2020 R E M y SU M m u n it
om le | c a l e s ta te y t s e li f re o rs | o d t u o
Cabin Chef
Get Out & Explore
Made in Minnesota
Simple. Fresh. Delicious. Cabin favorite recipes, submitted by you.
Escape the everyday– Take a roadtrip, build a fire, find some mushrooms.
From hobby farm to hemp production. The in's and out's of this new-age crop.
Visit our NEW central lakes location ‌ just north of Zorbaz on Big Pelican Lake with dockside parking, we'll be your new stop for all boating service, parts and rental! Let us show you our new showroom!
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SUMMER 2020
SPRING 2020
umotorsinc.com
RELAX & ENJOY
THE RIDE
Sales Service Parts Rentals Storage
Pelican Rapids & Fargo LAKE LIFE WKND
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CONTENTS
e p a c s E 14
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GET OUT AND EXPLORE
MADE IN MN
BONFIRES, GAMES, NATURE QUESTS & MORE
UNCLE FUNKY'S FARM
The lakes is a great place to 'escape'. There is so much to do and explore. We've compiled a few activities that you can do when you need to keep your distance.
A family-owned farm in Perham provides fresh, high-quality hemp to local businesses and individuals.
LIFESTYLE 08
Long Lake Trail
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Fire Bread
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A new 'twist' on campfire snacks.
Cabin Chef
COMMUNITY
OUTDOORS
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17
presented by Choice Bank
Cabin Favorites Lake Life recipes submitted by you!
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BIO Girls
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Summer Podcasts
Simple recipes. More lake time.
Sparking a movement. Putting young girls first with Choice Bank
What to listen to at the pool, on the lake, or in the office.
presented by JCR Land Co.
Searching for Wild Mushrooms Chanterelles-Bright and delicious finds.
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Strike Zone
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Investing in Land
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Land For Sale
Fishing tips from Al Linder and Rapala lures.
Knowing your options for producing income.
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THE LAKE
BIO GIRLS PUTTING YOUNG GIRLS FIRST A positive, non-competitive program for girls to form meaningful relationships and improve their self-esteem.
THE CABIN
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REAL ESTATE
presented by Jack Chivers Realty
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Market Update
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Renting Out Your Lake Home
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Properties For Sale
THE STYLE
MODERN LAKESTYLE COMMUNITY LIVING FIREFLYDEADLAKE.COM
LAKE LIFE WKND
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For the latest in lake style living stay tuned with us online!
*lakelifewknd.com
WKND 06/ 20
SummerSeas on ...
PUBLISHER Dirk Ockhardt
has finally arrived to Lakes Country—are you ready to get out and explore?
CONTRIBUTORS Choice Bank Rapala Jack Chivers Realty JCR Land Co
We have put together another magazine with lots of stories from and about West Central Minnesota. This year has started off very different than what we all expected it to be and we don’t want to dive into that any further. Instead we’d like to share some fun things you can do and are happy to share new places you can explore this season.
EDITOR Aubrey Roberts DESIGN Alison Monke WRITERS Ryan De La Rosa Mike Brown Dirk Ockhardt MATZ & GREIFF 318 W Main Street Perham, MN 56573 ADVERTISING hello@matzgreiff.com (218) 346-5400 SUBSCRIBE hello@lakelifewknd.com ONLINE Find each issue online at issuu.com/lakelifelounge Daily Updated Content, Events, News and Podcasts at www.lakelifewknd.com FOLLOW
© 2020 Matz & Greiff Media Group. All rights reserved. This publication cannot be reproduced without written permission.
Who doesn’t like bonfires, right? We thought we would share some different techniques with you on how to set one up and enjoy. I usually just pile some wood together and let it burn but thought it was interesting to learn about a good bonfire technique and share it with you. And then I was wondering if you ever tried to bake bread on a stick before? In Germany we call it “Stockbrot” and we do that instead of roasting marshmallows. Try it out and let us know what you think! While speaking about food—we have received a number of recipes for the lake we love to share with you to try out. Cooking and eating is one of my greatest passions and I hope you will find some inspiration here, too. During the summer I enjoy a fresh and rich salad. Please feel free to add anything to my recipe and let us know what you created! As we will be missing many events to go to in the area this year, we decided to highlight places to explore and go to as a small group, by yourself, or as a family. We have a few MiniAdventures featured in this issue and please also take a look at our new online wknd map to find more hidden gems in the area! Check it out at www.wkndnow.com Last but not least we feel that lake style living will be more appealing to people than ever. Therefore you will find a bigger section about living in Lakes Country towards the end of our magazine. Enjoy your read and this Summer Season!
Best,
Dirk
Photo by: Dirk Ockhardt
LAKE LIFE WKND
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I S N E I M TUR TRY
N N U O E C V S E AEDXPLORE LAK
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s a g r Ve
A small town in the heart of Minnesota’s Lakes Country. For what it lacks in size, Vergas makes up for in community spirit. Like true Minnesota fashion, the locals are friendly and love sharing their small town with guests. It’s a hidden gem that you must add to your list of stops while you’re in the area.
Boardwalk On Long Lake
Tin Can Alley Long Lake Trail
Vergas to City Beach Phase 1 Complete
Phase 2 Complete
Connection to Boat Access
Phase 3 Underway
VERGAS
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You can spend an entire day in Vergas exploring small shops and restaurants. There’s a coffee shop and a delicious, seasonal ice cream parlor to cure that sweet tooth. As you venture a little farther out of town on Country Rd 17 and you will find a zoo with elk, alligator, lemurs and more! There’s a playground area and tables for a picnic. It’s truly a place all ages can enjoy. But specifically, Vergas is known for being situated in the middle of several small lakes. Its city beach is just a short walk from town, right next to the iconic World's Largest Loon. The trail that connects you from Vergas to the City’s Beach on Long Lake is called the ‘Long Lake Trail’. The idea came from a lifelong local, the late Rodger Hanson, and grew to be a community wide project that has been in the works for several years. It simply was not safe for walkers and bikers to travel along the highway, so the work
Long Lake
began on the trail and in 2008, it was up and running and safely connecting guests from town to the water. It was a short commute though, so plans were already in place to extend to a vacant lot along Long Lake what the locals called ‘Tin Can Alley’. Tin Can Alley is a piece of land that runs along the shore of Long Lake. An old highway turned into an ½ mile unpaved, trail system that was completed in 2014. >>
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It has a bluff on one side and a gentle slope to the water on the other. It’s quiet and peaceful and gives you a true ‘state park’ feel as you walk along the lake. It’s a perfect spot to let your dog off the leash to run and explore. As you enter the trail, you will see a monument that showcases contributors and sponsors towards the trail project and a display of the species of fish that can be found in Long Lake. It’s a really neat display we recommend you check out before you begin you way down the trail.
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VERGAS
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Long Lake
The third phase of the trail is currently underway to connect the Long Lake Beach to the Long Lake boat access. On June 17, 2019 the Vergas Long Lake Trail was awarded a $290,000 grant for the boardwalk. So, this past winter, the 846 linear foot boardwalk was put onto the lake while the water was frozen. As spring came and went, the ice below it thawed and it came to float over the water. After many years and many generous supporters, the project will finally be wrapping up soon and ready to be enjoyed by locals and guests alike. We recommend you check out the city website at www. cityofvergas.com for complete project timeline and further information about the funding efforts and all involved to make this trail happen.
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r u o Y e s i a R
s t i r i Sp Stop in to see our HUGE SELECTION including liquor, beer, wine, seltzers and craft beer brewed in Minnesota.
Downtown 111 Main Street Vergas, MN Monday-Thursday 9 am - 9 pm Friday-Saturday 9 am - 10 pm Sunday 11 am - 5 pm
Where all the profiits, profiit Vergas.
MADE IN MN
Home-Grown in Minnesota In Lakes Country, there's no shortage of farming. West-Central Minnesota hosts the perfect conditions for producing healthy and wholesome crops. Riley Esser, a plumber by trade and hobby farmer from Perham, Minn., did something very unique for the midwest community. He grew two acres of hemp.
BY RYAN DE LA ROSA
The impressive crop stood about seven feet tall when harvested in October.
A Family Business For Riley Esser and his family, taking advantage of the climate and the culture of Perham and Ottertail County is how they brought hemp to the community. In early 2019, they started Uncle Funky's Farm. Riley's parents run Phil's plumbing, and his uncle runs the familiar Esser Plumbing. This background makes for some incredible irrigation systems. More efficient irrigation means better yields. Water is not the sole factor
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that makes the hemp grown at Uncle Funky's Farm superior. It's in the soil as well as the care going into each plant. The family purchased a hobby farm almost three decades ago; the forty-acre compound features three homes and lots of tillable soil. They experimented with many different crops and livestock. After Congress passed the 2018 Farm Bill, they set their sights on a slightly subversive crop: hemp.
