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CHALK ROCK LAKE FARMS - Menominee, NE - Dan and Mary Schaefer family - Home raised Beef - Hormone-Free or Conventionally Raised. Selling whole, halves and quarters. 55773 895 Rd. Fordyce, NE 68736 -schaefdm@gpcom.net - (402) 357-2133 – www.ChalkRockLakeFarm.com
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, July 7, 2005)
Dan and Mary Schaefer and their sons Matthew and Mason are carrying on a special tradition. The Schaefers and their Chalk Rock Lake Farm were recently honored with the AkSarBen Pioneer Award because their farm has been owned and worked by the same family for four generations and over 100 years.
It takes an extraordinary commitment to the land and the livestock when you are passing on farming tradition. The family takes that same committed approach in selling their home-raised, Chalk Rock Lake beef to area customers.
The Schaefers finish out calves mostly from their 65-head cow herd for their hormone-free feeding program, so the Schaefers and their customers know exactly where their beef came from.
Nestled in the rolling hills of northern Cedar County, Nebraska 4 miles south and three quarter miles east of Yankton near the hamlet of Menominee and Chalk Rock Lake, Dan and Mary raise and market their hormone-free, cornfed beef in quarters, halves, three quarters or the whole beef. They also sell 12 and a half pound and twenty-five pound beef bundles, offering a variety of their flavorful, high quality, home finished beef cuts.
The Schaefers have been direct marketing their homefinished beef for over fifteen years, so they know what their customers want. They can help you decide the type of beef bundles that might be right for your family or they can assist you in deciding how to have your beef processed and packaged.
And its nice to be able to fill your freezer with beef that you know was fed just down the road by a farm family you can trust. Most orders are taken over the phone at 402-357-2133, but you can also order their beef online at chalkrocklakefarm.com or by emailing Dan and Mary at schaefdm@gpcom.net. You can learn more about Chalk Rock Lake Farms and other families raising local food by visiting the web at farmtofamily.net.
And remember, the best food for your table is being grown today just down the road by farmers who care about your family and your food.
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Cwach Natural Meats, Yankton, SD - Gary and Mary Cwach. Homeraised beef. (605) 665-1341.
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Jan. 24, 2008)
If you're looking for an old-fashioned beef taste, you'll want to make sure you try the products offered by Cwach Meats. Fifth-generation Yankton County farmers with a heritage of raising their own beef, Gary and Mary Cwach and their sons, Dan and Kevin, are pleased to offer beef produced without the use of any kind of antibiotics, chemicals or hormones. Cwach Meats sells whole animals, halves, quarters and individual cuts directly from their farm to satisfied customers around the region. They also offer delivery service to Yankton customers.
Gary says the special feeding system recipe his family has developed over the past 12 years results in naturally raised, great tasting, tender cuts of beef, and their animals are completely traceable from birth to the dinner table. The Cwach family consistently invests their best efforts on their dedicated small family farm to provide high quality food that they are proud to offer as a healthy part of a local food system. For the past 12 years, they have studied the value of and process for naturally improving their soil so that every step in their beef production is focused on nutrition and health.
The process the Cwachs use to raise high quality beef begins with a process to naturally build up healthy soils on their farm. Their animals graze on high quality pastures and grain crops that are carefully cultivated without the use of any type of chemicals. The absence of hormone implants and naturally occurring minerals in the soil combine to produce the flavor and tenderness customers have come to expect from Cwach Meats.
If you want to make home-raised beef from the Cwach family farm available to your family, give Gary and Mary a call at (605) 665-1341 or (605) 660-9362 or visit the web at farmtofamily.net. And remember, If you want to provide your family with food raised with care and integrity, grace your table with quality food from local farm families like Cwach Meats.
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KREYCIK RIVERVIEW ELK RANCH - Niobrara, NE - Kenard, Chris and Steve Kreycik family - Elk and Bison Meat - Weekend Tours of the Ranch - Elk Hunts - Elk Velvet Antler Capsules and Other Related Products. 88971 517 Ave., Niobrara, NE 68760 - (402) 857-3850 - Website - www.nebraskaelktours.com
KREYCIK RIVERVIEW ELK AND BUFFALO RANCH, NIOBRARA, NE
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, June 26, 2008)
If you're hungering to experience nature and the masterpiece of sculptured beauty that lies along the scenic Niobrara River Valley, you must schedule a trip to Kreycik Riverview Elk and Buffalo Ranch. It's right in your backyard!
On their varied and delightful group or private tours, not only will you find yourself winding throughout the breathtaking scenery of the area, you'll come within inches of the elk, bison and fallow deer that roam the hills of this northeast Nebraska ranch. Against a backdrop of grassy knolls, rolling hills and trees, you can freely hand feed or simply observe the wildlife that make their home in some of the areas must picturesque landscape.
The Kreycik's hunting expeditions take hunters through densely wooded hills and deep canyons, through rugged terrain that features 200-foot cliffs. Located just eight miles southwest of the Niobrara State Park entrance on the west side of Niobrara, the Kreycik's offer a variety of tours and elk, buffalo and fallow deer hunting. Animals range from medium to trophy size and guided hunting experiences include black powder, archery or high powered rifles. Hunting parties have the option of taking advantage of home cooked meals and lodging at the local hotel as part of their trip.
This beautiful area is the same territory that Lewis & Clark explored in 1804 as they passed through this region that fall. Kenard, Chris and Steve Kreycik began raising elk on their ranch in 1986 as an alternative agriculture enterprise. It wasn't long before they added buffalo to their land.
Local locker services are offered to process meat or processed elk meat can be purchased from the ranch anytime at a federally inspected facility. The Kreycik ranch gift shop offers elk and buffalo hides as well as skulls and elk antlers.
To schedule either a tour or unique hunt at Kreycik's Riverview ranch, call Kenard, Chris or Steve at (402) 857-3850 or email the ranch – elkranch@gpcom.net. You'll find more details at heartlandexperience.com or visit the web at farmtofamily.net.
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NORTH STAR NEIGHBORS – Fullerton, NE – Family Farm Group, Naturally Raised Meats, LLC – Selling Naturally-Raised Beef, Pork, Lamb and Chicken- By the animal, specific cut or in variety and gift packages. RR 1, Box 40, Fullerton, NE 68638 – (877) 617-2333 or on the web – www.northstarneighbors.com. See a feature story on North Star Neighbors by visiting Northern Plains Family Farmer newsletter – www.bowviewfarm.com/FamilyFarmer.shtml
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PRAIRIE BLOSSOM TRAILS - Fordyce, NE - Pat and Julie Steffen Family - Grass-finished Highland Beef - Selling wholes, halves or quarters – Ask about our Farm Tours - 55582 887 Rd., Fordyce, NE 68736 - (402) 357-3702
(Text from KKYA Radio Farm to Family Connection Special, Apr. 1, 2004)
There is nothing more scenic than the rolling hills and valleys of northern Cedar County coming alive with the green growth of spring. Pat and Julie Steffen and their four children of Prairie Blossom Trails at Fordyce, Nebraska know all about Mother Nature’s handiwork, living and working their historic family farm and raising and selling quality grassfed beef.
Back in 1991, Pat and Julie seeded down their row crop land to orchard grass, clovers and wheatgrass pasture. Now they rotate their cowherd of docile Scottish Highland cattle around small paddocks, getting more grazing days from their land base and regenerating the diversity and health of their grassland and soils.
Pat says Highland cows are good mothers and the breed adapts well to the harsh climate of the Plains. Besides, Highland beef is high in protein and iron and its known for its good taste.
According to nationally acclaimed researcher and author, Jo Robinson, grassfed beef is low in cholesterol and provides a number of other cancer fighting, heart healthy benefits. Besides, Pat and Julie know that their grazing system – finishing cattle on grass – is good for the land.
They sell their beef right from the farm, as halves, quarters and by the individual cuts. They like to have orders in ahead of time so they can schedule their production through the coming months.
The family has always enjoyed their landscape, occasionally taking a picnic lunch on the high hills overlooking their valley and farm.
Now the Steffen’s are sharing their view, also offering farm tours through their prairie trails, where old wagon ruts and native wildflowers still grace the landscape, just in view of historic St. Joseph’s Catholic Church at Constance a couple of miles away.
For more information on Pat and Julie, their farm tours and grassfed beef, give them a call at 402-357-3702.
Give your children a taste of their heritage. Get to know the families raising your food
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GUNDY’S BEEF AND FARMERS MARKET, MISSION HILL – YANKTON, SD
Jon and Diana Gunderson – Mission Hill, SD – Selling natural beef, locally raised pork, lamb, poultry, vegetables and homemade bread and soup mixes through year around farmers market – Located in Charlie’s Pizza parking lot garage – Gundy’s Beef also featured on Charlie’s Pizza. Place an order at (605) 665-9478 or email gundysbeef@webtv.net.
(Text from KKYA Radio Farm to Family Connection Special – Apr. 8, 2004)
Jon and Diana Gunderson of Gundy’s Beef at Mission Hill like knowing their customers by name. Jon says they enjoy representing the food they raise and are happy to field questions from their customers about the food they produce.
That personal contact with the folks you are growing food for is something important to the Gundersons. In fact their home-raised, natural beef is so flavorful and popular, it is even featured as an ingredient on pizzas at Charlie’s Pizza House in Yankton – a longtime, almost legendary restaurant along Summit Street, where Diana is manager.
After 44 years in business, Charlie’s is the oldest existing pizza place in South Dakota and customers there are fortunate enough to sample Gundy’s Beef first hand.
In addition to selling beef, the Gunderson’s also operate a year around farmers market every Saturday morning from 9 am til 12:30, from the garage at the Charlie’s Pizza parking lot. They also take food orders during the week. They sell only farm fresh, locally grown products like natural pork and lamb, as well as free range chickens and vegetables in season. Diana also markets her homemade honey, oatmeal and flaxseed bread and soup mixes through the farmers market.
Their meat is all natural with no growth hormones, drugs or antibiotics. You can buy halves and quarters and a wide variety of meats including beef jerky as well as hamburger patties and sirloin steaks for the grill. They also offer pork cutlets, spareribs, hams and bratwurst as well as leg of lamb roasts, lamb chops and rack of lamb.
You can contact Jon and Diana Gunderson of Gundy’s Beef by calling (605) 665-9478 or (605) 661-7967. Email them at gundysbeef@webtv.net or just stop by their farmers market located in the Charlie’s Pizza parking lot garage at 804 Summit Street just up from Avera Sacred Heart Hospital on Saturday mornings.
If you’re looking for great beef, you can buy the best in land directly from a family farmer near you.
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Yankton Nurseries, Yankton, SD
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Dec. 4 and 11, 2008)
The fragrance and beauty of pine, fir, spruce and juniper add special appeal to the Christmas season. You can bring that to your home and holiday with freshly cut evergreen trees, brightly trimmed evergreen wreaths, or a bundle of mixed evergreens. Add the striking beauty of brilliant red poinsettias, and the holiday spirit will flourish in any setting.
At Yankton Nurseries at 2000 Ferdig Ave you'll find all these fresh, fragrant greens coming directly from their growing fields to your home or business. A variety of Christmas trees are available, including flocked trees. At your request, Jay Gurney will mount and deliver the trees in Yankton at no added cost. Poinsettias, available in a variety of sizes and colors, will add brilliant warmth to any room well beyond the holidays and are also available for in town delivery.
If you're searching for unique and beautiful tree ornaments, you'll find just that at Yankton Nurseries. From traditional to European to collector quality, their one-of-a-kind ornaments that will add sparkle to your holiday.
If you enjoy creating wreaths, you'll find the freshest of greens to make your creation a pleasing and memorable one. For fragrant and attractive table decorations, ask Jay to help you select the greenery that's just right for you. With four generations of growing and greenhouse experience behind him, Jay can provide insight and knowledge to add a special touch to your holiday activities.
If your Christmas list includes gifts for gardeners, you'll find a wide variety of items that are sure to please, from unique and beautiful planters, yard ornaments, gardening tools, fertilizer, gardening books and much, much more. Both the greenhouse and store are loaded with tantalizing items.
So plan to stop at Yankton Nurseries and bring home the fresh, stirring aroma of holiday greens to add to your holiday the enjoyment. Visit them at 2000 Ferdig Ave or call 605-665-6560 and take advantage of high quality, locally grown products. Another delightful way to enjoy the Farm to Family Connection.
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RICHARD AND KATHLEEN SOBOTKA FAMILY - Inman, NE - Natural Pork, Grassfed Beef, Free Range - Pastured Poultry and Eggs, Turkeys for Thanksgiving, Fresh Garden Vegetables in Season. Ask about our CSA garden or watch for our farmstand in O'Neill. RR 1, Box 48, Inman, NE 68742 –
(402) 394-5537
FEATURE FARM FAMILY – RICHARD AND KATHLEEN SOBOTKA, INMAN, NE –
(Text from their KKYA Radio Farm to Family Connection Special – March 11, 2004)
Locally grown, fresh harvested, vine ripened produce just sounds healthy and good. But there aren’t many farms that grow and raise almost anything you could ever want to grace your dinner table. Richard and Kathleen Sobotka and their eight children have a family farm east of O’Neill, Nebraska near Inman, that does just that.
Farming the home place since 1963, the family has expanded their offerings to cover it all. They raise drug free pork, grassfed or cornfed beef, pastured poultry and eggs, turkeys and lambs along with a full offering of naturally grown vegetables in season.
They have a Community Supported Agriculture or CSA garden. Their CSA customers pay a pre-determined membership fee for the opportunity to come out and pick a big basket of food every week. They now have loyal CSA customers around the region including in the Yankton, Bloomfield and Neligh areas.
Richard loves the diversity of their operation. He really enjoys educating customers about the value of their quality food. The family started out by direct marketing sweet corn a few other vegetables fifteen years ago and have expanded into many varieties of almost any vegetable you could want, including heirloom, Asian and specialty vegetables. They still maintain a farmstand during regular weekly hours in O’Neill. In an effort to expand their farm diversity, develop relationships with more loyal customers and in hopes of keeping their enterprising children involved in the farm, they began raising pastured poultry and eggs four years ago. With help from their children that range in age from 6 to 19 years, they continue to expand their CSA garden.
For more information about joining their CSA garden or purchasing food from the Sobotka farm, you can contact the Sobotka’s at (402) 394-5537.
If you want to do something special for your family – help them make the farm to dinner table connection by purchasing locally raised, fresh harvested food.
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Tramp Buffalo Farm, Crofton, NE - Wilfred and Donna Tramp. (402) 388-4570
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Apr. 7, 2005)
Traveling down the Outlaw Scenic Byway, Highway 12, just east of Crofton, Nebraska, motorists are surprised to see a herd of buffalo grazing in pastures and stubble fields on the north side of the road. That herd has grazed there since 1990, when Wilfred and Donna Tramp bought their first buffalo breeding stock at a sale at Custer State Park.
At first these long-time family farmers purchased a few young buffalo just for the fun of it. But their hobby has turned into a full-fledged meat business. Since 1995, they’ve been selling high quality buffalo meat to satisfied customers directly off their farm and through a number of area restaurants and convenience stores.
According to the National Bison Association, buffalo meat is extremely healthy and low in fat with only 31 calories per ounce serving. And there’s something special about observing the majestic King of the Plains grazing right here, like they did in the days of Lewis and Clark.
Wil says that their buffalo seem quite content out on the range. They do best if you just leave them alone. So other than regular vaccinations of breeding stock, Wilfred and Donna run their buffalo herd drug free. The animals live on grass and hay for most of their lives, except for a short period just before processing when they are fed home-raised corn.
You can try Tramp’s buffalo at the Argo Hotel and Sports Stop in Crofton, Ole's in Niobrara or the Quarry in Yankton. Their tasty jerky sticks are available in convenience stores in the area.
If you’d like to pick up Tramp’s buffalo steaks, roasts or ground meat at their farm and try it out for supper, just give Wilfred and Donna a call at (402) 388-4570. Their farm is located one mile east and one mile north of Crofton. They also sell whole animals, halves and quarters, all processed at a federally inspected plant. If you want a taste of real prairie cuisine, grace your dinner table with Tramp home-raised buffalo tonight.
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T & R BUTCHER BLOCK, FORDYCE, NE
Rich and Tricia Millage – Fordyce, NE – Custom processing beef, pork and deer in season. Selling award-winning ham, sausage, ring bologna, beef sticks and hot dogs and other fine products. Cut to order ribeyes during grilling season. Located on Main Street in Fordyce or call (402) 357-3571.
(Text from KKYA Radio Farm to Family Connection Special, May 20, 2004)
For many years, Fordyce, Nebraska has been known for producing some of the finest meat products around. Rich and Tricia Millage at T & R Butcher Block on Main Street in Fordyce have obtained legendary status of their own, winning over the taste buds of customers around the Missouri River valley as well as the judges of several meat product competitions.
In recent years, the Millage’s and their three daughters, Cady, Jaimie and Rachel, have taken honors at the annual Nebraska Meat Processor’s Association contests for products like summer sausage, ham and ring bologna.
Tricia says customers travel great distances for packages of five pounds or more of their jerky, but she is also proud of T & R’s award winning beef sticks and specialty hot dogs. If you want a little nostalgia on the dinner table, try out their ethnic and unique sausages including German, mild and spicy Italian, Mexican, Country or old-fashioned sausage like grandma always served.
All of their meat products are only made with lean meat from locally raised animals. Rich and Tricia make everything themselves, so every meat package they sell has been personally handled by the Millage’s to preserve quality. That’s why their customers say their meat tastes better and is a better value.
They also custom process beef, hogs and deer in season. Customers can book their own animals or the Millage’s can help them purchase animals for processing from local family farmers. Tricia says during grilling season they often cut ribeyes fresh to order for customers who want to take a meal home with them that evening.
T & R Butcher Block is open daily except Tuesdays and Sundays, from 8 am to 5:30 pm and til noon on Saturdays. You can call Rich and Tricia at (402) 357-3571 or stop by their business along Main Street in Fordyce.
