4-H Club Legend AHF - Arendahl Hi-Flyers, BC - Bloomfield Cloverleaves, CC - Carimona Cruisers, CW - Challenging Workers, HHH - Harmony Helping Hands, I- Independent, LL - Lanesboro Livewires, MBB - Mabel Busy Bees, NGG - Norway Go-Getters, RRR - Root River Rabbits Champion Aerospace: Porter Mathison, CC; Reserve Champion: Maverick Mathison, CC Champion Bicycle: Mae … [Read more...]
Sidney and Marion Myhre Century Farm: Strong Family Ties
The picturesque Myhre farm at 19240 Old Highway 76, Caledonia, will be recognized as a Century Farm at the Houston County Fair on August 20 during the awards ceremony. The Century Farm program recognizes historic, multi-generational family farms that have been in continuous family ownership for at least 100 years. The program is co-sponsored by the Minnesota State Fair and the … [Read more...]
O’Donnell/Randall century farm: A century-long legacy on Vinegar Hill
The O’Donnell/Randall Farm, located at 21711 Randall Drive, Houston, Minn., is a multi-generational family farm that has remained in continuous family ownership for more than 100 years. The Century Farm program, co-sponsored by the Minnesota State Fair and the Minnesota Farm Bureau, recognizes farms that have remained in the same family for at least a century. The … [Read more...]
Root River State Trail Bank Stabilization Project Near Houston Nears Completion
A riverbank stabilization project designed to protect the Root River State Trail, approximately two to three miles west of Houston, is almost complete, with the final phase, repairing the asphalt trail, expected to be completed by the end of September. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Division of Parks and Trails prioritized the project after sections of the … [Read more...]
Forest Field Day and Prairie Walk
For 15 years, the Fillmore County Soil and Water Conservation District has hosted its annual Forest Field Day and Prairie Walk. This year’s event was held on July 29, at Steve and Diane Snyder’s property, outside Lanesboro. The event displayed forest management techniques, including buckthorn removal, cedar hillside clearing, and native re-establishment efforts. This year’s … [Read more...]
McCabe Family Farms: Growing Food, Family and Building a Legacy
For Joe and Amanda McCabe, farming is more than a livelihood – it’s a lifestyle centered on family, stewardship, and sustainable raised products. At McCabe Family Farms near Pilot Mound, they are raising not only livestock but also the next generation of farmers. Today, the couple, along with their children – Trayton, Addison, Jaxon and Hazel – play active roles in the daily … [Read more...]
Jim and Ellen Gardner: The Next Generation of Farmers
For Jim and Ellen Gardner, farming isn’t just a career, it’s a shared passion that began in college. The couple, who grew up on opposite sides of Minnesota, met while studying plants in college. Jim, who also earned a minor in soil science, and Ellen discovered they shared a love for the land and a vision for farming that works with nature rather than against it. They married … [Read more...]
NASS 2025 Yield Estimates for Fillmore and Houston Counties
By Katie Drewitz University of Minnesota Extension National Ag Statistics Service (NASS) crop yield estimates for 2025 have been posted. Looking at this data is an opportunity to assess yield trends in the counties to better understand yield potential. Which in turn, assists in the long term financial management of our farms. Today’s article will focus on corn and soybeans, … [Read more...]
Apple Maggots
By Katie Drewitz University of Minnesota Extension PRESTON and CALEDONIA, MN, June 30, 2026 – As the apples on your trees continue to grow there are numerous factors that we need to consider. The apple maggot (Rhagoletis pomonella) is the most important insect pest to Minnesota grown apples and typically starts to become active in July. Heavily infested apples are … [Read more...]
Maximizing the Value of Local Agriculture; Beef Tallow Skin Care
From their home in Lanesboro, Brian and Sue Roelofs have turned a personal health mission for their daughter into a business. Brian grew up near Greenleafton, Minnesota, and went to high school in Preston. He went to college at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and moved several times throughout his career. Eventually, he ended up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he met Sue, … [Read more...]