A Long-Forgotten Industry Hemp fiber is among the most durable industrial material, used to create paper, rope, and can be processed to produce oil. In the history of the United States, the original Constitution was written on hemp paper. During the revolutionary war, farmers were required to grow hemp for cordage. This complex history makes the difference between hemp and marijuana challenging to comprehend. Before the 1800s, hemp products were
commonplace in the United States. With the invention of the cotton gin, hemp became obsolete. Cotton could be processed with ease, which does speak to the durable nature of the hemp plant. That all changed though when George Schlichten introduced the Hemp Decorticator, with the intent to revolutionize the hemp industry. Soon after, negative propaganda skyrocketed about the cannabis plant. W.R. Hearst fabricated stories in his newspapers about the new drug called marijuana. Before these articles, marijuana was never used as slang for cannabis—Hearst intentionally did this to demonize this plant with a new name.
Criminalize the Cannabis Plant? The propaganda would allow W.R Hearst to continue supplying paper to his newspaper company. In addition, he also owned many acres of forest and operated a monopoly of paper supply. This vastly changed the way we produced industrial materials in the United States since. It also changed the publics' opinion. Even though hemp and marijuana are both the same species of plant, there are essential ways in which they differ. THC is the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis. Hemp, on the other hand, has less than 0.3% THC by definition and isn't enough to be noticeable.
The hemp grown at Uncle Funky's Farm has almost no THC content, making it legal in the United States and organically grown.
Testing and Regulation Farms and growers like these undergo many aspects of regulation. Not only management from the state and local communities, but also through testing. Within 30 days of harvest, each grow-site in the state of Minnesota is inspected and sampled by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). The inspector randomly selects thirty plants per field, cut the top 2 inches of the female flower, and places all 30 cuttings into a paper bag for a single, homogenized sample. THC in these plants has to be low enough to have little interaction in the body. If your THC levels are higher than regulation, one may have to destroy the entire crop. Regulatory issues aside, the process of growing this plant is labor-intensive. Riley spent days on his hands and knees, planting the specially selected seeds by hand. Harvest is a continuously uphill battle as well. Plants have to be processed and dried and finally sent to an extractor in Fargo, Prairie Products ND, to be processed into CBD oil. Certification and testing come at a high price but lend significantly to the overall quality of the product.
BROTHERS RILEY AND JUSTIN ESSER
A Promising Farming Future Recently Uncle Funky's Farm was certified by Minnesota Grown. The Minnesota Grown Program is a statewide partnership between the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Minnesota producers of specialty crops and livestock. It was created nearly 30 years ago by specialty crop growers to differentiate their products from those grown thousands of miles away. Riley and his family have hopes that they will reach those who require the products they create. Whether you've used CBD or not, Uncle Funky's Farm has you covered with a variety of products you can find on their website at unclefunkysfarm.com.
â–Ş
Listen to the full Uncle Funky's interview and more Lake Life stories on our weekly podcast program www.lakelifewknd.com
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t u O t e G and Sometimes the best way to have fun is right in your backyard. Campfires and exploration are just a few of our favorites and great for all ages.
How To Build A Campfire
SAFETY FIRST > Before building your fire
be sure all the conditions and location is right.
> Check to see if there are
any burning restrictions.
To make the perfect campfire, you'll need to gather three different types of material.
TINDER Tinder catches fire easily and is used to get the fire started. It can consist of twigs no thicker than a pencil. You can also use pine needles, dead leaves, newspaper, and dryer lint. KINDLE Kindling should be as
thick as your fingers and helps the fire grow. It can be chopped wood or small dry branches.
FUEL Fuel consists of big pieces
of wood as thick as your arm. This keeps the fire hot and burning. These can be larger dry branches, logs or split wood. Pine and cedar catch fire easier but burn faster, where oak and ash are harder to ignite but burns longer.
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> Check the wind. If it is
too windy your fire may not work or could spread easily. Also consider the direction and where your smoke and ash my go.
> Clear a 10 foot area
around the fire pit and make sure there are no low hanging branches.
> If you don't have a metal
fire ring, circle the pit with rocks and consider even digging the center down 6-12 inches.
> It's also always good to
have water nearby, and if your at the lake, that's no problem!
E xplore Before you begin building your fire, you'll want to decide which formation is best for you and your environment. These are three of the most common ways to stack the wood.
TEEPEE
CABIN
LEAN-TO
Simple and Easy. Lean the sticks upright against each other in the center to form a teepee. This build demands more up-keep.
Low Maintenance, Slow Burn. Place two logs parallel and another two the other direction on top forming a square. Repeat 3-4 high.
Sheltered, for bad weather. Block wind and rain by placing a large log on the side where the wind is from and lean sticks against it creating a canopy.
Which ever stack formation you choose, be sure to build it from the bottom up starting with the tinder.
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Place the tinder in the bottom, center of the fire pit.
2
Create a 'teepee' around the tinder with all the kindle.
Leave an opening in your teepee on the side the wind is blowing against. This will ensure that your fire gets the air it needs and will blow the flames onto the kindling.
3 Stack a few of the 'fuel' pieces of wood around the kindling.
Don't add too much 'fuel' at once, you risk smothering the fire.
4 Light the tinder with a match.
Trouble getting it going? Is your tinder and kindle dry? Or try to lightly blow or fan the base of the fire to add some oxygen to the heat source.
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Campfire Activities Sing & Play Along "A Camping We Will Go"
(To the tune of 'The Farmer in the Dell)
A-camping we will go, a-camping we will go, Hi-ho and off we go, a-camping we will go.
Let's light the campfire now... Let's light the campfire now... Hi-ho and off we go, Let's light the campfire now...
First we pitch our tent... First we pitch our tent... Hi-ho and off we go, First we pitch our tent...
Let's cook our dinner now... Let's cook our dinner now... Hi-ho and off we go, Let's cook our dinner now...
Let's all get some wood... Let's all get some wood... Hi-ho and off we go, Let's all get some wood...
Let's sing some campfire songs... Let's sing some campfire songs... Hi-ho and off we go, Let's sing some campfire songs...
Keep it Going Game
It's time to go to sleep... It's time to go to sleep... Hi-ho and off we go, It’s time to go to sleep... Add your own actions such as making a tent over your head with your arms, or cooking dinner.
Looking for other games to play around the fire? Try continuous rhyming with kids such as 'what rhymes with sand' or categories with adults, such as 'types of cars' – keep going around the circle until someone gets stumped, then start again!
Fire Bread Twists Almost everyone's go-to snack around a campfire is s'mores. But how about something savory? Try this German campfire tradition of stick bread! 1 1/4 c warm water 1 packet of dry yeast 2 tsp sugar 2 tsp salt 1 tbps olive oil 4 c flour
1. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl until a moist dough is formed. Then knead until smooth. 2. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for about 30-45 min. in a warm place. 3. Meanwhile get sticks for fire and wrap the ends with aluminum foil. Coat the foil end with olive oil. 4. Divide the dough into 8 pieces. Roll each into long thin ropes about 1 inch around and 8 inches long. 5. Twist dough around the end of your prepared sticks. 6. 'Bake' your stick bread over the campfire for about 10 minutes. Hot embers work the best. Make sure to rotate to cook evenly. 7. Enjoy by eating it right off the stick or fill the hole with a sausage or home-made jam! Forgot to prep the dough? The handy tubes of breadstick dough work great too!
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Exploring the Outdoors Kid's Nature Quest There's so much for kids to export in nature! Keep them busy with this list of items to find.
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flat skipping rock pine cone water bug beach floatie fishing bobber something old
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sea/lake shell clover animal tracks feather bug flower
You can also create your own scavenger hunt by doing categories like four things that you can see, touch, hear and smell. Or find things that starts with each letter of the alphabet or certain colors. Whatever you decide–have fun exploring the outdoors!
'Shroom Search If you’ve ever been in the woods and caught a glimpse of bright, golden smudges on the dark forest floor, chances are you’ve spotted a chanterelle mushroom. These wild mushrooms are pleasingly aromatic, smelling of ripe apricot and are colored a beautiful bright orangey-yellow. These forest mushrooms are a sought-after treasure in the culinary world. Rarely eaten raw, their finest flavor is only appreciated after they are fully cooked. They are firm and meaty but have a delicate, savory flavor mix of apricot and pepper making them a versatile addition to meat dishes and sauces, or on their own simply sautéed in butter. The chanterelle growing season is from late spring through the fall but they are especially happy when a hot spell follows rain. They often grow near white oaks and pines. These bottom
dwellers enjoy the damp duff surrounding the tree’s roots, so you won’t find them snaking up the side of a tree. When hunting these fungi, beware of chanterelle look-alikes for these could cause a miserable intestinal adventure. “Better safe than sorry," here's a few ways to tell the two apart.
FALSE CHANTERELLES
> Darker orange overall with
darker center on the top.
> 'True gills' - go all the way up
to the cap and down to the stem. > Break them open = orange inside/ all the way through and a 'fungus' smell.