If you want the best tasting meat for dinner tonight, buy locally grown and processed products from a family owned hometown locker you know and trust.
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TWO RIVERS SALOON – NIOBRARA, NE. – Terry and Tamralyn Kelley – Locally raised elk and buffalo on the menu. (402) 857-3340
FEATURE LOCAL RESTAURANT – TWO RIVERS SALOON, NIOBRARA, NE
(Text from KKYA Farm to Family Connection Special Feature – March 25, 2004)
Great service. Superb locally grown food, fresh and homemade. What more could restaurant customers want? Well, that’s what you get when you dine out at Two Rivers Saloon at Niobrara, Nebraska. Tamralyn Kelley, husband Terry and brother in law, Pat purchased Two Rivers back in 2002, when they moved with their children Jacob and Chase from Texas to beautiful western Knox County.
Talk about a setting. You can look out the restaurant back door and see the Missouri River and just up the road a bit is the confluence of the Niobrara and Mighty Missouri.
Not only do they feature great steaks, burgers, fish and prime rib on Saturdays at Two Rivers, but starting last year, Tamralyn and Terry made a special effort to complete their menu with other locally grown meat, like buffalo from Kreycik Riverview Elk and Buffalo Ranch located just across the Niobrara River and from Tramp Buffalo Farms at Crofton. The elk on their menu comes from Waipiti Springs Ranch south of Niobrara.
Two Rivers takes pride in offering great service to everyone who comes through the door. Tamralyn says she calls most of their customers by name and those they haven’t met before they walk in the door soon become friends. That’s the nice thing about a family owned and operated restaurant like Two Rivers.
So if you’re looking to dine out, travel over to Two Rivers Saloon, just across Standing Bear Bridge along Highway 12 in the main business district in scenic and historic Niobrara. It’s worth the trip. For more information, you can call Tamralyn and Terry at (402) 857-3340.
Treat your family to a special dining experience at a restaurant where service is number one and locally grown food graces the menu.
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CHUCK AND BEV HENKEL, NORFOLK, NE
Chuck and Bev Henkel, Norfolk, NE - Selling pastured poultry and eggs, natural pork and grassfed lamb and beef. Tucker Hill Farm, (402) 371-5787 or email bchenkel@conpoint.com.
(Text from KKYA Radio Farm to Family Connection Special, June 3, 2004)
Chuck and Bev Henkel and their son Karl of Tucker Hill Farm northwest of Norfolk, Nebraska love diversity. They manage their rolling hills, wooded ravines and native pastures with a management intensive grazing system that fosters new plant growth and an abundance of wildlife, alongside their grazing livestock.
The family direct markets grass fed lamb and beef, pastured turkey, chickens and eggs as well as natural pork to customers around the region. Realizing the health benefits of grass based livestock systems for those eating the meat, poultry and eggs and those stewarding the land, the Henkels work hard to produce food that is good for you.
The Henkel’s love living among their grasslands and they particularly like the direct connection they have with their customers. Farm visits by customers picking up food at the Henkel’s farm result in a special relationship. Chuck and Bev say they learn from their customers and hopefully their customers enjoy learning more about how their food is raised.
Customers travel far and wide to purchase their quality products and because of the relationship they’ve developed with Chuck and Bev. The Henkel’s cattle and sheep are fed only a grass-based diet, with no antibiotics, hormones, commercial feed or starch grain.
They started out on the farm raising vegetables, a few hogs and meat rabbits while working in town, but in 1995, the town jobs ended and they started direct marketing their quality food in earnest.
Chuck and Bev are especially proud of their grass finished lamb, which many of their regular customers say is the best lamb they’ve ever tasted.
You can visit the Henkel’s farm by appointment or call them about their products at (402) 371-5787. They’d be happy to send out a letter to you with specific product information. You can email them at bchenkel@conpoint.com or learn more on the web at farmtofamily.net.
Give your family food you can be proud of – raised with tender loving care by a farm family you know and trust.
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HISTORIC ARGO HOTEL, CROFTON, NE
Argo Hotel, Crofton, NE - Sandra Bogner McDonald, Elegant dining featuring locally raised Tramp Buffalo Farms buffalo as well as prime rib, steaks and seafood. Honeymoon suite and other lodging. Built 1912. Listed on National Register of Historic Places. Call 1-800-607-ARGO or visit their website at www.theargohotel.com.
(Text from KKYA Radio Farm to Family Connection Special, June 23, 2005)
It's like getting away without going away. Every day is something special at Crofton's Historic Argo Hotel. Sandra and the folks at the Argo know how to make your celebration unforgettable. The Argo offers casual dining in an elegant atmosphere.
But the historic 1912 hotel also offers fine lodging with suites honoring Lewis and Clark, actress Leslie Brooks, the Governor's suite, Marcella's suite and others. Many of the suites offer a wet bar and jacuzzi along with the fine amenities folks have come to expect from the Argo.
Sandra is proud to list locally grown buffalo from Tramp Buffalo Farms east of Crofton on her menu – along with fine center cut steaks, prime rib, chicken and seafood – with a new dining room special every night. The also have a new children's menu.
The Argo goes Hawaiian for the month of August with a tiki bar serving cool pina coladas and other drinks from the tropics. The waitresses will be dressed for the islands and every guest will be welcomed with the customary leiau. After your meal, you can relax in the Argo's speakeasy lounge in the basement.
Sandra and her crew offer special packages that might include visits to other regional attractions or maybe even a balloon ride. They cater to hunters visiting the region as well.
Whether you are celebrating a special anniversary, wedding, birthday or just a night on the town, the folks at the Argo know how to pamper their customers and keep you coming back again and again.
The Argo Hotel is open for lodging all the time. The dining room is open Tuesday through Sunday and is closed on Monday. The hotel is located at 211 W. Kansas St, just a block west of First Street in downtown Crofton. You can get more information by call the Argo at 1-800-607-ARGO or by visiting their website at www.theargohotel.com.
And remember, if you want to enjoy an historic hometown gem, visit the friendly place – the Argo Hotel in Crofton, Nebraska.
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CREIGHTON LOCKER, CREIGHTON, NE
Creighton Locker, Creighton, NE - Les and Diane Baller, Specialty Meat Products including Diane's Delicious Prime Rib - Ready to Use, Custom Processing, Deli with Homemade Salads and Meat. Call (402) 358-3442.
(Text from KKYA Radio Farm to Family Connection Special, June 24, 2004)
Creighton Locker along Highway 59 in the heart of downtown Creighton, Nebraska in Knox County is a place you really can’t miss. Just look for the big steer outside their door. Les and Diane Baller have owned and operated Creighton Locker since 1972, so they not only know their business and community, but they know their customers.
They offer a variety of specialty meat items for the summer season like hot dogs, bologna and luncheon meat through their deli section in addition to a variety of cheeses and homemade salads. But Diane’s Delicious Prime Rib is her favorite product because it is ready to go. This fully cooked product can be dropped into boiling water for five minutes and served, so it’s fast, convenient and good.
Les and Diane also make specialty meat products like all kinds of different sausages. If you’re looking for a quarter or half, they can hook you up with a local farmer you can purchase from or they can take care of it for you.
With the kind of experience the Baller’s have behind their business, you know they process only the best meat available and sell only quality products handled with care by folks you can trust.
Creighton Locker offers custom livestock processing with butchering days for beef on Monday and Tuesdays and hogs on Wednesdays. They are open 8 am to 5:30 pm Monday through Friday and until noon on Saturday. Call Creighton Locker for more information at (402) 358-3442 or visit the web at farmtofamily.net.
Food raised by local family farmers and processed by folks you know and trust is really the best quality and safest food there is.
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AVON LOCKER, AVON, SD
Avon Locker in Avon, SD is located at 104 N. Main. Call them for specialty meat products and custom processing at (605) 286-3427.
(Text from KKYA Farm to Family Connection Radio Special, July 1, 2004)
Dave and Sandy Brandt from Avon Locker at Avon, South Dakota have been processing locally raised meat from family farms around the region for over twelve years now. Dave says that all the specialty meat products they make at Avon Locker are really good, including their hot dogs, bologna and jerky sticks – but he probably likes their homemade brats best of all.
Avon Locker sells all of their homemade meat products from their processing facility on Main Street in Avon. They also do custom processing of beef, pork, lamb and deer in season with butchering days on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Dave says that if you’ve never had farm fresh animals processed before, they can help you decide how to have it processed and packaged and which specialty meat products might be right for your family. If you are looking for halves or quarters, Dave and Sandy can help you purchase your meat from a local farm family. For custom processing, call ahead early to reserve a butchering day.
You can contact Avon Locker at (605) 286-3427 or stop by their facility at 104 N. Main Street in Avon. For more information about Dave and Sandy’s locker and other family businesses where you can purchase food raised right here in our own region by area family farmers, visit the web at www.farmtofamily.net.
Locally raised food processed by folks you know and trust is really the best quality and safest food there is. So support your hometown by placing your hometown’s finest food on your dinner table tonight.
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RUT’S HONEY, PLAINVIEW, NE
Rut’s Honey is collected in Boyd County and processed in Plainview. For more information call Mike and Deb at (402) 582-3532.
(Text from KKYA Farm to Family Connection Radio Special, July 8, 2004)
Mike and Deb Rutledge from Plainview, Nebraska are carrying on a family tradition that dates back to 1917. Their homegrown honey – Rut’s Honey – comes from bees feasting on alfalfa and clover fields in Boyd County near Lynch, in the shadow of Old Baldy along the Lewis and Clark Trail. Mike says it is the best kind of honey you can find in the world – light in color and aroma and mild in flavor.
Honey is nature’s perfect sweetener, containing a wide array of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants our bodies need. It has been recognized for its flavor and healthful properties as far back as the 30th century B.C. when Egyptians used honey as a food sweetener.
European honey bees were introduced into North America in the early 1600’s – now there are over 200,000 beekeepers in the U.S. and around 200 million pounds of honey is produced in our country every year.
That’s a lot when you consider it takes over two million flowers for honeybees to produce one pound of honey. Bees help agriculture too by pollinating millions of acres of fruit, vegetables, oilseed and legume seed crops that depend on insects for pollination.
So if you want some of the best honey around, call Rutledge’s at Plainview in the land of milk and honey. They bottle their product in squeeze bottles and one and three pound and larger jars. Their honey is sold at St. James Marketplace at St. James, Nebraska or you can order by calling Mike and Deb at (402) 582-3532. For more information visit the web at farmtofamily.net.
Nature provides us with the best food there is, so if you’re looking for something sweet to grace your dinner table, make sure it is honey from local fields, processed by a family you know and trust.
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CUTHILLS VINEYARD, PIERCE, NE
Nebraska's First Winery in a beautiful, elegant setting - just three miles west of Pierce, Nebraska. Visit them on the web at www.cuthills.com.
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Aug. 17, 2006)
Ed and Holly Swanson of Cuthills Vineyard three miles west of Pierce, Nebraska near Willow Lake State Recreation Area are Nebraska pioneers. They are the innovators and dreamers who knew wine grapes would grow in Northeast Nebraska. That’s why Ed planted his first vineyard back in 1985.
Growing grapes and making wine was nothing new in the Heartland, but the Swanson’s winery became the state’s first commercial winery since Prohibition was repealed in the 1930’s. Ed researched hardy grape varieties that thrived in this region and became an ambassador for the state’s burgeoning wine industry, helping new vineyards get started and encouraging new interest in growing grapes.
Ninety percent of their award winning wine is sold from the vineyard’s beautifully restored 1920’s barn turned winery or shipped to customers where regulations allow.
Cuthills offers vineyard tours and wine tasting during regular hours, but serious wine and music enthusiasts won’t want to miss their 11th annual Blues Festival set for Saturday Aug. 19. Great Blues bands will again take the stage including the Midwestern sounds of Out of the Blue at 1 pm; Chicago blues standout Joe Moss at 3 pm; Andrew Jr. Boy Jones at 5:30 and young blues innovator, Eric Sardinas at 8 pm. Visitors can also enjoy wine sampling, winery tours, trolley rides through the vineyards, cooking demos, food vendors, a caricuture artist and the Midwest Kite Flying demonstrations. Parking at the festival is free or you can take motorcoach transportation from nearby Pierce.
So Ed and Holly tell visitors to bring a big blanket and some chairs and make a weekend of it at Cuthills Vineyard. They are located three miles west of Pierce on 853 Road just north of Willow Lake. Call Ed and Holly at 402-329-6774 or get advance discounted tickets online at cuthills.com. For more information about Cuthills Vineyard and other places you can buy locally raised products, visit the web at farmtofamily.net, now powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
And remember, for the finest wine and the best is Blues, visit Cuthills Vineyard – Nebraska’s First Vineyard - this Saturday for their 11th annual Blues Festival, just outside Pierce, Nebraska.
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PIERCE LOCKERS, PIERCE, NE
Pierce Lockers, Pierce, NE - Terry Wragge - Famous for Wragge Dogs. (402) 329-4365.
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, March 13, 2008)
Terry Wragge has been in the locker business at Pierce Lockers in Pierce, Nebraska, for more than 30 years. For a good share of those years, the locker has featured his famous hand-twisted hotdogs – the Wragge dogs – and customers from 47 states stop by to purchase this unique and tasty product.
If you talk to Terry, he's sure to tell you that the Wragge dogs are one of his personal favorites when it comes to the specialty meat products they process in Pierce. But he's also proud to offer Pierce Lockers' summer sausage, ring bologna, dried beef, Polish sausage, beef and pork bacon, ham loaf and hamburgers.
Now that your tastebuds have been tantalized, you need to know that its important to call ahead to the locker to order some of these products because Terry says their specialty items, like the Wragge dogs, fly off the shelves so fast, it's challenging to keep a supply on hand.
In addition to all their delicious specialty meats, Pierce Lockers also provide custom butchering of beef and pork on Tuesdays. Customers are encouraged to reserve processing dates as soon as possible to ensure that the locker can fill the order.
For folks who haven't purchased farm fresh meat before, Terry will be happy to assist in finding a local family farmer to buy from. He can also help you decide how to have the meat processed and packaged to fit your personal needs. If you don't have enough freezer space for your meat at home, you can rent locker space from Terry.
Pierce Lockers is open weekdays 7 am to 5 pm and Saturdays 8 am til noon. They're located at 117 N. Brown Street, just a half block off Main Street and just south of the courthouse in Pierce. For more information, you can call Pierce Lockers at 402-329-4365. Learn more about Pierce Lockers and other places where you can buy locally raised food by visiting the web at farmtofamily.net, powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital. And remember, when you buy local food, you buy the best food.
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OSMOND PROCESSING, OSMOND, NE
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Oct. 16, 2008)
Of all the great specialty meat products Craig Davis makes at Osmond Processing in downtown Osmond, Nebraska, he probably likes his unique onion bratwursts and homemade bacon the best. Along with his hot dogs, these are customer favorites around Osmond.
Craig also makes summer sausage, ring bologna, breakfast sausage and other specialty products from locally raised beef and pork. Processing high quality food is in Craig's family tree. He learned the business from his father, who taught meat cutting at Western Iowa Tech in Sioux City and ran the locker in Crofton for many years.
Craig and his wife Paula bought the locker in Osmond in 1998 and are putting his experience in practice for the local community. They process beef and pork, Monday through Thursday. If you want to have an animal custom processed, be sure to call ahead to reserve a date.
If you're looking for locally raised, farm fresh meat, Craig can help you purchase an animal from a local farmer and provide assistance regarding how to have it processed and packaged.
He says purchasing farm fresh meat becomes even more economical when two or more families purchase an animal together.
If you'd like to order some of Craig's brats, bacon, hot dogs or other specialty items, just give him a call to order ahead. You can call Osmond Processing at (402) 748-3999 or stop in at North State Street in Osmond. It's the big blue building downtown. You can't miss it.
And remember, if you want high quality, local food on your family's table, purchase your dinner from folks you know and trust like Craig Davis at Osmond. A very tasty farm to family connection.
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PIERCE OLD TIME THRESHING BEE, PIERCE, NE
Pierce Old Time Threshing Bee held the third weekend in September at Pierce County Fairgrounds in Pierce, NE. Call (402) 329-4245.
(Text from Farm to Family Connection KK93 Radio Special, Sept. 9, 2004)
Walking on the Pierce County Fairgrounds in Pierce, Nebraska this upcoming weekend, you might think you’ve stepped back in time about seventy or eighty years. The sounds, sights and smells of old time agriculture and farm life are all around. At the 28th annual Pierce Old Time Threshing Bee set for this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 18 and 19th, you can expect to hear the shrill whistle of an old steam tractor, to see the old time tractors, cars and exhibits and to smell the earthy fragrance of oats being threshed or fresh land being tilled with old time implements.
One of the largest displays of farming heritage around, the Pierce Old Time Threshers and the Pierce County Historical Society have sponsored this event for nearly three decades. The grounds open at 7:30 am on Saturday and 8 am on Sunday. This year’s event features Case and Cockshutt-Coop antique implements.
Don’t miss demonstrations and displays like steam threshing, a stationary hay baler, working horse demonstrations, blacksmithing and horse shoeing and lots of antique cars, tractors and farming implements. You can witness home economics demonstrations of all kinds including soap making, quilting, weaving, woodcarving and butter churning.
Don’t forget about the dog penning demonstrations, kids activities and the Northeast Nebraska model railroaders will be there with their exhibits too. Antique tractor pull starts at 5 pm on Saturday in front of the grandstand. And there will be grand parades each day at 1 pm.
Lunch is available on the grounds. For more information on the Pierce Old Time Threshing Bee, call (402) 329-4245
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MENNO PIONEER POWER SHOW, MENNO, SD
Menno Pioneer Power Show held annually at Pioneer Acres near Menno the last weekend in September. Visit www.pioneeracres.com.
(Text from Farm to Family Connection KK93 Radio Special, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2005)
On Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 24 and 25, Menno, South Dakota will have a show of power. We’re not talking about the gridiron – we’re talking about the pioneer power at their annual Pioneer Power Show, featuring a slice of life from the good old days.
