Rural Life 2014

ural ife R L 2014

June 11,12, & 13, 2014

PAGE 2

VALLEY RURAL LIFE

Wednesday, June 11-Friday, June 13, 2014

PULL A lot of

Le Center area farm puts mules to work in fields

L

By Pat Beck • pbeck@stpeterherald.comv

onnie Boettcher used to raise Belgian horses, but he prefers mules. Boettcher, who has 10 in his pasture along Highway 99 in the eastern edge of Le Center, likes mules better because of their disposition.

Boettcher doesn’t believe in the old saying, “stubborn as a mule.”

Instead, he thinks mules are just smarter than horses and won’t respond to unsafe commands.

“People say they’re more stubborn, but that’s not true at all,” Boettcher said. “A mule is a selfpreserving animal. If they think they’re going to get hurt, they just won’t do it.”

He also likes mules because, “They’re way more personable,

and pound for pound, they’ll outwork a horse. They eat less. They get your trust from them, and theirs in you, you’ve got a really good partner. And they’re more surefooted.”

And they like to work.

“The more you use them, the more they like it,” said Boettcher’s “right hand mule skinner” (driver), his granddaughter, Ashley Genelin, of Le Center.

See PULL on 3

Lonnie Boettcher pets one of his 10 mules on his farm in Le Center. (Pat Beck/St. Peter Herald)

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Wednesday, June 11-Friday, June 13, 2014

VALLEY RURAL LIFE

Pull

UPCOMING APPEARANCES

From Page 2 Everyone in the family has been on a wagon a time or two.

Both of his daughters, Christa and Becky, drove mules. As far as handling, Boettcher and Genelin do most of it.

“I like to just help,” Genelin said. “I couldn’t do it by myself, but I like to go with him.”

Boettcher raises mules as a hobby. In addition to driving them around the neighborhood pulling a wagon, he brings them to special events including parades, church festivals, funerals, anniversaries and weddings — including his granddaughter’s

where they had six pairs of mules.

“We just got a call from a young man, and we’ll do their wedding a week from Saturday,” Boettcher said.

“I’ve hauled seven people to the grave over the years as a hearse. I lot of them were Posse members and friends of mine.”

• Le Sueur County Sheriffs Posse Trail Ride, Fathers’ Day Weekend, June 14-15 at the county fairgrounds • St. Mary’s Church Festival, Le Center, June 29 • Le Sueur County Fair, Aug. 14-17

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Rural Life A special publication of Huckle Media Publisher Stephanie Hill Managing Editor Suzanne Rook Media Consultants Stephanie Hill, Kathleen Davies Advertising Designers Mary Jo Blanchard, Nikkie Gilmore Cover Design Nikkie Gilmore Page Design Tony Borreson Rural Life 2014 is distributed to subscribers and readers of Le Center Leader, Le Sueur News-Herald and St. Peter Herald and Waseca County News at no additional charge.

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VALLEY RURAL LIFE

Pull

Wednesday, June 11-Friday, June 13, 2014

From Page 3 His mules can be seen pulling a wagon for Le Sueur County Sheriff ’s Posse, at Bullhead Days in Waterville, Barbeque Days in Belle Plaine, St. Patrick’s Day in Le Center, Kolacky Days in Montgomery and the Giant Celebration in Le Sueur.

Boettcher and his granddaughter also compete with the mules in the farmer’s class driving competition obstacle course at Le Sueur County Fair.

“It will be a fun day when she beats me, but she hasn’t yet,” Boettcher said.

Rasing mules is not a mon- oats and corn and milking cows ey-making venture. He does it until 1976. because he loves mules and he He also initially began raising wants to share them with others. Belgian horses, but John Stender “Although I do train a lot of in Le Sueur convinced him to mules and horses to drive over switch to mules. the years, I’m kind “He had of slowing down MORE ONLINE mules and a Jack now,” said Boettch- Find more photos from (male) donkey,” er, 63, who retired the Boettcher farm at Boettcher said of two years ago from stpeterherald.com Stender. “And he Le Sueur County worked with my Highway Departwife at Queen of ment. “I used to train a lot of Peace Hospital. Every year at horses and mules for people to the Christmas party, he said ‘I’m drive.” going to breed a couple of your He started out farming alfalfa, mares with my Wilbur,’ his Jack

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With her grandfather, Lonnie Boettcher, by her side, Ashley Genelin drives drives the mule team of Bunny (left) and Jewel on the Boettcher farm in Le Center. Their mom was an Appaloosa horse and their dad was a donkey. (Pat Beck/St. Peter Herald)

donkey. After about four years, finally he talked me into it, and I’ve never looked back since.”

