and beer.

For Ole-toberfest from Sept. 20-22, Copper Trail Brewery plans to be in its new location in the heart of Minnesota’s viking country. “There will be a rib competition, many vendors, some food trucks, live music and, of course, Copper Trail beer flowing,” Gibbons says.

“Since we will be right in the heart of downtown, people will ... be able to shop at many of the downtown shops and restaurants that Alexandria has to offer.”

IF YOU GO: SKÅL CRAWL

When: Anytime the vendors are open, except festival weekends in September and October Where: Carlos Creek Winery, Copper Trail Brewing Co. and Panther Distillery Admission: $15 Visit www.skalcrawl.com for more information.

MANKATO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2019 • 17

MARKET FORCE

A day in the life of the Mankato Farmers Market

By Robb Murray | Photos by Jackson Forderer 18 • AUGUST 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

Jean Braatz (right) with My Minnesota Farmer communicates in sign language with customer Richard Kopachek at the Mankato Farmer’s Market. It is the eighth year that My Minnesota Farmer has been coming to the market.

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t’s 7:30 a.m. at the Mankato Farmers’ Market and the lot is empty. Within an hour, the place will be brimming with customers who look over lettuce, get curious about carrots and kale, “kick the tires” on some Adirondack chairs, munch on cinnamon rolls and scones and pick through to find the finest asparagus, and the most aromatic of onions.

A woman piles chunks of homemade soap into neat piles. A man in an apron gets his grill ready for cooking breakfast sandwiches. A carpenter arranges his benches and chairs. A couple that raises bees sets out their collection of honey jars. A baker lines an impressive row of banquet tables with chocolate chip cookies, raspberry cream cheese rolls, bread loaves and other sweet treats.

And all over the Farmers’ Market, they’re getting ready for — oh wait … there it is. The bell that announces it’s 8 a.m. and time for the market to begin.

So … Let’s get shopping.

Location location location

Before the bell rang, Jean Braatz and her crew from My Minnesota Farmer were getting ready for a busy day.

A team of weathered-handed adults and curious children worked like ants — all focused, all working, all moving with purpose — getting lettuce, kale and carrots arranged in an appealing display in the hopes that customers will shell out some hard-earned cash.

They’ve got a prime spot this year at the Mankato Farmers’ Market: When you walk in the main entrance at the market’s Best Buy location, they’re the first booth on your right. They haven’t missed a market in two

years. Rain or shine, My Minnesota Farmer is there.

Braatz says My Minnesota Farmer does several farmers’ markets in the area, but they’ve kept coming back to Mankato even as they’ve abandoned markets in other communities. Why? Mankato’s market has great attendance, and great attendance — coupled with a prime spot — makes great business sense.

“And because we’ve been here for seven years,” Braatz said, “I’ve made relationships with a lot of customers.”

Braatz said she loves that the Mankato market has such a wide variety of wares; it’s not just fruits and vegetables. There are crafters, wood workers, honey, soap and other non-food vendors. It makes the market a great place to stop on a summer or fall weekend.

“This is a market that’s worth your time,” she said.

“It’s worth coming.”

My Minnesota Farmer is one of the more advanced vendors at the market in terms of growing technology.

They’ve got an elaborate setup that allows them to have some of the first veggies at the market, such as lettuce, rainbow chard, beats and cabbage.

“We were the first with broccoli this year,” she said proudly.

Pepper queens

Joyce Schmidt’s is the kind of friendly face that has become one of the best parts of the Mankato market.

For 22 years she’s been helping Sue Musser run the Musser Produce vendor. They offer a selection of veggies, but specialize in peppers.

She says the Mankato Farmers’ Market has become a family. They’ve had ups and downs over the years, but MANKATO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2019 • 19

Kayla Moody (left) with Moody Bees speaks to customers at the Mankato Farmer’s Market. Moody Bees sells honey and beeswax products and has been attending the market for three years. the current climate is one that is positive and working well for all the vendors.

“It really is like a family,” Schmidt said. “That brings us back. … We’ve met people from Bangladesh and India — you offer them okra, that’s a taste from home.”

Like Braatz, she says variety is one of the market’s strengths.

“The guy selling breakfast sandwiches: people will come to him and sit and talk for hours,” she says, looking around the market at the vendors setting up shop. “We’ve got the coffee guys. Tim’s chairs: I bought a chair from him after my knee surgery and used it all summer. That girl has honey. This lady is the egg lady.”

Bell ringer

When that 8 a.m. bell rang, the hand ringing it belonged to 14-year-old Abby Braatz, daughter of Jean over at My Minnesota Farmer. (The bell is necessary to avoid early sales — best to not set a precedent of people expecting vendors to sell their wares early.)

Abby is the market manager. If you came to the market with only a debit card, Abby can swipe it and give you tokens to use at any vendor. She’s also the one walking around at 7:30 a.m.-ish putting up signs to stop cars from pulling into the vendor area, and she staffs the Mankato Farmers’ Market booth centrally located at the market.

She said she loves the idea of people shopping here.

“I like it when there are lots of people choosing to eat

20 • AUGUST 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

healthy, choosing to buy local,” she said.

While Abby loves being the market manager for the most part, there is one part of her job she’s not too keen on: telling dog owners their beloved pets aren’t allowed at the market.

“I feel really bad when I have to go and tell people that,” she said. “Some are very nice about it. And some tell me, ‘Oh, well I guess I’m not going to shop at your market anymore.’”

Busy bees

Kayla and Jason Moody are the owners of Moody Bees. And when they’re not selling cutely packaged jars of delicious honey, they’re doing something a little more rugged: bee swarm removal.

(This is beside the point of the market, really, but bears mentioning. If you’ve got a swarm of bees in the walls of your house or anywhere else on your property, Moody Bees will enter that perceived hell and remove it, usually free of charge. To them it’s not a “hell” at all, but a wonderful collection of creatures that are under siege and in danger of going away, and because bees are vital to the environment, they’ll do whatever they can to help them. Now back to your regularly scheduled Mankato Farmers’ Market coverage.)

“We love this farmers market,” Kayla Moody says.

“Sales are good here.”

She said that, when they first started getting into the market game, they did a series of small markets, which

2019-04-26-01

meant doing set up and take down many days of the week, and some of those markets didn’t result in many sales. So they scaled back a bit and focused on just Mankato.

When it comes to selling honey, there’s still a certain amount of education that needs to be done. A lot of people aren’t aware of how vital bees are to the agriculture as pollinators, or how harmless they can be to care for. Moody Bees currently has about 200 honeybee hives, down from a high of around 300. Like many beekeepers, they took a big hit from colony collapse disorder, the phenomenon where most of a hive’s bees disappear.

Scientists still don’t know for sure why it happens.

Young guns

Vendor demographics at the Mankato Farmers’ Market swing all over the place. Old, young, male, female, vegetable sellers, quilt makers, wood workers, etc. Dan Zimmerli falls squarely in the category of “the future.”

Zimmerli is young, wears a hat from a local microbrewery, and serves as the secretary on the Mankato Farmers’ Market board.

He’s a part of the market, he says, because he believes in its core mission of giving people highquality, locally grown or made products.

“I absolutely love growing food for people. It’s amazing when people come back and say our food is the best they ever had,” he says, then turns to help a customer.

“Three kohlrabis, three dollars,” he says to one man, then turns to the next guy in line who wants to buy one bunch of cilantro. “Twofifty, please.”

As for his role as secretary, Zimmerli says Mankato Farmers’ Market President Diane Dunham reached out to him to see if he’d be interested.

“I care about the market,” he says of agreeing to be secretary. “I want to see it succeed.”

To that end, he helped build a new website for the market, one that allows vendors to have what amounts to mini-websites within the mankatofarmersmarket.com domain.

He also says he loves the community that has formed among vendors and shoppers.

“The vendors support each other,” he says. “We’re competing,

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but we’re also helping each other out.”

Madame President

Diane Dunham has been the president of the Mankato Farmers’ Market for several years. She’s the one who ushered it into its current location at the Best Buy parking lot after an exhaustive search for a site that had enough room for vendors, enough parking for shoppers, and was located in a convenient location for all.

She says the market regularly has around 50 vendors, and that each year a few drop off and a few are added.

It can be a rough go for newcomers, she said.

“The new ones are competing against established vendors,” she said. “And not everyone is going to make a ton of money that first year.”

The market has seen steady growth since the move to the Best Buy parking lot. Before they moved, when they were located in the Madison East Mall parking lot, they’d open the season with five or six vendors. Now, they’ll typically open the season with 20-25 vendors.

“The market is really doing well,” she said. “Traffic is up every year.”

At peak time, such as when sweet corn and apples are ready, traffic swells to the thousands every weekend.

Lilly and Audrey. Her main reason for coming is simple.

“Absolutely for the fresh vegetables,” she said.

Bringing her daughters here and exposing them to this way of eating is an added bonus.

“I’m hoping it will nurture more of a healthy relationship with food,” she said. “And you want to set them up with healthy eating habits in the future.”

For Laura Wilson of North Mankato, it’s about supporting local growers.

She says she comes every weekend for flowers, homemade bread, peas and other items. When tomatoes and sweet corn are available, she’ll stock up on those, too.

As for the location, well …

“It’s OK,” she said. “It’s kind of a nuisance, but it works.”

Others quoted in this story also commented on location. One said this is the best place for it. Another said they’d like the market to find a downtown location, instead. The market, it should be noted, has started offering weekday markets at the Food Truck Hub in Old Town, but those are scaled back versions of the big Saturday affair. Still, it’s something.

Wherever the market is, Wilson will be there.

“It’s always a great way to get fresh produce.”

MM

Survey says…

Customers, of course, are the most important part of the market. Without them, none of this happens.

Emily Miller came to a recent market with daughters

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22 • AUGUST 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

Dan Zimmerli (right) with Cedar Crate Farms talks to customer Lorrie Torbenson at the Mankato Farmers’ Market held at the Best Buy parking lot. “The list of things we don’t grow is shorter than what we do grow,” said Zimmerli.

MANKATO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2019 • 23

24 • AUGUST 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

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Family A

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Kim Sogaard’s garden explodes with color — and 130 varieties of daylilies

By Grace Brandt | Photos by Pat Christman

T

ucked into a cozy cul-de-sac in the middle of residential Mankato, only a few blocks from MSU’s sprawling campus, sits the home of Kim Sogaard. From the front, it looks similar to the other comfortable houses lining both sides of West Welcome Street, with neatly cut green grass, shady trees and pretty flowers peeking out from the sides.

But if you walk around the house to the backyard, a world of color explodes around you.

Hundreds of leafy hosta plants line the perimeter, while a stone path winds its way along a pond full of glimmering koi fish. An old bicycle leans against the fence, with pink flowers cascading from its handlebars, while a bench is tucked snugly under a wooden terrace surrounded by more shrubs.

Nothing compares, though, to the hundreds of blooming daylilies bursting out of every corner. They’re everywhere — lining both sides of the house, sprouting up in their own carefully cultivated flower garden in the back of the yard, poking up cheekily between hosta plants. They come in a dazzling variety of shades and patterns, ranging from white to deep red, with orange and yellow and pink thrown in for good measure.

Some blooms have only one color; some are a mix of two or three. Some are only 12 inches tall and some spread out to a staggering three feet, with flowers bigger than your hand.

Each daylily is distinctly unique, and each has its own name: Big Galoot. Zack of All Trades. Lisa’s Honor.

Kimmers. But while it may seem like there is no rhyme or reason to some of the names attached to these expressive flowers, there’s actually a story — and a person — behind each one.