Rumley-Allis tractors, the old Maytag engines and vintage Buick cars and trucks will be showcased at this year’s event, located at Pioneer Acres on the north edge of Menno. In addition to crafts, children’s games, a flea market, petting zoo, car and tractor parade and toy show, the 19th annual event features an antique tractor pull and corn cutting, binding and chopping demonstrations and a big parade. There’s a children’s pedal pull, mini-rod pull and a bale throwing contest.
Of course, each day, you can see steam threshing or plowing and an old sawmill in action. Visit the women’s display building or the steam building on the grounds that features a Murray Iron Works reciprocation horizontal steam engine of Corliss valve design complete with a 12-foot flywheel and weighing in at 12,000 lbs. The word "impressive" doesn’t do it justice.
And don’t miss the historic Hutchinson County Jail or permanent flour mill display. The kids will enjoy the barrel train and ferris wheel. Honoring old time life on the Great Plains, the annual Menno Pioneer Power Show gives the whole family a slice of pioneer life. For more information, visit the web at www.pioneeracres.com
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MIDWEST TREE MOVING, HARTINGTON, NE
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Sept. 5, 2006)
Midwest Tree Moving, Jerry and Gerald Fischer with 16 years of experience and equipment that can move trees up to 25 feet tall. Nursery trees and tree spading. Call 1-800-354-6369.
When it comes to planting and caring for trees, Gerald and Jerry Fischer with Midwest Tree Moving at Hartington, Nebraska have the experience and the equipment for spading nursery trees of all sizes into any landscape. Jerry says Fischer’s showcase tree nurseries located near the Cedar County Fairgrounds and near their feed and farm supply store in Hartington are stocked up with all kinds of nice big trees. They have lots of quality lindens, oaks, maples, ash and hackberry trees as well as evergreens. This fall, they have a large selection of nice, big littleleaf lindens, red oaks, maples and ornamental crabapple trees with white or lavender blossoms. Jerry is especially proud of their beautiful Colorado Blue spruce trees.
Fischers offer specific trees to compliment the design of your landscape. If you want a mountain styled landscape, they now offer tall, narrow spruce trees for that setting. They can also color match beautiful, blue spruce trees, adding color and texture to your design.
If you want trees planted in a tight spot, they are able to plant large balled and burlapped trees in areas where a tree spade won’t fit.
Fischers have tree spades to move all sizes of trees including equipment to move tiny trees all the way up to trees at 12 inches diameter and more and up to 30 feet tall.
Jerry says that mulch is the key to successful tree plantings because it insulates tree roots from extreme temperature change. And the Fischers offer recycled rubber mulch – a non-degradable and non-toxic product – that works really well in all landscapes. They also market landscape edging, weed matt and attractive crushed river rock for the do-it-yourself landscaper. Their wood mulch comes mostly from ground pallets, so it is free of potential disease and pest problems. They also market a full line of species specific fertilizers, to assist with the unique nutrient needs of individual varieties.
They run their tree spades up to a 50 miles radius from Hartington. If you’d like to take a look at all the fine nursery trees grown by Jerry and Gerald or are interested in moving trees this fall, call Midwest Tree Moving at 1-800-354-6369, stop by their farm store at 503 N. Robinson in Hartington or visit the web at farmtofamily.net now powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
And remember, if you want locally grown trees in your landscape, go with the folks you know and trust like Midwest Tree Moving.
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VERDIGRE BAKERY, VERDIGRE, NE
Homemade rolls, donuts, bread and kolaches. Call (402) 668-2233.
(Text from KKYA, 93.1 FM Farm to Family Connection Radio Special, Oct. 21, 2004)
Pete Pavlik of Verdigre, Nebraska goes in around 1 am every morning to work at the Verdigre Bakery. While most folks are sawing logs, Pete is busy mixing up fresh kolaches, donuts, rolls, bread and cakes that will be sold later that morning in Verdigre and in Creighton and Orchard too. Not only do Pete and his wife Mary Pavlik make up to 18 dozen kolaches every day with fillings like apricot, prune and cottage cheese, but they regularly ship their Verdigre-made kolaches across the nation from coast to coast. During the community’s annual Kolache Days celebration in June, they might bake upwards of 500 dozen kolaches.
There’s usually folks waiting by the door when they open up each day at 7:30 am. In addition to their baked goods, they also offer daily luncheon specials like soup and maybe a roast beef or ham sandwich.
Of all the great food they prepare at the Verdigre Bakery, Pete says he likes the breads most of all. Perhaps it’s the science or art behind breadmaking that challenges Pete a little. They make white, wheat, rye and pumpernickel bread as well as hot dog and hamburger buns and dinner rolls. Local restaurants are now featuring some of Pete’s homemade bread, buns and rolls.
If they get enough requests for specialty breads, the Pavliks are happy to give them a try. They’ve been particularly proud of some of their sourdough breads including tomato and basil, Jalepeno cheese or sunflower and honey.
Folks who are planning large gatherings, weddings or other celebrations might want to take in the bakery’s open house set for Sunday, Oct. 24 at the ZCBJ hall next door to the bakery in downtown Verdigre. Pete and Mary will have available samples of their breads, rolls, donuts and other baked goods, including wedding cakes.
So if you’re searching out something homemade for a meal, drive to Verdigre and just follow your nose to the Verdigre Bakery in Downtown Verdigre or you can call Pete and Mary at (402) 668-2233.
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RIVERBANK BATHING COMPANY, YANKTON, SD
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Oct. 18, 2007)
Mary and Dave Johnson like telling folks to be sure to wash behind their ears, because helping folks get clean is their business. They’ve been making specialized, fragrant soaps to cleanse the body and invigorate the soul right in Yankton since 2003.
They produce 65 richly-fragranced soap bar varieties made of all natural plant and vegetable oils plus cocoa butters. How about applejack and orange peel, cool peppermint or night fire. Then there’s prairie earth, sage meadow and root beer. They make up special batches of other scents by season like soaps known as sleigh ride, tropical breeze and strawberry. They offer soap bar gift sets for nearly any occasion.
Dave does a lot of the heavy work in the soap making – weighing, mixing, cooking and cutting bars. Riverbank prepares soap in small batches of 25 bars. Mary says the soap holds its scent right down to the last portions of the bar, so a 4.5 oz bar of their soap will last and last. Saponified oils make each soap bar gentle on your skin. Cocoa and Shea butters moisturize, and essential oils and fragrant blends are added as a final enhancement, to their long-lasting, super-lathering bars.
You can purchase the Johnson’s quality, locally made soap in Yankton at several retail outlets. It’s available in other stores around the state and they sell direct at events like Riverboats Days. You can call the Johnsons with your order at 605-267-7627 or at 1-866-557-5998. Visit them on the web at riverbankbathingcompany.com or farmtofamily.net, powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
Don’t forget to clean behind your ears, and be sure to use soap from Riverbank Bathing Company, handmade soaps that cleanse the body and soothe the soul.
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KAYLOR LOCKER, KAYLOR, SD
Kaylor Locker, Kaylor, SD - Homemade beef, pork and lamb, Famous Chislic. (800) 464-9648, ext. 1212.
(Text from Farm to Family Connection KKYA, 93.1 FM Radio Special, Nov. 4)
Kenny Konrad has really got something going at their business, Kaylor Lockers in Kaylor, SD, just six miles west and two miles north of Scotland. They are famous for their legendary chislic. In fact, Kaylor Lockers is one of the few local locker plants that will process lamb. And they sell chislic to lots of local taverns, restaurants and grocery stores.
Kenny says you can stop by their facility on Main Street in Kaylor just about any time and pick up chislic and homemade hotdogs and sausage, including their specialty, liver sausage.
They process beef, pork and lamb and make deer sausage as well. They do custom slaughter on Mondays and Thursdays, but anyone interested in having a farm fresh animal processed at Kaylor should call in advance to schedule a processing day.
Kenny has been in the locker business at Kaylor since 1961, so this veteran processor will work with first time fresh meat buyers, lining customers up with local families raising the animals. You can purchase whole critters, halves or quarters. Kenny said he can also help a family decide how to have their meat processed and packaged for convenience. If you don’t have room at home for all that frozen meat, they offer locker rentals too.
If you’re interested in purchasing some of Kaylor Locker’s famous chislic or other specialty meats, give them a call at 1-800-484-9648, extension 1212
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SWANSON HUNTING ACRES, NIOBRARA, NE
Swanson Hunting Acres, Niobrara, NE - Jim, Darrell and Betty Swanson, (402) 857-3794 for reservations.
(Text from Farm to Family Connection KKYA Radio Special, Nov. 11, 2004)
Jim, Darrell and Betty Swanson have been hosting hunters from across the country for over twenty years. Their Swanson Hunting Acres six and a half miles southwest of Niobrara, Nebraska, according to Betty, is where good folks meet for good hunting. That’s particularly true with Swanson’s fine accomodations including a new lodge built in a beautiful, wooded setting. Swansons offer 2300 acres of perfect habitat along the rugged Niobrara River valley near upper Lewis and Clark Lake. Pheasant, quail and chukar partridge are always abundant and the Swansons provide a dog handler with each party of three or four hunters.
Advance reservations are a must, because Swanson’s Hunting Acres is a popular spot, especially in the fall months. Their season runs from Sept. 1 to April 1 for hunting, but the lodge is open year around. Their reserved parties enjoy great hunting, good, old fashioned hospitality, food served in their own hunting lodge and lodging as well.
Be sure to call ahead at 402-857-3794 and visit with Betty about scheduling dates for your hunt.
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KSK ELK AND BUFFALO HUNTING, NIOBRARA, NE
KSK Elk and Buffalo Hunting, Kenard, Steve and Chris Kreycik at Kreycik Riverview Elk Ranch, Niobrara, NE (402) 857-3850.
(Text from Farm to Family Connection KKYA Radio Special, Nov. 18, 2004)
These days you don’t have to drive thousands of miles to recreate the days of Lewis and Clark and hunt big North American game like trophy elk and buffalo. Kenard and Steve Kreycik and the KSK Elk and Buffalo Hunting Acres at Niobrara offer hunters from around the region and across the country the hunting experience of a lifetime, traversing some of the most rugged and beautiful landscape in the state – densely wooded hills and deep canyons all within view of the Niobrara River valley. Headquartered at Kreycik Riverview Elk Ranch eight miles southwest of the Niobrara State Park entrance west of Niobrara, Nebraska, KSK guaranteed hunts offer guided hunting experiences of all kinds – black powder, archery or high power rifle.
Kreycik’s offer elk, buffalo and fallow deer hunting from their private herd, with animals of all sizes from medium to trophies. Depending on the size of hunt, Kreycik’s will provide meals for the hunting party and provide lodging at the local hotel.
KSK Hunts offers locker services for processing meat or you can purchase elk meat processed at a federally inspected facility from the ranch anytime. At the ranch gift shop, you can purchase elk and buffalo hides and skulls and elk antlers as well.
If you’d like to schedule this type of unique hunt at Kreycik’s Riverview ranch, call Kenard and Steve at (402) 857-3850 or email the ranch – elkranch@bloomnet.com.
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T.H.E. TREE FARM, BLOOMFIELD, NE
T.H.E. Tree Farm, Dan Hoppe, Bloomfield, NE, Christmas trees and wreaths. (402) 373-4866.
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Nov. 22, 2007)
Start a family tradition. A fresh, locally grown Christmas tree adorning your home is really one of the best holiday traditions there is…and the experience of choosing and cutting your own tree is something children always remember and cherish. Dan Hoppe at T.HE Tree Farm southeast of Bloomfield, Nebraska can offer your family an opportunity to create your own holiday tradition starting with a real Christmas tree.
Dan planted his first evergreen trees back in 1987 and started selling Christmas trees from his five-acre field in 1993. Dan has always loved Christmas and operating a tree farm is just another way his family celebrates the holidays. Their tree farm offers Scotch Pines and Spruce trees.
Dan enjoys making all kinds of Christmas decorations from their greenery like 12 to 30 inch wreaths and swags as well as pinecone wreaths and other decorations. Dan supports the Bloomfield Boy Scout Troop 149 and Bloomfield FFA chapter, with members of both organizations helping clean, bundle and load trees at the farm this year as part of their fundraising efforts.
The tree farm is open Friday and Saturday, Nov. 23 and 24 from 11 am to dark and Sunday, Nov. 25 from 1 pm to dark. They are also open the following three weekends on Saturdays from 11 am to dark and Sundays from 1 pm to dark. The farm is open weekdays from 4 pm until dark by appointment only. To get to their tree farm, follow Broadway south from the main intersection in downtown Bloomfield and stay on the same road as it turns into 544 Ave. Go one mile south of town and two thirds of a mile east on 880 Road. The tree farm is located on the south side of the road. If you’d like to set up an appointment at another time or find out more about THE Tree Farm at Bloomfield, call Dan at (402) 373-4866 or (402) 640-3820. You can learn more about locally grown trees and other food and farm products by visiting the web atfarmtofamily.net, now powered by Avera Sacred Heat Hospital.
And remember, grace your home with a fresh, quality Christmas tree grown right here by folks you know and trust like Dan Hoppe at T.H.E. Tree Farm.
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SVARSTAD'S CHRISTMAS TREE FARM, IRENE, SD
Curt and Mary Svarstad and family, located two and one quarter miles east of Irene, SD. Call (605) 263-3494.
(Text from Farm to Family Connection, KKYA, 93.1 FM, Dec. 2, 2004)
Folks around Irene, South Dakota and throughout the region are really lucky this time of year, because they have the opportunity to share a special Christmastime tradition with their families. Choosing and cutting a fresh, real Christmas tree grown on Curt and Mary Svarstad’s Christmas Tree Farm a couple of miles east of Irene has made holiday memories for countless families for nearly 20 years now.
With the majority of their trees sold right out of the fields, Curt says they offer a number of popular varieties to choose from. Of course Scotch Pine are some of the most popular Christmas trees in our region, but Svarstad’s farm also grows beautiful Colorado Blue Spruce and Norway Spruce trees too.
With help from lots of family members Curt and Mary are including a whole new generation of tree farmers in their operation during the holidays, grandson Isaac, age 8, is tree shed forman and grandson Easton, age 3, is chief assistant.
They began in 1986, planting a block of 1000 trees on one acre. They’ve planted thousands of trees since then, enlarging their fields and expanding their offerings for folks looking for the perfect tree.
Svarstad’s sell landscape trees from their fields in the Spring, but right now, if you’re looking for a quality, fresh Christmas tree grown right, Svarstad’s are open conveniently every weekend right up to Christmas. They open up from noon to 5 pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, so you have plenty of opportunity to join in the fun and tradition at Svarstad’s tree farm.
They are located two and a quarter miles east of Irene. If you want more information, give Curt and Mary a call at (605) 263-3494.
And remember, if you want the freshest Christmas tree gracing your living room this holiday season, choose a real tree grown with care by a family you know and trust.
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LYNCH DAWGS, LYNCH, NE
(Text from Farm to Family Connection, Dec. 16th, 2004)
Lynch Dawgs, Lynch, NE - Furry little replicas of Lewis and Clark's prairie dogs. Handmade by volunteers in Lynch, Nebraska. Order online at www.lynchne.com.
Joan Faith, a veteran teacher with Lynch Public Schools in Lynch, Nebraska and her faithful crew of volunteers have been staying after school these days. For the past several months, Faith and the crew, which ranges in age from the very young to over 80 years young, have been handstuffing and stiching furry little prairie dog replicas they affectionately call "Lynch Dawgs".
When Lewis and Clark passed through the Lynch vicinity, visiting a well-known hill north of town they called the Tower, but locals know as Old Baldy, their men spent nearly a day coaxing a prairie dog out of its hole to send back to President Jefferson.
Today the prairie dogs, or "barking squirrels" as Lewis and Clark called them, are scorned by local ranchers for the damage they inflict on grazing land. But at the urging of Lynch promoter, LeRoy Purviance, Faith designed a cuddly prairie dog replica that the town could sell to raise funds for community improvement, and capitalize on their connection with the furry varmints.
Purviance says they have sold nearly 1500 Lynch Dawgs so far and volunteers continue to handcraft the critters at full steam. Faith says all the Dawgs are unique, with some fatter and others thinner, depending on who in the group is doing the stuffing.
So if you’d like the perfect Christmas gift for someone who appreciates something extremely unique, you should purchase a Lynch Dawg from the fine folks volunteering for good of their town. Purviance says Lynch Dawgs are an authentic registered Lewis and Clark bicentennial gift. Get your Lynch Dawgs by calling Purviance at 1-800-337-2706 or you can purchase them online at www.lynchne.com. And remember, this Christmas season, give your family only the best – something uniquely made with tender loving care by local hands.
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HOWARD AND JAN GRIMM, LYNCH, NE - RED CEDAR WOOD PRODUCTS
(Text from Farm to Family Connection, Dec. 23, 2004)
Howard and Jan Grimm, Lynch, NE, Red Cedar Wood Products - paneling, for woodworking, fenceposts. Call 402-569-2358.
Howard and Jan Grimm and their son-in-law, Canon LeBlanc are busy logging the pastures around their rural homes near Lynch, Nebraska. It might seem that logging and a grassland state like Nebraska just don’t seem to go together, but with growing red cedar tree forests encroaching on thousands of acres of prime grazing land, the Grimms look at cedar trees not so much as a weed, but a resource.
In the early days, the Grimms logged the hardway, with chainsaws and back breaking lifting. Today, With a skidloader and dump truck, they take to the hills and valleys around Lynch, clearing out unwanted trees and utilizing the big timber trees for special products. Howard says after they cut the big trees down, the crew clears some of the lower limbs and move the big trunks in close to home where they are processed.
They have the beautiful cedar wood milled into lumber for cedar paneling, wood perfect for furniture making and woodworking and for other products. They also market cedar wood fence posts ranging from seven to ten inches in diameter and custom cut lengths from five feet all the way up to twenty four feet.
