By Jason Sethre Publisher Fillmore County Journal jason@fillmorecountyjournal.com As we publish this section each year, our farmers are working around the clock to find their way to the finish line of the fall harvest. For those of us who don’t live or work on a farm, we may not realize the impact our local farmers have on the bigger picture of our communities. There is … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past – No Cow? No Problem! – Milk on the Move
By Lee Epps Part two of a milk-moving series A century ago, Houston County cows were milked not only on farms, but also in town, including the county seat. As late as the 1920s, those residing within the city limits of Caledonia were permitted to keep milk cows on their property. People would annually lead their town cow out to a nearby farm to be introduced to a rural bull. … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions – Treasures
By Kevin Barnhart The sun was brilliant, shimmering off every blade of grass. The breeze was soft, and the birds were happily chirping around as we walked up and down the rows of fresh cut hay. It was 80 degrees, give or take as it is beholden to be if you are doing fieldwork, but all in all, the day was flooded with God’s love, light and goodness. My father-in-law had cut … [Read more...]
Be Sure to Keep a Fur-Lined Necktie in Your Winter Emergency Kit
When meteorologists talk too often of freezing temperatures, I break out the book Winter for Dummies. This book, which exists only in my mind, covers scary things from the good old days that were done to prepare for the bad old winters. Many of them involved cars, affirming the importance of automobiles in our lives. Jumper cables (booster cables) were put in a trunk as part … [Read more...]
Recipes from Family and Friends are a Treasure
Last week, I took a spontaneous road trip up north. My husband and I had planned to finally attend the Ely Blueberry Festival with our longtime friends, but the wildfires in the BWCA area canceled that. Then we planned to go to the Ely Harvest Moon Festival in September. We had just moved my mother into assisted living, so our plan was to head up north to relax with our … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past – The Milkman Was Not a Man
The milkman was not a man. The milk delivery “person” was actually a milk maiden. And her helpers were her two school-aged daughters. In the early 1940s, during World War II, Eunice “Granny” Murray delivered milk door to door in Hokah, Houston County. Her husband worked full time in La Crosse, so milk delivery was strictly a female enterprise. Arising at 4 a.m., Eunice and one … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions – Jesus’ Disciples: A Foil for Our Understanding
By Pr. Anders Nelson In my work of preparing sermons, I often find myself trying to inhabit the perspective of some of the characters we read about in scripture. When preaching from the texts involving the prophets, I ponder how they might be feeling as they speak into a community in need of repentance and change. When preaching from Paul’s writings, I think about how the … [Read more...]
Thyme & Again – Salty Over Pumpkin Spice
By Angela Denstad Time and again over the past 20 odd years, the infamous Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) has been met with both delight and disgust. Only some of this polarizing effect is due to its notably pumpkin-less spice and more to do with the associated lifestyle of those who are most able to indulge in it. To be sure, it does take a certain amount of nonchalance concerning … [Read more...]
Elvis Presley bought a pink Cadillac from Harold Williams
He had run a good race. His name was Dr. Harold Williams. He was a pilot, professor at Auburn University, operated a charter fishing boat (catching salmon and halibut), owned a sporting goods store, and served on the board of the American Bald Eagle Foundation in Haines, Alaska, with me. Actually, I got to serve with him. He had a PhD from the University of Colorado. Some … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions – Extended Family
By Pastor Jeff Jacobs Unity Lutheran Parish - St. Paul, Saetersdal and St. Matthew’s, Granger This July, 25 youth and adults from St. Paul Lutheran-Lime Springs went on a week’s mission trip to Costa Rica. At the end of August, they shared pictures and stories of what they experienced together. A recurring theme was their delight in making connections with the people … [Read more...]