A family heritage

Sogaard’s garden contains more than 130 varieties of daylilies, and almost all of them were developed by her aunt, Dorothy “Dottie” Warrell. Warrell grew up on the same family farm in Ohio as Sogaard and began working with daylilies when she was in her twenties. In the last 60-plus years, she has crossbred more than 160 different varieties.

According to Sogaard, the hybridization process is a long one, taking six or seven years. First, Warrell crosspollinates the plants, and then she needs to let the seeds develop and dry over the winter. After they’re planted, the seeds still take a few years before they start to bloom. Once they do, Warrell meticulously records everything about the new plants, such as how many buds grow on each stalk. Finally, she decides whether to keep the new variety, or if it is too similar to one that already exists. If she deems it too similar, she designates it for the burn pile.

“I’ve seen some of the most gorgeous plants that are heading to the burn pile,” Sogaard said. “Like all good hybridizers, she wants to make it so that only the best of the best are connected to her name.”

For the varieties that do make the cut, the next step is choosing a name — and that is the truly fun part.

Ever since Warrell began crossbreeding daylilies, she has named the new varieties after members of the Sogaard family.

“She’s very, very witty about how she names things,” Sogaard said. “It might be a high school nickname, or she’ll do different plays on words. It usually has some hidden meaning.”

Quick facts about Kim Sogaard Grew up:

near Granville, Ohio

Studied:

horticulture at the University of Minnesota

Family: husband, two sons, dog Zaha

Hobbies:

gardening, hiking, exercising, traveling

Favorite plant:

Hosta plants (unless her daylilies are in bloom)

Favorite daylily:

Sir Elton (named after her father), Marilyn Rose (named after her mother), Holly Dancer

MANKATO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2019 • 25

Sogaard says she was quite young — 4 or 5 years old — when she began to love gardening First came Sogaard’s grandparents, then Warrell and her siblings, then nieces and nephews—such as Sogaard, whose orange daylily is named “Kimmers,” a childhood nickname.

“I kind of have to smile [about mine],” Sogaard said.

“I’m definitely the shrimp of the family, and mine is definitely the smallest of the daylilies. I think that she really paid attention and was very mindful and thoughtful of a lot of details like that.”

Sogaard said she strives to plant family members together, such as putting her mother’s and father’s daylilies side-by-side and organizing her plant next to the plants of her four sisters. She said being surrounded by family namesakes is especially meaningful given that many of her family members — such as her parents — have passed away.

“While I’m [trimming] my mom and dad’s flowers, I usually find myself talking to them or thinking about some happy memory,” she said. “It’s not just any old daylily. I feel like anything that I would say is inadequate. They just speak for themselves … They’re just absolutely lovely. I’m a little biased because I love my aunt so much and I love that [the garden] represents my family. I know that I’m one stinking spoiled kid to have a collection that represents so many people.”

26 • AUGUST 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

A lifelong passion

Sogaard said she was about four or five when her love for gardening first blossomed.

“I remember going with my dad over to our landlady’s farm,” she recalled. “(Our landlady) Adelia Jensen always had this beautiful fenced in flower garden. One day, she opened the gate and invited me in, and she said I could pick any flower in the whole place to take home to my mom. I swear to you, that was like the hook was set. I just loved plants my entire life.”

Sogaard helped her father in his garden until she graduated from high school and then earned a degree in horticulture from the University of Minnesota. After graduating, she ran her own landscaping business for a number of years before finding her current job at the Edenvale Nursery in Mankato.

“I just never get tired of plants,” Sogaard said.

“There’s so much beauty and so much freshness. It’s not like I’m finding a cure for cancer with my work, but if I can help other people enjoy where they settle at the end of the day, and if they can find some pride and some beauty and some solace in that, then mission accomplished. I think that’s my job.”

Sogaard said she especially loves trees, so her property is full of them — but those trees mean that there is too much shade for many types of plants. To

A family hobby Sogaard said her four sisters also have daylily collections, letting them all bond over their shared love of gardening.

“For all of the times that we’re talking on the phone, they’re like, ‘Is your Sir Elton blooming yet?’” she said. “It’s become almost this second language between us, a hobby that we can all share. It’s really, really nice.”

The sisters have also helped their aunt with her own garden, which sprawls across about 12 acres of the original family farm, outside of Granville, Ohio.

Sogaard said she visits about once a year when the daylilies are most in bloom to help weed and trim the flowers. While there’s a lot of work involved in caring for 12 acres of plants, Sogaard said it’s worth it.

“When we went to visit, it was one of the most beautiful yards I’ve ever seen,” she said. “It’s just glorious.”

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get around this, Sogaard planted hosta plants, eventually planting more than 570 different varieties of them. She’s particularly fond of them, though she admits daylilies do outshine them when they’re in bloom.

“Every time that I had some extra money and extra time, I’d expand the garden,” she said. “A friend of mine used to say, ‘So, Kim, what’s your favorite one?’ Then he’d go, ‘Oh, that’s stupid … Tell me the only one that you don’t like.

Otherwise we’ll be here all day.’

Hostas are kind of my main plant that I’ve grown for years, but when the daylilies are in bloom, there’s just nothing like it.”

Sogaard said she is too busy to be able to do her own cross pollination experiments, adding that it’s fortunate that daylilies and hostas are some of the easiest plants to cultivate. She doesn’t need to spray the plants for diseases, though she does have to keep an eye out for deer and moles,

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What’s in a name?

Daylilies were given their name because their flowers bloom for only one day. The flowers tend to open in the early morning and wither during the following night, with another flower blooming the next day until all the buds on the stalk have bloomed.

Sogaard explained that daylily gardeners need to go out every day to cut off the old flower.

“I really like that fact about it, because it causes you [to be] going and paying attention,” she said. “Each day is almost like opening up a new present or getting this new gift.” which will sometimes try to steal a bite from her garden.

“The daylilies are really one of the easiest plants that you could grow, and if you could grow grass, you could grow a hosta,” she said. “They’re really self-sufficient and hardy.”

Sharing the joy

While Sogaard is too busy to dive into plant breeding like her aunt, she finds her own ways to give back to the gardening community — and anyone else who expresses an interest in plants.

“Just like Adelia gave me that little invite into her garden, I think that it’s important that we do a little something to encourage kids, because that was what gave me a lifetime hobby that’s just brought me so much happiness,” she said. “It may not be for some little kid that you show a flower or an interesting plant

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it, but it might be.”

Sogaard also opens up her home to garden tours, which sometimes come from states away to view her daylily and hosta varieties. She recalled one tour group that was especially meaningful, since they came all the way from the Springfield area and included people who had grown up with her aunts and uncles.

“For them to see the garden and for them to have been classmates with some of the people who were represented out there, you could just see them come to life,” she said. “It’s very, very, very meaningful for me. I think it’s such a gift, and I always tell my aunt, ‘Thank you so much for what you’ve given to us — a lot of beauty and a lot of happiness.’”

MM

“Say you have a bad day, and you go out and just deadhead and get lost in looking at the new flowers that opened up that day. By the time you’re done with spending a little time out there, it’s like your problems have dissipated and turned into a past memory, and you’re filled up again.”

– Kim Sogaard

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! h a z z Hu More breweries, more wineries means more fun

By RobbMurray

L

et’s be honest: When it comes to alcohol consumption, a lot has changed in the last 10 years.

In fact, the 2000s have been nothing short of a renaissance in a classier sort of recreational drinking. Ten years ago, you could have visited all the wineries and breweries in south central Minnesota in a day, because there was one brewery and one winery and they were both in the New Ulm area.

Today, that task would be impossible. There are breweries in Mankato, Montgomery and Northfield. Wineries in St. Clair, Waconia and Kasota. And so many more. Some of these places are now dabbling in spirits. There are speakeasies popping up around the region. So yes, it’s a good time to be the kind of person who enjoys the occasional cocktail.

Each place offers its own unique vibe, too. Chankaska Creek Ranch and Winery offers an elegant setting. At Morgan Creek you can enjoy a glass among the vines.

Mankato Brewery’s lively taproom puts you within spitting distance of the giant fermentation tanks. Imminent Brewing and Tanzenwald Brewing Co. provide two more great reasons to visit historic Northfield. Breweries in small towns such as Montgomery, Blue Earth and Belle Plaine are proving that, if you brew it, they will come.

Does the growing propinquity of booze mean we’re all just getting drunker, though?

Well … yes and no.

In 1873, there were 4,131 breweries in the U.S. As of last year, that figure has risen to 7,450. More people are consuming craft beers, which has taken a bite out of giant brewers such as Annheuser-Busch and Molson Coors. The overall market share of the big dogs has dipped just as craft beer consumption has risen. But many of those craft beers have a higher percentage of alcohol, so if it were a zero-sum swap, then yes, people would in theory be drunker.

Craft beer consumption continues to rise, although the rise appears to be slowing down a tad; last year’s growth was about 4 percent, the third straight year of declining growth. Also, last year saw a record number of microbrewery closures. While 1,049 breweries opened in 2018, 219 were shuttered. Not great (if you’re a fan of craft beer).

Locally, though, all breweries and wineries appear to be going strong, which is to say they’re still open. (No Minnesota breweries, though, made the Brewers Association list of the 50 fastest-growing breweries in the country.) When Mankato Magazine asked them all to describe the experience of their establishments, they responded as you’d expect.

“Half Pint Brewing Company is a small-scale farm brewery where you can sit inside and enjoy a craft beer while playing games or take your beer outside and wander the hopyard while enjoying the idyllic setting,” said the owners of Half Pint.

Next Chapter Winery in New Prague said, “Next Chapter Winery is a vineyard, winery, distillery, restaurant, wedding venue, community center, and home. Using sustainable practices, barrel-aging, and a family-centered approach to business, Next Chapter creates a place where carefully crafted wine, spirits, and food can be enjoyed.”

The takeaway here: We have a proud, strong, growing and — hopefully — stable collection of wineries and breweries to keep us busy. And August is a PERFECT time to check them out.

MM

212

New

Madelia

30 • AUGUST 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

Waconia

New Prague Mongomery

Northfield 52

Keynon

Kasota

Ulm Mankato

Waseca St. Clair Janesville

169

Owatonna

Blue Earth

MANKATO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2019 • 31

WINERIES Aspelund Winery, Kenyon Online: aspelundwinery.com A few words: Aspelund Winery provides customers unique wines.

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Doppeleichen Vineyards, New Ulm Online: doppelownerseichenvineyards.com A few words: Doppeleichen Vineyards closed to the public during detours caused by road construction and flooding in 2018 and the first part of 2019. We are planning to re-open when detours are lifted. We will offer a cozy environment to taste, drink and buy wine.

Don’t miss: We specialize in local wines made from cold hardy varieties.

Chankaska Creek Ranch and Winery, Kasota Online: chankaskawines.com A few words: “A trip to Chankaska Winery & Distillery is a one of a kind experience. We offer a wide variety of wines, spirits and delicious brick oven pizzas. Walk the trails, sit by the fire or grab a spot on our beautiful deck and patio! We hope you enjoy!”

Don’t miss: The MN Marquette that uses cold-climate grapes from our vineyard! (I attached a picture) Indian Island Winery, Janesville Online: indianislandwinery.com A few words: Indian Island Winery is a place where everyone can come to relax, enjoy fine wine, have a meal, and become a part of our winery family. Admire the beautiful scenery surrounding our patio and reminisce about the history that the land provides us!

Don’t miss: Marquette is a wine we are most known for. It has won numerous gold medals and is SemiDry Aged with American Oak chips

offering Aromas of spice, black currant, and blackberry.

Javens Family Vineyard, St. Clair Online: javenswinery.com A few words: We are a family owned and operated winery where we want you to feel right at home!