While harvesting, be sure to encourage more growth of these natural delicacies by using a wicker basket or mesh bag to gather the mushrooms allowing their spores to drop through, and leaving a few smaller ones behind also gives them a better chance keep their population going. Hunt only what you can eat, and cut the mushrooms at their base just above the ground, do not pull them out. Happy hunting!
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TRUE CHANTERELLES
> Mature chanterelles are very
irregular and flowery in shape. More frayed at the edge. > Same color all over the cap or with a more pale center top. > ‘False gills’ - more like veins and fork at the top. > Break them open = white inside and smell fruity like an apricot. LAKE LIFE WKND
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Simple. Delicious. Fresh. That’s how summer recipes should be! Less time preparing and more time enjoying the company you get to share it with. We bring you these recipes in hopes it brings you just that, and a little something new to your table (yes, even picnic tables). Enjoy!
SUMMER SALAD WITH WHITE BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE INGREDIENTS 10 tbsp olive oil 5 tbsp white balsamic 1 tsp of Dijon mustard 1 tsp honey Salt & pepper to your liking Fresh garlic clove, minced
INGREDIENTS
PREPARE 1. Add all ingredients into a small, empty glass with a screw lid and shake. The texture should almost look frothy and completely mixed. (you will use all of this for the salad-serving size is 4)
PREPARE
1 head red leaf lettuce
1. Clean all produce well.
1 head iceberg lettuce or fresh spinach
2. Prepare the iceberg lettuce by cutting into slices and placing into a bowl. Cut the red leaf lettuce as you wish and also add into that same bowl. (we just rip it apart)
1 yellow pepper 1 roma tomato, seeds removed Small red onion 1 english cucumber 2 avocados Salt & pepper Paprika
3. Dice yellow pepper, tomato and red onion, and add to bowl. *We like to make sure all the ingredients we dice are in bite size pieces. No larger than a half inch. 4. Peel the English Cucumber and slice into quarters. Add to bowl. 5. Pour the Vinaigrette over the salad and mix well again. 6. Add salt, pepper, and paprika to your liking. 7. Cut the avocados in half and remove the pit (be careful!). Slice and dice them and place on top of the salad. 8. Serve and enjoy!
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TUNA SPREAD SANDWICH INGREDIENTS 1 baguette (we love the ones from aldi) Can of tuna Mayo Red onion Roma tomato, diced and seeds removed
1 hard boiled egg, diced 3-4 baby pickles, diced Pickle juice Butter Paprika Salt & pepper
PREPARE 1. Prepare baguette as per the instructions. We like to bake for 11 min so it’s nice and crispy on the outside! Cut in half as this recipe’s serving size is two. 2. Combine in a bowl: tuna, mayo and a little bit of pickle juice. We don’t measure these ingredients, so just combine to a consistency you like! It will be a spread over the baguette. 3. Dice finely the red onion: you can use what was left over from the salad recipe. You won’t need much at all, maybe a tbsp or two. Add to tuna mixture. 4. Add diced roma tomatoes, pickles and hard boiled egg to tuna mixture. 5. Mix all ingredients well. You may add more mayo or pickle juice to get to your preferred texture. 6. Prepare the baguette by lightly buttering the bottom slice. *You can choose to add one slice of leaf lettuce to the bottom if you’d like. 7. Spread the tuna mixture over the sandwich. 8. Top with a hint of paprika, salt and pepper. Close your sandwich and enjoy!
Find more recipes and get inspired for your seasonal cooking at cabinchef.com 20
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EFFORTLESS FASHION
SHOP ONLINE
dotandminnies.com
@dotminnies
Visit Our Boutique in Perham 148 1st Ave S. Perham 218.346.4180
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C a b in U ITTED BY YO M B U S S E P I C E L A K E L IF E R
From salads to s’mores, some foods just taste better when enjoyed near a body of water, surrounded by family and friends. We asked folks to share their favorite Lake Life recipes with us. Here’s what they had to say!
CROCKPOT CHICKEN FAJITAS By Jess Lupkes
INGREDIENTS Chicken breast
Sliced bell peppers
Red onion
Fajita seasoning
PREPARE 1. Place all ingredients in a crockpot on low for 4 to 6 hours (depending on how much chicken you put in). Serve with tortillas and all the fixings!
“This is a great option to throw in the crockpot before you head out on the lake. When you get in, your fajitas are ready for a nice fajita bar party! Of course, add in some margaritas.” SINCE SHE WAS LITTLE, SPENDING TIME AT THE LAKE AND SHARING DELICIOUS MEALS WITH THE FAMILY HAS ALWAYS BEEN A HIGHLIGHT FOR JESS.
GUMBO SLOPPY JOES By Brandon Johnson
INGREDIENTS 2 lbs ground beef, browned Onions & peppers 1 can chicken gumbo soup 1 can tomato soup ½ cup Heinz ketchup 2 tbsp lemon juice 2 tbsp brown sugar ½ tsp salt ½ tsp onion powder 1 tsp vinegar ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce ¼ tsp mustard powder
PREPARE 1. Brown beef with onions and peppers. 2. Add chicken gumbo soup & tomato soup, ketchup, lemon juice, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, salt and onion powder, vinegar, mustard powder. 3. Serve on your favorite buns with Old Dutch potato chips (it’s okay to put them on the bun underneath the Sloppy Joe mix!) and a pickle.
“For my family, this is one of those staple comfort foods that makes summers together in lakes country feel like everlasting Summer. It’s communal, social, reminiscent, and you can eat it several times at your leisure throughout a couple days, even after late-night bonfire chats when you head inside for bed and share that last whispering conversation of the day trying not wake kids, or grandparents, or whoever else retired before you.”
THERE'S NOTHING LIKE GOOD FOOD AND GOOD COMPANY WHEN YOU'RE IN LAKES COUNTRY WITH THE JOHNSON'S.
STRAWBERRY-PINEAPPLE SALSA By Jeanie Smestad
INGREDIENTS 1 pineapple, peeled and diced
1 pound strawberries, diced 2 roma tomatoes, diced ½ red onion, minced ⅓ cup fresh cilantro, chopped 1 lime, juiced ½ tsp salt
PREPARE 1. Place the diced pineapple, strawberries and tomatoes in a bowl. 2. Add the minced onion, cilantro, lime juice and salt. May add some diced jalapeños for some pizzazz. 3. Allow to sit at room temp for 30 minutes before serving. 23
OREO FUDGE ICE CREAM CAKE By Jane Karczeuski
INGREDIENTS 1 package Oreo cookies
⅔ cup butter, melted ½ gallon ice cream (your choice)
1 jar hot fudge topping
1 cup Spanish peanuts 8 oz container Cool Whip
PREPARE 1. Crush Oreos until fine. Reserve 1/3 of the crumbs for later use. 2. Combine Oreo crumbs with melted butter and press into a 9x13 pan. 3. Scoop softened ice cream over Oreo crust, covering all areas. Freeze for 30 minutes. 4. Heat up hot fudge and spread over the ice cream layer. Sprinkle with Spanish peanuts. Freeze for 30 minutes. 5. Top with thawed Cool Whip and reserved Oreo crumbs. 6. Store in freezer and set out 10-15 minutes before serving. “I make this ice cream cake for all of the summer birthdays in our family—including mine! Use your favorite kind of ice cream. Crowd favorites have been coffee and CassClay's Black Raspberry and Cream.”
ELOISE AND GRANDMA WHIPPING UP A BATCH OF DELICIOUS OREO FUDGE ICE CREAM CAKE FOR EVERYONE.
CREAMY CUCUMBER DIP By Lesley Bentz
INGREDIENTS 3 cucumbers, peeled, chopped, salted and drained 1-2 cloves minced garlic
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8 oz cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
Pepper, to taste
SUMMER 2020
PREPARE 1. Mix cream cheese, sour cream, and spices. 2. After cucumbers have thoroughly drained, add to the cheese mixture. 3. Chill and serve with chips of your choice. "Scoops" are my favorite.
SLOE GIN SLUSH By Brenda Sagert
“This is a wonderful and refreshing drink for a hot day. It is my favorite thing to take to my daughter's cabin on Big Cormorant.”
INGREDIENTS 4 tea bags 2 cups boiling water
1 cup sugar
1 qt water
2 pints Sloe Gin
12 oz can frozen lemonade 12 oz can frozen orange juice
PREPARE 1. Mix tea bags in 2 cups boiling water. Set aside to cool. 2. Boil sugar in qt of water until dissolved. 3. Mix tea and sugar mixture together until cooled. 4. Add Sloe Gin, lemonade & OJ to the mixture and freeze 24 hours. 5. Serve half-and-half with 7-Up, Sprite, or Ginger Ale.
BRANDO'S DIP By Brandolyn Bordthauser
INGREDIENTS
8 oz softened cream cheese
8 oz sour cream
10 oz can of Rotel Tomatoes with green chiles-drained
PREPARE 1. Mix and chill for at least an hour. *Note: If the cream cheese isn't fully softened, it may be clumpy. You can use a hand mixer to get it well blended with the sour cream.
