Vicki Musel and Heather Barth paths first crossed when Heather signed her daughter Sydney up for a Just for Kix dance class that Vicki was teaching. Then, both Sydney and Vicki’s daughter Leena ended up in the Fillmore County 4-H Horse Project, and Vicki and Heather found themselves spending a lot of time together. Last year, Heather and Vicki’s friendship deepened in an … [Read more...]
National Co-Op Month – AcenTek: Building a Better World Since 1950
October is National Co-op Month. A time to celebrate the many ways cooperatives strengthen their communities, something Ace Telephone Association, doing business as AcenTek, has exemplified since its founding. From the beginning, AcenTek has been guided by cooperative principles and a deep commitment to its members. From day one until today, AcenTek’s commitment has been to … [Read more...]
Jenny Kleppe, Trail Blazer
Can you imagine working in an industry where you know only one other woman doing the same work as you? That’s the reality for entrepreneur Jenny Kleppe, co-owner of Kleppe Forest Products LLC in Mabel, Minn. Jenny has met just one other woman, Bonnie Mulholland of Eyota, Minn., who drives the log skidder with her husband Jack. There simply aren’t many women in the … [Read more...]
Gabby Kinneberg – Honoring Veterans and Legacies
From working in the marketing department at an electronics company in Rochester to doing graphic design at the Fillmore County Journal to working in tourism, the Chamber of Commerce and the EDA in Preston, Gabby Kinneberg has gained skills and formed relationships at each job that have helped her with her career at the veterans home in Preston. “It’s crazy how much I learned in … [Read more...]
Holly Wieser, a Woman With Many Hats
Holly Wieser is an energetic, caring woman who wears many hats in her various occupations. At Wieser Septic, Holly runs the office, answers the phone, does the payroll and scheduling, pulls permits, helps with sewer design and is a licensed sewer installer. Wieser Septic was begun in 1963 by Leonard Wieser; in 2006, his son Jake (Holly’s husband) took over the business and … [Read more...]
New Music Teacher for Fillmore Central
Jessica Spencer is the new music teacher for Fillmore Central Elementary School, teaching kids from kindergarten through sixth grade. She grew up in Rochester, Minn., but left the state to get her degree in Music Education at North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota. For over 13 years, Spencer has sang in choirs and played the clarinet for numerous groups, both … [Read more...]
Driftless Dreamers, A Unique 4-H Club
The 4-H Club Driftless Dreamers is unique in that it was created for homeschool families. While other clubs form based on interests, activities or location to a certain school district, this club was established to tie 4-H into the existing homeschool peer groups. Driftless Dreamers held its first meeting in June 2023. The families of the homeschool groups already cooperated … [Read more...]
Wholestone Farms Providing Pork Raised by Your Neighbors
Wholestone Farms was founded in 2018 when CEO Luke Minion met with farmers who shared a vision to produce pork and be competitive with the commercial large pork producers. Wholestone is privately owned by 235 farm families across the Midwest. In Fillmore County, there are four farm families/owners: Smith Farms owned by Greg, Deb and Randy Smith of Rushford, Johnson’s Rolling … [Read more...]
How To Put Together a Manure Management Plan
By Melissa Wilson, Extension specialist; Nancy Bohl Bormann, Researcher; and Chryseis Modderman, Extension educator It’s that time of year when the crops are coming off the field and folks are starting to think about next year’s crop. If you have livestock on your farm, you are also thinking about manure application, which may happen this fall and/or next spring. How … [Read more...]
Prevent Home Electrical Fires
A person’s home should be a safe haven. Too often, however, there may be dangers lurking in a home that can compromise the safety of residents. Electrical fires are no joke. The Hartford insurance company says electrical failure or malfunctions account for almost 34,000 home fires per year. The National Fire Protection Association says they can contribute to 440 deaths and … [Read more...]