At the Tuesday, June 5 meeting, the Rushford Village Council discussed several funding options for several city costs in 2018. The council and city staff considered options including usage of a Certificate of Deposit (CD) accounts, financing programs, and an option for Minnesota Investment Fund dollars provided through the Department of Employment and Economic Development. … [Read more...]
Kirsten Zoellner
Reporter
kirsten@fillmorecountyjournal.com
Kirsten has been a reporter for Fillmore County Journal since 2008. No awards to date, but her mother finds her articles riveting. She enjoys shining a light on the great people and events in the county and has aspirations to someday write a novel about them. A native of Rushford, she is a member of Root River Community Church, co-founder of Odyssey Homeschool Association, and was the founder for the Rushford-Peterson Valley Farmers' Market.
When not writing, Kirsten happily spends her time raising a family alongside Joel, her husband of 18 years. She homeschools their six children (Evin, Lauren, Logan, Ada, Kathleen, and Emelia) and does her best to ensure domestic bliss. Kirsten is an advocate for conservation and homesteading and operates Liten Dal Farm, where the family raises dairy goats, pastured poultry and hogs, alpacas, a few steers, and horses. Hobbies other than juggling include the outdoors, reading, vegetable gardening, cheesemaking, fermenting various things in Ball jars, and making everything from scratch despite the fact that it probably costs more.
Kirsten and her family proudly reside in rural Fountain on her great-great-grandfather's farm.
You can follow more about Kirsten on the family's Facebook page, Liten Dal Farm, or their blog: ourprairienest.wordpress.com.
Fountain retains ordinance prohibiting chickens
The City of Fountain has opted to make no changes to its current ordinances to allow for the keeping of chickens within city limits. The matter was brought to the council’s attention months ago by 526 First Street resident Emily Root and her family. Root spoke before the council at the May meeting, bringing forth her request to construct a greenhouse with an attached coop for … [Read more...]
Formed in the Driftless: Flowstone Fishing catches momentum
While underway for more than a year, Flowstone Fishing in Chatfield officially opened its online business this past April. Named for the area’s flowing, cool waters, which create subterranean mineral sheets, or flowstones, owner Bret Klaehn is hoping to combine his enthusiasm for fishing with a niche for quality, handmade lures and personalized, local service. “I have been … [Read more...]
Rushford considers last minute limited option usage of revolving loan fund
The City of Rushford has been eyeing potential changes to its Revolving Loan Fund policy, looking to amend it to allow the city to use the funds. If used, the funds would be designated for a singular project related to economic development, namely an estimated 100-acre property on the west side of Rushford, along Highway 30. City Administrator Tony Chladek noted the policy … [Read more...]
Interpretation of ordinance creates snag over precedence
When looking at zoning, ordinances and policy-making can be a bit of a beast. Townships, cities, and counties have ordinances in place for the benefit of property owners and to keep things decidedly black and white. But, what happens when interpretation creates a fuzzy, gray zone and the idea of entity precedence and property owner rights clash? Five of the 23 townships within … [Read more...]
Rushford Village reviews project plans
At the Tuesday, May 15 Rushford Village Council meeting, a recently completed preliminary grading plan for the Benson Lane project was discussed. Acting Mayor Dennis Overland led the meeting and City Engineer Derek Olinger, of Bolton & Menk, led the discussion regarding the project. The city is looking at two options to address water flow event issues at the dead end … [Read more...]
Rushford looks at electric charges; requirements for launch project
The Monday, May 14 Rushford Council meeting may have had just three regular business agenda items, but there was plenty of discussion, some of which was regarding public notices and consent agenda issues. An annual wholesale power rate schedule was detailed in a letter and documentation from MiEnergy. In comes at the same time as a recent discussion by the Rushford Electrical … [Read more...]
Seed First, LLC to bring ag business back to downtown Fountain
Come late summer, downtown Fountain will have a new store adorning it’s Main Street. Father and son, Paul and Corey Hamann have plans for a new home for their agricultural business, formerly Hamann Seed, and the two are thinking outside the box on how it’s going to happen. After looking at a number of available locations, the two purchased the site January 15. It was … [Read more...]
Peterson council takes action on properties
After several years of trying to buckle down on properties within the city that are not compliant with city ordinances, the Peterson council voted Wednesday, May 9, to approve taking legal action on the properties. Mayor Tim Hallum noted that some of the non-compliance issues stem back to 2014. Last year, after physical review of seven properties by council and city staff, … [Read more...]
Fountain considers chicken request, approves utility increase
The Wednesday, May 2 Fountain Council meeting was largely an agenda of old business. However, one item of new business, a resident request, brought forth a good deal of discussion. Fountain resident Emily Root brought forth a request to keep chickens on her property. Currently, city ordinances prohibit farm-type animals within city limits. Root is proposing keeping 10 hens, … [Read more...]
Local shop preserving time through collection and restoration
A surprising little shop, tucked in amid the businesses on Lanesboro’s Coffee Street, is Lanesboro Clockworks. The shop is bringing visitors a bit of history, a whole lot of appreciation, and the ability to bring new life to those family heirloom clocks and watches. Collector Richard Goodin will be the first to tell you he likes to chat. The Anoka native has a 40-year … [Read more...]
Drury’s Furniture outfitting outdoor spaces
The push for livable outdoor spaces might be a product of an HGTV-enlighted audience, but the concept isn’t new, particularly in this region. Drury’s Furniture, a Fountain-based store now in it’s 93rd year of business, is capturing the momentum, offering an array of options for those wanting to enhance all of their living spaces. “I think people in our area have been waiting … [Read more...]
Custom-built home best fit for Rushford family
If you’ve seen any home-centered television or magazines in the last decade or so, the mass marketing of Do It Yourself home remodeling is ever present. In some instances, the costs of remodeling, depending on scale and ability, can be on par with the cost to build new. It also takes experience with a variety of aspects of home building. Some homeowners want to forego the … [Read more...]
Brown’s Tire & Battery remains strong after more than 30 years in business
For Gary Brown, the secret of a good business comes down to the essentials. “We work hard and we’re honest. We try to treat people in the way they would want to be treated. We don’t play games.” Brown is the second generation owner of the business, which was started in 1986. Brown’s father, Art, had been the owner and operator of the Arendahl Store, but when the economic farm … [Read more...]
Rushford approves housing area platting
The Rushford City Council has formally approved the final platting for a Planned Unit Development (PUD) on the east end of the Himlie Business Park. Developer Bluff Country LLC (Mike Sexhauer) brought forward final plats for Himlie Manor to the Planning Commission April 19 and they were approved. The area was previously rezoned and a Tax Increment Financing District established … [Read more...]