Enjoy the wine, have great conversations and socialize with family and friends on the patio overlooking the vineyard. Our vineyard dogs are always ready to greet you!

Don’t miss: New Traditions - Easy drinking Semi-sweet blend pairs great with buttered popcorn Morgan Creek, New Ulm Online: morgancreekvineyards.com A few words: Playful. Musical.

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Wines created with celebration in mind. And in Southern Minnesota, there’s much to celebrate. Savor the seasons with wines from the sustainable, family owned operation devoted to lasting experiences in heart, soul and taste.

Don’t miss: Puck’s Pride — This is a Morgan Creek Vineyards awardwinning dry red made from the Frontenac grape varietal developed by the University of Minnesota.

Next Chapter Winery, New Prague Online: nextchapterwinery.com A few words: Next Chapter Winery is a vineyard, winery, distillery, restaurant, wedding venue, community center, and home.

Using sustainable practices, barrelaging, and a family-centered approach to business, Next Chapter creates a place where carefully crafted wine, spirits, and food can be enjoyed. Cheers to your Next Chapter!

Don’t miss: Marquette — 3-year barrel-aged red, Minnesota grapes, rich, smooth, unforgettable.

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Parley Lake Winery, Waconia Online: parleylakewinery.com A few words: Parley Lake Winery, the perfect blend of rustic elegance and art reimagined. A picturesque boutique winery nestled in the heart of the Midwest.

Don’t miss: Marquette — Structured, fruit forward red wine with hints of vanilla and oak.

Sovereign Estate, Waconia Online: sovereignestatewine.com A few words: At Sovereign Estate, we strive to produce world-class wines using our estate-grown grapes, Minnesota grown grapes and grapes from around the nation.

Our vineyard grows exquisite Marquette, La Crescent, and Frontenac Blanc, and our winemaking style is to highlight the unique quality of these Minnesota grapes.

Don’t miss: Marquette Reserve ‘15 — Aged in Hungarian oak barrels, which lend complex notes of coffee and cocoa along side the cherry and raspberry.

Vintage Escape Winery, Kilkenny Online: vintageescapeswinery.com A few words: Vintage Escapes Winery offers a vintage-inspired tasting room with large windows looking out at a picturesque view of a lake and countryside. Sit out on the outdoor patio with a glass or bottle of beautifully crafted wine while taking in the views and fresh air. Wines are available by flight, glass or bottle. Bottles are available for both on- and off-sale so be sure to take a few bottles home with you. Vintage Escapes also offers shareable plates and desserts to pair with their wines. Live music events are scheduled almost every weekend.

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Half Pint Brewing Co., Waseca Online: halfpintbrew.com A few words: Half Pint Brewing Company is a small-scale farm brewery where you can sit inside and enjoy a craft beer while playing games or take your beer outside and wander the hopyard while enjoying the idyllic setting. The brewer specializes in beers made with his own farm grown ingredients.

Don’t miss: Hannah’s Honey Cream Ale, brewed with locally sourced honey Imminent Brewing, Northfield Online: imminentbrewing.com A few words: The experience at Imminent Brewing: Fondly dubbed “Northfield’s Living Room” by a friend, Imminent is a local hang with a cool vibe - sometimes literally: we adore live music, including vibraphones. We welcome wellbehaved canines and humans of all ages. Check out our website, Facebook or Instagram for event and food truck schedules. See ya soon!

Don’t miss: Honey Basil Ale (5.7% ABV; 17 IBU): Fresh, local honey & basil mingle, creating Summer in a glass.

LocALE, Mankato Online: localebrew.com A few words: At LocAle Brewing Company, we created an open and bright taproom where family and friends can gather to talk, play games and enjoy our twelve distinct craft beers. Many of our beers are brewed with local Minnesota ingredients and reflect the culture and landscape of the Mankato area.

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Lost Sanity, Madelia Online: lostsanitybrewing.com A few words: Our brewery is a small father and son business.

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Mankato Brewery, Mankato Online: mankatobrewery.com A few words: It has been great to bring back a production brewery to the greater Mankato area. We have had a lot of support from the community as a whole. We enjoy being part of the increased growth of agra-tourism.

Don’t miss: Mad Butcher IPA. This is a fresh tasting IPA with juicy and citrusy character. Perfect for all beer lovers!

Montgomery Brewing Co., Montgomery Online: montgomerybrewing.com A few words: In small batches, we hand craft full-flavored beer for hard working people. We are there for your everyday celebration, the little things that make life rewarding. Whether it’s another dollar earned, a bit of dirt under your fingernails, or purely the pride of accomplishment. We invite you to sit back, pour a glass and do whatever it is you do, enjoy the craft.

Don’t miss: “Hop Junkies - CitraIPA - New England Oswald Brewing Co., Blue Earth Online: oswaldbrewingcompany. com A few words: At Oswald Brewing Company, we feature seven craft beers. Our line-up includes:

Yggdrasil Brown Ale, Fjord Farm Ale, Valkyrie Wheat, Berserker NPA (Norwegian Pale Ale), Thor’s Thirst, Loki IPA and Erik the Red. Our craft brewing methods and dedicated team set us apart from others in the industry.

Don’t miss: Yggdrasil Brown Ale — Chocolate malt, lactose, and a blend of spices.

Schell’s Brewery, New Ulm Online: schellsbrewery.com A few words: Nestled on the wooded hillside banks of the Cottonwood River, Schell’s Brewery gives visitors a one of a kind, old-world experience. From turn of the century brick buildings, Victorian gardens, tame peacocks and deer, to an authentic biergarten, Schell’s Brewery is a destination trip for any beer lover.

Don’t miss: Traditional and modern German-style lagers and ales Tanzenwald Brewing Co., Northfield Online: tanzenwald.com A few words: Tanzenwald serves an eclectic list of beer styles in their taproom including growlers for offsite consumption, and distributes kegs locally. The Head Brewer, Steve Pittman, has spent many years developing his own recipes, which feature bold, hop-forward IPAs; clean, easy-drinking pale ales and pilsners; and unique barrel-aged and sour beers.

Don’t miss: Guns-A-Blazin Double IPA: A big beer created with a nod to the original west coast style.

Hops and bitterness balanced with lots of malt up front. Finishes with a dry, pleasant, lingering bitterness.

Aromas of stone fruit, grapefruit and tangerine with piney notes.

U4ic Online: u4icbrewing.com A few words: Our brewery is unique, as it is in the country and lies within the MN River Valley. We have 24 different beers on tap along with our own Patrick’s Honey Pot Rootbeer, so there is always a variety. During our business hours, there is always a food truck available.

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Wine & Beer

wines

By Leigh Pomeroy

southern mn style

The globalization of wine W ine is universally of better quality than it ever has been. Thanks to wine research conducted at the University of California at Davis, the University of Bordeaux in France, the Geisenheim Institute in Germany, the University of Turin in Italy and many other institutions, few wines today suffer from the many faults that used to plague wineries just a few decades ago.

This work has led to what is called the international style of winemaking, emphasizing cool temperature fermentation, the use of stainless steel tanks, aging in oak barrels, stabilizing wines prior to bottling and many other innovations.

Wines used to reflect the areas where they were made, not just in terms of terroir (the French concept of the interaction of geography and climate) and types of grapes but also in winemaking style. Grape varietals and terroir still matter but, more and more, winemaking style is pretty similar in every wine producing area of the world.

For example, in hotter areas like California and Australia, the addition of tartaric acid and, to a lesser extent, citric (dominant in lemons and limes) and malic (dominant in apples) acids are necessary to give the wine freshness and to prevent it from oxidizing. In cooler regions such as Germany and northern France, sugar is sometimes added to create a wine that has enough alcohol.

And then there are winemaking styles specific to certain appellations. Most German wines do not spend time in wood, but for those that do, winemakers use tight-grained, large oval oak casks so as not to let too much oak dominate the wines’ delicate flavors. In the Italian appellations of Barolo and Brunello di Montalcino, these hearty reds, by law, must be aged for at least three years before release, in small oak barrels or

36 • AUGUST 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

larger oak casks and in bottle.

While the globalization of wine has brought many improvements to grape growing and winemaking through the sharing of scientific information, it has also led to some not-so-positive consequences — specifically, the global corporatization of the wine industry. Many former family- and cooperative-owned wineries are now just marketing labels for a handful of U.S. and international mega-corporations.

Some examples: The famous (or infamous?) Charles Shaw label that now adorns Trader Joe’s “Two Buck Chuck” was once owned by a real Charles F. Shaw, who made Beaujolais-style reds from the gamay grape in Napa Valley. At the end of the 1980s the winery faced a number of setbacks and eventually went bankrupt. In 1990, Fred Franzia of Bronco Wine Company bought the name for $27,000.

Twelve years later he began selling the Charles Shaw line exclusively to Trader Joe’s, none of it from Napa Valley. A billion bottles later, the rest is history.

Incidentally, Bronco owns more than 250 wine brands, some formerly family-owned, others made up.

While Bronco produces wine exclusively from California, other large producers make and market wine from all over the world. E. & J. Gallo, the world’s largest wine producer, owns or controls wine labels from Argentina, Italy, France, Spain, New Zealand, Washington and, of course, California, where they started. They own once

family-made wine brands like Louis M. Martini, Mirassou, Barefoot, Frei Brothers, Jordan and Talbott, and also sell tequila, vodka, brandy and scotch.

Constellation Brands, the world’s second largest producer, offers wines from New Zealand, Italy, Washington and California, including such iconic brands as Robert Mondavi, Clos du Bois and Simi.

They also own the Mark West label, devoted almost exclusively to Pinot Noir. That name once belonged to a tiny family winery located in Mark West Springs between Sonoma Valley and Napa Valley. If they ever made 5,000 cases a year, I would be surprised. Today, a giant industrial facility located in Acampo in the hot Central Valley turns out hundreds of thousands of cases annually.

In addition to wine, Constellation sells Corona, Modelo and Funky Buddha beers, as well as vodka, tequila, whiskey and brandy. See a pattern here?

The Wine Group, located in Livermore, California, offers wines from Argentina, France and New Zealand and has absorbed the once family-owned Benziger, Concannon and Glen Ellen wineries. They also produce the infamous MD 20/20.

Other U.S.-based mega-wine corporations include Treasury Wine Estates (Beringer, Beaulieu, Sterling and Penfolds, among others) and Jackson Family Estates (KendallJackson, Murphy Goode, La Crema and Cambria, plus twenty more).

The bottom line is this: If you want to be assured of buying a true locally produced wine, go visit a local winery. There are many in our area and throughout Minnesota.

What better excuse is there for an end-of-summer road trip?

Leigh Pomeroy is a Mankato-based writer and wine lover.

BEER

By Bert Mattson

Brut Innovation

T

he craft brewing business has earned a reputation for being innovative, enterprising, and bold. Many small brewers still operate in the somewhat unusual scenario in which experimentation, production, packaging, purchase, consumption and feedback often all transpire under a single roof.

While this set-up surely poses challenges, it also seems to have imbued the business with a measure of agility. When you add the aesthetic qualities of the tap rooms and labeling — which often integrate art and even literary elements — to scientific aspects of the trade, brewers sort of quietly come off as polymaths.

Admittedly, that’s a kind of quaint renaissance label when framed by the Information Age. Still, one has to respect brewers’ propensity, repeatedly proven, to look at processes and ingredients in fresh ways. In the context of gluten intolerance, this column once looked at brewers’ repurposing of a clarifying agent as a tool to control gluten content. More recently, brewers have taken to re-tasking an enzyme, long employed to render imperial stouts more palatable, to produce a drier version of American IPA — Brut IPA. Amyloglucosidase (beauty, eh?) has the capacity to break down certain sugars, which would not otherwise f e r m e n t . I t ’s not much of a leap from imperial stout to imperial IPA; it takes more imagination to apply it to standard IPA. “Dry,” in the beverage world, is a descriptor denoting the absence of sugar. “Brut” is

borrowed from the vintner’s lexicon.