Mules are produced by the mating of a female horse (mare) and a male donkey.

Some of the mules Boettcher has sold over the years are work-

ing mules.

“I’ve had three pair of mules that came from this place down at a church group in Oklahoma called Dry Gulch USA,” Boettcher said, “and they use them for

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Wednesday, June 11-Friday, June 13, 2014

VALLEY RURAL LIFE

PAGE 5

Pull

From Page 4 rides and as dude mules for kids to come there for summer camps and they use them for rides. They also use the teams for puling wagons for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

“We’ve had them on about every kind of machinery in the field. We’ve cut and raked hay with them, biffed, harrowed, plowed, planted corn and

hauled corn.”

Genelin added: “We can ride some of them, too. The ones who are broke to ride.”

Boettcher, who has raised mules for 35 years, grew up on the threegeneration family farm settled by his grandparents, Herman and Henrietta, and then his parents, William and Albina. Boettcher and his wife,

Mary, reared their seven children there.

Over the years, the Boettcher farm has had a combination of about 10 horses and mules at a time.

“We had to have a mare and jack donkey to produce these mules,” Boettcher said. “So we usually had 10 head on the place most of the time, a combination.”

Boettcher doesn’t do any breeding anymore, so these will probably be his last mules.

The oldest pair is in their 20s, and they typically live from 30 to 35.

“They live little longer than horses on an average,” Boettcher said. “They take that after the donkey part.”

Boettcher still helps friends farm, planting and harvesting crops and driving gravel and grain trucks and tractors.

He experiences the best of both the old and new ways of doing things.

“It’s quite a changing world,” Boettcher said. “A few weeks ago, I helped a friend of mine, an old mule skinner from Decorah, Iowa, where we hitched eight mules on a disc, and the following week I was helping a buddy of mine farming. I was in a 400-horse John Deere with a GPS.”

Lonnie Boettcher drives his mules plowing. (Submitted)

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VALLEY RURAL LIFE

Wednesday, June 11-Friday, June 13, 2014

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Lonnie Boettcher, with his wife Mary, leads a mule team in his grandchildren Mike and Ashley Genelin’s wedding. (Photo courtesy of Jillian Raye Photography)

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Wednesday, June 11-Friday, June 13, 2014

VALLEY RURAL LIFE

PAGE 7

LOCAL THREADS

Area hair salon adds new alpaca retail store

By SAMANTHA MARANELL

smaranell@wasecacountynews.com

Jeremy Hanks, owner of JDH Hair Design and Luxury Alpaca, talks about some of the alpaca products sold at his salon. Here he displays an alpaca circle scarf. (Samantha Maranell/Waseca County News)

Jeremy Hanks was nearly side-swiped multiple times on I-35 last fall by travelers surprised by the alpaca sitting in the back seat of Hanks’ car.

Hanks styles hair for a living at JDH Hair Design located between Janesville and Mankato, but the residents who call Hanks’ front yard their home don’t need hair products. The fluff on top of their heads is all natural.

Hanks added a line of alpaca products — Luxury Alpaca — to his salon business last year. The eight alpacas he keeps on his farm provide the fiber for the roving and yarn sold at Luxury Alpaca.

“It all started with my love for alpacas,” Hanks said. “They’re a unique animal.”

Hanks started his own farm after visiting an alpaca farm seven years ago.

“I was hooked,” Hanks said, joking at the time, that he’d someday own an alpaca.

Hanks finally acquired his first alpaca in 2010 and continued with the farm because alpacas are a relatively easy to care for and don’t require much money to raise. Depending on genetics, the initial investment can be anywhere from $500 to $60,000, Hanks said.