1 avocado mashed 1 packet dry ranch dressing
AS A COMPLETELY HOMEMADE RECIPE, THERE'S SOMETHING EVEN MORE SPECIAL ABOUT MAKING IT TOGETHER.
BIO
Girls
Putting Young Girls First
WITH CHOICE BANK
62 percent of girls suffer from low self-esteem. Statistics like this used to keep Missy Heilman up at night. In 2013, as Missy was raising two elementary-aged daughters, she could already see the impact that societal pressures had on young girls. The pressure to be beautiful, based on the standards they saw in the media. To prioritize looks over all else.
“By the time girls reach sixth grade, 80 percent believe that their looks are the most important thing about themselves,” Missy said. “More important than their thoughts and their feelings, more important than their goals and their aspirations, more important than their intelligence. And that's scary, because you're basing your self worth on something that's completely subjective.” Missy began to envision a group where girls could be inspired to be their best, bold, and beautiful selves—inside and out. She reached out to several organizations in the Fargo area seeking an opportunity to volunteer and be a mentor for young girls, but never received a response. So Missy thought to herself, “What if I were to start something on my own?” She approached the youth director at her church, Olivet Lutheran in Fargo, with her idea: a positive, non-competitive program where girls could form meaningful relationships with mentors and peers, improve their self-esteem, and just be themselves. And thus, BIO Girls was born.
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SERVICE TO OTHERS, EMPOWERMENT OF SELF BIO Girls, which stands for “Beautiful, Inside and Out,” is a 12-week program for girls in second through sixth grade. Their mission is to increase the self-esteem of those adolescent girls through service to others and the empowerment of self. Each BIO Girls session consists of life-skills lessons, Christian non-denominational devotions, small-group mentoring, and physical activities like running, dance, yoga, and CrossFit. As a lifelong athlete herself, Missy knew that non-competitive physical activity would play a central role in BIO Girls’s programming. “I grew up an athlete. It helped connect me with others, helped me feel involved, helped me feel a sense of purpose. Today, kids don't get that through sports,” Missy said. “There’s so much pressure. You're supposed to specialize, or join teams that play year-round. I wanted to give girls something to belong to where they weren't expected to be perfect or ‘the best.’ They come as they are and find others that they can connect with, both as mentors as well as peers.” Much like the activities they offer, the age range that BIO Girls targets is very intentional: research shows that girls’ self-esteem is highest in third grade and reaches its lowest point in sixth. Missy’s goal is to reach young girls while they still have a healthy level of self-esteem and help them maintain it, combating disruptive behaviors like drug and alcohol abuse, disordered eating, and self harm—which are associated with low self-esteem—before they arise.
MISSY HEILMAN Executive Director Determined. Fearless. Leader.
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“Those are all the things that keep me fueled to make sure that BIO Girls continues to grow,” Missy said. “Not just in Fargo-Moorhead but in our entire region, in rural communities as well as the cities. Because every girl, no matter how much money her parents make or what school she goes to or how many friends she has, can and does suffer from low self-esteem.”
REMOVING EVERY HURDLE In its first year, BIO Girls consisted of just one site, 35 participants, and 12 volunteer mentors. Seven years later, BIO Girls has expanded to 52 sites across five states—North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Wisconsin—with close to 700 volunteer site directors and mentors serving more than 2,000 young girls. And Missy doesn’t see that growth slowing any time soon. With support from community partners like Choice Bank, BIO Girls is making a concerted effort to seek out girls who can benefit from the program and would not have the opportunity to participate due to a number of factors. “We have learned over the years that low-income or at-risk demographics don't seek out programs like BIO Girls,” Missy said. “Even if you remove the financial hurdle, they still aren't registering. And so we have cultivated a referral program where we work with our communities to identify girls who would be a good fit for the program, but may not have the opportunity otherwise.” Every year, BIO Girls reserves three spots at each site for referral participants, whose registration fees are 100 percent covered by scholarships. And participants do not need to be referred for the program in order to receive a scholarship; anyone in need of financial assistance may apply online. Choice Bank has been a community partner of BIO Girls since 2015, and in 2019, Choice made the decision to increase their support of the program in an important capacity: by funding
scholarships for low-income participants. In 2020 alone, BIO Girls has already enrolled over 150 girls through these referrals and scholarships—making up over 12 percent of total registrations. “Regardless of who they are or where they come from, young girls from all walks of life can be susceptible to low self-esteem,” said Melissa Block, SVP of Marketing and Communications at Choice. “This is why it’s so important for us to support BIO Girls and the work they do, so that they can continue to positively impact all young girls in our communities, including those that would not normally have the opportunity to participate.” This partnership with BIO Girls is proof that Choice Bank lives out their motto of #PeopleFirst, by investing in the communities in which they are present.
Research shows that girls’ self-esteem is highest in third grade and reaches its lowest point in sixth. “They see the value of BIO Girls in our communities,” Missy said. “The fact that they're giving hundreds of girls the opportunity to participate in our program who wouldn’t have been able to otherwise speaks volumes about who they are and what their mission is.”
BEAUTIFUL, Inside & Out LAKE LIFE WKND
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SPARKING A MOVEMENT What began seven years ago as a desire to help even one girl discover her self-worth has transformed into a movement, inspiring thousands of young girls across the Midwest. In 2019, an independent study
year-old girl who joined BIO Girls as a referral participant last year. She struggled with depression and anxiety, and had a difficult time socializing. “Her mentor expressed some concern that she wasn’t getting much out of the program. She really disliked the running
60 percent of BIO Girls participants experienced a significant increase in self-esteem; significant improvements were also found in physical, emotional, and social well-being, as well as family and school life. found that 60 percent of BIO Girls participants experienced a significant increase in self-esteem; significant improvements were also found in physical, emotional, and social well-being, as well as family and school life. But for Missy, the transformations she witnesses first-hand are more impactful than any statistic. Take, for example, the story of one nine-
component,” Missy said. “But she came every week. She tried her hardest. She participated in the 5K and she walked every step of it, and that was completely fine because that was her way.” After she finished the running program, she immediately signed up for the summer dance session. Fast-forward to the end of the summer, when Missy received an email from
this once-shy participant’s mother: I'm so thankful for BIO Girls. The amount of confidence that I have seen in my daughter and the passion for dance is something I've never seen in her before. She was able to get up in front of an auditorium full of people and do her dance for the recital. I never thought she would have the confidence to do that. Perhaps this is how the impact of BIO Girls is best measured: in the look of pride on a young girl’s face as she takes her first bow, knowing she has an entire group of mentors and peers cheering her on. “Back in 2013, I had no intention of BIO Girls being what it is today,” Heilman said. “I truly was looking for a way to give back to other girls. I would have never dreamed that it would equate to the number of girls that it does today—it’s pretty amazing.”
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TO LEARN MORE AND REGISTER YOUR CHILD FOR AN UPCOMING BIO GIRLS SESSION, VISIT BIOGIRLS.ORG.
North Dakota ABERCROMBIE CASSELTON FARGO GRAND FORKS
JAMESTOWN KINDRED MAYVILLE NORTHERN CASS
THOMPSON WAHPETON WEST FARGO WYNDMERE
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E T A P I C I T R PA
Locally ALEXANDRIA CROOKSTON DILWORTH EAST GRAND FORKS FERGUS FALLS
GLENWOOD MOORHEAD MORRIS PARK RAPIDS SAUK CENTER
Minnesota TRAVERSE COUNTY ULEN-HITTERDAL
+More LAKE LIFE WKND
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Summer
PODCASTS What to listen to at the pool, on the lake, or in the office.
For In-Depth Reporting (In A Pinch) For Listening With the Whole Family
THE DAILY FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES
BUT WHY: A PODCAST FOR CURIOUS KIDS
Want to stay informed, but don’t want to sit inside all day watching the news? Clocking in at just 20 minutes, The Daily is short enough to listen to on your morning run or on the way to pick the kids up from swimming practice. Monday through Friday, host Michael Barbaro dives deep into one or two of the day’s top headlines and interviews NYT reporters about the stories making waves around the world.
Why is the sky blue? Why is ice slippery? Why do elephants h ave t r u n k s? K id s h ave questions about everything, and But Why has the answers. Each episode of this familyfriendly podcast from Vermont Public Radio features several kid-submitted questions and provides interesting, easy-tounderstand explanations.
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For the Celebrity Gossip You Love to Hate WHO? WEEKLY If you’ve been known to stock up on celebrity rags at the supermarket before hitting the beach, this is the podcast for you. Through banter, games, and call-ins, hosts Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber delve into the lives of the almost famous: influencers, YouTubers, reality show stars, and the like. In other words, “Everything you need to know about the celebrities you don’t.”