“Brut” loosely translates to “raw”. It’s typical in the production of Champagne (sparkling wine in general) to add some sweetness (eaten up in fermentation) back at a certain stage. Thus “brut” designates wines that have had insignificant amounts of sweetness added back. The object with brut IPA is evidently to achieve a bone-dry beer while maximizing aromatics and effervescence. The style guidelines are still a little hazy and unofficial.

In the wake of milkshake IPA, this seems yet another pendular reaction in the flavor arc of The American IPA: bitter begat juicy begat brut.

It is probably prudent to credit adventurous palates and hop producers as well as the enzyme in the advent of this fresh iteration of IPA. It’s been an interactive process.

One surprising in its pace, and which culminates in a beer market that would have been unimaginable a couple decades ago — production lines demonstrating the agility of chef-driven restaurants?

As is often the case with emerging styles, Brut IPAs appear mostly as rotating releases. Ommegang Brewery’s Brut IPA is one that has graduated to year-round availability and, in my opinion, serves as an exemplar. It had none of the foreshadowing of herbal astringency of others I’d tried. No lacking of malt came to mind. The carbonation was immediately reminiscent of its namesake, which the bottle also reflects — I had a sense it wouldn’t work in a can. Citric and tropical hop aromas were on point. The finish was crisp. And dry.

It’s a natural for cheeses and grilled pork and all that, though my imagination steers me toward trying it with mangonada. No risk, no reward.

Bert Mattson is a chef and writer based in St. Paul. He is the manager of the iconic Mickey’s Diner. bertsbackburner.com

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REFLECTIONS

By Pat Christman

C

arnival rides are the staple of most Midwestern town festivals.

Here today and gone on Sunday, they provide a quick dose of entertainment and adrenaline, wrapped up in neon lights. Rides like the Scrambler and the Tilt-A-Whirl have been entertaining children (and adults) for decades.

The rides, games and attractions seem to rise from the concrete overnight and disappear at the end of the weekend just as quickly, taking all the rubber ducks, stuffed animal prizes and thrills with them to the next town and the next festival. MM

38 • AUGUST 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

MANKATO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2019 • 39

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Mary Ellen Domeier, Gerhard Christ, Richard Tostenson & Carolyn Borgen, Consulting Director posed for a photo in the lower level of the State Street Theater in New Ulm.

State Street Theater Company

– NOW A Regional Performing Arts Center

Ballroom Dancing, Musicals, Plays and SO MUCH MORE!

By Marianne Carlson

76

-year-old Carl Buboltz watches his feet and practices the steps before gently taking the hands of 21-yearold Grace Cantrell.

The two sway back and forth to soft, slow music rising up from the boom box on a table in the lower level of the State Street Theater Company in New Ulm. They are learning the Foxtrot.

“Don’t look at your feet. Look at your partner,” dance

42 • LIVING 55 PLUS • AUGUST 2019 • Special Advertising Section

instructor Gerhard Christ says with a smile as he walks past.

Cantrell is from Tennesee. She is spending the summer in Mankato with her brother and working as an intern at the Mankato Church of Christ. Thursday evenings she drives over to New Ulm for Ballroom Dancing class.

The Ballroom Dancing For Beginners class taught by Christ includes introductions to the Foxtrot, English Waltz, Rumba, Polka and Jitterbug.

“The cost is only $15 per couple per class and $10 for singles,” Christ said.

“If you don’t have a partner, that’s okay, we can pair you up. If we don’t have enough single people, I can dance with the ladies and my assistant Christina can dance with any of the men who need a partner.”

Both Buboltz and Cantrell came alone and got paired up together.

The idea is to keep the classes affordable and convenient, Christ explained. By charging per class, people can come when it works for their schedule and if they miss a class they won’t be out the money. This strategy has worked out well, especially over the summer months, Christ said.

“I had to miss one week because I was a counselor at church camp but I came back the following week and jumped right back in,” Cantrell said. “I am having so much fun. I would encourage people of all ages to come try it. No one here has been judgemental. They are all very complimentary and Mr. Christ is a very good teacher.”

Christ said he always likes to start class with the Foxtrot.

“The teenagers will come up with new ways to jump up and down but the Foxtrot is always the Foxtrot,” Christ said. “The idea behind the beginners course is to get comfortable with the basic steps.”

No matter your age, Christ said, people shouldn’t be afraid to take a beginners course or be afaid to take it more than once.

“We have several couples that have taken the basic course more than once,” Christ said. “Some people catch on very quickly but other people need to practice. When I was young I had to practice. I wanted to learn so I practiced alone in the kitchen until I got the steps in my head and I knew them by heart.

The man has to lead his lady so he has to be totally at ease with the steps.”

Christ grew up in Mannheim, Germany and like a lot of German teenagers he took his first dance lesson at the age of 19.

“I didn’t have a girlfriend or a girl to bring along so I just went alone,” Christ said. “You would ask a partner for a dance and then promenade around the room. Then we would split off again.

A lot of times you wouldn’t even dance with the original partner you asked in the first place, but it was good because you got used to dancing with different people.”

The dance school that Christ attended in 1953 is still in business, he said.

Dance Instructor Gerhard Christ helps Carl Buboltz learn the steps to the Foxtrot while assistant dance instructor Christina Koester helps another couple.

Ballroom dance instructor, Gerhard Christ (right) helps a couple work on their steps while Grace Cantrell looks on.

Special Advertising Section • AUGUST 2019 • LIVING 55 PLUS • 43

Left: Dance Instructors Gerhard Christ (left) and Christina Koester (center) dance with members of their ballroom dancing class while Carl Buboltz and Grace Cantrell (right) gain confidence with the steps. Right: Richard Tostenson & Gerhard Christ talk about upcoming opportunities at the Regional Performing Arts Center.

“I Googled it,” Christ said with a laugh. “It has been a dancing school for over 100 years.”

Christ didn’t get to attend the graduation ceremony for his dance class because it was the same night that his boat left for the United States. He never lost his love for dancing and even took advanced classes at the YMCA in Milwaukee, Wisconsin after moving to the United States.

For this dance class, Christ suggested wearing leather soled or smooth soled shoes.

“If you wear shoes that stick to the floor, it can be really hard on your ankles,” he explained. “If the soles of your shoes are smooth, you can twirl very easily. And if possible, the lady should wear a dress, because when a man twirls the woman and her dress flairs out, it makes a beautiful picture.”

Christ just celebrated his 85th birthday.

“You’d never know it,” assistant dance instructor Christina Koester said with a laugh. “He is so light on his feet.”

Koester is a New Ulm native. She is 30 years old and 38 weeks pregnant with her first child. During the school year, Koester teaches social studies at St. Mary’s School in Sleepy Eye. Her husband, Michael, is involved with the theater productions at State Street Theater Company, but when possible, he likes to come to the

ballroom dancing classes, Koester said.

“Right now he is playing Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast,” Koester said.

“The show opens on July 26 and will run for two weekends. We are also co-directing the fall musical, Guys and Dolls at Cathedral High School so we are running rehearsals for that as well.”

When asked how she got involved with teaching ballroom dancing lessons, Koester explained that Gerhard and his wife Judy attended Date Night For The Decades, a cabaret event at the State Street Theater.

“I was bartending for the event and Gerhard asked me to ballroom dance with him,” Koester recalled with a smile. “I literally had never done it before but it went really well. We realized that we made a really good dance pair.”

Over the next few weeks and months, Christ started talking to Koester about teaching a ballroom dance class and he asked her to be his assistant.

“The funny part is that I didn’t really know Gerhard before we started this class together,” Koester said. “I was a waitress in high school, so I knew him from around town, but now I consider him a friend. He has such a cool history.

I asked him to speak to my class about what it was like to grow up in Germany during World War II. He brings that same knowledge and history to dance class as well.”

44 • LIVING 55 PLUS • AUGUST 2019 • Special Advertising Section

Koester said she is amazed at the array of different people who have walked through the door for the ballroom dance class.

“We have an 80-year-old man who has never danced before, college students, married couples and single people of all ages,” Koester said. “All of their experience varies. Gerhard does such a job of teaching the steps. I am so impressed with how much everyone has learned. The people who keep coming back just keep getting better and better.

Now, almost a year later, this September, they are planning to add an intermediate class to the dance schedule, in addition to the beginner class, Christ said.

“We are also planning to bring in an orchestra and start having monthly dances for our class participants and their friends,” Christ said. “It would be open for everyone. Once we’ve got a following and if it warrants it, we might have dances twice a month.”

According to Koester, there are many people in town that already know how to dance but simply don’t have the opportunity. The stage in the State Street Theater has a beautiful wood floor and is as big as a basketball court, she said.

“There is enough room for dancing and the band can even fit up there too,” she said with a smile. “If people don’t want to dance they can still come and in

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the auditorium, listen to the music and watch the dancing.”

Nowadays, there are not a lot of places for people to meet one another, Christ explained.

“Where are you going to meet a nice girl, in a bar?” Christ asked with the shake of his head. “At a dance, you have the chance to meet a stranger and from the first dance you decide if you want to dance again. Who knows, if you dance with them five times or 10 times, a romance could develop or you might simply meet a new friend or find a good dance partner.”

Mary Ellen Domeier, Treasurer on the Board of Directors of the State Street Theater said the theater has been a labor of love for her. In 2015, when the state declared that the former middle school building was not up to code and could no longer be used as a school, Domeier and a group of other ambitious people from the area, decided to find investors to help save the historic theater and turn the classrooms into apartments.

“We are in critical need of workforce housing,” she said. “We knew that any developer needed to have historic tax credits available to them in order to make the housing piece affordable. We took all of the necessary steps to get it registered, so now the entire block is a National Historic Site.”

According to Domeier, Community Housing Development Corporation

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out of the Twin Cities has completed approximately 40 projects of this kind, both in the metro area as well as smaller communities like New Ulm. “The group that owned the property and sold it to a developer donated the theater portion to State Street Theater Company,” Domeier said with a smile. “So now our role has changed quite a bit. We don’t just put on four productions a year, our role is to also help sustain it and I am happy to say we are succeeding. Right now we are in the transitional stage of becoming a full-fledged business.”

The goal is to become a regional performing arts center, said Richard Tostenson, Vice President of the Board of Directors.

“Momentum has really been building this year,” he said. “We have grown exponentially beyond what we thought the interest would be. We have really gotten a huge community response.

And this is no longer just New Ulm. People are coming all the way over from Blue Earth to take Ballroom Dancing Class. Actors from all over southern Minnesota are particpating in our productions. We are proving that this is so much more than just a theater.”

Tostenson said they also do Family Movie Nights for families and kids throughout the school year. The cost is only $2 per person.

“Every event we have, we give tickets away to family services and they in turn know which clients need them the most,” Domeier said. “We bring in outside concerts and collaborate with other organizations like the Mankato Ballet Company. They perform here a couple times each year. We also offer free concerts, so there is the community service aspect too.”

“We want people to know that we are a valuable asset and we are here to stay,” Tostenson asserted.

If you are looking for something fun to do, Koester recommends checking out the State Street Theater website.

“There is so much cool stuff going on,” she said. “Come take a dance class.

Audition for a play. See a movie. It is a very fun, welcoming atmosphere.”

Christ said there are so many benefits to taking ballroom dancing.