“It was great advertising,” Hanks said of the experience driving down I-35 with his new alpaca in his back seat. According to Hanks, Alpacas travel sitting down, much like a dog does when in the back seat of a car.

According to Nancy Walz, co-manager of the Minnesota Alpaca Expo, when it comes to alpaca farming, there’s a lot that can be done on a small acreage. Eight alpacas can comfortably live on one acre. They’re also considered an eco-friendly animal due to their gentle grazing.

Alpacas don’t rip grass out from the root, Hanks said, they just nibble the tops.

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VALLEY RURAL LIFE

Wednesday, June 11-Friday, June 13, 2014

Alpaca From Page 7

Their waste can also be used as com- as a horse or goat,” said Walz. post.

Not only are alpacas relatively “They’re not as harsh on pasture easy to raise, their product is on par with cashmere and is better than According to Hanks, alpaca LUXURY ALPACA wool. fiber is “as soft as cashmere, warmer Luxury Alpaca is and lighter weight than wool and located at 20811 without the prickle-factor that Ocean Road, Janesville. some wools carry.” The price of an Traveling west from alpaca product is also comparable Waseca, Luxury Alpaca to the price of something made of cashmere. Alpaca fiber is also hyis past Smith’s Mill just poallergenic because it contains no off of Highway 14. lanolin, so it’s an option for people Hours: who are allergic to wool.

Mondays noon to “Alpaca fleece is one of the stron7 p.m. gest natural fibers in the world,” said Tuesdays 11 a.m. to Walz.

7 p.m.

Walz said alpacas at the Minneclosed Wednesdays sota Alpaca Expo are judged on the Thursdays 11 a.m. to fineness, brightness and strength of 7 p.m. their fleece. Judges also look for the Fridays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. animal’s balance when walking. She Hanks can be reached said alpacas are popular because of at Luxury Alpaca at (507) their mellow disposition.

381-2230 Hanks likened alpacas to cats be-

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1

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cause they “live on their terms” and each animal has its own personality. They are herd animals, so farms must have more than one alpaca.

According to Walz, there are about 150 to 170 alpaca farms in Minnesota. Hanks said their are farms in Elysian, North Mankato, Le Sueur, Lakeville and Owatonna, to name a few. Although that may seem like a large number, Walz said Ohio, Washington and Colorado are likely the states with most alpaca ranches.

However, Owatonna is home to the largest alpaca show in the Midwest, second only to Colorado.

Luxury Alpaca also offers boarding for alpacas owned by those living in the city.

“You don’t have to be a farm owner to own an alpaca,” Hanks said.

Hanks said his goal with the Alpacas are a well-tempered animal that hum, answering the age-old question: What does the farm and store is to educate the alpaca say? (Samantha Maranell/Waseca County News) public that alpaca fiber is a usable product.

Wednesday, June 11-Friday, June 13, 2014

VALLEY RURAL LIFE

PAGE 9

Sodden spring spells uncertainty for crop prices Michael Wojahn gets his equipment ready to plant soybeans on his southwest Minnesota farm on May 14. It’s been a mixed bag so far this spring for state farmers. (Minnesota Public Radio News)

By MARK STEIL

Minnesota Public Radio News

M

innesota farmers may be looking at a financial squeeze this year.

The wet spring has eliminated drought in much of the corn belt, suggesting a big crop could be on the way. That’s helping drive down prices below the break even level for a lot of producers.

In southwest Minnesota, Michael Wojahn is among those who may feel the punch.

As he prepped his equipment recently to plant soybeans, he said was making good spring planting progress so far this year. One reason for that is because of the continued moderate drought conditions in the southwest corner of Minnesota. While the dry weather is a concern, it’s also allowed farmers plenty of planting time in the fields.

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PAGE 10

VALLEY RURAL LIFE

Wednesday, June 11-Friday, June 13, 2014

Sodden From Page 9 That’s in contrast to much and I haven’t lost a crop yet,” of the rest of Minnesota, where Wojahn said.