From sports to true crime to politics, if there’s a topic you’re interested in, you’re sure to find a podcast about it. But with thousands of podcasts available across dozens of platforms, it can be hard to know where to start. Summer is the perfect time to dive in. Whether you’re driving to the lake, mowing the lawn, or lounging by the pool, there is plenty of time to plug in and lose yourself in a new podcast. We’ve rounded up our podcast picks to keep you entertained and informed this summer!
For Real Stories from Real People For Dinner Inspo
THE MOTH
THE BON APPÉTIT FOODCAST
Every year at Moth events around the country, storytellers stand alone under a spotlight and share their stories with no script, props, or accompaniment—just a microphone and an audience of strangers. The Moth podcast gathers crowd-favorite stories told live on these Moth stages and compiles them into 30-60 minute collections. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you may just forget about life for awhile—so grab a lawn chair, some sunscreen, and a cold drink before you start listening to this one.
Bon Appétit has evolved from posh food magazine to cultural phenomenon in seemingly the blink of an eye thanks to social media, a YouTube channel with a cult following over five million subscribers strong, and now, a hit podcast. Featuring interviews with chefs, writers, and, “well, anyone who has something cool to say about food,” the Bon Appétit Foodcast is the perfect podcast to listen to while you man the grill.
For Cross-Country Road Trips SERIAL Serial is the most downloaded podcast of all-time, and for good reason. It blends investigative reporting with documentarystyle narrative to tell the stories of Hae Min Lee, an 18-year-old Baltimore student who was murdered in 1999; Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, an American soldier held for five years by the Taliban and then charged with desertion; and cases within the Justice Center Complex in the Cleveland area. It follows one true story over the course of each season, making it bingeworthy and perfect for passing the time on long car rides.
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Summer is not meant to be spent inside. It’s to be spent in the great outdoors—fishing for walleye, hiking along wooded trails, sitting around the campfire—or even in the car, driving off on some grand adventure. Luckily, podcasts can travel with you. So pack up your swim trunks and sunglasses, download a few of your favorites, and get your summer started. Find these podcasts on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen!
For Sports Commentary THE BILL SIMMONS PODCAST There are dozens of sports-centric podcasts to choose from, but nobody does it better than Bill Simmons. In his chart-topping podcast, the former ESPN personality sits down with a diverse array of celebrities and athletes (everyone from Kevin Durant to Matt Damon) to talk about all things sports. With expert analysis, strong opinions, and plenty of humor, it makes great listening for long afternoons on the boat.
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For Feel-Good Stories CHOICE BANK’S PEOPLE FIRST PODCAST “Feel-good stories” and “finance” don’t always go hand-in-hand, and Choice Bank is trying to change that. They’ve taken stories from across Nor th Dakota and Minnesota featuring the wonderful things that happen when team members put People First, and turned them into a podcast! From stopping a $40,000 fraud attempt to giving a Carson Wentz fan the gift of a lifetime, these short episodes are sure to give you that warm-fuzzy feeling you’re looking for.
For MN Lakes Country Events, News & Guests LAKE LIFE WKND What better way to get excited about your weekend at the lake than tuning in to LAKE LIFE WK ND? This podcast talks about all things lake life from events and news, to hidden gem locations and guests interviews with locals. Get inspiration for your wknd trips and learn more about this area we all love and enjoy. It’s the perfect podcast to tune in to on your way to the cabin.
It’s All About The
STR KE ZONE Fishing Tips from Legendary Angler Al Lindner Before Al Lindner begins boating one big bass after another, he first finds the “strike zone” in which they’re biting best by throwing a trio of Rapala® jerkbaits in different sizes and color patterns – a RipStop®, Shadow Rap® and X-Rap®.
“Those are the baits that I use most of the time for my bass fishing today,” says Lindner, a Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame Legendary Angler, co-founder of In-Fisherman and host of the influential Angling Edge and Fishing Edge TV shows. “Each one of them do certain things that makes a difference on how deep you are, the water clarity, are you fishing largemouth? Are you fishing smallmouth? That’s why I’ve got five rods rigged with different baits in different sizes and different colors. … Each bait has its time and its place.” The time and place in which one lure will work better on
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SUMMER 2020
any given day than another is influenced by what anglers refer to as the “strike zone.” Here’s how Lindner explains it: “There’s a zone, based on water clarity, where the fish can see a bait, but they won’t waste the energy to chase it,” he explains. In clear water, the strike zone is generally larger. In stained to muddy water, it is smaller. Rigging multiple rods with baits that dive to different depths – and in several sizes and color patterns – allows you to experiment until you determine the depth at which fish are holding, and the color, size and shape that best elicits strikes in the current conditions.
“How many times have you sat on a structure and said, ‘I know the fish are here’?” Lindner asks. “And then … you leave that spot and a guy comes right in back of you and all of a sudden, he lights them up.” In such cases, Lindner explains, you probably were not putting your bait in the strike zone. Often, he says, “a bait that just gets a little bit deeper, or a little bit further out off of the structure, where it gets in front of their face,” will the only one the fish will bite. Such was the case when Lindner filmed a recent episode of Angling Edge. After locating a group of bass on his depthfinder, he proceeded to cast to them with his favorite three jerkbaits. But only a Shadow Rap Deep yielded strikes. “Almost every cast I’ve made with this bait, I get bit,” he says in the episode. “I grab the other baits, throw ‘em through there – no interest. They just can’t quite get down deep enough.” Every Rapala jerkbait “has a time and place where it really shines,” Lindner says. On the
day he was filming, the bass would not “come up that extra three, four, five feet” from where they were suspending off a ledge to hit a shallower-running jerkbait. But the Shadow Rap Deep was “getting right to them,” he says. It was “right in the zone.” Later, he says, “the other baits will come into play on different structures.”
AL LINDNER Angling expert and TV host
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RIPSTOP® FEATURES BOOT TAIL UNIQUE TO HARD BAITS CATCH BIG, BIG, BIG FISH’ ON A SHADOW RAP® DEEP The original Shadow Rap runs two to four feet deep. The Shadow Rap Deep dives to eight feet. Lindner often refers to both the shallow-running and deeper-diving version as an “original Shadow Rap,” differentiating between them and Shadow Rap Shads, which feature a different body shape and action. The Shadow Rap Deep is Lindner’s “all-time favorite for smallmouth and largemouth, when they start going deep,” he says. “It’s an amazing deep-water jerkbait” that catches “big, big, big fish,” he continues. Combining a horizontal struggle with a vertical fade, Shadow Raps perfectly mimic an injured minnow’s last moments. Uniquely, they neither rise slightly on the
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pause, nor strictly suspend in space. “When you kill it … it just stops and it just quivers and falls really, really slow,” Lindner explains. Shadow Raps can trigger bites in three phases of your retrieve – initial kick, snap back to action, and on the pause while slowly sinking, nose down. And not only can they dart side to side, they will spin around almost 180 degrees with the right action applied.
The “new kid on the block” in Lindner’s trio of favorite bass baits is the Rip Stop. In the two years since it was released, it’s been “working really well for both largemouth and smallmouth,” he says. RipStops come in two sizes – No. 9 and No. 12. The No. 9, which will run three to four feet deep, measures 3 ½ inches and weighs ¼ an ounce. The No. 12 runs four to five feet, measures 4 ¾ inches and weighs ½ an ounce.
Both Shadow Rap Deeps and the shallower-running Shadow Rap come armed with three No. 6 VMC black-nickel, round-bend hooks and are available in 24 color patterns.
Looking like a cross between a jerk-bait, suspending twitch bait and a swimbait, a RipStop will stop in place and suspend almost immediately when you stop reeling it in – something no other bait does. When it’s in motion, the RipStop’s unique hard-plastic boot tail, creates a hard-rolling, slashing action that mimics a live minnow swimming.
“The hooks are really fine … like needles,” Lindner says.
Although a RipStop can be fished as a twitch bait or
popped and ripped like a jerkbait, it works equally well when simply retrieved at a steady pace, provided you stop reeling from time to time, causing it to stop on a dime. Featuring a modified flat-sided body, a RipStop cuts easily through the water and gives off maximum flash. Containing no rattles, they swim silently. For the best results, fish No. 9 RipStops on a spinning rod spooled with 6- to 10-pound-test Sufix® 832 Advanced Superline® braid tipped with an 8- to 10-pound-test leader of Sufix® Invisiline™ 100% Fluorocarbon. Linder throws No. 12 RipStops on 12-pound-test line with a baitcasting combo. Featuring two-part plastic construction with a non-inserted lip, RipStops contain no rattles and swim silently. They are available in 14 color patterns.
