Columns
By Scott Rall, outdoors columnistOctober 25, 2023Back in 2021 the local chapter of Pheasants Forever in Nobles County adopted all of the Wildlife Management areas in their county. It was during the Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener that a parcel of land was dedicated to acknowledge these acres were now open to all compatible uses. It was part of the Ranson Ridge WMA. At that time the chapter partnered with the local Future Farmers of America…
By Lori Sorenson, editorOctober 25, 2023After months of training and nervous anticipation, our Carson’s Cause team on Oct. 20 completed (survived) the Grand Canyon Rim2Rim4aCause. We traveled from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon down to the canyon floor, across the river, then up to the South Rim in a day, with Luverne’s Dave Duffy as our trusty guide. It’s over 25 miles and more than 10,000 feet of elevation change, and park…
By Sgt. Troy Christianson, Minnesota State PatrolOctober 25, 2023Question: I have had a few conversations with others about turning right on red. Can you tell me what the rules are in Minnesota? It’s frightening to see the chances some drivers are taking. Answer: A steady red light means stop and wait for the light to change. Come to a complete stop at the stop line before the crosswalk or entering the intersection. After stopping, you may make a right turn…
By Mavis Fodness, reporterOctober 18, 2023Members of the S7 Wellness Group (which includes me) have been challenged this month to get more individuals signed up for our virtual health group. For each new member we attract, we’ll receive $100 — that we can split with the new member. I thought I would give the challenge a try and completed the required Facebook posts about my own wellness journey that began a year ago. At that time, I…
By Rick Peterson, general managerOctober 18, 2023It’s funny how everything has changed. Some things you thought would never change – yet they did. Case in point, the pumpkin. Used to be one color choice – orange. Then the white pumpkin crept into the fold, and now you have a regular buffet of pumpkin colors to choose from. While I am not an expert of pumpkins, I am not sure if all the pumpkins on our front porch ARE pumpkins or if they’re…
By Scott Rall, Outdoors columnistOctober 18, 2023As is part of my normal pheasant hunting opening weekend activities, I made the drive to the 2023 Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener event in Owatonna. This area is not necessarily known as the hotbed of pheasant hunting opportunities in our great state, but there were about the same number of birds harvested by attendees as any other events of its kind since 2012. So I guess you might need to…
By Brenda Winter, columnistOctober 11, 2023After Mom’s passing last November, we were left with the massive garden she’d always tended. Dad had even added four new raised beds to the garden in the summer of 2022. So there we were last spring with lots of garden and no gardener. Dad and I adopted the family motto when facing a challenge – “How hard can it be?” – and decided to fill the raised beds. We’d plant one bag of potatoes. One “…
By Sgt. Troy Christianson, Minnesota State PatrolOctober 11, 2023Question: I read one of your articles about motorcyclists needing to wear eye protection. Do contacts qualify as eye protection? Answer: Contact lenses do not qualify as protective eyewear. Motorcyclists are required to wear protective eyewear, such as glasses, goggles or a face shield, even if the motorcycle is equipped with a windscreen. Drivers, look twice for motorcycles, especially when…
By Scott Rall, Outdoors columnistOctober 11, 2023Hunting wild stuff, be that antlered animals or fowl of any sort, is usually a result of an introduction made by one special person who took the time to expose a youth to the outdoor lifestyle. The number of people who hunt today only make up about 11 percent of the United States population and that number is falling. I have been hunting since I was 14, almost 50 years now, and I can say there…
By Lori Sorenson, editorOctober 04, 2023Hiking the Grand Canyon has long been on my bucket list. As one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the canyon is a spectacular feat of nature. It’s not the steepest or the longest canyon in the world, but it’s recognized as a natural wonder because of its collective scale and size combined with breathtaking color variations in its walls. It is 217 miles long, up to 18 miles wide, and a mile…
By RIck Peterson, general managerOctober 04, 2023If you follow the H-BC football team, you know they are pretty darn good and have been for some time. From what Mary and I observed recently, they are a polite group of young men, with a little help from the coach. The week before last we were coming home from Redwood Falls where we had watched our grandson’s football game. (By the way, the Redwood Valley Cardinals beat the Pipestone Arrows so I…
By Greg Hoogeveen, sports editorOctober 04, 2023What is 66 years old and gets passed back and forth between two towns? The Battle Axe. The traveling trophy is awarded to the winning football team between rivals Luverne and Pipestone. This year’s game marks the 66th annual Battle Axe game between the Cardinals and Arrows, and Luverne is not looking to give it up without a fight. If you bleed red or green, you know how much each team wants…
By Scott Rall, Outdoors columnistOctober 04, 2023I find it interesting that no matter where you live or what kinds of outside activities you enjoy, there is always a desire to see and experience new things. I never get tired of a good wildlife ride exploring the prairie landscapes in my state. Even with this deep appreciation for this kind of ecosystem, I still find a need to explore further from home. I make these explorations to different…
By Mavis Fodness, reporterSeptember 27, 2023A teal-colored envelope arrived in our mailbox last week, days after our farm dog, Lucy, was struck by a car. The card inside read, “There will forever be a place in your heart for such a good and faithful friend.” Its message brought tears, and they spilled over to sobs when four squares of paper slipped out of the card. Inked on each square was a single paw print – for each of Lucy’s four…
By Scott RallSeptember 27, 2023This is the final installment of a public land acquisition process. We have covered a lot in the last three columns, and this will get us to the end zone. Last week we left off at the appraisal review process. I have never had an appraisal review that ended up changing the value of a parcel, although the purchase agreement signed earlier does openly state that the PA is subject to an appraisal…
By Scott RallSeptember 20, 2023In the first two columns about public land acquisition, we covered how a parcel is selected and how these sales originate. Appraisals are then completed and surveys finished and then reviewed by a second party. After these are finalized, you can actually get close to having the seller and buyer sign a purchase agreement. But there are still a few more steps until that takes place. Once the…
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