They’ve marketed their locally cut cedar wood products all over the region, from Colorado, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and South Dakota. The Grimms are making good out of something most people would discard.
You can learn more about the Grimm’s quality cedar wood products by calling 402-569-2358. And remember, if its local, it’s the best.
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M&M LOCKERS, BRISTOW, NE
M&M Lockers, Bristow, NE - Jim and Barb Korb - Beef, pork and deer custom processors. Homemade sausage and other local meat products. (402) 583-9933
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Dec. 22, 2005)
Jim Korb started helping his father Maurice at M and M Lockers in downtwon Bristow, Nebraska when he was in grade school. Little did he know at the time, but he was carrying on a family tradition, because Maurice helped at the locker in Colome, SD when he was in grade school – so the legacy was merely being carried on by another generation.
Maurice and Marcella Korb started the locker plant in Bristow nearly fifty years ago, in 1956, so the Korb family has experience in meat processing on their side. Now Jim, his wife Barb, son Max and daughters Sarah and Adrienne help out in the business too.
They do custom butchering of beef and pork as well as deer in season, with a specialty of homemade sausage, home cured meats and other specialty cuts too. Jim says his customers recognize the high quality meat products coming from M& M Lockers and they particularly like their ring bologna and hot dogs as well as their sausage products. If you are looking for farm fresh meat, the Korb’s can help you find a local farmer you can purchase quarters, halves or the whole animal from. They can also help you decide how best to have the meat processed and packaged for convenience for your family.
The best thing about buying meat from a local locker is that you know the meat is fresh and locally grown by folks who care. M&M Lockers is located on main street in Bristow, about halfway between Lynch and Spencer, Nebraska along Highway 12 in Boyd County. You can contact Jim and his family by stopping by their store in downtown Bristow, calling (402) 583-9933 or by visiting the web at www.farmtofamily.net. And remember, if its local, it’s the best.
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MARY'S 'MAGINATIONS, ATKINSON, NE
Mary's 'Maginations - Mary Pospichal, Atkinson, NE - Custom painting saw blades, cream cans, vases and canvas originals - Sandhills scenes, wildlife and birds. (402) 482-5698.
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Jan. 6, 2005)
With the backdrop of birds and wildlife of Nebraska’s Sandhills as her inspiration, Mary Pospichel of rural Atkinson is coming into her own as a painter. When she doesn’t have a paintbrush in her hand, she ranches with her husband Mike, caring for their family’s cowherd and ewes and lambs on their spread twenty-two miles south of Atkinson, near Chambers.
This self-taught artist has been painting for nearly six years, but she’s really devoted more time to her art now that their son and daughter have both graduated from high school. She paints Sandhills scenes and custom landscapes on nearly everything. She’s done some beautiful saw blades, cream cans and even specialized vases for wedding flowers. When she does get a chance to paint on canvas, this rancher brings the scenes she’s most familiar with – Nebraska’s Sandhills – to life.
Squeezing her painting in between ranch chores, Mary is a fast and efficient painter, but the quality of her work speaks for itself. She’s exhibited her work at regional shows in O’Neill and Elgin. If you’d like to view or purchase some of Mary’s work or if you have a custom painting opportunity for Mary, call her at home at (402) 482-5698. And remember, the most reflective and creative works are crafted by local hands.
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VERDIGRE FARM SHOW, VERDIGRE, NE
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Jan. 10, 2008)
The 26th annual Verdigre Farm Show, one of the premiere community farm shows in the entire region, will be held Saturday, January 19 from 11 am to 8 pm. You'll find this successful and fun event at the Verdigre High School Gym at 204 2 nd Street.
Show coordinator, Kevin Randa, says their sponsoring organization, the Verdigre FFA, has played an important role in the show's success. As with each previous show, 30 or 40 Verdigre FFA Alumni have worked hard to organize and implement this year's event.
Nearly 63 exhibitors will be featured at this 2008 show. You'll be able to check out all types of farm and home related businesses. Ben Eisenhauer is the Husker star who will be on hand to sign autographs from 1 pm until the show closes at 8 pm.
Be sure to catch the skidloader rodeo in the school parking lot a 2 pm. The Lower Niobrara NRD will be ready to complete water sample testing. They will have several outdoor displays.
After you've toured the show and visited with friends and neighbors for a while, head over to the concession stand Bethel Lutheran Church will again provide for a leisurely, tasty break. Their home cooked foods will easily add to the enjoyment of your day. And don't forget to register for the hourly drawings being held by exhibitors. Beginning at 7:30 pm, grand prize drawings will be held and two bicycles, donated by the Pischelville Lodge, will be given away.
Admission to the show is free so plan to celebrate our region's agriculture industry Saturday, January 20 by attending the Verdigre FFA Alumni's annual farm show in the Kolach Capital, Verdigre, Nebraska.
For more information on the show, contact Kevin at (402) 668-2275 or (402) 668-2839. Or, visit the web at www.farmtofamily.net powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
Don't forget to pick up your share of fun this month by stopping in at the Verdigre Farm Show!
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DENIM RUGS BY JENNY LEBLANC, LYNCH, NE
Handmade, custom order by calling (402) 569-2379
(Transcript from KKYA Farm to Family Connection, Jan. 20, 2005)
From the ranching country among the rugged cedar covered ridges along the Missouri River near Lynch, Nebraska in Boyd County, Jenny LeBlanc markets her unique handcrafted rugs.
On a loom her grandmother purchased back in 1960, Jenny began making rugs about six years ago. She takes blue jeans and cuts the seams and zippers out of them. She cuts the remaining panels into strips. Jenny says she sews the strips together, end to end to make longer pieces that are rolled into balls. These are put on shuttles and started on the loom.
So the rugs she makes are all handcrafted with tender loving care, making them a perfect gift for the home.
Jenny makes rugs from 2 feet to 8 feet long and her denim rugs are washable and durable as well. She exhibits her wares at local craft shows, but the best way to order a handcrafted rug from Jenny is by contacting her at home at (402) 569-2379. Mornings are the best time to catch her. You can also reach her through email at jcleblanc@threerivers.net. And remember, if it’s locally crafted, it’s the best there is.
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HUFFY'S AIRPORT WINDSOCKS, SPENCER, NE
Gary and Karen Hoffman - www.huffyswindsocks.com (800) 218-7625
(Transcript from KKYA Farm to Family Connection, Feb. 16, 2006)
Spencer, Nebraska farmers, Gary and Karen Hoffman turned their aviation hobby into a full-time business. Huffy’s Airport Windsocks, Incorporated is flying high these days, with Gary and Karen selling their handcrafted airport windsocks and old-style welded brackets in all shapes, sizes and logos, across the country from their downtown Spencer shop and on-farm manufacturing facilities housed in a former hog barn.
Gary and Karen, who run cattle on their Boyd County farm, started their windsock business by accident. Long time aviators, they made their own windsocks for their farm airstrip. When they took their windsocks as door prizes for a flying farmers’ conference, they received a number of orders for more.
Since starting out in 1985, they’ve supplied windsocks for airports around the state and their windsocks have flown from the Harbor Patrol in New York City, for the Air National Guard in Pennsylvania to the marina at Weigand Recreation Area on Lewis and Clark Lake.
Gary says that calibrated windsocks like the ones they make tell folks more than wind direction. A properly crafted windsock can tell you wind direction and to some extent, velocity, and it can tell you if the wind is gusty or not, an essential indicator for pilots.
They sell their windsocks and brackets at aviation shows from California to Florida and points in between. They are exhibiting this upcoming week at the Helicopter Association International show in Dallas, the largest helicopter industry show in the world.
They often garner contracts from corporate businesses that purchase quantities of windsocks with their company logo for use in promotions. Gary and Karen, their children and a few employees do all the work themselves from sewing and printing logos on the windsocks to actually manufacturing their own special pattern brackets.
In spite of their volume contracts, they also custom craft windsocks for rural airstrips and backyards as well, providing technical assistance to customers looking for just the right windsock for their situation. You can call Gary and Karen at Huffy’s Airport Windsocks, Incorporated at 800-218-7625 or visit their website at huffyswindsocks.com. Learn more about Huffy’s Windsocks and other locally designed and on-farm manufactured products by visiting farmtofamily.net, now powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
And remember, if it’s crafted locally be folks you know and trust, it is the best there is!
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Dick's Country Butcher Shop, Irene, SD - Dick Sherman - Beef, Pork, Lamb and Deer in Season. (605) 263-3388.
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Feb. 17, 2005)
Dick Sherman has a good thing going northwest of Irene. Dick’s Country Butcher Shop two miles north and a half-mile west of Irene is a popular spot for locally grown beef, pork and lamb.
Dick’s experience in meat processing pays off with quality meat products. He sells halves and quarters of course, but he also retails all kinds of specialty cuts from his shop. Lots of folks stop by for his 90-93 percent lean hamburger or his specialty homemade bratwurst or dried beef.
And Dick says there just aren’t too many places around where you can buy rollapose – an old Danish delicacy that he alone features.
Dick does custom meat processing of beef, pork, lamb and deer in season, but you want to make sure you call ahead to schedule a processing day. He can also help customers looking for locally processed meat find the cuts and packaging most convenient for their families.
Dick’s Country Butcher Shop is open 8 am to 5:30 pm during the week and from 8 am to noon on Saturdays. You can call Dick at (605) 263-3388. And remember, show your family you really care – grace your dinner table with great tasting local food you can trust.
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Creighton FCCLA Farm and Home Show, Creighton, NE - Saturday, Feb. 23, 2008
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Feb. 21, 2008)
It's been about 17 years since students in Creighton, Nebraska's Family Career Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) chapter began hosting their community's annual Farm and Home Show. Chapter advisor, Dixie Hanefeldt was involved in that first show and says this year's show, set for this Saturday, Feb. 23 from 10 am to 3 pm in the Creighton City Hall, will offer all the fun and excitement that the community has come to expect.
As in years past, the FCCLA chapter will use funds from the show for their banquet, travel and general expenses. Nearly 30 vendors are registered for this year's show, including crafters, local service organizations, power and telephone companies, and local businesses providing goods and services for the home and farm.
There will be opportunities throughout the day to win door prizes as vendors hold hourly drawings. A number of businesses will give away grand prize drawings at the end of the show. You can get your farm and home show plans off to a warm and tasty start with the annual daylong appreciation pancake feed the Creighton Chamber of Commerce hosts in the city hall basement.
If you'd like to register for a booth or would like more information about the Creighton FCCLA Farm and Home Show, call Dixie at Creighton High School at (402) 358-3663. For more information on this show and other farm-related events, visit the web at farmtofamily.net now powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital. Make sure you come and support your local community and take in your share of the fun and excitement by attending the Family Career Community Leaders of America annual farm and home show this Saturday, Feb. 23 in Creighton, Nebraska.
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Waupacona Farms - Marvin DeBlauw, quality grassfed beef. Hartington, NE (402) 254-3429
(Transcript for March 3, 2005 Farm to Family)
Marvin DeBlauw of rural Hartington, Nebraska farms an area with lots of heritage. He calls his place, Waupacona Farms, named for one of the early settlements in the county and the old country school nearby where DeBlauw attended elementary grades.
Marvin has made history too – he’s one of the region’s most experienced graziers – converting much of his row cropland to grass-legume pasture from which he raises and sells his premium grassfed beef.
Farming three miles north and five and a quarter miles east of Hartington on 886 Road, Marvin has utilized intensive rotational grazing for more than twenty years, that is moving his cattle regularly to fresh pasture paddocks and allowing grazed paddocks a rest period.
In the 1990’s, Marvin transitioned from a conventional dairy operation to a grazing beef herd, marketing his special, great-tasting drug and hormone free grassfed beef directly to local customers.
Recent studies show that grassfed beef is high in Vitamin E and in heart healthy and cancer fighting Omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acids, the good fatty acids in food.
Because it is lean, Marvin says that you need to slow-cook grassfed beef for meat that is tender and juicy. He likes preparing roasts for instance by cooking them in the oven with a little salt and pepper at 250 degrees for four hours. When he grills his grassfed steaks and burgers, Marvin likes to place a piece of tin foil under the meat on the grill, to keep the juices and maintain moisture.
Marvin sells his Waupacona Farms beef by halves, split quarters, split eighths or the whole critter. All of his animals are processed at the USDA facility in Wausa, Nebraska. His customers can order their beef through Marvin and pick up their meat after processing at the Wausa Lockers or you can purchase meat directly from Marvin off the farm.
Order today by calling Marvin at (402) 254-3429. And remember, show your family you really care – grace your dinner table with great tasting local food, because if you know your farmer, you know your food.
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Wausa Farm Show - (402) 586-2156
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Jan. 31, 2008)
Northeast Nebraska's town with Swedish roots, Wausa - will host their third annual Farm and Home Show this Saturday, February 2 in the Wausa downtown Community Auditorium. The Farm and Home Show runs from 9 am to 2:30 pm. Everyone attending will find many things to see and do.
In addition to a variety of vendors that supply nearly everything you might need for the home or farm, there are also hourly drawings and food on hand. To kick off the event, coffee and rolls will be served in the basement of the auditorium from 8:30 to 10:30 am.
The Wausa Community Club.will be on hand throughout the day to provide a variety of tasty foods in the auditorium basement. FBLA(Future Business Leaders of America)will have a slave auction at the Farm and Home Show at 1pm.
If you have questions or would like more information on the Wausa Farm and Home Show, contact Herb Bengston at (402) 586-2156. For more information on this show and for transcripts, audio clips, wellness tips and a directory of local food producers and family farms and businesses, visit the web at farmtofamily.net powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
And don't miss this opportunity to support your community and enjoy all the fun at the Wausa Farm and Home Show this weekend at the downtown Community Auditorium in Wausa, Nebraska.
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Bloomfield Bakery, Bloomfield, NE - Homemade baked goods of all kinds, including lots of specialty items. Call 402-373-2343.
(Transcript from KK93 Farm to Family Connection, Apr. 21, 2005)
Deland and Pam Reynolds know when it’s time to make the donuts and the cookies, cupcakes, pies, sweet rolls and bread because they’ve been operating the Bloomfield Bakery at 104 N. Broadway in Bloomfield, Nebraska since 1983.
The bakery in Bloomfield is an institution in Knox County because it’s been operated continuously since the 1920’s. Hometown folks and visitors from around the region have come to know all the wonderful baked goods the Reynold’s make every day.
They also bake angel food cakes, regular white and wheat bread and a number of specialty breads and dinner rolls. They make three sizes of sandwich buns as well as their own pancake mix and everyone’s favorite, homemade noodles. And it’s all made from scratch, without preservatives, for that authentic, homemade flavor their customers have come to enjoy.
The annual Knox County Fair in Bloomfield each August is extremely busy at the bakery, because the Bloomfield Bakery provides the church lunch stands on the fairgrounds with buns and pies each day. Many of their products are also used at school functions, fundraisers, family reunions, promotions and Bar-B-Ques around the region. They also deliver within the city limits of Bloomfield.
The bakery is open for lunches daily with a noon special and homemade soup in season.
The Bloomfield Bakery is open Monday through Friday, from 5:30 am to 4:30 pm and on Saturdays from 5:30 am to 1 pm. You can get more information on the bakery at Bloomfield, Nebraska by calling the Reynolds at (402) 373-2343. And remember, If you want food with integrity for your family, grace your table with local food made from scratch by folks you know and trust.
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Sheila's Country Gardens, Hartington, NE - Locally grown flowers, perrennials, shrubs and custom baskets and planters. Call 402-254-6379.
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Apr. 28, 2005)
Sheila Schmidt loves her job. Since 1989, with help from her husband Kenny and their children, Chris, Kelly, Dana, Diane and Rachelle – she has built her on-farm plant nursery business from the ground up.
Sheila’s Country Gardens, located three miles south of Hartington, Nebraska on Highway 57, is perched on top of a rolling hill overlooking a beautiful little valley.
It’s the perfect place for her greenhouse and gift shop. It’s also been the perfect place for raising their children. Sheila says they started the nursery business to save money for college for their children and as a way to stay on the farm and be around her family.
Besides, the farm is a perfect backdrop for beautiful flowers. Sheila says she works hard to grow plants from high quality seeds and she carries a large selection of new varieties each spring. She’s been planting and designing custom hanging baskets and planters for sixteen years.
Over the years Sheila has also custom grown hard to find plant varieties for customers. She transplants about 100,000 plants each season, so she’s a veteran with a green thumb.
Sheila says she really enjoys working one on one with customers, helping them design their landscape and planters. She’s also proud of the fact that she grows nearly all of her plants right there on the farm.
Some of her favorites this year include wade petunnias and osteo daisies. She promises to help customers with care and maintenance tips too.
Sheila’s Country Gardens and gift shop are open from April through December. Her hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm and 1 pm to 5 pm on Sundays. She also has convenient evening hours on Wednesdays when she is open until 8 pm. They are located three miles south of Hartington. Learn more about Sheila’s Country Gardens by calling her at 402-254-6379 or by visiting the web at farmtofamily.net. And remember, If you want plants grown right in this area with tender loving care, buy your landscape plants from a local nursery you know and trust.
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St. James Marketplace, St. James, NE
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Sept. 25, 2008)
St. James Marketplace Heritage Fest
Heritage Fest, the annual event that draws the region to St. James Marketplace in St. James, NE, is set for Sunday, September 28 from 11 am to 5 pm. The event brings to life the community picnics, nostalgic games, heritage demonstrations and exhibits that once represented the lives of settlers in this area.
The beautiful little village of St. James, which was the center of settlement and activity for pioneers when it was Cedar County's first county seat 150 years ago, has again become a bustling place where local farm families and more than 60 talented regional vendors offer locally grown and hand-crafted goods..
The parish schoolhouse that was closed for many years has been transformed into a marketplace for local farmers and artisans. It was Violet Pinkelman, Vicki Koch, Mary Rose Pinkelman, Louise Guy and Jeanette Pinkelman and their families who restored and reopened the schoolhouse, which sits atop a grassy knoll in the architectural style of a Spanish Mission.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, St James Marketplace is a special destination for travelers and local residents searching for unique items they won't find anywhere else.