THE X-RAP® IS ‘ALL-TIME GREATEST SMALLMOUTH BAIT’
When bass are feeding in about four to six feet, Linder will throw the No. 8 and No. 10 X-Rap at ‘em. The X-Rap, he says, is the “all-time greatest smallmouth bait ever made, in my opinion.” While X-Raps mimic in size and shape numerous species of baitfish that smallmouth feed on, what makes them deadly for smallmouths, Lindner says, are the bright color patterns in which they are available. The patterns that consistently drive smallmouth crazy, Linder says, are Hot Head and Hot Pink. Contributing to “the magic of the X-Rap,” Lindner adds, is a Flash Feather Teaser
Tail, which comprises both feathers and tinsel strands. The versatility of an X-Rap allows an angler to impart a number of fish-catching actions in a single retrieve. It can be fished with an aggressive “slashbait” technique, or with a classic Rapala wobble. X-Raps cast like a bullet, making for long, accurate casts. The lures feature prominent scales and a lateral line on the fuselage to capture and flash light like a beacon. Additional features include: textured translucent body, internal holographic foil, 3D holographic eyes, flash-foil teaser tails and premium VMC black-nickel hooks.
▪
Strike your next bass with these any of these Rapala lures and see all the other varieties, colors and lengths at rapala.com
LAKE LIFE WKND
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LOVE â„¢ WATER
A different kind of swim school to help kids – and parents – love water.
FossSwimSchool.com FossSwimSchool.com
Whether you are looking for a weekend cabin or a place to permanently reside, we know a place for you in lakes country. BY DIRK OCKHARDT
Have you ever considered to live on a lake? Or do you feel that it is just a dream not to come true? Well—it might be more realistic than you think. Lake Style Living to us means generally speaking living in Lakes Country. And, we would like to help you find your place in this beautiful part of the world. With things changing more than ever it may become appealing for some people to leave bigger cities and enjoy smaller communities to not only retire, but of course raise their families. We are experiencing a greater demand for homes in the area and fewer properties becoming available for sale. That does not necessarily mean that prices are sky rocking, but we have witnessed many sales contracts being made within 72 hours after a listing hit the market. The market seems to be hot. That does not mean you should stress out. Our company has served the area for over 40 years with expert advice and we continue to help our clients find the right place for their future. Whether it is a weekend cabin you are looking for or a permanent home to live year round.
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Recent changes to our lives and the possibilities to work from home, thanks to available technology and flexible employers, may be an opportunity to find a peaceful place to homestead here. Lake style living gives you the chance to find very affordable housing in a small community and enjoy the outdoors for a better work-life balance. There are so many wonderful towns in the area and incentives to receive to start living here. In Otter Tail County, you can receive up to $10,000 incentive if you build new. What we love most about the area is access to the lakes with literally 1,000s of public boat launches. You are surrounded by State land and Parks to spend time outside, hiking or hunting. If you like to live in the city and want a more private escape to rejuvenate, you can find your dream cabin, too. Tucked away in the woods or at the edge of the water. We love lake life and we will help you find yours! Excited to connect with you and hear your story.
â–Ş
Find real time properties for sale in Lakes Country at www.jcrlake.com
City | Rural | Lake | Land
t e e M
THE CHIVERS!* MIKE CARLSON
BECKER AND OTTER TAIL COUNTY AGENT Mike’s experiences in and out of Minnesota guarantees he knows his way around a lake. Coupled with his college-backed expertise of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Mike’s the ultimate lake guide. (218) 850-7146 | mike@jackchiversrealty.com
LORI ELLEFSON
LOCAL RESIDENTIAL AND LAKESHORE EXPERT Lori’s passion for spaces and environments led her to obtaining a BS in Interior Design and her career in real estate sales. She has her GRI Designation from the Graduate Realtor Institute, so we can affirm you are working with a highly professional and knowledgeable sales agent. (218) 790-3281 | lori@jackchiversrealty.com
BLAKE OLSON DETROIT LAKES RESIDENTIAL AND LAKESHORE EXPERT Living and loving Minnesota lake life since growing up on a family farm, experienced and highly educated Blake will use his skills to ensure your lake life real estate needs are exceeded. (218) 849-9758 | blake@jackchiversrealty.com
RHONDA MAHLUM OTTER TAIL COUNTY SALES AGENT, CPA Rhonda lives and plays on Otter Tail Lake and possesses extensive real estate industry experience. Her knowledge in property value and investment opportunities make her a great asset to our team. (701) 391-2359 | rhonda@jackchiversrealty.com
816 Washington Ave Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 (218) 847-3112 info@jackchiversrealty.com
BOB HOVDE
LAKES COUNTRY EXPERT WITH 50 YEARS EXPERIENCE Bob has all the knowledge and experience to serve his clients best. He has been in the industry for over 50 years. In that time, he also taught school for 18 years and received his Broker’s License. (218) 234-9429 | bob@jackchiversrealty.com
JASON WITZKE
PERHAM AREA SALES LEAD Jason is a proficient local gem when it comes to knowing Minnesota lake life. With more than 15 years’ experience in almost all realms of real estate, you can count on Jason’s expertise and dedication for you. (218) 234-1904 | jason@jackchiversrealty.com
SCOTT DAVIS
DETROIT LAKES RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE AGENT Scott has strong roots to the Detroit Lakes area and is heavily involved in the local Chamber. He is passionate about serving his community and carries that same passion to his clients both buying and selling real estate. (218) 234-6544 | scott@jackchiversrealty.com
STEVE WILSON
SALES EXPERT FOR OTTER TAIL COUNTY A North Dakota transplant and over 35 years’ experience in sales, Steve’s focus on customer relationships, attention to detail and service approach secures the fact that he’s your expert for the job. (701) 793-7886 | steve@jackchiversrealty.com
RENTING OUT Your Lake Home If you live next to a body of water, of any size, the enjoyment factor increases tenfold. In the great state of Minnesota, we are surrounded by lakes, and this draws people from all over. Much more lucrative than a timeshare, and less cause for alarm, renting out your lake home can be a great way to earn a little extra money and get a vacation away. The best part is, that snowmobilers or ice fishers will help you snowbird in the winter, and tourists looking to cool down away from the city can be of aid in the summer. So, if you’re just starting to think about becoming a host, start here and follow these steps to give yourself the best chance of success.
BEFORE YOU EVEN DECIDE TO RENT OUT:
There’s a lot to consider before letting a possible stranger stay in your vacant home. Planning is the first step, after acceptance that someone else will be in your home. This requires a little understanding of the market. Airbnb and VRBO are popular options. The way you go about this is up to you, but there are many things to consider along the way.
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BY RYAN DE LA ROSA
Second, every host should know what it means to quickly assess to what degree your home is suited to be rented out. This could involve many other parties and more commitment than you expected. Yes, we all want to make some money doing this but there are more than financial benefits and burdens to becoming a host. There are three main types of hosts out there– those that want to make a few extra bucks with their available space, those who want a stable secondary source of income, and those who want to build a serious business that will eventually become their main source of income. The more income you’re looking to get out of the deal, then the further you’ll need to plan and invest. First, you want to be able to provide details about the location, size, and nature of your property as well as the tools and strategies you will be using. If you want lake time in the summer and to rent out in the winter, you have to make connections with the right crowds.
HAVE A REALISTIC EXPECTATION ABOUT TIME COMMITMENT
Although you can stipulate the degree to which guests need to clean before vacating, you’ll still want to go over the property with a fine tooth comb. But this means cleaning and making things orderly before and after the rental period.
It takes time to chat with potential guests who ask questions before they’re willing to book too. Earning great reviews on rental sites makes for a more trustworthy experience. A cozy house means better reviews! Consider the time it will take to check guests in and check guests out. Set the right expectations about time commitment by evaluating how much time it’ll likely take for you to host on Airbnb, VRBO or others. Starting out and doing everything on their own, beginner hosts are often shocked by the amount of time and effort needed to consistently deliver an experience for their guests. Once the renter gets the hang of it and becomes more efficient by utilize tools for automation, it’s clear that there are ways to save time and energy without lowering the quality of service. Picture yourself hosting with ease and able to vacation, headache free. Planning out what kind of demand you'll have is important, as some lakes are less desirable than others. Get a market report from a trusted data provider. This can give you an idea of what to expect.
WHAT ABOUT INSURANCE COVERAGE If you’re renting out your own home, your standard home insurance plan is almost guaranteed not to cover any damage that results from short-term renting. However, Airbnb’s policy does have a $1M guarantee which gives great comfort but if you
have some special items or risk factors not covered by their policy, you likely need additional insurance.
have furniture, so consider what pieces are important to your guests. What needs might you want to fulfill for them?
This does remind us that special belongings in the home should be removed if they are at risk of being damaged or stolen. It shouldn't look like a ghost town, but it's helpful, and comforting for guests to remove clutter. This makes for an easy remedy for keeping track of what's in the home too.
What about when it comes to the online listing itself? Here's a checklist for getting your lake place rental spotted: • Accurate title and description
REMEMBER YOUR NEIGHBORS
forms like Airbnb and VRBO
Are you in a quiet gated community with early to bed neighbors who are very sensitive to noise or outsiders?
