AUSTIN, MN – USDA Rural Development State Director Brad Finstad has announced that USDA has funding available for very low- and low-income individuals and families seeking to purchase or repair a home in a rural area. “Our housing staff will work one-on-one to ensure quality customer service for all applicants,” Finstad said. “To help prepare potential buyers for this … [Read more...]
Fillmore County Garden Tour happens Saturday, June 16
You are welcome to meander through the gardens of some of western Fillmore County’s most talented “green thumbs” from 9-4:30 on Saturday, June 16. Shelly Skindelien is the Master Gardener coordinating this year’s tour, the first for Fillmore County, and hers is one of ten gardens to view. “Every one of these gardeners is an artist,” Skindelien says with admiration, “On the … [Read more...]
Tiny house on the prairie
Deb Graf fondly calls her home the tiny house on the prairie, because she felt like a pioneer when she drove into Mabel with her house pulled behind a pickup truck. Graf “settled” on a flat plot of land east of town to begin a new chapter in her life. In the fall of 2016, Graf took a job as the band and elementary music instructor at Mabel-Canton Schools. “They needed … [Read more...]
USDA announces funding availability to help low-income individuals and families buy or repair homes
USDA Rural Development has funding available for very low- and lowincome individuals and families seeking to purchase or repair a home in a rural area. “Our housing staff will work one-on-one to ensure quality customer service for all applicants,” said State Director Brad Finstad. “To help prepare would-be buyers for this exciting step, USDA requires applicants to take a … [Read more...]
Plan a visit to Sweet 16 Farm
Sweet 16 Farm is so much more than a farm; it’s a destination. It’s an experience all its own; it’s the adventure you make it. It’s blue skies, sunshine and flowers rolled into a working, sustainable farm that has more to discover. Sarah Mann and Daniel Drazkowski are partners in life and partners in creating Sweet 16 Farm. Mann grew up in the St. Paul, Minn., area and … [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...]
Get dynamite service from TNT Lawn & Snow Services
Living in the great state of Minnesota, we certainly get some diverse weather. Fortunately for the southeastern part of the state, no matter what the season TNT Lawn & Snow Services of Fountain, Minn., is available and has a variety of services to suit your needs. Ted Reinhardt, owner and operator of TNT Lawn & Snow Services, states the business was started in 1999 … [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...]
MDA reminds Minnesotans to use pesticides and fertilizers with care
ST. PAUL, MN - Spring is here and many Minnesotans will be thinking about their lawns, trees and gardens. Whether you do it yourself or hire a professional, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) urges the safe use of pesticides and fertilizers in your yards and gardens by following all label directions. Pesticide and fertilizer labels specify how to use products … [Read more...]
Housing rehabilitation loans
Semcac, a Community Action Agency serving southeastern Minnesota, has funds available through Minnesota Housing for housing rehabilitation loans for eligible homeowners in Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Rice, Steele, Wabasha and Winona counties. This loan is a 0% interest rate loan with a 15-year term or a 10-year term for mobile/manufactured homes in a … [Read more...]