During the fest, demonstrations will range from hand corn picking, grinding and grading, cream separating and operating a hand apple cider press. There will be a hand log sawing contest and skillet toss, which are always crowd pleasers. Kids can join in the three-legged race, sack races, apple eating and watermelon seed spitting contests. There will be an apple press, home made ice cream and butter, candle making, bread making, fine needle work and weaving and spinning wheel demonstrations with yarn and buffalo hair as well. And be sure to visit Annie's Indian Artifacts display and the every popular antiques room.
Of course many of St. James regular vendors will be there that day to talk about their products and explain their techniques. Heritage Fest is like stepping back in time with a community of friends.
The Marketplace is located among the rolling fertile farmland at St. James, just two miles east of the Wynot spur along the Outlaw Scenic Byway, Highway 12 in northern Cedar County. It's just 12 miles west of the Vermillion-Newcastle Bridge. If you can't make the fest, the marketplace is open weekends from 10 am to 5 pm from early May until just before Christmas. Find more information at www.stjamesmarketplace.com or at farmtofamily.net, powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
Make plans now to experience the St. James Marketplace Heritage fest, another great way to get in on the good life found through the farm to family connection.
Diane's Greenhouse, Fordyce, NE - 402-357-3754(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, May 1, 2008)
Diane's Greenhouse, owned and operated by Diane Dickes, is practically in your backyard, just one mile west of Fordyce, on 888 Road. When you visit, you'll be treated to the wonderful sight of a wealth of quality flowers and vegetables that Diane offers every year.
If you're searching for hanging baskets, Diane offers more than 1,000 ready-made choices. If you prefer to design your own, you can select from among a wide variety of plants. With the help of her husband, Greg, and their children, Diane offers nearly 400 different perennials, a huge assortment of annuals, trees and shrubs and her favorite shrub roses. Be sure to check out the hardy and easy-to-grow Knock-out Roses that bloom all summer long.
To fill your need for vegetable plants, check out the tomato varieties and other vegetable selections that Diane has on hand.
Along with the quality greenhouse items Diane offers, she's pleased to work with customers to design a flower garden or landscape design. She works with a simple drawing developed from photographs and recommends the flowers, shrubs and trees that will bring your garden space to life. She's sold on mushroom compost because of the rich and pure nutrients it brings to any soil. You can buy it at Diane's Greenhouse by the bag or the truckload.
Diane also recommends soaker hoses, which make gardening chores much more manageable.
Being able to turn her passion for horticulture into a home-based business has benefited Diane and her family as they work together to help gardeners around the region.
Diane's Greenhouse is open spring, summer and fall so take time to visit her just one mile west of Fordyce, Nebraska. If you're driving on Highway 81, turn onto 888 road and head east.
For more information, call Diane at 402-357-3754 or log onto the web at farmtofamily.net, powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital. And remember, it's never been easier to liven up your landscape with high quality plants grown right here by someone with a passion for their products and their customers.
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Pierce County Fair, Pierce, NE. July 20-23, 2006
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, July 19, 2007)
Don’t miss out on the 2007 Pierce County Fair, going on this week and weekend at the Pierce County Fairgrounds in Pierce, Nebraska. Tonight, you won’t want to miss the big Bull-A-Rama, starting at 8:30 pm. Kids 8 and under can register before the show for the Stickhorse Competition. Tomorrow, Friday, July 20, the Triple Threat Tour featuring Blackhawk, Little Texas and Restless Heart, takes the stage at 8:30.
On Saturday, July 21, the Kid’s Pedal Pull starts in front of the grandstand at 9:30 am. The NNPIA Tractor Pull begins at 12 noon and the Nebraska Bush Pullers will be running at 7 pm. Team Roping is at 1 pm on Saturday. Finally, Magician and Hypnotist, Jeff Quinn takes the stage at 8:30 pm.
On Sunday, July 22, a Sand Volleyball Tournament begins at 9 am. There is a Free Bar-B-Que at 11:30 am. the Ranch Rodeo and the Nebraska Lawn Mower Racing competition starts at 1 pm. The Demolition and Pickup Derby is at 4 pm and Williams and Ree take the stage at 8:30 pm.
Mac’s Amusements will be providing the carnival rides throughout the fair, with armbands available all four days. Pay just one fee to get into the grounds. Children under 10 are free. There is free parking and free grandstand entertainment. There will be 4-H, FFA, youth and open class livestock and horticulture competitions and judging contests as well as many other youth related activities throughout the fair.
For more information on the Pierce County Fair, call 402-329-4327 or visit the web at piercecountyfair.org or farmtofamily.net, powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital. So bring the whole herd over the Pierce, Nebraska this Thursday through Sunday, July 19-22 for the 2007 version of the Pierce County Fair.
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Cedar County Fair, Hartington, NE
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Aug. 2, 2007)
The 126th Cedar County Fair is set for today, Aug. 2nd through Sunday, Aug 5th in Hartington, Nebraska. Things get started on today with 4-H and FFA activities including the light horse show, bucket calf show and small animal show. The pedal pull contest begins at 4:30 behind the Grandstand. There is a hamburger feed at 5 pm. Big time entertainment begins at 7 pm with opening act, "Phil Vaught", followed by the great country sounds of "Heartland" at 8.
On Friday, Aug. 3, 4-H and FFA families will be busy with the goat show, dairy show and sheep show. The Old Time Fiddlers will perform at the open class building from 5 til 7 pm. The Sheep Show Classic starts at 7 pm and at 8, you won’t want to miss the 8th annual MSRA/IRA Championship Rodeo. Then at 9 pm, there will be a teen dance featuring "Small Town Fire".
FFA members and 4-Her’s will have their swine show, beef show, round robin and livestock premium recognition on Saturday, Aug. 4. And be sure not to miss big time country entertainment with opening act "Phil Vaught" at 8 pm, followed by the high energy performance of "Sawyer Brown", beginning at 9.
Finally, on Sunday, Aug. 5, the FFA ice cream social is at 2:30, followed by the 4-H style revue and music contest. There is a non-denominational worship service at 9 am on Sunday at the grandstand. The annual parade is at 12 noon. There will be a horseshoe tournament at 1, Mr. Twister at 3:30 with the Dennis Cummins Stock Car Races closing out the fair at 7 pm.
Northern Lights Amusements are operating the carnival throughout this year’s fair. Be sure to view the quilt and school exhibits, open class, 4-H and FFA exhibits and all of the fun displays throughout the fair. For concert ticket information or more information on the fair, call 402-254-3521 or visit the web at cedarcountyfair.net or farmtofamily.net, powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
Don’t miss great family fun, entertainment and down home hospitality at the 125th Cedar County Fair, running from Aug. 2nd through the 5th at Hartington, Nebraska.
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Lindy Country Club, Lindy, NE - Locally raised elk and buffalo on the menu. 402-373-2440.
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Aug. 4, 2005)
Private George Shannon, the youngest member of the Lewis and Clark expedition takes center stage in Lindy, NE for a special festival on Saturday, Aug. 6. The Corps of Discovery String Band plays at 1 pm with the dedication of the Shannon sign at Lindy's Shannon monument following at 2:30 pm.
There is a car show from noon until 4 pm with registration starting in the morning at 9:30. There's also a sand volleyball tournament. Teams of three men and three women are welcome to register for the tournament at any time to the day of the festival. Prizes are awarded in the double elimination tourney.
The Knights of Columbus will be serving brats at the beer garden, raising money for the Bloomfield playground. The band - Potbelly - takes the stage from 9 pm until 1 am.
It all takes place at the Lindy Country Club, where there is always elk and buffalo on the menu as well as catfish and walleye and fantastic prime rib on Saturdays.
The Lindy Country Club is open daily from 11 am to 11 pm. They are closed Mondays. For more information on Lindy's Shannon Day or the great food at Lindy Country Club, call Tamaralynn at 402-373-2440.
And remember, for the best local entertainment and locally grown food - look no further than Lindy, Nebraska.
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Knox County Fair, Bloomfield, NE
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Aug. 9, 2007)
For 125 years, the Knox County Fair has been bringing quality entertainment to the area and they're set to do it again. This year's event, running Tuesday, August 5th through Sunday, August 10th is dedicated to LeRoy and Shar Cordes.
A special country treat, the Farmall Tractor Promenade beginning at 7:30 pm, will open this year's fair activities. A fireworks display will follow the promenade at 10 pm.
Wednesday's activities begin at 5 pm with a free hamburger feed followed at 7:30 pm by the Bull-A-Rama.
Thursday, the Colgate Country Showdown begins at 8 pm and Friday Lorrie Morgan is in concert at 8 pm. A free dance by Outback begins Friday night at 9.
The DC Lynch Carnival will open Saturday from 1 to 6 pm and the Quad Counties Team Sorting and Penning Championship begins at 2 pm. Ashton Shepherd will be in concert at 8 pm and a free dance by Mixed Tape and Small Town Fire will be held from 9 pm to 1 am.
Sunday's festivities start at 11:30 am with a Sherwin Linton Gospel Sing. The Kiddie Tractor Pull starts at 2 pm and Sherwin Linton comes back from 4 to 5:30 pm with a Tribute to Johnny Cash.
The LoCash Cowboys will close out Sunday's schedule with an 8 pm concert.
So don't miss out on a single day of Northeast Nebraska's big fair, the Knox County Fair at Bloomfield beginning Tuesday, August 5th through Sunday, August 10th. For more information, visit the web at farmtofamily.net, powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital. The Knox County Fair, one more great way to celebrate the Farm to Family Connection.
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Mulehead Ranch ATV Adventures, Gregory, SD - Joe and Lynne Duling - 800-378-3077.
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Aug. 25, 2005)
If you are an explorer at heart, Joe and Lynne Duling and their daughters, Abby and Alexa from Mulehead Ranch near Gregory, South Dakota have an adventure for you. Mulehead Ranch ATV Adventures provide guests with 40 miles of trails on 5000 acres with five miles of frontage along the Missouri River and Lake Francis Case.
Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or advanced ATV rider, you’ll have a blast riding their winding trails, climbing sixty foot bluffs and enjoying spectacular views for thirty miles around. Their trails take guests through rugged hills, open prairie, rocky shoreline and oak forest. Wildlife galore abounds around the trails.
You can bring your own ATV or rent one from the Dulings. The accomodations are great for clubs and groups. It’s the perfect destination for families and family reunions. You can spend the night at the ranch at a main guesthouse for instance, that accomodates nine to twelve people or another guesthouse that accomodates five people. They are complete with a kitchen, artesian water hot tub, horse shoe pits and sand volleyball as well as campfire pits. The Dulings also offer horseback riding, boating as well as hunting and fishing packages.
Mulehead Ranch got its name when Peter Heggested found a whitened skull of a mule embedded in a cottonwood tree on the ranch in the early 1900’s. And the name has stuck ever since.
Mosey on over to the ranch – Mulehead Ranch at Gregory – for an adventure in the wilderness. The ranch is located 13 miles north of Bonesteel and about an hour north of O’Neill, Nebraska. You can contact the Dulings at 605-835-9911 or call them toll free at 800-378-3077. Visit their website at muleheadranch.com or learn more at farmtofamily.net.
And remember, real adventure is just around the corner – at Mulehead Ranch at Gregory.
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Hartington Tree, LLC - Ken Hochstein Family, Hartington, NE - 402-254-6710
(Transcript for Farm to Family Connection, May 11, 2006)
Ken and sons Kyle and Kent Hochstein have been involved in the tree business for nearly twenty years. The family takes pride in their work as licensed arborists, helping local folks by providing high quality trees from their own nursery and providing professional tree spading service as well as balled and burlapped trees.
Kyle says that fall is one of the best times of the year to plant trees. Autumn blaze maple is one of Kyle’s favorite trees. It’s fast growing and takes on beautiful red foliage in the fall. But the family has a wide assortment of Colorado Blue Spruce and other evergreens, shade and ornamental trees too.
The family has a 60 foot boom truck, so they can take on even the really big tree trimming and removal jobs with ease. They also provide stump cutting and cleanup, tree fertilization, iron injections and disease and insect control in your landscape trees.
The Hochsteins serve tree customers all around the region as far as 80 miles from their nursery and headquarters in Hartington. With Kent’s background in landscape design, they can even provide ideas about how to improve your home landscape environment.
So if you are working with trees, get licensed arborists like the Hochsteins on your team. Call Ken, Kyle or Kent at Hartington Tree LLC at 402-254-6710 in Hartington.
And remember, if you want the highest quality tree nursery stock and professional, courteous service, stick with local licensed arborists like the Hochsteins. Folks you know and trust.
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Missouri River Expeditions, Vermillion, SD - 866-875-2529
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Oct. 13, 2005)
If you want to experience the Missouri National Recreation River up close and personal, you want to take in a river adventure with Chad Caldwell and his Missouri River Expeditions based out of Vermillion.
Chad and his crew are the premier outfitters on the Middle Missouri. They’ve been operating on the Missouri for six years and they specialize in 1 to 4 day kayak expeditions and waterfowl hunting on the river.
Chad is an expert guide and outfitter, not only does he outfit around the Missouri River, South Dakota and Nebraska, but in the winter months he guides kayak and sailing adventures in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands.
Chad says that his trips are fully outfitted, complete with gourmet meals. They are located two miles west and two miles south of Gayville, right on a shallow stretch of backwater out of the main channel of the Missouri River. They have cabins and tipis for rent on the water as well as numerous tent camping facilities.
The crew at Missouri River Expeditions can customize trips for groups, corporations, schools and churches. They can run up to twenty-five people at one time and you don’t have to be an expert on the water to enjoy one of their adventures.
Chad says they can accommodate all levels of expertise from the beginner to the veteran. They do single adventures and family outings too.
You’ll want to bring your binoculars on the river to view the local wildlife as you paddle along the steep banks and shallow backwaters. Chad says his company flows like the river – they are flexible to the needs of their guests. Right now they have a great package that includes discounted lodging at Lewis and Clark marina and resort with his hunting expeditions on the river.
Missouri River Expeditions guarantees shooting opportunities on their hunts and if you don’t have opportunities, they will grant you a raincheck for another time. The best thing to do is to give Chad and the crew a call and let them customize an adventure for your needs.
Call or email Missouri River Expeditions today to reserve your adventure dates. Call Chad toll free at 866 875-2925 that is 866 USKAYAK, email him at ccmrepaddler@yahoo.com or visit their website at missriverexp.com. And remember, real adventure is just around the corner – right here in our beloved Missouri River valley.
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Pavlik Crop Consulting, John and Ardis Pavlik, Royal, NE - Call 402- 893-9944
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Nov. 10, 2005)
With fertilizer prices on the rise, farmers are more concerned than ever before about getting the most for their inputs on the land. That’s why soil testing for nutrients this fall is more important than ever before.
John Pavlik and his wife Ardis have been operating their independent crop consulting business just a stone’s throw from Grove Lake near Royal, Nebraska for many years. Pavlik Crop Consulting helps farmers with nutrient management, integrated pest management and irrigation scheduling. But this time of year as well in the winter and spring, John is busy with surface and subsoil nitrate sampling and testing.
Nitrogen recommendations made using the top eight inches or surface of soil or basing the recommendation on what the previous crop yielded are not as reliable as annually deep soil testing. These results save you money by taking residual nitrogen into account and the practice is more environmentally sound too.
John says that subsoil sampling to a depth of at least three feet for residual nitrate-nitrogen determines the amount that could be available and credited to next year’s crop – protecting future yields and saving money. Pavlik also gives nitrogen credit for manure applications, drought conditions that might leave extra fertility in the soil and prior soil-building legume crops.
John is concerned about saving you money and protecting the quality of surface and ground water, while still protecting your yields and ultimately your bottom line. He says that several of our local natural resource districts even offer attractive cost-share programs for deep soil testing, making it an even more economical practice.
You can call Pavlik Crop Consulting today and set up a time for your subsoil sampling and tests by calling 402-893-9944.
And remember, protect your bottomline, your yields and your environment by scheduling a subsoil test today with Pavlik Crop Consulting, local independent experts you know and trust.
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Jolene Steffen Art Gallery and Open House
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Nov. 29, 2007)
Jolene Steffen of rural Crofton doesn’t have to look far for scenes to paint. Nestled in the Bow Creek valley just a mile and a quarter west of Highway 81 south of the 81-Highway 12 junction, Steffen’s farm and gallery is in full sight of some of the most inspirational rural scenes around.
She has transformed those scenes, some of which are just outside the window of her studio and farm home, into striking oil and watercolor paintings that capture the beauty of farm life.
Jolene, her husband Jeff, daughter Jenna and son Cole farm within site of the historic hamlet of Constance. She worked as a commercial artist for local newspapers and magazines for ten years. The self-taught painter learned her trade over the years and began to paint what she knew – her family, friends and farm – right from her farm home.
She has painted countless memorable scenes over the years that will be on display, like Bow Creek Awakening, Lover’s Lane, South Shore, Rattlesnake Road, Prairie Trails, Meridian Bridge and of course her own image of Lewis and Clark on the Missouri. New pieces that will be prominent in her open house include Sailing Lewis and Clark Lake, Prairie Sentinel and Center Bow Valley.
Jolene travels to display her talents at all the major art shows across the Midwest including shows in Omaha, Brookings, Sioux Falls and of course, Riverboat Days in Yankton. And she is hosting an open house at their farm over two weekends, Saturday, Dec. 1 and Sunday, Dec. 2 from 10 am to 6 pm on both days, with corresponding times the following weekend, Dec. 8 and 9th.
A visit to her gallery is a real treat, because visitors not only get to view her studio and displays of her paintings and frames, but they get to meet and talk with Jolene herself about her work. The Steffens also display the creative woodwork of Jolene’s husband and partner Jeff and now daughter Jenna is exhibiting the family talent as well, displaying her handmade, framed leaf tiles.
