10 years ago (2009)
•Yields are good, but test weights are down. That’s the report so far on the 2009 corn harvest, at least from one part of the county.
According to Brad Berkhof, western area manager for New Vision Coop, Hills, the local corn harvest was about 35 percent complete as of Monday.
In a normal year Rock County’s harvest season is wrapping up by now.
“The corn didn’t mature in the field,” Berkhof said, explaining low test weights.
He said loads in Hills have been averaging about 52 pounds per bushel, compared with the preferred 55 or 56 pounds per bushel.
“We just didn’t have the heat unit days,” Berkhof said. “It was a cool summer.” ...
The bright spot in the 2009 corn harvest is yield, which is averaging between 180 and 230 bushels per acre in Berkhof’s southwestern Rock County area.
25 years ago (1994)
•Ron Rauk, owner of Rauk’s Store in Beaver Creek, began working in his grandfather’s store when he was 8 years old. He remembers families coming to town on a Saturday night to trade eggs or vegetables for other groceries and goods. …
Times have changed, however, and Rauk’s store has made changes of its own to accommodate changing needs. “We’ve gone through some changes here since then,” said Rauk, now 47. “Back then, we were more of a general store where people bought work boots, nuts and bolts and clothing and women’s novelty items like buttons and needles and thread.”
Today, fewer people live in and around small towns like Beaver Creek. With more and more shopping centers and large grocery stores staying open late in Sioux Falls and Luverne, the need for Rauk’s services — particularly his meat locker — has declined. ...
To respond to these changing local needs, Rauk is making the ultimate change in his business. On Jan. 1, 1995, he’s closing the doors to Rauk’s Store on Main Street, and he’s reopening them in the form of a Texaco convenience store near the interstate. “It came down to do this or nothing,” he said. “We decided to take our chances (on the convenience store).”
50 years ago (1969)
•Almost every grain elevator in Rock County is filled to capacity with corn and soybeans as farmers continue fall harvest.
Railroad freight cars are the biggest problem for elevator managers in Luverne, Magnolia and Beaver Creek. All three elevators are served by the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad. “We just don’t have the freight cars available for the elevators,” Harlan Johnson, railroad agent, told The Star-Herald.
The Farmers Co-op Elevator in Luverne has received one freight car in the last two weeks. We could use 10 cars right now, Vance Ebert, elevator manager said. The Luverne elevator has piled about 20,000 bushels of corn at the fairgrounds.
The Magnolia Farmers Co-op Elevator is piling corn near the high school football field and could use 20 to 30 railroad cars. The Beaver Creek Co-op Elevator is full but isn’t piling outside. This firm could also use 20 to 30 freight cars.
Trucks serve the remaining elevators in Rock County as rail service is only available to Luverne, Magnolia, Beaver Creek and Hills.
75 years ago (1944)
•Rock county farmers received $82,610.26 in dairy feed payments for butterfat and milk produced during the period October 1943, through August, 1944, it was announced this week by Chairman Arp of the local AQAA committee.
On a state wide basis, participation in the dairy payment program has increased, Mr. Arp reported. According to word received from Charles W. Stickney, state AAA chairman, the number of participants in Minnesota totaled 117,674, in October, 1943 when the program started, while 145,485 participated during the July-August, 1944 period.
During the 10 month period, dairy production payments in Minnesota amounted to $17,692,676.
100 years ago (1919)
•The reorganization of the Hardwick State bank, whereby a controlling interest in the institution passes to Sioux Falls bankers, has been completed.
Under the reorganization Ebdan Wenzloff of H. A. McEwen, resident and cashier, respectively, of the Commercial and Savings bank, of Sioux Falls, have purchased the stock of C. H. Christopherson, of this city, and O. H. Gravatt and E. U. Iverson, of Hardwick, which gives the purchasers a controlling interest.
In connection with the change Mr. Wenzloff, Henry Rolfsa and J. B. Iverson have been elected members of the board of directors, and Mr. Wenzloff becomes president and Mr. J. B. Iverson vice-president. Mr. Gravatt, who has filled the position of cashier for the past twelve years, will remain cashier, and Miss Laura Anderson will continue as assistant cashier.
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