Sound can sure travel on lake. In this way it is good to consider how renting out will affect relations with your neighbors. Noise complaints are the biggest indicator for unhappy neighbors. Check out products that can help you prevent and manage noise issues with guests.
GET ALL THE ESSENTIALS FOR YOUR LISTING
As more and more hosts bring listings onto the market to compete for the guests, so too have guest expectations grown. What used to be a nice-to-haves are now must-haves. Certain amenities are absolutely essential to delivering great experiences. Things like Wi-fi and cell phone service are often important to guests. Even your furnishings and amenities could make a big difference. Every lake place must
• Take proper photos that
display the areas, size, and furnishing
• Get reviews on rental plat-
• Make sure that you commu-
nicate who you are and what you expect of renters
• Tell guests what to expect of
the lake and what to bring
ANTICIPATE AND ADDRESS GUEST HEADACHES
Your guests have traveled far to stay at your lake place and that can be stressful. Flights can get delayed. Keys can get lost. So being thoughtful and proactive towards some of these most common guest headaches could go a long way towards turning potentially stressful situations into moments where you shine as a host. Having a simple lockbox to keep a spare set of keys that you could send the combination for a guest to open late at night will not only make them happy but would save you time. In the end, renting out your lake home can have many benefits, and these are just a few of things to consider before doing so.
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For more articles about the West Central Minnesota Lakes Country, and real estate market updates visit jackchiversrealty.com/news
LAKE LIFE WKND
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The Firefly community sits on 10+ acres with 1,000 feet of clear lake shore on the North Shore of Dead Lake. The mature trees are like a canopy above you offering a shady oasis. The cabins are near the water’s edge, allowing for beautiful sunrise and sunset views.
THE CABIN These newly built cabins will have an open floor plan kitchen, living room environment with bounce loft area, Smart Home Technology, and an attached deck facing the lake.
THE LAKE
MODERN LAKESTYLE COMMUNITY LIVING Starting at $159,900
The lake should be your place to relax, connect to nature and those around you. At Firefly, the lawn is mowed and the dock is maintained. It’s taken care of so you can come and enjoy lake life the moment you arrive.
THE STYLE
Each cabin also includes one boat slip, 10x10 storage room, access to community room, and playground.
More details at
FIREFLYDEADLAKE.COM
Lake Ida
5
dle orant
5
Leaf Lake
11
20
Little Cormorant Lake
Larson Lake
Seabold Lake
9
Marshall Lake
17
Big Cormorant Lake
Boyer Lake
CORMORANT
11
LAKE PARK
takke ake
10
Lake LaBelle Lake
19 20Duck
12
Lake Maud
6
18
11
AUDUBON
Enter City, Lake, Street or MLS
SUMMER 2020
n
50
Loon Lake
Pearl Lake
8
Brandy Lake
Mill Pond
Sauers
Lake Melissa
Lake Sallie
Long Lake
CALLAWAY
2
LOCATE ME
4
1
3
21
Abbey Lake
Johnson Lake
6
36
Big Detroit Lake
DETROIT LAKES
Floyd Lake
21
21
Senico Lake
5
Buffalo Lake
14
Pickerel Lake
Clinton Lake
Eagle Lake
Rock Lake
26
Little Round
Eagan Lake
2
Big Egg Lake Round Lake
4
FRAZEE
Cotton Lake
8
Tamarack Lake Pine Lake
Flat Lake
24
Hungry Lake
Height of Land Lake
Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge
143
Dead Lake
Little Toad Lake
1
Island Lake
16
37
FILTER
Toad Lake
ICE CRACKING
(218) 847-3112
Many Point Lake
Lakeshore Res., Lakeshore Lots, Lots & Land
Strawberry Lake
EVERGREEN
Shell Lake
26
Big Rush Lake
SORT
jcrlake.com
37
Wolf Lake
Bi
10
ERHARD
LAKE LIFE WKND
Devils Lake
2
Lake Jewett
Fish Lake
4
Lake Lizzie
DUNVILLA
Pelican Lake
Long Lake
PELICAN RAPIDS
4
Prairie Lake
Tamarack Lake
13
1
Heilberger Lake
Fish Lake
Eddy Lake
Maplewood State Park
Lake Lida
Crystal Lake
Franklin Lake
F
Little Pelican Lake
West Lost Lake
Mud Lake
Anna
East Silent Lake
East Spirit Lake
7
4
15
Loon Lake
Leek-Trowbridge
West Silent Lake
Pleasant Lake
Long Lake
Lake
Hook Lake
Hand Lake
10
West McDonald Lake
Sybil Lake
Round Lake
14
21
DENT
Round Lake
Dead Lake
Tamarack Lake
Rice Lake
Big McDonald Lake
7
16
Little McDonald Lake
12Wimar Lake
Graham Lake
Rose Lake
Fairy Lake
Long Lake
Five Lake
Deer Lake
Twin Lakes
East Lost Lake
Pickerel Lake
9
Star Lake
15
30
VERGAS
31
25
Scalp Lake
E7
Six Lake
1
13
Walker Lake
22
RICHVILLE
32
Otter Tail Lake
Long Lake
Marion Lake
Silver Lake
Murphy Lake
Round Lake
3
5
6
L
Gourd Lake
OTTERTAIL OTTERTAIL
Buchanan Lake
PERHAM
Little Pine Lake
Rush Lake
West Leaf Lake
Big Pine Lake
East Leaf Lake
11
Mud Lake
1
NEW YORK MILLS
Bear Lake
LAKE STYLE LIVING
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51
BUT
(218) 847-3112 1
LITTLE TOAD LAKE
2
2
1
750
1
1,025
DETROIT LAKES
SUMMER 2020
2,416
6
7
1
2
DETROIT LAKES
2
1,473
DENT
ACRES
SHARED FF
$ 339,000
# 20-26209
2
2,469
DETROIT LAKES
3
15 ACRES
$ 362,000
# 20-28944
3
10.8
$ 279,000
# 20-29126
3
8
$ 235,000
# 20-30515
2
.22 ACRES
0.8 ACRES
DETROIT LAKES
3
ACRE
$ 199,900
# 20-25872
3
1
$ 130,000
# 20-30345
5
50
$ 119,000
DETROIT LAKES
4
52
225
# 20-30215
3
4
1
OGEMA
2
3
$ 102,500
# 20-30417
jcrlake.com
2,880
2.9 ACRES
LAKE RESIDENTIAL 9
STAR LAKE
3
10
3
2
3,104
NEW YORK MILLS
2
WYMER LAKE
3,191
4
Price upon request
3
ELEVATED
1
14
150
# 20-30361
15
2,292
3.5
3,300
LOON LAKE
470
1,200+
$ 735,000
# 20-29607
3
3,294
PAUL LAKE
650
$ 869,000
# 20-30451
5
$ 585,000
$ 734,000
# 20-30523
4
16
2
LOON LAKE
4
ACRES
# 20-50692
LITTLE MCDONALD LAKE
5
400
$ 399,000
# 20-30150
13
100
$ 389,900
# 20-29782
3
12
2,740
MCDONALD LAKE
3
11
$ 369,500
# 20-29953
6
4,509
150
LAKE LIFE WKND
53
LAKE Estate
jcrlake.com Luxury Living
7
(218) 847-3112
This property is nestled in a nature sanctuary offering 22+ acres of privacy. When arriving through a shelter belt of trees you enter a world of peace and calmness immediately connecting you to nature and your personal gateway to lake style living. On the main floor the open design has the dining, kitchen, and living area facing the lake with currently an additional 3 bedrooms which can be changed for different use.
Spacious. Private. Nature Sanctuary.
A spacious master suite with a spa bath and three individual bedroom suits on the upper floor each with their own bathroom. On the lower level you will find a workout room with sauna, a multi-use home theater room as well as an entertaining area with a complete kitchen and bar. The lower level has lake views as well and 3 walk outs to the yard. The residence is located on a level lot and has amazing views of the water. The perfect beach has a hard sand bottom and offers best swimming conditions with 21 feet of clarity. When not taking advantage of the lake, a trail system is inviting you to take a hike through your own woods.
E7
LAKE SEVEN Price Upon Request
# 20-29532 lake7estate.com
BEDROOMS BATHROOMS SQUARE FEET ACRES OF LAND FRONT FEET
7 + bonus area 6 14,181 22+ 170’ level shore
(218) 847-3112 17
CORMORANT
1.02 ACRES
18
20
300
WEST LABELLE LAKE # 20-28825
ACRES
208
WEST LABELLE LAKE # 20-28824
2.89 ACRES
56
$ 29,900
# 20-26544
2
SUMMER 2020
21
800
22
F
LEVEL
LOON LAKE VIEWS
MARION LAKE
24
150 SHARED
FRANKLIN LAKE
150
SNIDER LAKE
SLOPED
$ 78,000
# 20-27348
ACRES
SLOPED
$ 69,000
# 20-27572
0.9
SLOPED
$ 59,900
# 20-30154
9.48 ACRES
LEVEL
$ 39,000
$ 55,000
# 20-27022
2 ACRES
SLOPED
$ 32,000
VERGAS
2.98 ACRES
ASSOCIATION WITH POOL
BASS LAKE
2.48 ACRES
19
$ 16,399
# 20-29232
jcrlake.com
160
LEVEL
Your Home Inspection Experts for Lakes Country
Over 20 years of experience in construction, home inspections and indoor air quality testing. Nordic Home Inspection provides an accurate and prompt evaluation of your property.