You can learn more about Jolene Steffen and her work by visiting her website – jolenesteffen.com or by visiting farmtofamily.net, powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital. You can stop by her gallery out on the farm just a mile and a quarter west of Highway 81 on 888 Rd. a mile south of the Highway 12-81 junction. You can call for an appointment at 402-357-3740.
But remember, it’s worth taking a drive in the beautiful Bow Creek valley near Constance for a visit to Jolene Steffen’s annual open house over the next two weekends.
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Brady Tree Farm, 4 miles east of Yankton. Christmas trees, home made decorations. 605-665-4726
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Dec. 1, 2005)
Scotch Pine, White Pine, Austrian Pine, Colorado Blue Spruce, Black Hills Spruce and Balsam Fir. Nothing says Christmas like a homegrown, REAL Christmas tree and you will find some of the finest quality real trees right here in the Missouri River valley at Brady Tree Farm four miles east of Yankton on Highway 50.
Tom and Jody Brady and their children Beau and Brooke spend the whole year – planting, weeding, shaping and shearing – in preparation for the holiday season – so they can offer their customers the finest Christmas trees around.
The Brady family is fond of all types of trees they offer, but Tom especially like Balsam Fir trees because of the evergreen fragrance they bring into the home.
In addition to harvesting trees for Christmas, the Brady family also sells what Jody calls – big, fluffy, old fashioned wreaths as well as fresh roping and centerpieces, the kind of special decorations that make holiday traditions so memorable.
Brady Tree Farm is located at 265 Antler Drive four miles east of Yankton. Turn by the Brady farm sign on the south side of the highway and you’ll see their beautiful tree fields in full view. They are open Monday through Friday from 1 pm to 6 pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 9 am to 6 pm every day til Christmas.
For more information on Brady Tree Farm, call the Brady family at 605-665-4726.
Make a true holiday tradition for your family this season. Bring the whole family out to Brady Tree Farm east of Yankton for your REAL tree Christmas.
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Buol Custom Landscaping, Curbing and Recycled Barns, Norfolk, NE - (402) 750-9173. Terry, Judi and Jeff Buol.
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Dec. 15, 2005)
Terry and Judy Buol and their son Jeff at Norfolk love old barn wood. That’s why they’ve been recycling old barns for the past decade and transforming the beautiful, weathered wood into all kinds of creations. The Buol’s specialize in yard and garden benches made from barn wood and custom designed with birdhouses and all kinds of home and garden décor.
The Buol family can make a unique creation for your home and garden. Terry says customers should make an appointment to stop by their home for a look at all kinds of sample benches they have made. In addition to benches, they also use barn wood to create decorative sleds and wreaths for Christmas.
In addition to recycled barn wood for the garden landscape, the Buol family also specializes in custom concrete curbing that can accent almost any landscape. They can install concrete curbing for plant and tree islands and along flowerbeds and walkways around the home. The curbing is wide enough to make mowing and trimming around the lawn a breeze.
Terry says they work all around the Norfolk vicinity and you can call the Buol family for more information anytime at 402-750-9173. Call today for an appointment to stop by their home and inspect all kinds of sample ways that the Buol family can enhance your home and garden.
For more information about Buol Custom Landscaping, Curbing and Recycled Barns, visit the web at farmtofamily.net.
And remember, if you want unique accents around your place, put your trust in Terry, Judi and son Jeff Buol at Norfolk, Nebraska.
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Ober's Original Bar-B-Que Sauce, Royal, NE - 402-893-2880
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Dec. 29, 2005)
It might be cold outside right now, but a Royal, Nebraska family wants to bring great bar-b-que taste to your dinner table all year around. Ober’s Original Bar-B-Que Sauce, made in Royal by Gary, Diane and Kelli Ober originates from a secret family recipe.
Years ago, Gary Ober and his friend Bernard Glover started doing bar-b-ques for friends and family. They started getting requests from guests for extra sauce to take home. And suddenly, a new venture was born.
The family gained use of a commercial kitchen and learned how to package their tasty product from Nebraska’s Food Processing Center at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.
When daughters Lisa and Kelli were home, they helped with the two to three-day process of preparing the produce, making and canning the sauce and labeling the jars. Now the Ober daughters are grown, but Kelli still returns home from college to help her parents. She’s in charge of labels and brochures.
The family makes pints and quarts of sauce. You can find their bar-b-que sauce at stores like Royal One Stop Shop in Royal, TJ’s Market in Orchard, Thriftway in Neligh, M&M Lockers in Bristow, Gragert’s Grocery in Creighton, Mitch’s Food Center in Plainview and the gift shop of the Born Again Barn in Orchard. They sell their sauce wholesale or retail, so you can purchase your sauce directly from the family by calling 402-893-2880 or email them at fullboremfg@frontiernet.net. The Ober’s are members of GROW Nebraska and the Highway 14 Association.
So remember, if you are craving bar-b-que tonight, don’t wait for the weather to warm up. Enjoy the Ober family’s secret recipe and get great bar-b-que taste with Ober’s Original Bar-B-Que Sauce, made in Royal, Nebraska.
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Stockmen's Livestock Auction - East Highway 50, Yankton, SD
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Jan. 5, 2006)
There aren’t many places in today’s marketplace where there is real competition bidding for a farmer’s products. But livestock auction barns are one of the last remaining places where farmers have bonafide price realization.
Stockmen’s Livestock Auction in Yankton is one of those places where producers, large and small, can still sell their animals the auction way and have lots of bidders competing for the critters. Located on East Highway 50, Stockmen’s is easily accessible and has a tremendous reputation for satisfied producers and buyers.
Gail and Janet Sohler purchased Stockmen’s back in 1962. Now along with son Jay, they offer all kinds of marketing services. Even Jay’s son Clayton takes part in the family business during the summer.
Stockmen’s specializes in selling fat cattle, feeder cattle, slaughter cows, bred heifers and cows, cow-calf pairs and butcher hogs. Tuesday sales include slaughter cows and bulls at 8:30 am with the weekly feeder calf sale starting at 11 am.
The fat cattle sale starts at 8:30 am on Wednesday. In season from November to May, Stockmen’s holds bred heifer and cow sales every other Thursday afternoon at 1 pm. Butcher hogs sell every Monday and Thursday morning from 10 am to noon. Stockmen’s also hosts a number of purebred bull sales throughout the late winter and early spring months.
You can call Stockmen’s anytime at 1-800-532-0952 and talk with one of their experienced market representatives. If you’d like one of the representatives to come to the farm to visit with you about your livestock, they’d be happy stop by.
Get more information about Stockmen’s Livestock Auction in Yankton and other family-run farms and businesses by visiting the web at farmtofamily.net.
And remember, if you want real market access – sell your livestock the auction way at one of our fine local livestock auction barns like Stockmen’s in Yankton.
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H and J Lures, Royal, Nebraska - Max and Linda Hieter and Gary Jones. (402) 893-4531.
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Jan. 12, 2006)
Max Hieter, his wife Linda and partner Gary Jones are avid fishers and they’ve been committed to the sport of fishing for many years. That’s why it is only natural that experienced fishermen like themselves would be able to create handpainted ice jigs, hand tied spinner baits and walleye spinners that almost make fish jump into the boat.
Since 1986, H and J Lures, headquartered in Royal, Nebraska near Grove Lake, has used only quality material to design and produce their one of a kind fishing lures. Max and Gary were tired of buying lures for winter fishing that lost their paint after a couple of outings, so they began testing their own handmade lures. Friends and neighbors asked to purchase these homemade lures and their business was born.
Testing in the field is important when it comes to fishing lures, that’s why H and J Lures is so sure you’ll find success with their tournament tested products.
Their fine spinner baits are so successful because of superior flash of diamond cut blades, the click of the triple or the vibration of twin spins. You can buy their lures ready to go or custom made.
H and J markets their lures by special order or through bait and tackle shops and True Value hardware stores in Nebraska and South Dakota. They always welcome inquires from new dealers and they can handle all sizes of orders, large and small.
You can order your lures today by calling Max and Linda at 402-893-4531 or call Gary at 402-842-3035.
If you’re going fishing, you need H and J Lures in your tacklebox. Visit their website at h-jlures.com. For more information on H and J Lures and other local family businesses in our region, visit the web at farmtofamily.net powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
And remember, try the best and out fish the rest with hand made H and J Lures from Royal, Nebraska.
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Creighton Livestock Market, Creighton, NE - 402-358-3449. Since 1942.
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Jan. 26, 2006)
Creighton Livestock Market in Creighton, Nebraska has been an agricultural institution in northeast Nebraska since 1942 when Harry Reese managed the sale barn. The market was founded by Creighton business people who wanted to offer auction services for local farmers.
Today, Creighton Livestock still offers quality auction services to farmers around the region. Selling between 75,000 and 80,000 head of feeder cattle every year, they have become one of the state’s premiere feeder cattle auction.
There is a sale every Tuesday with feeder pigs selling at 11:30 am and feeder cattle at noon, with weigh up cows following. Creighton Livestock also hosts regularly-scheduled bred cow and heifer sales on Saturdays throughout the winter months.
The experienced staff at Creighton Livestock offers on farm appraisals as always and efficient livestock handling and marketing service. For information, you can contact Keith Saathoff, Warren Deidrecksen, Ryan Creamer or Jim Eggers.
Whether you are buying or selling livestock, stop by Creighton Livestock Market at 1103 Peabody Street in Creighton. For more information call 402-358-3449 or visit the web at creightonlivestock.com. For information on Creighton Livestock and other local family farms and businesses, visit the web at farmtofamily.net powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
And remember, keep competition in the marketplace – market your livestock at one of the fine auction barns in our region like Creighton Livestock Market in Creighton, Nebraska.
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Bloomfield Farm and Home Show, Bloomfield, NE
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Feb. 7, 2008)
The Annual Bloomfield Community Club Farm and Home Show will bring the Bloomfield High School gym alive this year on Saturday, February 9 for an exciting day that everyone can enjoy. In addition to the business vendors from around the region who attend the show each year, look for exhibitors who are new to the show too and a variety of fun activities.
You can start your day with the Bloomfield Ambulance Squad's pancake feed. They'll be serving their tasty fare from 10 am to 1:30 pm. The event's popular pinewood derby races will be hosted by the local Boy Scout Troop beginning at 1 pm.
A kiddie carnival is being offered again this year by the Bloomfield FCCLA chapter in the Family Consumer Science Room. You can take in these fun activities from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm.
You won't want to miss the prize drawings held every hour throughout the day, so round up the entire family and join the fun at the Bloomfield High School gym for the Annual Bloomfield Community Club Farm and Home Show on Saturday, February 9.
For more information about the show, contact Eunice Palu at Farmers and Merchants State Bank – 402-373-4321 or visit the web at www.farmtofamily.net, now powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
Remember, if you want to enjoy this hometown style event, plan to attend the Bloomfield Community Club Farm and Home Show, Saturday, February 9 at Bloomfield, Nebraska.
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Rosebud Beef Ranch, Dwaine and Susan Umberger, Herrick, SD - 605-775-2477
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, March 2, 2006)
Dwaine and Susan Umberger have been raising premium lowline grassfed beef on their Rosebud Beef Ranch near Herrick, SD for the past five years. The Umbergers are working land that was homesteaded by Dwaine’s grandfather back in 1905.
The Umbergers chose to raise Australian lowline cattle for their direct farm fresh beef sales because they are known to be small and naturally tender.
At Rosebud Beef Ranch, beef cattle are fed only forage rations. Their cattle don’t receive any growth hormones, feed additives or grain. They are fattened on grass and sometimes alfalfa and grass hay, because the pasture growing season around Herrick is pretty short.
Dwaine and Susan are well versed in healthy food, so they started raising grassfed beef for their own family meals first. Then they decided to share their premium beef with others by selling it directly off the ranch.
Their grassfed beef – with high concentrations of conjugated linoleic acids or CLA’s and Omega 3 fatty acids – is known for its leanness and heart healthy, cancer fighting properties.
You can order premium lowline grassfed beef from the Umbergers by emailing them at deumberger@gwtc.net or calling 605-775-2477. Rosebud Beef Ranch is located four miles east of Herrick, SD on Highway 18. Get more information on Rosebud Beef Ranch and other farm families raising high quality, healthy food and selling their products fresh from the farm by visiting the web at farmtofamily.net now powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
And remember, get your food directly from farm families you know and trust like the Umbergers at Herrick, because if you know your farmer, you know your food!
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Fred Frank Tree Nursery - Wausa, NE - 402-586-2564
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, March 9, 2006)
Fred and Kathy Frank love trees. That love of growing trees has blossomed into a tree nursery business for the Franks. The Franks have operated a Nebraska licensed and inspected tree nursery in the rolling hills on the southeast corner of Wausa on McKinley and Wilson Streets for the past seven years.
They grow around sixty different types of trees – both deciduous and conifers – providing nearly any type of landscape tree you could want in your yard or around your place. You can almost name a cultivar that you are interested in and the Franks will have it.
Fred really likes his white and Austrian pines, white, blue and Black Hills spruce, hackberry, sugar and purple maples, kentucky coffeetrees, white ash and bur oak to name just a few of his favorites.
Fred and Kathy also grow ornamental trees like flowering crabapple, river birch, European white birch. They offer trees from four feet high all the way up to fifteen feet.
They operate two tree spades to move your trees into place, a big 48 inch spade and a smaller 24 inch spade.
This spring they will be selling potted fruit trees as well like apple, cherry, plum, pear and peach. So you’ll want to stop by the Frank’s nursery soon to schedule your tree spading and to look over their fine inventory of trees.
Depending on the weather, Fred will start spading trees this Spring in April sometime and he spades again in the fall months. He can offer consultations on how to best care for spaded trees as well.
So contact Fred and Kathy Frank to plan your Spring tree projects. It’s best to call in the evenings at 402-586-2564. Get more information on Fred and Kathy Frank of Wausa and other local tree nurseries and greenhouses in our region by visiting the web at farmtofamily.net now powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
And remember, if you really want it to grow, look to local tree nursery operators like Fred and Kathy Frank at Wausa, Nebraska.
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Garnet Anderson Name Search Gifts, Wausa, NE - 402-586-2346
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Apr. 6, 2006)
Garnet Anderson has a unique name and she always wondered about the root of her name and where it came from. That curiosity has blossomed into an on-farm business for Garnet. From Chuck and Garnet Anderson’s farm east of Wausa, Garnet looks into personal names like no one else.
Her home-based computer business looks up the roots of an individual’s name as well as the meaning of the name and traits of someone holding that name like personality, ability, sentiment and more. She can do name origins and meanings as well as name stories, family trees, star signs, calendars, cups and mugs, poems, motivational sayings, awards, dedications and family heraldry.
Her business uses these things to make an unusual, but very personalized gift, listing everything about one’s name in a matted and framed finished product.
These name portraits are great for all kinds of special occasions and they can be printed on backgrounds for Christmas, birthdays, wedding days, for Mothers and Fathers day gifts, with a poem as a background or for new babies. There are about 100 backgrounds to choose from.
Garnet says her gifts make everyone feel special and put a smile on everyone’s faces. She sells her customized gifts at farm and home shows and craft shows in Wausa, Elgin, Mitchell, Yankton, Norfolk and Pierce. But you can contact her anytime at the farm at 402-586-2346. Or learn more about Garnet’s business at farmtofamily.net now powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
And remember, if you want to know what is in a name, ask Garnet Anderson from Wausa, Nebraska.
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Whispering Hills Hunting, Verdigre, NE - 402-668-2250
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, March 16, 2006)
Russ Hirschman and his wife Pat are fortunate to live and farm among the rugged backroads west of Verdigre, Nebraska in some of the finest wildlife lands in northeast Nebraska. That’s why their Whispering Hills private hunting and outfitting is so unique.
At Whispering Hills, the Hirschmans offer pheasant and quail hunting, deer and turkey hunting and coyote and crow calling. They also have private spring fed fishing ponds ready for you to wet a line.
The Hirschmans offer single day adventures and multiple day hunting excursions that include guide service and hunting dogs, as well as top notch home cooked meals after the hunt is through.
You can lodge in secluded cabins among the scenic countryside of western Knox County. Russ says their turkey and deer hunting takes guests over some of the most beautiful ground they’ll ever see.
Their controlled shooting season for pheasants runs from Sept. 1 to March 31. All other seasons follow game season dates set by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. For the convenience of their guests, Hirschmans are also a hunting and fishing permit vendor.
The Hirschman family raises and direct markets homegrown pork and beef, so before you leave, be sure to bring something locally grown home for your dinner table.
If you’d like to just get away from it all and hunt in some of the most secluded and interesting landscapes around, plan your next hunting or fishing venture at Whispering Hills west of Verdigre.
You can call Russ and Pat at 402-668-2250 or email them – pat@whisperinghillshunting.com. For more information, visit their website at whisperinghillshunting.com or visit farmtofamily.net now powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
And remember that you don’t have to drive a thousand miles for a great hunting or fishing excursion. Plan your next adventure with Russ and Pat at Whispering Hills Hunting near Verdigre, Nebraska.
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West Hodson Lumber Company Redwood Tanks, Crofton, NE - 402-388-4330
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Apr. 13, 2006)
All watering tanks are created equal – or are they? Well, if you ask LeRoy and Ron at West-Hodson Lumber Company in Crofton, they will tell you that they most definitely are not created equal. West-Hodson at Crofton builds a superior water tank from the heartwood of redwood trees.
These tanks – if kept full of water and preserved from livestock damage – have been known to last 40 years or more. Ron says that it takes around 8 hours to build one tank, depending on the size. He has built around 200 redwood tanks over the past few years, ranging in all sizes, with two, four and eight foot diameter tanks the most popular. They come with two-foot sidewalls or 30 inches.
The bottoms of the tanks are tongue-in-groove with the sides built using a half-moon groove system that helps prevent leaks and extends the life of the tanks. While the tanks are generally purchased for use for livestock watering, they have also been utilized to catch rainwater and for a variety of other situations.