So far, he said he likes what heavy rains have delayed fieldwork. In some cases, there’s he sees. In one corn field, he been so much gots down on delay that his hands and “It’s just going to knees, and dug farmers could miss key plantup a corn seed be a real tough ing deadlines that will bedecision, can I get come part of and risk losM i n n e s o t a’s ing some crop big enough to insurance $5 billion corn benefits. But compete or do I have crop, checking Wojahn said to see if the t h at d e spite to exit the business.” seed is ready to pop a new the dryness on Agricultural economist stalk out of his farm some Michael Swenson 100 miles the ground. southwest of “Here you the Twin Cities, he’s still opti- go, it’s just really getting startmistic. ed,” Wojahn said. “You’ve got “Forty-plus years of farming that little shoot heading up and

the root heading off down the side there.”

That shoot should produce an ear of corn by fall containing hundreds of kernels ready to be sold. Exactly what sort of price Wojahn will get for that corn though is a big question. Commodity analyst Darin Newsom at DTN, said it almost

certainly will be nothing close to the record $8 a bushel price of a couple years ago. Newsom said if good weather produces a big U.S. crop, already low corn prices could go even lower.

“We could see the corn futures drop down into the low four-dollar range, and cash prices drop into the upper

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threes,” Newsom said. “And that would certainly get a lot of attention.”

Wells Fargo Agricultural Economist Michael Swanson said those sorts of low prices would spell big financial losses across farm country.

“That’s not going to be a real winner for a lot of producers,”

he said.

Swanson said that with similar prices last year, many farmers lost money on their corn.

That fits with the findings of a team of academic researchers in Minnesota who collect financial data each year from more

avings

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Wednesday, June 11-Friday, June 13, 2014

VALLEY RURAL LIFE

Sodden From Page 10 than a thousand farms in the state. Last year, they found low corn prices meant most farmers lost money on rented land.

About two-thirds of the acres in the data were rented.

A sustained run of high corn prices has pushed up rents, as landlords tried to capture some of the wealth their land was producing. But with grain prices on the downswing, those higher rents are growing red ink.

Some especially hard hit farmers lost more than $200 per rented acre last year.

Swanson said that, especially for small farmers, a repeat of those losses again this year could push them to the economic brink.

“It’s just going to be a real tough decision, can I get big enough to compete or do I have to exit the business,” Swanson said.

Getting bigger could help because it would spread the

costs of machinery and labor over more income producing acres. But there’s also risk in the strategy. It could mean even higher rental prices, because the farmer would have to outbid others who are also eager to have more crop land.

As Wojahn finished working on his planting rig recently, he said that even with the dry weather and the troubling outlook for corn, he’s still happy to be farming. For one thing the last few years have been good to him.

Even though the outlook for corn is gloomy, Minnesota’s $4 billion soybean crop should be profitable, offsetting some of the poor returns on corn. If things get really bad, Wojahn said there are always non-financial benefits to his job.

“There’s a lot of satisfaction too in producing something from the ground, and watching it grow,” he said.

Minnesota Public Radio News can be heard in Southern Minnesota on 103.9 FM or online - Insurance - For Price - For Coverage - At Claim Time

16 Companies and 20 Professionals!

“As endorsed by John Williams and heard on WCCO Radio!”

200 South Main, Le Sueur, MN 56058 (800) 967-3389 • FAX (507) 665-6510

Firmly Rooted in the Community

Since 1902, First State Bank has been providing financial flexibility to Le Center, Henderson, and surrounding rural communities.

Real Estate Loans • Operating Loans • Equipment Loans

First state Bank 88 N. Park Ave. Le Center, MN (507) 357-2225

239 Main St. Henderson, MN (507) 248-3740

WWW.FSBLECENTER.COM

PAGE 11

PAGE 12

VALLEY RURAL LIFE

Wednesday, June 11-Friday, June 13, 2014

Lager’s

St. Peter

LAGER’S ST. PETER IS HELPING DODGE CELEBRATE THEIR 100 YEAR EVENT WITH OUR OWN EVENT! WE’RE HAVING A NEW CAR CLEARANCE ON OUR OLDEST INVENTORY IN STOCK. THESE 16 VEHICLES HAVE BEEN DRASTICALLY REDUCED. PRICES ARE FOR THESE VEHICLES IN OUR INVENTORY ONLY- NO SUBSTITUTIONS! 2014 DODGE DART SE AERO 1.4 Turbo, 6 Spd., 8.4” Touch Screen Controls, Alloy Wheels

4 Cyl., Auto, PW, PDL, Rallye Appearance Group

MSRP 20,990

MSRP 21,985

$

17,976*

$

15,996*

$

MSRP 34,535

#10615

Price good until 6/16/14!