“It is great exercise,” Christ said.

“And not the kind that hurts you. It is a great way to meet new people and learn something new. But the most important thing, is that everyone is having fun. We make it fun so the people keep coming back.”

Ballroom Dancing

2019 TOURS

SIGN UP TODAY FOR BEST AVAILABILITY Departure

Thursdays 7-9 p.m.

B

allroom dancing for beginners will be taught by Gerhard Christ and offered at the State Street Theater. Classes will include introductions to the Foxtrot, English Waltz, Rumba, Jitterbug and Polka.

All dancers are asked to wear shoes with smooth (or leather) soles. All ages are welcome, from 10 and up.

Those interested in joining the class are welcome to come to one class, a few, or all.

Cost: $15 per couple $10 per individuals

SOUTHWEST TOUR

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Please bring cash or check payment to class.

Return

August Mystery Tour .............................Aug. 12

Aug. 17

Creation Museum & Ark Encounter.....................................Aug.19

Aug. 24

A Tasty Adventure in the Twin Cities ...................................Sept. 20

Sept. 22

Door County (Including the Annual Warrens Cranberry Festival) ...............Sept. 26

Oct. 2

Grand New England ..............................Oct. 5

Oct. 19

Shades of Ireland...................................Nov. 4

Nov. 13

A Celebration of Service (A Tour Honoring Our Veterans) ..........Nov. 5

Nov. 9

Holidays in Branson ..............................Nov. 15

Nov. 20

Christmas in Branson ...........................Dec. 2

Dec. 7

Amish Christmas in Shipshewana .....................................Dec. 5

Dec. 9

A Twin Cities Holiday ..........................Dec. 13

Dec. 15

Tournament of Roses Parade...............Dec. 29

Jan. 2

Not sure where to begin?

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Take the next step now, call Nancy today at 507-388-4200.

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Special Advertising Section • AUGUST 2019 • LIVING 55 PLUS • 47

PLANNING AHEAD Will Save Loved Ones

By Silas Danielson & Macy Anderson Blethen|Berens Law Firm

Time, Money & Stress

What is Estate Planning?

Planning for the future can be overwhelming and stressful – particularly when the conversation centers on end-of-life healthcare and the disposition of your assets upon death. These are difficult conversations to have, but they are critical to reducing the stress on loved ones in the event of your passing or incapacitation.

Estate planning refers to the overall process of putting a plan in place to address end-of-life and after-death issues. There are a wide variety of estate planning “tools,” including wills, trusts, health care directives, powers of attorney, major gifts, etc. An estate plan will look different for each individual, because each individual’s situation is unique. The estate planning process is flexible, and this allows you to address each individual part of your estate. Whether you own a business that will continue operating after your death, you have minor children or grandchildren in your care/custody, or own just a few major assets (home, car, and investment accounts), estate planning offers you a chance to think about major end-of-life decisions and the legacy you wish to leave behind.

One common misconception about estate planning is that it’s helpful and necessary only for individuals with a high net worth. The truth is that having your final wishes documented is critical for anyone, regardless of wealth, because almost everyone has at least some personal assets that will require distribution, and everyone has the potential to be in a position where critical medical decisions need to be made. In the absence of this type of planning, loved ones are left with difficult decisions and an often complex court process. This complex and potentially expensive process can add additional, unnecessary stress to your family and friends during an already difficult time.

Another common misconception is that a “will” and “living will” are synonymous. These words, while frequently used interchangeably, are actually two different concepts.

It is important to note the distinction so that you can best document your wishes in a legally enforceable manner.

48 • LIVING 55 PLUS • AUGUST 2019 • Special Advertising Section

Wills

A will is a formal document outlining how you wish to have your money, property, and personal belongings allocated and distributed after your death, including who you want as your personal representative. In the absence of a will, Minnesota’s intestate succession laws will govern how your assets will be divided. These succession laws have a predetermined hierarchy for distribution of your assets – spouses and children come first, followed by grandchildren, parents, brothers/sisters, or other distant relatives if there are no closer relatives.

Minnesota’s intestate succession laws do not permit for the distribution of property to friends or charities. Therefore, if you wish to leave property or other assets to a friend or charitable organization, you must have a will that specifically outlines this desire. If you have minor children or grandchildren in your care and custody, wills can also provide an opportunity to dictate who will care for your children in the event of your death.

Consequences for dying intestate (without a will) often come in the form of increased time, money, and stress for your family and friends. The court is likely to be more involved in the distribution of your estate if you die intestate, and this can in turn increase attorney and court fees. The first thing the court will do is name a personal representative who will oversee the distribution of your assets. Due to the immense responsibility that falls on a personal representative, you likely want to designate someone you trust. You, and not the court, are in the best position to make decisions related to personal representatives, asset allocation, and care/custody of your children. Therefore, it is important to document your intent and wishes in a legally enforceable manner.

Health Care Directives

A health care directive (or what some refer to as a “living will”) is legally enforceable documentation of an individual’s health care wishes in the event that the individual becomes incapacitated or is otherwise unable to communicate. This document designates the individual(s) who you want to make health care decisions on your behalf and can provide what, if

any, end-of-life care you wish to receive.

The goal of a health care directive is to eliminate difficult decision making, provide clear documentation of your wishes, and ultimately provide peace of mind and reduce stress for family and friends.

If you do not have a health care directive and a critical health care decision needs to be made, your doctors will look to your closest family members to make decisions for you. This can become complex and stressful if you have multiple children, more than one generation of close family members (e.g. adult children and adult grandchildren), or if your closest family members are unaware of your wishes or unwilling to honor them. Even the closest of families face conflict when deciding on health care matters for a loved one. A decision to pursue or forego end-of-life care is far more difficult to make in the moment of a medical emergency as opposed to in advance. Many people have strong opinions on their health care wishes, but it is critical that these wishes are well-documented to eliminate any confusion or uncertainty.

Power of Attorney

Another estate planning tool commonly discussed is a power of attorney. A power of attorney is written permission for someone else to care for your property or money matters for you. The person giving the power is called the “principal” and the person taking care of things for the principal is called the “attorney-in-fact.” The power of attorney document is usually used when the principal is incapacitated or otherwise unable to make his/her own financial decisions. An attorney-in-fact does not need to be a licensed attorney, but it should be someone you have a great deal of trust in. If you name a power of attorney, you are still free to act for yourself, but the attorney-infact can also act for you. A power of attorney can be limited in time or scope with appropriate documentation, and a competent person can revoke a power of attorney in writing at any time.

Taking Action

Estate planning can seem overwhelming, and it may be a complex process depending on your individual circumstances. Sitting down with an attorney can provide you with the opportunity to evaluate which of the many estate planning tools best fits your needs and desires.

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A few days after being deposited, the check bounces. During that lag time, the criminals will quickly collect money for the “fees and taxes” on the prizewhich they pocket.

Fake emergencies

An imposter claims to be in trouble and requests money for rent, bail or medical expenses. Often the payment is requested through wire, Western Union or gift cards. To sound more realistic, the scammer may use personal information found online, such as a child or grandchild’s actual name.

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Callers claims to represent a charity seeking money to pay for disaster recovery or aid to victims. The money goes into the criminal’s account. Money is solicited for fake charities.

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Special Advertising Section • AUGUST 2019 • LIVING 1/2/19 55 PLUS • 51 4:20 PM

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54 • Kid-oh! • August 2019 • Special Advertising Section

AUGUST 2019 VOLUME 6, ISSUE 4

Hello!

H

ello readers. I want to welcome you to a miniedition of Kid Oh! magazine. Kid Oh! is a magazine published five times per year and distributed to ISD 77 grade- and middle-school students throughout the school year. Our team thought it would be fun and informative if we shared a taste of what you can normally find in these magazines within the pages of an edition of Mankato Magazine.

Each issue of Kid Oh! is full of stories and information that families will find entertaining and useful.

They also contain plenty of content to keep kids busy and entertained.

There are even features created by kids. Our kid writer, E.M. James shares a story, poem or other type of writing each issue. Sometimes she’ll encourage other kid writers to help finish her stories. Our kid comic artist creates a fresh comic for every issue.

Typically, each issue of Kid Oh! has a central theme. You’ll notice that in the following pages our theme is agriculture related. You’ll learn about the history of Hubbard Milling in our community, a look at sustainable and organic farming and you’ll also read about an upcoming Breakfast on the Farm event that you can bring your family to.

We hope you’ll enjoy this miniissue within this issue of Mankato Magazine and will look for us as we publish our upcoming fall issue in October.

Thank you for reading!

Steve Jameson

EDITOR/PUBLISHER Steve Jameson

C

s t n e t n o

56 Peeps

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Christina Sankey

CONTRIBUTORS Blue Earth County Historical Society E. Madelyn James Kasyn Zuehlke Marianne Carlson N Newbauer The Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota Wendy Betters PAGE DESIGNER Christina Sankey

Wendy Betters

57 Historical Feature

The house flour built

58 A Sustained Model 62 The Children’s Museum

63 Kid Writer

What anxiety feels like

64 Breakfast

on the Farm: Dauk Edition

ADVERTISING SALES Danny Creel Joan Streit Jordan Greer-Friesz Josh Zimmerman Marianne Carlson Theresa Haefner

68 Super Dupa

Comics

I’m a dog person

ADVERTISING ASSISTANT Barb Wass ADVERTISING DESIGNERS Christina Sankey Sue Hammar CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Justin Niles

Cover Kids:

Miiles & Sam

Kid-Oh! Magazine is published by The Free Press Media bi-monthly at 418 South Second St., Mankato MN 56001.

For editorial and advertising inquiries, call Jordan Greer-Friesz 507-344-6337, jgreer@mankatofreepress.com To be included in future Kid-Oh! mailings, call 507-625-4451, ext. 7

Miles and Sam in the winter rye Special Advertising Section • August 2019 • Kid-oh! • 55

y d n e W s r e t t e B Occupation:

Owner of Air Fairies, Lice Treatment Center, a Graphic Designer, and Ballet Instructor

What is your favorite part of your job?

Favorite part of my job at Air Fairies is helping kids and families smile and feel better.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

When I was a child I wanted to be a secret service agent

How long have you lived in Mankato?

14 years

What is your favorite thing to do in Mankato for fun?

For fun I love running, spending time with my kids, taking photos, and learning how to play hockey

About Me:

A little about me, I was born and raised in North St. Paul, MN. In high school you might find me most nights studying classical ballet; in college, I received my Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art; and today, I own a business that helps treat kids with head-lice. At home, I love to laugh with my husband, Mark and our three amazing children. My husband and son Leighton are really into hockey, so I recently joined the Mankato Women’s Hockey organization to try it out for myself. This was crazy considering I don’t have a history of being involved with team sports, just ballet. Oh, and I can barely skate.

Regardless though, I love it!

56 • Kid-oh! • August 2019 • Special Advertising Section

THE HOUSE FLOUR BUILT

FROM THE WHEAT FIELD TO THE KITCHEN TABLE

DID YOU KNOW?

Special AdvertisingMay/June Section • August • Kid-oh!• • 57 57 2019 2019 | Kid-oh!

A SUSTAINED MODEL Story & Photos by H Newbauer

O

rganic farming has come a long way in scale and purpose these past couple decades. From larger industry organic milk, meats, and breads to local, organic produce at the grocery store, restaurants, farmers markets, and community supported agriculture (CSA) boxes, choices abound for every type of consumer.

However, is there more that can be done with such a business enterprise?

The short answer: YES. Josh and Sally Reinitz, owners of East Henderson Farm, located just around 40 minutes north of Mankato, have grown their business model to one of diversity and sustainability, one adapting to a world ever-changing in climates, weather patterns, ecosystems, food systems, political unrest, economic turmoil, community challenges, and human endeavors.