West-Hodson has full service lumberyards in Osmond, Creighton and Crofton and they’ve been one of the fine Farm to Family Connection sponsors since the beginning of our program. You can order West-Hodson Lumber Company custom built redwood watering tanks by calling LeRoy or Ron in Crofton at 402-388-4330. Talk with them about building a redwood tank to fit your needs.
And remember, if it’s made by local hands at West-Hodson in Crofton, it has quality guaranteed.
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Ornaments for You - Phil and DelRae Hilfiker, Concrete Lawn Ornaments, Fountains, Statues, Benches and More, Fordyce, NE - 402-357-3525
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Apr. 24, 2008)
The largest selection of lawn ornaments in northeast Nebraska is right outside Fordyce. That's where Phil and DelRae Hilfiker of Ornaments for You have been using more than 350 molds to create specialized concrete lawn ornaments for the past 16 years. You'll find them two miles west of Fordyce at 888 Road along Highway 81.
Their business started out as a hobby with just five molds. Now, with more molds than ever, Ornaments for You is a full-fledged business venture. Phil pours most of the ornaments, which cure for 28 days. Then DelRae uses her expertise to paint and create the finished product.
The Hilfiker's largest ornaments include a 900 lb. Moose, 800 lb. Buffalo and 600 lb elk. In their huge wildlife selection, deer are among the most popular ornaments. They also make a large variety of religious statues and angels. One of the most popular memorial gifts are 36-inch fairy angels, which have become popular memorials for funerals or on the occasion of the loss of a loved one. These types of gifts, along with benches for cemeteries and parks the Hilfiker's make, serve as long-lasting memorials.
While the Hilfikers don't ship many of their ornaments because the sheer weight of them makes it cost prohibitive, they did ship a statue to a church in Alaska and a vacationing couple from Texas took two pigs weighing 200 lbs. each home in the bed of their pickup.
Customers will find a large variety of fountains and can leave the ornaments, fountains, statues or benches in their natural state or DelRae can custom paint them according to individual needs.
Their busiest seasons are Mother's Day and Christmas, but you can stop by the Hilfiker farm anytime. Just watch for the huge selection of concrete ornaments on their farmplace in front of the big white barn or behind their log house.
If you're driving a distance, you're welcome to call ahead. You can also leave a note or take one of their business cards from a box near their barn. You can call the Hilfikers' Ornaments for You at 402-357-3525 or email Phil and DelRae at ofy@gpcom.net.
And remember, if you want something handcrafted with care to grace your home or to memorialize your loved ones, look to local folks you know and trust like Phil and DelRae Hilfiker of Fordyce, Nebraska.
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Dakota Aerial Photography, Yankton, SD - 605-665-7777
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, May 18, 2006)
There is something breathtaking about a view from the sky. But what Dave Tunge and Dakota Aerial Photography offer to farm families, local businesses and residents is more than just a snapshot from above. An experienced pilot like Dave, who has logged over 20,000 hours in the air since he began his flying career in the 1960’s also brings photographic expertise to each project.
Using state of the art photography equipment, this award-winning photographer takes views of local sites that result in sharper images because Dave knows how to use the natural lighting at particular times of the day to his advantage. Flying in his Piper Super Cub, he has an unobstructed view of the farms and sites he is photographing.
Dave has taken aerial photos for farm families, of landmarks, industrial and commerce sites and of landscapes for scenic value to a new level. His shots offer more than just an aerial view – they offer images that have historic significance because of the quality they provide.
He can customize your aerial photography project to your needs and according to his past customers, Dave provides shots that are so unique, they are unforgettable.
You can learn more about Dakota Aerial Photography and what Dave can do for you by taking a look at their website – dakotaaerials.com or by calling Dave at 605-665-7777.
And remember, if you want high quality prints with a view you’ll never forget, contact Dave and Dakota Aerial Photography and get the skyview of your home place.
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Kolach Days, June 7-10, 2007, Verdigre, NE
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, June 7, 2007)
Driving along Highway 14 in western Knox County, Nebraska near the beautiful town of Verdigre, looking out over the wooded hills locals call the Czech or Bohemian Alps, you get an Old World feeling because the setting looks like something from a postcard.
Verdigre is proud of its Czech roots and every year around this time, that proud heritage is on full display at the community’s annual Kolach Days festival. For 39 years now, Kolach Days has drawn thousands to this lovely town.
This year’s Kolach Days festival begins with a Variety Show tonight at 8 pm at the high school auditorium, featuring Verdigre’s popular community chorus, directed by Laurel Johnson. Tomorrow, Friday, June 8, in addition to a pool party at Wildwood Acres, a men’s slowpitch softball tournament and a repeat performance of the variety show at 7 pm, the Doc Walstrom Memorial Turtle Races are set for 4 pm. The evening activities for Friday are capped off with the Kolach Queen’s Coronation and Kolach Queen’s Ball at ZCBJ Hall from 8 until 12 and a Street Dance on Main Street from 9 until 1.
On Saturday, June 9, things get started with a fun run/walk at 8 am and a mud volleyball tournament that starts at 9:30. There will be a Kiddie Parade at 11 am, a Tractor Pull sponsored by the Verdigre FFA Chapter and duck races in the afternoon. Verdigre High School alumni are welcomed home for their annual alumni banquet at the ZCBJ Hall. There will be a free dance following the banquet and another street dance later in the evening.
Sunday, June 10 begins with a Polka Mass at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church. The Grand Parade begins at 1:30, frog races and calcutta and entertainment by the Clarkson Czech Dancers are later in the afternoon.
During the festival, you can find your favorite ethnic food, including Kolaches, at all the churches and restaurants around town, including the Verdigre Bakery where they make literally thousands of Kolaches in preparation for this big weekend. The wonderful Verdigre Heritage Museum and complex, including a fantastic gristmill, is open Saturday and Sunday. And be sure to stop by the Verdigre Library to reconnect with Verdigre’s history.
So be sure to Czech out Verdigre’s 39th annual Kolach Days festival this weekend, starting tonight in beautiful Verdigre, Nebraska. For more information visit the web at farmtofamily.net, powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital. And remember, if want to experience family fun, ethnic heritage and great local food this weekend, Verdigre, Nebraska is the place to be.
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Regional Farmers Markets
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, June 22, 2006)
This time of year is the best if you are looking for farm fresh produce. Market gardens around the region are just beginning to produce all the great seasonal foods you enjoy around your dinner table. The best places to find farm fresh food raised locally by family farmers you know and trust are farmers markets.
Fortunately, the Missouri River valley is full of farmers market opportunities. On Saturday mornings in Yankton, you can stop by Gundy’s Market in the parking lot of Charlie’s Pizza from 9 am to 1 pm for locally raised produce and meat as well as baked goods. The Downtown Yankton Summer Market begins on Saturday, July 8 with a month of Saturday Summer Market Festivals including entertainment and music to go with locally raised food and crafts. The Downtown Market runs through the fall and begins at 9 am. The Yankton Mall Farmers Market is held at the mall parking lot also on Saturday mornings. Right now, Garrity’s Prairie Gardens are also selling wonderful, ripe strawberries as well as other fresh garden vegetables. Garrity’s is open from 9 to 5 on Monday through Saturday and from 1 to 5 on Sundays.
Across the Missouri River in Nebraska, St. James Marketplace in beautiful downtown St. James is open Saturdays and Sundays from 10 to 5 on through December. At the old schoolhouse in St. James you can find not only locally grown fruit and vegetables, but also baked goods, locally raised natural beef and pork and crafts from local artisans.
The Brunssen family holds their farmers market on Fridays in Randolph. You can also pick up produce from the Brunssen family and tons of other family vendors at the Norfolk Farmers Markets on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at Sunset Plaza Mall parking lot and at another location at 7th Street and Norfolk Avenue. There are also weekly markets in Pierce and Neligh as well as other Nebraska communities and don’t forget the markets at Sioux Falls, Sioux City and Vermillion.
If you’d like information on these and other farmers markets in the region, visit the web at farmtofamily.net, now powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital. And remember, for the highest quality food with low frequent flyer miles, buy your dinner from the family farmers who live just down the road by visiting one of the wonderful farmers markets right here in our region.
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Dixon County Fair, Concord, NE
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, July 26, 2007)
The Dixon County Fair at Concord, Nebraska has a reputation for good, old-fashioned family entertainment. This year’s edition runs from July 29th through Aug. 1 and the schedule of events looks as good as ever.
Things get started on Sunday, July 29 with a community worship service at 8 am. There is an omelet feed sponsored by the Dixon County 4-H teen leaders running from 8 am to noon. The open class horse show and play day begins at 10. The horseshoe tournament begins at 1 pm. Sunday night at 7 pm there will be the presentations of the Ak-Sar-Ben Pioneer Farm Family and the Good Neighbor awards. 4-H events running on Sunday include the small animal and cow/calf shows.
On Monday, July 30, the 4-H horse show and dairy shows are scheduled. There is a free barbeque at 5 pm, sponsored by the Dixon County Ag Society and an ice cream social sponsored by the 4-H Council. Team penning begins at 7 pm with evening entertainment including No Better Cause starting at 7:30 pm.
On Tuesday, July 31 there will be a Farm/Modified Tractor Pull at 5 pm. The Nebraska Garden Tractor Pull begins at 7 pm, and a Teen Dance with Complete Music starts at 9:30. 4-H events for the day include the beef, feeder calves, bucket calves, poultry, rabbits, and watermelon feed at 3 pm.
Finally, on Wednesday, Aug. 1 the kiddie pedal tractor pull starts at 12:30. The 4-H sheep, goat and swine shows and round robin showmanship contests are planned. The 4-H Fashion Revue, Music Revue and presentation of home economics trophies are scheduled to begin at 4 pm. That evening at 8 pm there will be a demolition derby as well as a figure 8 race.
For more information on the Dixon County Fair, July 29 through Aug. 1 at Concord, Nebraska, call the fair office at 402-584-2232, visit the web at dixoncountyfair.com or log onto farmtofamily.net, powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
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Niobrara Sesquicentennial Celebration, Niobrara, NE
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Aug. 24, 2006)
Niobrara, Nebraska celebrates the community’s 150th birthday this week, Thursday, Aug. 24 through Sunday, Aug. 27. Niobrara, set at the confluence of the Missouri and Niobrara rivers, has been touched by history since the early days.
Niobrara folks are throwing a party to celebrate that heritage. The L’Eau Qui Court Cemetery Walk is one of the most interesting events of the weekend, with costumed historic figures adding local color to the cemetery’s rich heritage. The walks are set for Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings from 5 pm until 7.
On Friday, Aug. 25, there is a quilt show at the Lutheran Church and a Style show at the Presbyterian Church. It’s also Cruise Night beginning at Ole’s Café. There is an openair dance beginning at 9 pm, featuring the band Average Joe. During the dance, the "Briding the Shores" royalty will be crowned.
On Saturday, Aug. 26, things get started at 8 am with a fun run/walk. The car show begins at 9 on the east side of Niobrara. Brothers of the Brush beard judging, Sisters of the Swish and recognition of the oldest lifelong residents of Niobrara all takes place at 10 am at the new fire hall.
There is a Sand Dig for Kids at 10 am at the Presbyterian Church. Grandstand entertainment begins at 10:30 at Sage Brothers Memorial Field, with model car races, Just Because polka band, Dakota Pride cloggers, and Northern Ponca and Santee Sioux tribes are putting on a Native American dance exhibition.
There will be a military helicopter landing at the Niobrara Trading Post and a noon flyover begins the grand parade. Parade entries will be judged at 1:30 pm. In the afternoon, there will be catfish races, stoplight drag races and an alternate vessel calcutta. Terry Lane will be on hand to portray Buffalo Bill Cody. A road rally is set for 5 pm at the Sage Brothers Field. Elaine Peacock will be entertaining everyone with her singing talents and there will be free hot air balloon rides at 6 pm. Another open air dance and fireworks closes out Saturday’s events.
On Sunday, Aug. 27, there is a community church service planned for 9 am, with birthday cake fellowship following at Sage Brothers Field. The NE Nebraska Antique and Hot Rod Tractor Pull is set for noon, with an alternate vessel regatta and duck float closing out the schedule.
Don’t miss out on Niobrara, Nebraska’s 150th birthday celebration this weekend. For more information, visit the web at farmtofamily.net, now powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
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Wausa Labor Day Celebration, Wausa, NE
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Aug. 31, 2006)
Wausa, Nebraska is rolling out the welcome mat over Labor Day weekend once again for the community’s big Labor Day Celebration. Things get rolling Saturday, Sept. 2 with a Trap Shoot starting at noon at Gladstone Park. The International Pedal Pullers Kids Tractor Pull is set to begin at 12:30 pm at the swimming pool parking lot.
Their 7th annual Poker Run begins with registration at 1 pm. On Saturday night, you won’t want to miss the Troublemakers Band from Sioux Falls playing for the Wausa Street Dance on Main Street from 8:30 pm until 12:30.
Sunday, Sept. 3 begins with a Fireman’s Breakfast at the fire hall from 7 am until 11. And the 17th annual Wausa Auto Show takes place at Gladstone Park all day long. Registration runs from 9 am until 12 noon, with judging at 12:30 and awards handed out at 4. There are 52 classes in all, including model classes for the kids.
The food court opens up at the park at 11 on Sunday and the beer garden will be open from 12 noon until 7 pm. There is a kiddie parade on Main Street in front of the auditorium at 12 noon and the kids karnival in the park runs from 1 until 4 pm.
Also in the afternoon there will be a horse shoe tournament and ATV Mud Bog races as well as an appreciation for retiring hometown Senator Doug Cunningham. The FBLA will hold a barbeque in the park from 5 until 7 pm. The 6th annual burnout contest is set for 6 pm in downtown Wausa. On Sunday night, don’t miss the Siouxland Idol Competition at the Wausa High School Gym, beginning at 7 pm.
For more information, contact Brad Kumm at 402-586-2809 or visit the web at farmtofamily.net, now powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital. And remember, to bring the whole family over to Wausa, Nebraska this weekend to celebrate Labor Day the Wausa way.
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Shelterbelt Lane Natural Meats, Verdigre, NE - Roger and Carolyn Vech
(Transcripts from Farm to Family Connection, Sept. 7, 2006)
The livestock around Roger and Carolyn Vech’s farm is well protected by windbreaks and shelterbelts, first planted by Roger’s parents and grandparents. That’s why their natural meat company, based on the Vech ranch northwest of Verdigre, Nebraska, is called Shelterbelt Lane Natural Meats. After the farm crisis in the 1980s, Roger and Carolyn began selling their corn finished, drug free, natural beef as a way to diversify their income without having to increase their cow herd size.
The Vech’s take their time finishing their beef animals. Roger says they are fed like his parents and grandparents did – not pushing the animals too hard and allowing them to finish slower. This process provides a more consistent, good-tasting product when it shows up on their customer’s dinner table. All of their animals are processed at the USDA facility in Wausa, so they can market their beef from coast to coast. They’ve sold beef that was shipped west to Los Angeles and east to New York City.
But most of their beef is sold directly to customers who have come to know and trust the Vech’s beef. They market eighths, quarters, halves and even bundles, so their products can fit any family size or freezer space. Of course, the Vech’s market ground beef, roasts and steaks, but they are especially proud of their own unique recipe for weiners. They also sell pre-cooked roasts that are quite popular, as well as cured dried beef, perfect for sandwiches, receptions, picnics and snacks.
They usually have some beef on hand, or you can place an order for their next processing date. The Vech’s guarantee their products and they will help you get their beef processed and packaged they you want it.
Be sure to contact Roger and Carolyn Vech at 402-668-2381 to place your order today. For more information, visit the web at farmtofamily.net, now powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital. And remember, if you want natural beef on your table, purchase your meal from ranchers you know and trust, like the Vech’s at Shelterbelt Lane Natural Meats, located in the rolling hills known as the Bohemian Alps, northwest of Verdigre, Nebraska.
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Hebda Produce - Garrity's Prairie Gardens, Mission Hill, SD - 605-665-2806
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Oct. 2 and 9, 2008)
They’re in bags, pecks bushels and pies – that’s the apples at Hebda’s Produce at Garrity’s Prairie Gardens two miles west of Mission Hill on 444th Ave. To make sure you get your share of their crisp, delicious McIntosh, Cortlands or Honeycrisps, stop in during the weekday from 9-5 or join the Hebda’s on Saturday or Sunday for apple picking, fun in the hay maze, apple samples, fresh baked pie and ice cream, apple jam, jelly and salsa. Saturdays, from now through the end of October, Hebda’s Produce at Garrity’s Prairie Gardens will be open from 9-6 on Saturdays and 1-6 on Sundays.
As if pie and jams and jellies weren’t enough, the Hebda’s also have fresh apple cider and frozen apple pies. Check out the gift packs that include an Apple Dessert Basket, Apple Pie with Server, Apple Gift Box, Jam Wrap and Jam Wrap with Holiday Spreader, Jam & Bread Basket and 2 Jar Jam Gift Box.
If your shopping list inlcudes fresh vegetables, you’ll find peppers, onions, leeks, Colorado peaches and pears in the Hebda’s cooler. Potatoes, squash and pumpkins are also available, along with a variety of tomato sauces and salsa, spaghetti sauce, canned peaches, and more!
So make plans now to sink your teeth into a juicy, fresh, hand-picked apple grown right in the orchards at Hebda’s Produce at Garrity’s Prairie Gardens two miles west of Mission Hill on 444th Ave. They’re open weekdays from 9-5 or join the Hebda family on Saturday or Sunday for apple picking, fun in the hay maze, apple samples, fresh baked pie and ice cream, apple jam, jelly and salsa. Saturdays, from now through the end of October, Hebda’s Produce at Garrity’s Prairie Gardens will be open from 9-6 on Saturdays and 1-6 on Sundays.
For more information call 605-665-2806 or visit them on the web at www.garritys.com. Hebda’s Produce at Garrity’s Prairie Gardens – a delicious way to enjoy the farm to family connection.
