COUNTRY
WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 2018
Serving Marine on St. Croix, Scandia, May Township
VOL. 35 NO. 10 www.countrymessenger.com $.75
FAT CAT TRIATHLON 2018: Annual race details. PAGE 7
Costa Rican coffee fills local cups
County will expand Big Marine Park Reserve Washington County will purchase three lots on Margo Avenue in Scandia, part of Big Lake Estates, for inclusion into the Big Marine Park Reserve. The County Board approved the $571,000 purchase June 26. The purchase is consistent with plans set out for the park reserve in 1989, and was initiated by the property owner. An appraisal was completed and reviewed by the County Board. The purchase price will be funded by Land and Water Legacy Program proceeds. A request will be made to the Metropolitan Council to reimburse the LWLP fund for 75 percent of the acquisition cost, or $428,250.
COURTESEY WASHINGTON.MN.US WASHINGTON MN US
Big Marine Contact Station SUZANNE LINDGREN | THE SUN
Viviana Gurdian and her daughter, Helene Roquebert, with Willows Coffee at the Scandia Farmers Market.
In Scandia, Minnesota, there’s no such thing as a cup of locally grown coffee. But a Woodbury woman’s efforts to bring her family’s Costa Rican coffee to area residents is forging the next best thing: a local connection. “Coffee trends have changed a lot,” explains Viviana Gurdian of Willows Coffee, readying her display for the Scandia Farmers Market. “People want to know where their food and coffee are
coming from.” Gurdian sells her coffee at several area farmers markets, a career path she pursued after moving several times in connection with her husband's job. Eventually, her family landed in Minnesota. Before she began helping her father with marketing and sales, the fourth-generation owner of the family’s coffee farm had focused primarily on quantity.
She helped him steer his efforts toward telling the family’s story with an emphasis on quality. “I decided to give the coffee business a shot, going from farm to cup,” she says. “What I really love is that I can explain it to people. Since we’re so far away from countries that produce coffee, a lot of people are interested in understanding where the coffee SEE COFFEE, PAGE 2
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Pine Needles Pop Up Show Leigha Meredith, an artist in residence at the Pine Needles cabin this summer, displayed her work at the gazebo in Marine on St. Croix, June 21. Her work reflected things she'd seen during the residency, and many were made with found materials.
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Webinar aims to help dairy farmers cope with stress
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The dairy industry has been affected by extended periods of low prices. The stress caused by low prices can affect health and decision making during these challenging times. To help dairy farmers cope with stress, the Four State Dairy Extension group will hold a webinar titled “Recognizing and Managing Stress in Dairy Farmers” at noon on July 10. Larry Tranel, dairy specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, and John Shutske, extension specialist with the University of Wisconsin, will focus on the mental health element of dairy farm stress. The webinar will provide information on how SUBSCRIPTIONS 651-433-3845 office@osceolasun.com
stress affects health and decision-making as well as ways to recognize stress. The webinar is sponsored by ISU Extension and Outreach, University of Minnesota Extension, University of Illinois Extension and University of Wisconsin Extension. To join the webinar log onto https://connect.extension.iastate. edu/isuedairy.
For more information contact Jim Salfer at salfe001@umn.edu or 320-203-6093. The webinars are sponsored by Iowa State Extension and Outreach, University of Minnesota Extension, University of Illinois Extension and University of Wisconsin Extension.
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