Recently, I found myself navigating the aisles of my local grocery store, on a quest for chicken thighs to prepare for dinner – an ingredient I hadn’t purchased in quite some time, perhaps months. To my sheer astonishment and dismay, I was taken aback by the steep price for a mere four chicken thighs. This shocking experience triggered a deeper conversation between my husband … [Read more...]
Butter and Mud
As I write this, I find myself skating across a thin layer of frozen mud, propelled by 3,500 gallons of manure. No, this is not an attempt at extreme sports; it’s just another day on the farm. Don’t try this at home, friends, but yes, I often write in the field, while driving a tractor and hauling manure. It’s one of the quirky perks of farm life – where multitasking is a … [Read more...]
Eat Well, Be Well, Have Fun “The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove then the hunger for bread” – Mother Teresa
Until a couple of weeks ago I was a virgin. Bread baker that is. My need to be creative and open minded about recipe following always seemed to be a non-starter when it comes to baking. I was always told that you can’t mess with baking recipes. You need to follow directions precisely. You can’t just change things willy nilly. “It’s the truth, trust me!” Well, that is just … [Read more...]
Pedal Pushers Café Celebrates 20 Years of Pleasing Palates
Twenty years ago, when Angie and Scott Taylor opened the doors of their new business in Lanesboro, Minn., they didn’t really know what to expect but they were excited, nonetheless. Fast forward to 2025, and the success of the business is unquestionable. Pedal Pushers Café has become a staple for locals and visitors alike and the Taylor family has become a piece of the heart of … [Read more...]
A Goodly Heritage – Jack’s Story (continued)
Howdy, folks! It is good to be with you one more time. To review, my name is Jack. I am a German Shepherd. I was invited to live in southern Wisconsin, and I adopted a boy. He comes with a mom and a dad, so they are mine, too. I grew up there, and I am the king. I am three years old. Folks remark at how handsome I am. I have silver-sable coloring. But that is not my … [Read more...]
Fresh off the Farm – AI – and it’s Not What You Think
Long before the current AI craze, farmers were knee-deep in “AI” every single day – but this was a whole different kind of artificial intelligence. It wasn’t the kind of thing that could run algorithms to predict the stock market, or write you a Shakespearean sonnet on demand. Nope, this was the real deal: Artificial Insemination. And I’ll tell you what, if they’re giving out … [Read more...]
Thyme & Again – A Good Go-Around
By Angela Denstad Stigeler Time and again as winter trudges along, my tastebuds begin to grow a little weary of slow-braised roasts and hearty stews, as if there’s only so much culinary comfort one can stand. A first-world problem, to be sure, about which I’m fortunate to be able to complain. But nevertheless, somewhere along midwinter, I find it’s time for a break from the … [Read more...]
Your Flying Farmer – “Famous-er” Than Taylor Swift
I recently heard one of my daughters tell someone; “You’re famous-er than Taylor Swift!” What a crazy thought! It got me thinking about fame and things in my life that are most important. How would I act if I were to spend a day with someone who I admired and who was most famous to me? Sometimes we like to imagine what it would be like to host a famous person for a day. How … [Read more...]
Eat Well, Be Well, Have Fun
“You learn to cook so that you don’t have to be a slave to recipes” – Julia Child I am a combination of a man of a certain age, self-employed for 20 some years, and kind of retired. Together over the years it has allowed me to do a lot more cooking. Moving from the Twin Cities some 20 years ago, and living in the country without a new fun and interesting ethnic … [Read more...]
A Goodly Heritage- Jack’s Story
Howdy there, folks! I am glad to meet you. My name is Jack. I am a German Shepherd. I came from Northern Wisconsin. I was invited to live in southern Wisconsin, and I adopted a boy. He comes with a mom and dad, so they are mine, too. I grew up there, and I learned my new territory well. I am the king. My boy brings me water when I need it, and food when I want it. … [Read more...]