3.6 V6, Dual Zone A/C, 4.3” Touch Screen Controls, Alloy Wheels

MSRP 25,990

$

28,953*

$

19,988*

$

2014 JEEP COMPASS SPORT 4X4 2.4 4Cyl., Auto, PW, PDL, Remote Entry, Alloy Wheels

MSRP 23,985

#10693

2014 JEEP CHEROKEE LATITUDE 2.4 4 Cyl., 9-Speed Automatic, Remote Start, Heated Seats, 8.4” Touchscreen Controls

19,993*

$

#10280

26,997*

$

2014 RAM 1500 QUAD CAB ST 4x4

Leather, Heated Front & Middle Seats, DVD, NAV, Back-up Camera

30,979*

$

#10529

3.6 V6, P. Seat, PW, PDL, Tow Pkg., Satellite Radio, Alloy Wheels

31,970*

#10762

MSRP $ 49,715

EVENT PRICE

EVENT PRICE

EVENT PRICE

#10710

44,943*

$

39,981**

$

#10671

#10718

LAST OF THE NEW 2013’S!

2014 RAM 2500 CREW CAB SLT 4X4

MSRP $ 45,600

35,964**

5.7 Hemi, Heated & Cooled Leather, NAV, Moonroof, 20” Wheels

EVENT PRICE

MSRP $ 37,735

$

2014 DODGE DURANGO CITADEL AWD MSRP 49,970

$

2014 RAM 1500 CREW CAB SLT 4x4

#10527

$

6.4 Hemi, Tow Pkg., Heated Seats, 5th Wheel Prep, Back-up Camera

#10542

23,991*

$

2014 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LAREDO 4x4

5.7 Hemi, Tow Pkg, Heated Seats & Steering Wheel, Remote Start, Back-up Camera, 20” Wheels

29,979**

P. Doors & Liftgate, P. Seat, Back-up Camera, Blacktop Appearance Pkg.

EVENT PRICE

5.7 Hemi, Tow Pkg, Remote Entry, Trailer Brake, Backup Camera, 20” Wheels

$

2014 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SXT MSRP 29,670

EVENT PRICE

#10757

#10574

$

$

EVENT PRICE

29,998*

$

2014 TOWN AND COUNTRY TOURING-L

MSRP 34,585

$

EVENT PRICE

#10541

Price good until 6/16/14!

EVENT PRICE

MSRP 29,575

$

16,992*

$

EVENT PRICE

$

EVENT PRICE

#10550

MSRP 36,540

$

MSRP 36,710

$

EVENT PRICE

3.6 V6, Heated Leather, Remote Start, Back-up Camera

EVENT PRICE

2014 DODGE JOURNEY SXT

2014 DODGE CHARGER SXT AWD 3.6 V6, Remote Start, 8.4” Touch Screen with Back-up Camera, NAV

4 Cyl., Auto, 6.5” Touch Screen Controls, S-Appearance Group $

EVENT PRICE

#10606

2014 CHRYSLER 300 AWD

MSRP 25,480

$

EVENT PRICE

2014 CHRYSLER 200 TOURING

2014 DODGE AVENGER SE

DODGE CHARGER SUPERBEE.. $37,996* DODGE DURANGO CREW AWD. $39,941* DODGE DART SXT.................. $16,987* JEEP WRANGLER SAHARA...... $33,962*

*Includes finance cash. Must finance with Lagers Finance Source to qualify. WAC. See salesperson for details. **Also includes current truck owner incentive. See salesperson for details.

Lager’s

St. Peter

Jeep

910 Old Minnesota Ave.

507-931-4070 • 800-657-4802 HOURS: M-Th 8-7 | Fri 8-6 | Sat 8-4

Mike Chmiel

Dan Wegscheid

Jeff Brand

Jared Skala

Jake Peymann

®