Lars Knobloch // (701) 566-1446 lars@nordiccompaniesinc.com
SCHEDULE AN INSPECTIONS ONLINE // nordichomeinspection.com
(218) 847-3112 25
PRIVATE LAKE
4.69 ACRES
L
RUSH LAKE
115
FRANKLIN LAKE
SUMMER 2020
150
30
31
ROLLING
ACRES
115
LOON LAKE
300
LONG LAKE
100
OTTER TAIL LAKE
LEVEL
$ 229,900
# 20-27874
ACRES
ROLLING
$ 159,000
# 20-24185
1.14
LEVEL
$ 137,500
# 20-29022
0.56 ACRES
32
$ 119,000
# 20-27433
6.86 ACRES
LEVEL
$ 119,000
# 20-24122
RUSH LAKE
1.18
LEVEL
$ 115,000
# 20-27435
5.2 ACRES
58
115
L
SLOPED
$ 109,000
# 20-28455
0.92 ACRES
F
75
RUSH LAKE
0.75 ACRES
L
$ 95,000
# 20-28937
jcrlake.com
113
SLOPED
LAKESHORE LOTS & COMMERCIAL F
FRANKLIN LAKE
5.2
F
ACRES
150
FRANKLIN LAKE
ACRES
DETROIT LAKES # 20-26166
150
ROLLING
$ 104,900
TURN KEY FLORAL SHOP DOWNTOWN
2
BEJOU
# 20-24365
F
$ 149,000
BAR AND GRILL - BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY
FRANKLIN LAKE
36
$ 879,900
# 20-28580
50
ROLLING
$ 249,000
# 20-24104
5.46
1
$ 249,000
# 20-24103
ACRES
1,200
CALLAWAY
# 20-27205
ROLING
$ 415,000
WINERY + EVENT CENTER + LAKESHORE
3
PERHAM
# 20-29783
$ 149,000
PRIME CORNER ON MAIN STREET
4
PELICAN RAPIDS # 20-25388
$ 219,000
WELL ESTABLISHED AUTO BODY SHOP
LAKE LIFE WKND
59
YOUR MIND At Ease Dock & Lift is your local source for any type of dock and lift system. We sell and service high-quality and long lasting lake front equipment.
AT EASE ATEASEDOCK.COM 31694 HWY 10 / FRAZEE / 218.334.2202
INVESTING IN LAND Land is always a good investment. There is only so much of it. Once you’ve decided to make the investment, there are many possibilities of what you can do with your purchase. Let's look a just a few options on how that investment can make you additional income.
62
SUMMER 2020
BY MIKE BROWN
AGRICULTURE When looking for a property to invest, one option would be to find a parcel that has tillable acres. These acres can either be farmed by the owner, or rented out to a local farmer to produce income. A couple of options for renting would be a rate per acre, or crop sharing, where the landowner gets a portion of the crop after harvest. Of course there are some variables when it comes to farming. The soil type is one consideration as is the soil productivity index. The more fertile the ground, the more the rental will bring. Also the types of crops that are grown in the area are to be considered. The local Farm Service Agency office can assist with in determining soil types and rental rates for your area. There are also websites such as Acrevalue.com, that will help in determining soil types, crop history and values.
CONSERVATION PROGRAMS Another option when looking for a land investment would be a parcel that had or has the potential for conservation programs. The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is the program that most people are familiar with. It takes marginally productive farm lands and restores the land back to native grasses and forbs. There is quite a process to get your property enrolled, but it is certainly one option for landowners to look into and recently, rental rates have increased as well. Another program available for conservation is the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). This program pays the landowner for different conservation practices, whether it benefits the farmer, rancher or wildlife enthusiast. These programs, along with many others, are implemented through the Natural Resource Conservation Service. A consult with their office will get you pointed in the right direction on what you are looking to do on your land.
SUSTAINABLE FOREST INCENTIVE ACT This program is through the State of Minnesota, and is meant to protect forest land from development. If you have a tract that is 20 acres or larger, you may qualify for the SFIA program. As with any government funded program, there is a process that needs to be followed to enroll, starting with a Forest Management Plan. There are several forestry consultants that provide this service. These forestry consultants will meet with you and discuss your goals and objectives for the property. They will write an in depth plan on how to meet those goals, whether it be for wildlife habitat, forestry management or both. Once you have a plan for your property, this will need to be submitted and approved by the Dept of Natural Resources. A covenant will be placed
on your property for a determined number of years, 8, 20 or 50 years. The longer the covenant the higher the payment rates per acres. Another option under the SFIA, would be the Class 2C managed forest land. This process is basically the same as the SFIA, but the 2C program gives the landowner tax incentives vs a payment per acre. Please consult a local forester to determine which program is the best option for your land.
LOGGING If you decide to purchase land that is mainly forested, along with the above options, another option would be to consider logging. Once again, consulting with a forester will be valuable. Whether you are looking to enhance wildlife habitat or make a profit, your forester can put you in touch with the best resource for your needs. This is just a very brief list of options that may be available for your property. I would be happy to assist you with finding a property that is right for you and providing further assistance in having that property meet your financial goals.
â–Ş
MIKE BROWN LAND EXPERT AND AVID HUNTER A land owner and avid hunter, Mike is the resource for buying or selling hunting properties in West Central Minnesota. He has a BA in Wildlife Management and Fishery Science making him an expert in land advising. (218) 790-1552 | mbrown@jcrland.com
LAKE LIFE WKND
63
(218) 847-5242 1
ACREAGE - VERNDALE # 20-29721
38.9 ACRES 2
ACRES
ACREAGE - FERGUS FALLS # 20-27294
2.38 ACRES 4
ROLLING
ACREAGE - FOSSTON # 20-29673
3.75 ACRES
64
ROLLING
SUMMER 2020
SLOPED
5
6
7
MAHNOMEN CO
ACRES
8
LEVEL
# 20-29959
LEVEL
ACREAGE - DENT
$ 35,000
OTTER TAIL CO
$ 39,000
# 20-27248
SLOPED
ACREAGE - OGEMA # 20-28717
1 ACRE
$ 35,000
OTTER TAIL CO
ACREAGE - NEW YORK MILLS
6.32 ACRES
OTTER TAIL CO
$ 23,500
# 20-27906
4 ACRES
OTTER TAIL CO
$ 21,900
ACREAGE - NEW YORK MILLS
5
WADENA CO
ACREAGE - FERGUS FALLS # 20-27274 + $ 18,900 - 19,900
2+ 3
LEVEL
$ 71,900
jcrland.com
SLOPED
OTTER TAIL CO
$ 9,000
BECKER CO
JCR LAND 9
ACREAGE - AUDUBON # 20-27998
9.6 10
ACRES
ACREAGE - TWIN VALLEY # 20-25704
200 ACRES 11
LEVEL
ACREAGE - LAKE PARK # 20-30423
99 12
ROLLING
ACRES
HILLY
ACREAGE - LANCASTER # 20-30101
152 ACRES
ROLLING
$ 79,900
13
14
15
$ 119,900
KITTSON CO
# 20-30539
16
MIXED
ACREAGE - UNDERWOOD # 20-28441
50 ACRES
BECKER CO
ROLLING
ACREAGE - DETROIT LAKES
69.5 ACRES
NORMAN CO
$ 79,900
# 20-26760
58.4 ACRES
BECKER CO
$ 79,900
ACREAGE - HAWLEY
MIXED
ACREAGE - DETROIT LAKES # 20-28378
480
ACRES
MIXED
$ 159,900
CLAY CO
$ 258,500
BECKER CO
$ 289,900
OTTER TAIL CO
$ 1,250,000
BECKER CO
LAKE LIFE WKND
65
ONE STOP SHOP
“
For everything on my ‘To Do’ list and anything in between, the General Store is the one-stop-shop where I always find what I need for the lake and every season.
Dunvilla
Lake Lizzie
DUNVILLA HWY 59 / HWY 34
(218) 863-5703 dunvillastore.com
BUILD YOUR future HERE IN OTTER TAIL COUNTY We Will Support You With Building Your New Home
Available Lots Wide range of choices from rural acreage to new subdivisions in communities
Money
Up to $10,000 property tax rebate for new single family construction*
Quality of Life High quality schools, lower cost of living, access to natural resources and diverse attractions and activities
*Rebate of County portion of the property taxes as well as the City portion
bigbuildotc.com
Community Development Agency