When Josh and Sally first established East Henderson Farm ten years ago, their mission was more focused on starting a vegetable farm, a singular business model with cash crops for sale through CSAs, farmers markets, and wholesale distribution at the St. Peter Co-Op and River Rock Coffee, among others. Some of these crops included radishes, kale, hakurei turnips, tomatoes, cucumbers, and potatoes. They also raised chickens to sell for their meat and eggs.

During this time, they had just started a family. Henry was about two years old and Miles was an infant. A handful of years later, they had Sam. With three children,

58 • Kid-oh! • August 2019 • Special Advertising Section

they needed to rethink their business and the farm. Josh says, “The needs of the children kept growing, and we stepped back and started thinking about what we’re doing right, what we’re doing wrong. Let’s re-evaluate our life’s goals with the family. Let’s think about our legacy.”

Josh and Sally started to think of the farm not so much as a job but as a major passion in their life, a passion that brings together their life’s legacy. Josh notes, “If we just did the vegetable farm all year round for money, it would feel more like a job than a passion.” Both do other work for money, such as waitressing and carpentry, and are okay with that. Doing so also alleviates the stressors they had before with the farm: “We tried to be so big and we didn’t have time to enjoy our lives. Now we’re less stressed about having all this produce ready all the time and can take a vacation in the summer or go see a concert.” Having less of a consumer-based lifestyle inspired them for even greater expansion, off the business books.

So, what does this new mission for East Henderson Farm look like?

They wanted to model a sustainable lifestyle that allows them to have more balance in their lives—both as a family and individually—and to go back to connecting with nature. This new mission does not fit into a business plan to bring to the “bank,” but it does fit in with nature, diversity, and community: “we’re trying to build a sustainable life for our family and share our knowledge with the community and our friends.”

This new vision is still being formed because, like eating their crops, Josh said, “I’d rather have them eat anything sustainable, it must be adaptable to change. these other things instead of eating our cabbages.” They’ve Focusing their values on family, nature, and community had great success with letting nature just do its work. In helps them tackle larger problems, just on a smaller scale. fact, a beekeeper has been trusting his bees out at the farm For example, they were one of the first recipients of the because of such a great range of pollinating opportunities. crowd-funded Million Hazelnut Campaign (https:// Bees pollinate food crops and wild plants to keep the cycle millionhazelnut.com/). Their land already had some of life going strong, sustaining the foods we eat and the hazelnut trees, but this new campaign gave them the systems that produce them. ability to plant 1,300 (yes, 1,300!) hazelnut trees.

As surrounding nature continues to do her work, the Unlike rows of grapes for wineries, these new trees are fields continue to do theirs. However, instead of the six stacked on the property, allowing for more diverse growth acres of vegetables growing in their singular business opportunities, such as interplanting apple trees among the model a few years back, just three acres of vegetables line hazelnut trees, and planting the fields. Today the fields are raspberries at the bottom of continuously receiving the these other trees to get multiple benefit of crop rotation and perennial crops out of one piece cover crops. of land. A polyculture system of Crop rotation is a systematic layers. way of planting different crops The hazelnut tree is a native in soil areas; instead of planting North American species and has potatoes in the same spot every become popular in recent times year, Josh and Sally may plant because it is drought resistant the potatoes where the winter and needs less water to thrive. It squash was last year, the broccoli is also a champion for where the cabbages were, and so preventing soil erosion. With on. Such crop rotation prevents the frequency of heavy rainfalls soil depletion, maintains the in the Henderson area, Josh and fertility of the soil, and reduces Sally saw an opportunity to erosion. It also helps to control prevent soil erosion in their weeds and prevent crop and rolling valley area, and to plant disease. diversify their land with a Cover crops have done their perennial that has a large root work, too. Last year, they system. Sally says, “we had spots planted winter rye in one of on our land where we needed to their fields; this year, the field is do something different because abundant with a half-acre of there was a lot of soil and water potatoes and another half-acre erosion.” In bigger scale terms, of brussel sprouts. As the winter such perennials prevent nitrogen rye breaks down in the spring, it leaching, which then allows for prevents the emergence of other less waste and fewer carbon seeds, meaning just about no emissions. weeds to worry about. Walking Along with the scattered through their fields on any day hazelnut trees, one can find also proves the health of the soil. shrubs of aronia berries and Josh says, “After two and a half wild plums sheltering one long inches of rain, you’d think the side of their fields. This was field would be wet and mucky. done to not only diversify and It’s not. It’s firm. Good, healthy enrich the soil, but also to soil can take more rain. That’s protect the field crops from the help of the cover crops.” possible chemical run-off from Cover crops are rotated, too, conventional farm fields. In all leaving the fields with the their years farming, Sally and energy to stay healthy instead of Josh have never had any trouble planting the same things in the Top left: Wild plums. Top right: Sally, Sam, Josh and with chemical run-off from their same spots repeatedly, which Miles. Middle left: One of the 1,300 hazelnut trees farming neighbors, but why not will eventually deplete the soil of planted recently. Middle right: Cucumbers thriving plant something sustainable? its natural ability to stay healthy. in the open greenhouse. Bottom right: Miles, Sam, And if there’s no history of runTheir crop yields have been and Henry off, well then, just more to eat far more successful with these directly from the source. changes than the six acres they had in the past. Not only The farm’s fields today are much smaller in produce because of these ecological changes they made to the farm, scale, but larger on ecosystem scale. In the winters, Josh but also because of the better balance of time they are able teams up with a friend to make maple syrup in their back to give the crops and greenhouses. Instead of continuing woods. In the remaining seasons, wildflowers, clover, and meat chicken and egg sales, animals on the farm are used other pollinator-friendly, native growing systems cushion for family nourishment and farm fertility. The family truly the farm fields. Instead of worrying about rabbits and deer considers sustainability “producing what we can on the Special Advertising Section • August 2019 • Kid-oh! • 59

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For more information www.deepvalleybookfestival.com 60 • Kid-oh! • August 2019 • Special Advertising Section

SPONSORED BY:

The Free Press MEDIA

SUPPORTED BY

farm, including our inputs, like fertilizer and soil amendments.”

Having a direct source of food for pigs, cows, and ducks from the farm leftovers gives natural fertilizer to the farm and food for their family of six (the sixth being their loyal dog, Buddy).

The quality and integrity of their vegetables can be seen not only in the St. Peter Co-Op and River Rock Coffee’s local fare, but also in giving kids in the city experiences with wholesome food. For the past couple years, a portion of the brussel sprouts grown on the farm have been sold in partnership with Minneapolis Public Schools to feed the kids at lunch time. Such a relationship is promising for providing healthier, more sustainable food choices in public schools: “We applaud and support any effort for Mankato to further support farm to table restaurants, getting more local food in grocery stores and the school districts. It really is a worthwhile effort.”

As these changes in the farm have grown into a sustaining model, so has Josh and Sally’s community. Sally says, “When we first started, I didn’t think we had any idea we would do so much people meeting.” At the beginning of their venture, they had much more consumer-based exchanges with the surrounding communities of people. With meeting so many like-minded people throughout the years and growing strong relationships with the St. Peter Co-Op and Minneapolis Public Schools, just to name a few, their mission around community centralizes on health and enrichment.

One of the ways the farm connects with the community is through education. This year, the farm offers an Open Market from 3-7 p.m. on Wednesdays, giving people the opportunity to visit the farm for its produce. They also recently teamed up with Cedar Crate Farm and Little Big Sky Farm to talk about the value of CSAs at the Living Earth Center in Mankato. One of these farms, Little Big Sky, is owned by Dan and Jenny Kapernick, who also happen to be Josh and Sally’s neighbors.

They have become good friends and done produce-sharing this year. Sally says, “It’s not a competition. We both want each other to succeed.”

Collaborating with local farmers

promotes diversity in numbers.

Community collaboration through the arts and wholesome food is another component of their legacy.

The farm recently hosted a series of art workshops making mosaics for the Henderson Mosaic Project, a public art installation possible through a grant received by Henderson CAN. Being a part-time musician, Josh has also teamed up with the St. Peter Arts Center, serving on their board and collaborating with them on farm education and musical events.

Potlucks on the farm and unconventional music jams have also strengthened relationships with their surrounding rural communities, further fueling the creative processes that make communities healthy. Josh and Sally “want space for the arts and creative people in rural America. Diverse, creative, and resilient communities are healthy communities.”

A healthy community at home is the core of Josh and Sally’s legacy.

Family comes first before anything.

Henry is now 13, Miles is 11, and Sam is 6. The boys are very active being brothers and boys, building sabers and forts and bike tracks outside, but the two oldest are also getting into their teen years and have more intricate questions and needs around life. The landscape of the boy’s lives revolves around this everchanging world, too. Quality time with the family gives Josh and Sally the benefit of connecting with the boys through nature, leaning away from a lot of the conventional busyness in the world: “they need guidance from us in ways that they are good humans, have a good work ethic, and have a good start to their young adult lives.”

With a fresh model of sustainability, diversity, and resilience that connects them to nature and strengthens their communities, the owners of East Henderson Farm remain innovative.

They’re working on infrastructure to host seasonal farm workers and are also investigating the idea of “incubative farming,” ideas in which they can give back on both a smaller and larger scale. As these concepts flourish with adaptation, so will their sustained legacy.

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Special Advertising Section • August 2019 • Kid-oh! • 61

Fall into the Museum Fall is always an exciting time at 224 Lamm Street in Mankato! The month of October is always all about harvest and families are invited to make memories in the Museum’s indoor and outdoor exhibits. Make sure to come explore the Farmyard and connect with the way seed, sun, and water work to help plants, animals, and people thrive.

Help with the corn and soybean harvest and learn what these crops might be used for. The Museum will also include its visitors in the final harvesting of the garden beds, which will then be prepared for the winter. In September and October, child-sized wheelbarrows, rakes, hoes, and shovels see a lot of use!

Harvest Festival October 1 – 20

Stop by the Children’s Museum during its 5th annual Harvest Festival in October and enjoy a variety of programs and events for the whole family. Come learn about agriculture and safety on the farm, celebrate National 4-H week, explore food preservation—canning, freezing, and more—and meet farm animals in the Alltech Farm every weekend. All programs will be included with Museum membership or daily admission and on Saturday, October 5, the Museum is setting up an outdoor Tractor Alley, which will be open to the public at no cost. For more information, visit the Museum’s website.

Dig It!

September 14 • 9 am – 4 pm Mankato, MN

Join the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota on Saturday, September 14, for its second earth-moving event that puts the visitors in the driver’s seat! At Dig It!, you can move, haul and lift as you explore construction equipment. Dig It! is a family friendly event that showcases mobile and stationary heavy construction equipment and offers a variety of handson activities for all ages. Come see dozers, excavators, drones, a Trade Alley, Kids Zone, and more! Dig It! is a fundraiser for the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota. More information at:

www.digitmankato.com.

Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota 224 Lamm Street, Mankato, MN 56001 info@cmsouthernmn.org www.cmsouthernmn.org 62 • Kid-oh! • August 2019 • Special Advertising Section

By E. M. James

What anxiety feels like

Anxiety is like having a voice in your head.

A constant voice that only gets louder the more you try to ignore it It says it’s going to help you stay alive Oh, you’re alive.

But you aren’t living.

It stops you from doing the things you want to do most, You can only do the things the voice tells you.

My voice told me if I ate any type of food, I would vomit.

I cried when I was offered food.

Because I knew if I ate it, I would be sick.

I starved myself to stop an action that wouldn’t happen, Because the voice told me to.

The voice lives on to this day.

I still hear it, But I’ve duct-taped its mouth with four years of therapy.

And a single summer spent in a house that taught me that Not every adult is helpful.

And sometimes they can be the reason for your voice.

But I’ve grown stronger now.

I hear the voice telling me I’m going to vomit, And choke, And not be able to say goodbye to my momma Before I drown in the bathtub.

And it won’t ever really go away, But I can train myself to ignore its constant words, And choose to live, instead of be alive.

Can you help the pea find the pea pod?

Start

Special Advertising Section • August 2019 • Kid-oh! • 63

BREAKFAST ON THE FARM: DAUK EDITION Story by Marianne Carlson

S

ummertime can be the most exciting time of year for kids-especially when you find an activity that isn’t offered very often. In southern Minnesota, there are many opportunities for fun including the annual Breakfast on the Farm event. If your little one wants to bottle feed calves and honk the horns of farm tractors, then accompany them to Le Sueur and Blue Earth County farm bureau’s, Breakfast on the Farm.

This year’s Breakfast on the Farm 2019 will be held on August 10th from 7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and will be hosted by the Dauk family on their crop and beef cattle farm.

“We always enjoy sharing the farm with other people especially people that haven’t experienced farm life,” said Kristin Dauk.

Each year a different farm hosts the exciting event for kids. This will be the Dauk family’s second time hosting breakfast on the farm. They understand how to run the event and enjoyed volunteering on other farms in the past.

It’s a wonderful event for families to attend every summer.

64 • Kid-oh! • August 2019 • Special Advertising Section

Not only do you get to enjoy a free pancake breakfast, but you also get the opportunity to meet farm animals, pet them and take a look inside farm equipment.

“Its big stuff compared to what they’re used to like getting in a car, they are a lot bigger,” said Scott Dauk.

“For the kids it’s getting in the equipment, pretending to drive it,” said Kristin.

The Dauk family will include their calves, combine tractors, and a corn silo to view while kids visit the farm.

The silo will be emptied the day of the event so kids can see just how big they are up close. Other animals from nearby farms will join the event so kids can enjoy seeing goats, bunnies and kittens. With an event like this the more fun the better. Kids can participate in other activities such as face painting, playing in a giant corn box and an going on an agriculture scavenger hunt.

“They have six different stations around the farm they have to go to, and a volunteer is stationed there and the kids have to ask them a question. So, like in the barn we

At Breakfast on the Farm, families will have a chance to meet local farmers, see and pet all kinds of different animals, plant seeds, play in a corn sand box and enjoy a pancake breakfast. Aerial photo of the Dauk Family Farm where Breakfast on the Farm will be held this year.

get Dr. Denny the vet from Kind Vet in St. Peter and he answers the kid’s questions,” said Kristin Dauk. “He’s even got his new pair of coveralls ordered,” said Scott.

An exciting part of the event while being at the Dauk family farm is feeding their calves. Kids can bottle feed up to 20 of their little calves until all of them had their morning meal. The earlier you get to the farm, the better chance you have to feed one. Each calve drinks a half gallon of milk twice a day, once in

the morning and once in the afternoon.

“It’s a big bottle and they can drink it in about 30-40 seconds. Kids are really interested in the calves,” said Scott.

One of the best parts of the event is the free meal that everyone can enjoy. Kids can watch Chris’s pancakes being cooked on a 40-foot griddle in hopes to keep the line moving fast. The farm bureau will make the eggs and the Dairy Princess’ will be pouring milk and

juice for everyone. Donations are welcomed as they will help fund the event. There will also be many volunteers on the farm to help make the event run smooth. Industry sponsors will attend the event as well such as Snell Motors, CHS and Pioneer along with other equipment dealers.

“We look forward to the kids coming out and seeing everything and all the questions they have,” said Scott.

Kids have visited the Dauk farm before, as they hosted one Breakfast on the Farm event in the past and have had friends come to town to tour the farm. Scott Dauk’s aunt is a schoolteacher and led her students to the farm for a tour. Chinese

Special Advertising Section • August 2019 • Kid-oh! • 65

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Tues.-Fri. 9 AM-5 PM , Sat. 10 AM-4 PM Explore an 1880s Mankato diorama, visit a pioneer cabin and barn, do history in the Discovery Lab and discover new exhibits throughout the year. Self-guided.

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Guided one-hour tours. Events throughout summer.

BlueEarthCountyHistory.com | 507.345.5566 66 • Kid-oh! • August 2019 • Special Advertising Section

Ambassadors also visited the Dauk farm during the late 80s. With many visitors come many questions. Some of the kids ask to climb the silo and some want to know how long it takes to feed the calves.

“Kids are really interested in the calves and the equipment. Especially the boys, they love getting in there and pretending they are driving and honk the horn,” said Kristin.

The Dauk family has corn stands during season that their children Sophie 15, and Cameron 17, have focused on running. Kristin is a schoolteacher but helps with the sweet corn business as well in which the family will raise and sell the corn. They have had this business for 30 years. The family either sells it at the farm or at stand in Madison lake. Sophie and Cameron get up to hand-pick the corn at 6a.m. during the summer.

In 1892 Dauk relatives moved from Missouri to purchase land and started a century farm. Not only were they raising crops but around 1910 the Dauk farm was milking cows as well. After 100 years, milking cows ended. Scott and his brother Chris Dauk now run the 1500-acre farm. They have help from Scott’s children Cameron and Sophie along with Scotts wife, Kristin.

Today the farm raises corn, soybeans and beef cattle.

Running a farm is a big job and there is a lot to know about operating one properly. Most days, work starts at 6 a.m. The Dauk’s shared a few important things to know about working on a farm.

“This is where your food comes from, it starts here, doesn’t come from the grocery store,” said Scott.

“I just think about safety too, there are so many ways to get hurt on the farm,” said Kristin.

There is a chance that cows can get spooked and bump into you causing harm, therefore you should always pay attention. Being safe and aware of what you are doing, as well as ensuring you are doing it properly is important.

With a summer full of exhilarating things to do, attending Breakfast on the Farm is an annual event you want to mark on your calendar. Join us this year for free breakfast, farm animals and a day filled with fun!

Mankato Area Gymnastics School BACK TO SCHOOL MEANS BACK TO PRACTICE! FALL SESSION STARTS: Monday, September 9th 10th *You may join at any time for a pro-rated fee!

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Tuesday 5:30-6:00 Saturday 11:00-11:30

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For Full Schedule, Visit DCSMDANCE.COM Special Advertising Section • August 2019 • Kid-oh! • 67

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By Kasyn Zuehlke, age 12)

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68 • Kid-oh! • August 2019 • Special Advertising Section

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THAT’S LIFE

By Nell Musolf

I

Summer Girls

t was the summer of 1976 and a new amusement park opened not too far from my hometown. Along with several other friends I applied for a summer job at the park. I’m thinking the park’s standards weren’t too high because before you could say “Yukon long ride” we were all hired. Some of us got to dress us as a Looney Tune character and roam the park, a gig that sounded both stifling and claustrophobic to me. Others were assigned park maintenance duties, also not exactly the way I wanted to spend my summer. The luckiest ones were the chosen few who got to be ticket takers. Me? I was put in a cotton candy kiosk.

While I didn’t want to wear a costume or sweep up cigarette butts, I also didn’t want to make cotton candy.

I’ve never been great in heat or around food for extended periods of time so I wasn’t at all sure how this was going to play out. I suspected not well.

I was right. I lasted one entire day in the kiosk, a space roughly the size of a sauna and with the same level of humidity. The following morning I asked my mother to call my boss and quit for me. She did so without batting an eyelash.

“Yes, I’m calling to tell you my daughter won’t be in today. Actually, she won’t be back at all. Something suddenly came up.”

Something suddenly came up. The same classic excuse Greg Brady told Marcia to use when she wanted to get out of a date with sweet-but-dorky Wally so she could date the cute football player. I hugged my mother and shuffled back to bed, unemployed but relieved.

“You should be a summer girl like me,” my best friend, Martha, said. A summer girl was a babysitter who promised her services exclusively to one family in town in exchange for a tacit agreement that “her” family would go out enough to keep her paycheck regular and fairly plump.

A few strategic phone calls landed me a gig as a summer girl for the Sherman family. Looking back, I’m not sure why Mrs. Sherman needed a summer girl since she didn’t work, didn’t golf and, as far as I knew, book clubs didn’t exist in those days but she went somewhere almost every afternoon and I dutifully showed up to watch her offspring. It was infinitely better than making cotton candy.

Martha was even luckier since the dad in her 70 • AUGUST 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

babysitting family owned a garage and gave her the use of an unattractive vintage Porsche for the summer.

He also regularly drove a wide variety of much sportier vehicles, such as a white Corvette he left in the circular driveway when he took his wife away for a weekend leaving Martha in charge not only of their offspring, but also all the keys to all those cars.

Martha, a far more adventurous soul than I would ever be, decided to take the Corvette for a ride on the highway.

She also decided I was going to come along with her.

“We shouldn’t be doing this,” I nervously said as we climbed into the Vette and wave bye-bye to our charges.

Another friend volunteered to stay with the kids on the condition she was next in line for a ride.

“Why not?” Martha asked as she smoothly shifted gears. “Who will ever know?”

“Suppose you get in an accident? Suppose you get hit by a semi?”

Martha shrugged. “Then we’ll both be dead and we won’t have a thing to worry about.”

Shutting my mouth as well as my eyes, I leaned back in the Corvette’s contoured seats. We didn’t get into an accident or T-boned by a semi and, as Martha predicted, no one was ever the wiser.

The summer went on, one lazy day followed by another.

Being a summer girl was the ideal job: easy hours, not too taxing and we got to work on our tans while earning the princely sum of $1.25 per hour. We also had most of our evenings free and with Martha’s loaned Porsche we spent those evenings putting on mile after mile as we drove through warm summer nights.

At the end of the summer Martha got a proposition.

Her family owed her quite a bit of money and the dad offered to give her the Porsche instead of paying her.

That ugly old car? Martha didn’t hesitate. “No, thanks,” she chirped. “I’d rather have the cash.”

It wasn’t for years and years before we realized how much the Porsche would have been worth if Martha had held onto it, much more than whatever she earned that summer, but at the time we both thought she made the right decision. After all, who wanted anything old? Now if it had been the Corvette …

Nell Musolf is a mom and freelance writer from Mankato. She blogs at: nellmusolf.com

GARDEN CHAT

By Jean Lundquist

W

TOMAT

e are entering the prime month to harvest and enjoy tomatoes, peppers and onions — all you really need for a great homemade salsa.

Of course, a little lime goes well in the recipe also. Whether you can it, eat it fresh, or both, now is the time to get going.

I like to make my own version of a BLT, with slices of peppers, onions, spinach leaves, and whatever else is ripe in the garden at the time. Sometimes, if I don’t have any bacon at the ready, I can honestly say I don’t miss it in my sandwich.

I am still very happy with the grow bags I am using this year. I noticed in late June that my Garden Gem tomatoes from the University of Florida had small tomatoes on the vines, and hoped for ripe tomatoes in July. That’s always wishful thinking for me, but I never give up.

I don’t yet know about the “W” variety the university released last year, but if it’s as good at their Garden Gem and Garden Treasure varieties, I’ll be very pleased. It’s well worth making a small donation to get the seed packets as a thank you gift.

I gave some seeds and/or seedlings to a couple of friends this spring. I’m anxious to hear if they like these new varieties as much as I do.

Life is good with a dog and fresh, home-grown tomatoes!

Once again, I have learned some things this year, and once again, it’s because I failed.

The first thing I learned is to let your asparagus grow until it decides it is finished. Last year, due to circumstances beyond my control, my asparagus patch grew into the worst mess of weeds I have ever seen. I’m not known for a spotless bed of asparagus, but it was ugly last year.

I asked a neighbor to come in with his brush hog and just take the weeds, and the asparagus, down. It worked; the weeds were not an eyesore all winter. But — the asparagus this year was weak, spindly and sparsely

TIME! populated. And my asparagus bed is 30 years established!

Usually, I have so much asparagus I freeze most of it, even though we love it and can eat it at almost every meal. This year, we had a hard time finding enough for a meal.

Cutting it down before the roots were nourished took a toll. I decided to let it go and hope for better next year, or at least, the year after.

I also learned that in my heavy clay soil, tilling the garden is a necessity. I thought I’d give the “no-till” m o v e m e n t a t r y, a n d maybe keep down the weed population by not bringing seeds to the surface.

I took a garden rake and roughed up the surface before I planted beets, carrots, kohlrabi, beans and peas.

Nothing took.

Nothing grew.

I tried again with beets and carrots, planting an early-maturing variety of each. I don’t yet know if I will be fortunate enough to harvest and eat either one. I bought and set in some kohlrabi plants.

I thought my black tarps last winter would be the answer to killing weed seeds. They may be part of the answer, but are certainly not the answer!

My everlasting nemesis, purslane, somehow managed to survive the tarps, and carpeted the garden this year. I had hoped it would die under the heat of the black tarps, and by not tilling, my garden would stay clear.

But the heat under the tarps does not kill purslane, and by not tilling, the soil was too hard for roots and especially root-crops like beets and carrots to take hold.

The purslane was not deterred, though.

Honestly, deciding not to till was not laziness, but, I hoped, a better practice. I won’t make that mistake again.

And for those of you wondering, no, I still don’t have my greenhouse built. But I’m expecting the contractor any day now!

Jean Lundquist is a Master Gardener who lives near Good Thunder.gardenchatkato@gmail.com MANKATO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2019 • 71

YOUR STYLE

By Jessica Server

Swap ‘Til You Drop

T

his August, I’m taking a pledge: one full year without buying any new clothes. It’s a funny thing for the writer of a style column to do. I’ve taken this pledge before, but this year I’m going one step further to try to extend it to my son, as well. I’m going to rely on second-hand and vintage shopping (my favorite kind), as well as hand-me-downs and, my all-time favorite, clothing swaps!

Anyone who knows me knows that I love a good clothing swap. Back in Pittsburgh, I attended (and then hosted) many swaps, from small affairs in my little apartment, to curated events in galleries, to city-wide swaps that were chaotic and a bit “Lord of the Flies” for my taste.

So last year, Ann Fee and I threw the first area clothing swap at the Arts Center of St. Peter. It was a hit, and we hosted another this past spring. It’s rewarding to see enthusiasm for these events growing in the area.

What is a clothing swap? It’s exactly what it sounds like — an event at which you trade your (clean, good condition) unwanted clothes … for free! Each person brings their own items to donate and takes new-to-them items they want. Trust me, it’s as rewarding to see your favorite sweater get a second life with a new owner as it is to find the denim jacket of your dreams in your size, for free.

C l o t h i n g s w a p s a re obviously good for your wallet and the planet, but they are especially revolutionary, I’ve found, for personal style. It’s risk-free shopping, which enables people to branch out, take chances, and try on a style/cut/pattern that they normally would never consider. I am way more willing to take home something that is just a bit out of my comfort zone at a clothing swap. After all, there’s no investment involved in trying a trend or dabbling outside my comfortable color palate. Some things I take at swaps (like an amazing leopard print swing coat) get re-swapped or donated elsewhere, and some, like my canvas backpack, become go-to items. Some finds have even changed my style considerably.

Organized swaps take all shapes and forms, but I highly suggest starting an informal one with your friends. I used to host a seasonal swap at my apartment.

I’d invite around 15 friends (of all shapes and sizes—that 72 • AUGUST 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

part is important), set up a mirror, and tell everyone to bring a brunch item. My kitchen would be full of pastries, juices, frittatas, and berries and my bedroom would be overrun with dresses, scarves, leggings, and shoes.

Everyone took what they liked (I provided garbage bags), ate what they liked, pet my cat as much as they liked, and spent time together. They were anticipated gatherings in my circle.

Before you go “back to school shopping” for the kids this season, maybe you can host a neighborhood clothing swap in your yard. Surely there are other parents whose kids also shot up like weeds this summer and are in need of new outfits for the upcoming school year. I’ve only been a parent for a few months now, and I can already tell that children grow out of clothes way faster than they wear them out.

Or perhaps like me, you start to feel the urge to shop for corduroy, plaid, and sweaters the moment the thermostat drops below 60 degrees. A fall swap could be the perfect opportunity to serve your first pumpkin muffins of the season and see friends who’ve been away this summer. My swaps included jewelry and accessories, but you can add anything into the mix—music, books, kitchen items, etc.

The point of a clothing swap isn’t actually clothes — though they’re the wonderful byproduct.

Swaps create community.

We all wear clothes, buy clothes, stress about what we look like, and to some extent, long for what we don’t have. We all, to some degree, enjoy getting new things to wear. And everyone loves a bargain!

The fashion industry is improving, but its practices still have a big impact on the environment and its workers.

You’ll only need to attend one clothing swap to notice just how many clothes are out there that aren’t being worn and to appreciate how much we all have to share.

And if you’re not into hosting, keep an eye out at the Arts Center of St. Peter for their next event. Happy swapping!

Jessica Server is a writer who teaches at Minnesota State University. She lives in Mankato with her husband.

COMMUNITY DRAWS

By Kat Baumann

MANKATO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2019 • 73

COMING ATTRACTIONS: AUGUST 1-4

Ribfest Vetter Stone Amphitheater — Listen to the music from 38 Special, Dwight Yoakam and Vince Neil while eating ribs from some of the best ribbers across the country. Tickets are $39.50, $12, $10 at ticketmaster.com

3, 10, 17, 24, 31

24

KIDZ BOP World Tour 2019 6 p.m. — Vetter Stone Amphitheater — KIDZ BOP is a series of sing-along collections known for their “kid-friendly” versions of hit singles re-recorded by session musicians and singers and the KIDZ BOP Kids. Tickets are $77, $59, $45, $35, or $25 on ticketmaster.com

29

Buddy Guy and Kenny Wayne Shepherd 7 p.m. — Vetter Stone Amphitheater — Two blues musicians share the stage during this concert. Tickets are $150, $99, $79, $59 or $49 at ticketmaster.com

Jazz Nite!

The Jim McGuire Jazz Trio and the Ben Marti Ensemble will perform Saturday nights in August at Morgan Creek vineyards. Mcguire’s group performs Aug. 3 and 17; Marti’s group performs Aug. 10, 24, 31.

6, 13, 20, 27

Tuesday Tunes at Mankato Brewery Each Tuesday the brewery offers live music starting at 6 p.m. Aug. 6, Tanner Peterson; August 13, Sarah Kahle; Aug. 20, Betty Harsma; Aug. 27, Kaleb Braun-Schulz.

7-11 Nicollet County Fair 8, 15, 22, 29

Alive After 5 5-7:30 p.m. — Civic Center Plaza — This free summer concert series is a social gathering for the community to enjoy live music artisan market, food and beverages in an outdoor setting.

8

Singing Hill Chorus Summer Singalong 9:30-11:30 a.m. — School Sisters of Notre Dame, 170 Good Counsel Dr. — An hours of singing fun, familiar music with social time before and after. A great opportunity to check out the chorus. No cost, no registration.

23

Hairball 7 p.m. — Vetter Stone Amphitheater — A bombastic celebration of arena rock. Tickets are $25 or $20 at ticketmaster.com

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MANKATO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2019 • 75

FROM THIS VALLEY

By Pete Steiner

On creative destruction A

s I ease into Geezerdom, I have more time to try to wrap my mind around conflicting concepts. As usual, I’m making little progress. As chaos theory would have it, this mental struggle was ignited by a small event: cleaning out STUFF, I stumbled on an old concert program. In 1978, at MSU’s Otto Arena — which at the time was the only local indoor venue able to accommodate 5,000 fans — the Mankato Police Federation brought in one of the best concerts I’ve ever attended: Merle Haggard AND Marty Robbins. Who headlines that bill? (I would have flipped the billing, but technically, Robbins headlined.)

It’s not memories of that stellar concert, however, that provoked the current musings, it’s the promotional advertisements inside the printed program.

Perusing those ads again all these years later brought a wistfulness, a smile about my frequent theme of Places that are No More. (Each of these mentioned probably deserves its own article, but for now, brief comments.) A sampling: Did you know, Mankato once had a saloon called The Horny Bull?

Wouldn’t go over well now in the #MeToo era, but maybe a fitting moniker for the days of disco and the Urban Cowboy. It was located in Dutler’s Bowl on 169 North, featuring live music. By 1978, the name had been changed to the less provocative “Sneaky Pete’s.”

Anybody remember Harry’s Hofbrauhaus? A sumptuous buffet was offered in the old Burton Hotel near the current Veterans Memorial Park. The spacious dining room had lush murals that covered entire walls.

Speaking of food, there was Cub’s “elegant dining featuring Cantonese and American foods.” For decades, the colorful Cub Ferris presided over one of Mankato’s favorite evening spots not far from the Kato ballroom.

76 • AUGUST 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

Not all humans are such sentimentalists as I, and that’s probably a good thing. There’d be no progress if everything were allowed to stay the same.

For legendary status, how about Hilltop Tavern? The ad touted it as “Home of the Hamburger,” and all who remember the classic little joint at the top of Madison Avenue hill would call that an understatement (and what about the potato salad?)

Was Carrie Robb’s El Seis at Front and Cherry our first Mexican restaurant? Can you believe they offered FREE coffee with breakfast any time? That’s what the ad said!

The demise of all these cherished establishments testifies to the difficulty of surviving in the barrestaurant business. Shifting public tastes, a zoning change or a new highway, any of these can bring the demise of a place where memories were made. The retirement or death of the main proprietor, especially in the restaurant biz, is hard to overcome. nnnn Not all humans are such sentimentalists as I, and that’s probably a good thing. There’d be no progress if everything were allowed to stay the same. And I know some of the givens, that the Universe itself was born in violence, and life on Earth may not have occurred

without massively destructive comet impacts. I am forced to admit great advances, especially in medicine and technology, can arise even from our wars and other calamities. StilI, I am skeptical of gurus who religiously extol “creative destruction” — “tear it down to build it better” — sometimes justifying real pain for real people, then calling it the price of “progress.”

I come back again to “urban renewal” in the 1970’s, which devastated Mankato’s downtown.

Not until the Civic Center was built a decade and a half later did the downtown Renaissance really begin.

And what about the flood wall that moved the incomparable Century Club? Its great food was matched by a beautiful river view that was probably an untenable luxury, but nearly four decades later, no place has truly filled that void. n n nn As usual, my musings get me nowhere. I maybe should hit the delete key on all of this. But I have a deadline for the August issue, and what else would I use to fill the space? Say, speaking of that concert, the program for which spurred today’s contemplations, I remember one moment so well. Merle Haggard and the Strangers were about to do “Sing Me Back Home,” when there was a pause to allow photographs, a typical feature in country concerts at the time. It was the era of the Instamatic hand-held camera, and a woman approached the stage with hers, and before snapping the pic, said, “Smile, Merle!” To which Haggard replied simply, “Why?” Think he and I might have had something in common?

Longtime radio guy Pete Steiner is now a free lance writer in Mankato.

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