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Wausa Smorgasbord, Oct. 27, 2007
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Oct. 25 2007)
Wausa, Nebraska, the state’s "Little Sweden" will be celebrating their Swedish heritage with food and fun at their annual Wausa Smorgasbord, set for Saturday, Oct. 27 from 5 pm until 8 pm at the Wausa City Auditorium.
The Smorgasbord started back in the 1940’s, when the ladies from the Wausa Methodist Church cooked up the idea of a smorgasbord as a fundraiser. But the popularity of the fine feast grew so fast, the church ladies knew they couldn’t handle all of the work alone. So, since 1968, the Wausa Community Club has enlisted the entire community to pitch in.
Now, nearly everyone in Wausa helps out in preparing food, decorating, selling tickets and serving between 500 and 700 guests, including lots of folks from other states and even other countries.
No where else will you find fourteen pounds of hot, creamy scalloped potatoes, 200 pounds of Swedish meatballs, dozens of rings of home-town potato sausage, trays of spicy cold meats and cheese, 2000 home-made cookies, fresh home-baked bread, ostakaka, sweet biscuits, rice pudding, rye bread, herring, nut bread, fruit soup, Swedish mints and much, much more. And it is all served by costumed waiters and waitresses amid an atmosphere of Swedish décor. There is also entertainment like piano music and Swedish dancers.
Profits from this community event support local scholarships, and numerous community improvement projects and activities.
So, even if you aren’t Swedish, you might want to be, at least for one night in Wausa, Nebraska. Gather your friends for the annual Wausa Smorgasbord and take a trip to Sweden with food and fun. Tickets are on sale now at Commercial State Bank in Wausa. Call 402-586-2266. There are three serving times, at 5, 6 and 7 pm, so be sure to specify which time you prefer. For more information on the event, call 402-586-2718 or log onto the web at farmtofamily.net, powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
We’ll see you in Wausa, Nebraska on Saturday, Oct. 27.
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Gubbels Hunting, Randolph, NE
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Oct. 19 and 26, 2006)
It’s hunting time again and you don’t need to look any farther than your own backyard for a good place to find game birds. Steve Gubbels and his family offer prime hunting opportunities and traditional Northeast Nebraska hunting for individuals and small groups on their farm just east of Randolph, Nebraska in southern Cedar County.
The Gubbels offer five different areas to hunt, each with unique habitat and sure shooting opportunities. They have land in Conservation Reserve Program, grass waterways and standing corn strip with good upland grass and woods as well. The Gubbels can customize a hunt for your specific needs.
They offer guide service as well and they work regularly with youth groups, encouraging new generations of safe, responsible hunters who enjoy their past time. Hospitality is number one on a Gubbels hunt.
And you can get out of the weather and relax awhile in the Gubbels barn, a perfect spot for gathering, eating a sack lunch or processing birds and freezing your birds for the day. If you like, great food is also available close by in Belden or Randolph.
Hunting at Gubbels farm offers ringneck pheasants of course, but they also have the unique black pheasant and chuckers as well. They charge a base price per bird per day, depending on the game you are hunting.
So don’t drive hundreds of miles from home this year for your memorable hunt. Find your hunting adventure right here in our own region in southern Cedar County at the Steve Gubbels farm.
You can contact the Gubbels family for more information by calling 402-337-1329, Steve’s cell phone at 402-360-1445 or by visiting the web at farmtofamily.net now powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
And remember, put your hunting experience in the hands of people you know and trust like Steve Gubbels and his family near Randolph, Nebraska.
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B & B Lockers, Wynot, NE - 402-357-3515
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Nov. 9, 2006)
Karen Boeckman and the crew at B & B Lockers in Wynot, Nebraska are real professionals in the meat processing business. I found that out firsthand when Karen gave me the nickel tour of their facilities recently. B & B Lockers is one of the most modern processing plants in our region and they have become well-known around the area not only for quality custom processing of beef and pork, but also for their great, specialty products.
They are open for custom processing on Mondays through Thursdays, but be sure to reserve your date ahead of time, because the processing schedule fills up fast. B&B Lockers can help you choose the best cuts and specialty meats as well as packaging options for your family’s needs.
In addition. B&B products like ring sausage, summer sausage, dried beef, bratwurst, breakfast links and of course, bacon are available at the plant all the time, but also at HyVee Stores in Yankton and South Sioux City. They also sell their fine meat products in season at the Omaha Farmers Market, where return customers keep coming back for more each week.
In addition to their meat products, you can also pick up a gallon of milk, juice or other grocery items during their regular hours from 8 am to 6 pm during the week and 8 am to 3 pm on Saturdays.
So get ahold of Karen at B&B Lockers in Wynot, Nebraska for all of your meat processing needs. Call B&B at 402-357-3515 or visit the web at farmtofamily.net.
Remember, trust your family’s dinner table to someone you know and trust like the fine folks at B&B Lockers in Wynot.
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Jeanne's Antiques, Crofton, NE - 402-388-4631
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Nov. 16, 2006)
You know, there are just some things you have to see to believe. That’s the case with the gigantic inventory Jeanne and Donavon Schmidt have lovingly compiled at Jeanne’s Antiques along Highway 12 one mile east of Crofton, Nebraska after 40 years in the antique business.
When the Schmidts gave me a tour of their meticulously-organized warehouse, my jaw literally hit the floor. I couldn’t believe the care that had been taken in identifying quality pieces and their knowledge in actually telling the stories of many of their beautiful items.
These antique professionals really specialize in oak and walnut furniture and that is one of the first things you notice when you visit. They have glass china cabinets, claw foot tables, oval library and parlor tables, fireplace mantles, china buffets, princess dressers, washstands and even an 1886 Victorian sofa.
At Jeanne’s Antiques, they have Red Wing and Western crocks and potteries such as Hull and Watts Ware. They have depression and carnival glass and crystal as well as plates and tableware from old Europe. With Christmas around the corner, take a look at their collectibles like children’s rockers, brass and iron beds and primitives like trunks, butter stamps and molds. They even carry some coveted "saleman samples" and a huge selection of vintage lamps.
Don’t forget about their fantastic jewelry collection including sterling, rhinestones, diamond and pearl earrings and necklace sets and Victorian jewelry boxes. Vintage silverware is a popular gift item and Jeanne and Donavon have done their research so they can tell you the year it was made and the company that produced the pattern. They have lightning rod balls and weathervanes as well as original brass hardware and a selection of over 400 patterns.
They are also proud of their offering of religious items like pictures, rosaries and statues. You don’t need a fat wallet to visit. At Jeanne’s, they even have a dollar and five dollar retail area.
If the Schmidts know your preferences, they can keep your needs in mind. Jeanne’s Antiques is open from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday and from 10 am to 4 pm on Saturdays. They live right next door to their warehouse east of Crofton, so even if there are no vehicles around, be sure to stop by. For more information, call Donavon and Jeanne at 402-388-4631 or visit their website at jeannesantiques.com. Remember, to truly appreciate the collection at Jeanne’s Antigues, you have to see it to believe it.
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SantaLand, Creighton, NE - Creighton Area Chamber of Commerce
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Dec. 13, 2006)
If you want to get into the spirit of the holiday season, this year you have to bring your family over to Creighton, Nebraska for a visit to SantaLand in Bruce Park. SantaLand is Creighton's fantastic annual Christmas light display that runs throughout the month of December. In addition to a large number of outdoor displays, SantaLand also houses Santa's Workshop, where sixteen of Santa's motorized elves can be seen hard at work, preparing for Christmas. Visitors can even talk with Santa himself, and enjoy refreshments provided by local businesses.
The outdoor and workshop displays were donated to the City of Creighton in 1995 by local residents. Since the original donation, SantaLand has been set up and maintained by the Creighton Area Chamber of Commerce and the Creighton Area Ruritan Club, with the help of many other organizations and individuals. Setup usually begins the first weekend in November, with much of the work done by volunteers, with ages ranging from 5 to 82. In all, over 2,000 hours of volunteer work come together to make SantaLand a reality.
General operating costs and improvements to SantaLand are funded substantially by the donations of organizations, individuals, and visitors. Donations of any amount are graciously accepted, and will help make sure that others will be able to enjoy SantaLand for many years to come.
SantaLand's Drive-Through Hours through the end of December run from 6 to 10 p.m. If you want to visit Santa's Workshop during operational hours, stop by from 6:30 pm to 9 pm on Sunday through Thursday and 7 to 10 pm on Friday and Saturday. The workshop is open evenings until just before Christmas Eve, when Santa and his elves have to prepare for their big night.
For more information or to make a donation, please contact the Creighton Area Chamber of Commerce at 402.358.3737, or visit the web at farmtofamily.net, now powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
Remember, for the spirit of a real community Christmas, bring your family this evening to SantaLand in Creighton, Nebraska.
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Burbach Countryside Dairy - Hartington, NE - Dean and Lisa Burbach
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Dec. 21, 2006)
Milk lovers deserve glass. That’s what Cedar County dairy farmers, Dean and Lisa Burbach and their family of rural Hartington believe. They believe in the fresher taste of milk in a glass bottle so much that they recently opened their own on-farm bottling facility, taking their commitment to freshness to a new level.
In addition to having a retail country store at their Burbach Countryside Dairy, consumers can pick up Burbach’s glass-bottled milk from grocery and convenience stores in Sioux City, Yankton and Hartington and points in between.
The milk produced on the Burbach Dairy is hormone free and family farm fresh. Dean says that glass bottles preserve the real taste of the milk, it keeps the milk colder and therefore, it extends the shelf-life of the milk. Also, glass doesn’t absorb odors and other flavors.
The Burbachs and their seven children offer milk products including whole milk, 2 percent, 1 percent, skim and chocolate, to cover the tastes of all kinds of milk lovers. Their milk is also available in all kinds of different bottle sizes. The bottles are reusable too.
The Burbach family milks around 120 head of cows. They began dreaming of this venture four years ago, so they started doing their homework and came up with the bottling/processing facility plan. Their milk is all pastuerized and bottled in an on-farm FDA inspected facility.
Milk you purchase from Burbachs has been bottled within 24-36 hours of being produced. Now, that’s fresh!
So if you’d like to grace your meal tables with some of the country’s freshest milk, look for glass-bottled milk from Burbach Countryside Dairy. And if your local grocery store doesn’t carry their milk yet, ask them to. You can get more information about Burbach Countryside Dairy by visiting the web at burbachscountrysidedairy.com or farmtofamily.net, now powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
Remember, glass-bottled milk from the Burbach family dairy of rural Hartington is milk the way it ought to be.
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Dakota Farm Show, Vermillion, SD
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Jan. 8, 2009)
Before you dive into taxes and start mapping out plans for this year's planting season, take time to see the best of 2009 ag products and services at the 26th annual Dakota Farm Show in Vermillion Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, January 6-7-8. Admission and parking are free and the show runs from 9 am to 5 pm Tuesday and Wednesday and 9 am to 4 pm Thursday.
In the comfortable confines of the Dakota Dome on the University of South Dakota campus you'll be able to browse nearly 300 exhibits, the biggest sow yet. Every vendor will be showcasing some new aspect of agriculture. As you stroll through the show with neighbors and friends, you'll find a wealth of agribusiness professionals who are happy to share their expertise and answer questions.
You'll find over 1000 lines of equipment and services that include sprayers, dryers, tillage and planting equipment, high tech innovations, seed, tools, livestock handling and management, feed and fertilizer, health screenings, crop insurance, marketing consultants, and more! Some of the newest farm machinery and vehicles as well as landscaping and rural property management equipment will also be on display.
Take a few minutes to register at booth #100 for the brand new 2009 pickup that will be given away by the end of the show.
You'll find more details about the Dakota Farm Show when you visit farmshowsusa.com or farmtofamily.net, powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
Don't pass up this great opportunity to see a wealth of agricultural equipment and services – all at your fingertips at Vermillion's Dakotadome. Join thousands of other producers from the region and warm up to a brand new year in agricultural innovation at the 26th annual Dakota Farm Show in Vermillion, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, January 6-7-i in Vermillion, SD.
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Sioux Falls Farm Show - Sioux Falls Arena and W.H. Lyons Fairgrounds
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Jan. 18, 2007)
Sioux Falls is ready to salute agriculture with two great shows. The Sioux Falls – Sioux Emprie Farm Shows are set for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, Jan. 24, 25 and 26 at the Sioux Falls Arena and Convention Center, with livestock events scheduled for W.H. Lyons Fairgrounds.
The show runs 9 am to 5 pm on Wednesday and Thursday and 9 am to 4 pm on Friday. There is free coffee and rolls for ag producers from 8:30 am to 11 am each day. Don’t miss out on South Dakota State University Extension seminars in conference rooms 9 and 10 each day, with programs on SARE grants and growing wheat in Southeast South Dakota on Wednesday; Fertility Management and Continuous Corn and Grant and Livestock Marketing Outlook on Thursday; and Managing Row Crop Insects and Crop Weather Outlook for 2007 on Friday. Sioux Valley Hospital and University Medical Center sponsors health screenings each day in conference rooms 1 and 2. These include total cholesterol, glucose, Sahara Heel Bone Density and Blood Pressure tests.
On Thursday only, the South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council is sponsoring seminars in room 8 including a soil fertility and plant health for high yielding and quality soybeans program and the 100 plus bushel soybean system presentation. There are also DTN marketing seminars each day in room 7.
Livestock events run concurrently at W.H. Lyons Fairgrounds each day, starting with the ribbon cuttin at 4:30 pm on Tuesday, Jan. 23 and concluding with the draft horse pull at 6:30 pm on Saturday, Jan. 27.
Be sure to catch all the fine exhibits, drawings, displays and presentations that always accompany the annual Sioux Falls – Sioux Empire Farm Shows, running Jan. 24-26 at the Sioux Falls Arena and Convention Center and W.H. Lyons Fairgrounds.
Salute South Dakota agriculture at some of the state’s finest farm shows.
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Taste of Home Cooking School, Yankton, SD (605) 665-7892
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, March 8, 2007)
Be sure to bring your appetite to the Yankton Summit Activities Center tonight, March 8, for the Taste of Home Cooking School. The annual cooking school begins at 7:30 pm in the Summit Center Theater. Vendors booths open in the commons area at 5:30 pm.
There will be sandwiches and refreshments available from the HyVee concessions booth. Some of the folks sponsoring the show and displaying booths include JoDean’s Steakhouse and Lounge, Larry’s, Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio, Linda’s Angel Crossing, Country Cupboard Floral and Gifts, Home and Garden Party, Pampered Chef, Avon, Tastefully Simple, Tupperware, At Home America, Mary Kay Cosmetics, The Bag Lady and Farm to Family Connection.
Enter your best appetizer recipe and earn a chance to win a prize pack from Taste of Home Entertaining, plus the winning recipe will be featured in a future Taste of Home Cooking School magazine.
Tickets are available at HyVee in advance for $8 or you can pay $10 at the door. Don’t miss out on the cooking school of the year.
Learn more by visiting the web at kk93.com or farmtofamily.net, powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital. Get your tickets today and show up tonight for the Taste of Home Cooking School, at the Yankton Summit Center with vendors available at 5:30 pm and the cooking school starting at 7:30. See you there.
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Farm to Family Connection 3rd Anniversary Show
(Transcript for Farm to Family Connection 3rd Anniversary Show, March 1, 2007)
It was three years ago this week that Farm to Family Connection first went on the airwaves here at KK93 to tout the benefits of locally grown food, raised by family farmers living just down the road. Since then, we featured farm and ranch families, processors, market gardeners, farmers markets, artisans, farm and community-related events and activities, youth events, craftsmen, woodworkers and much, much more in 156 episodes.
That has been our goal from the start – to convey the real value of locally grown, processed and crafted food and products to local consumers. Locally raised food and farm products are good for the local economy and your purchase and support of the folks involved in these ventures boosts our regional communities, businesses, farms and ranches. Because, as you’ve heard us say many times, if you know your farmer, you know your food. So, c’mon, get out and seek food that is grown by the folks you know and spend your hard-earned dollars right here, in your own hometowns.
Be sure to visit our website – farmtofamily.net, powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital - for up to date information on where you can find almost anything you need. Soon, we’ll be adding recipes from the farmers we’ve featured as well as other tips for those looking for products just around the corner.
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Bloomfield Ruritan Exotic Bird and Animal Sale, Bloomfield, NE (402) 373-2454
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, March 22, 2007)
The Bloomfield Ruritan Club is set for the 20th annual Exotic Bird and Animal Sale, scheduled for this Sunday, March 25 at the Harms and Tulley Events Center on the Knox County Fairgrounds at Bloomfield, Nebraska. Sale cordinator, Ken Gil, expects over 100 consignors this year for the big event. Consignments begin at 7 am and the sale starts at 10 am. Typically, consignors represent scores of communities from five states.
All of the proceeds from the event go toward special projects in the region, accomplished by the local Ruritan. They provide assistance to families in need who have suffered disaster and they provide scholarships and other programs for the residents of the region.
The sale is run by volunteers, along with helpers from the local FFA and Boy Scout troop. Chuck Rasmussen, Marvin Hochstein and Daryl Peters are this year’s auctioneers.
The sale will consist of not only exotic birds, but hamsters, rabbits, ferrets, horses, donkeys, pigmey goats and much, much more.
If you’d like more information about how to consign animals, how to pitch in as a volunteer or how to learn more about the sale in general, contact Ken Gil at 402-373-2454 or visit the web at farmtofamily.net, powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
If you’re looking for a special pet or just for something unique and fun to do, bring the whole herd and flock over this Sunday, March 25 to the Harms and Tulley Events Center on the Knox County Fairgrounds at Bloomfield, Nebraska for the 20th annual Ruritan Exotic Bird and Animal Sale.
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Wagner Farm, Home, Garden and Recreation Show, Wagner, SD
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, March 29, 2007)
Spring is in the air, so get your family ready by attending the Wagner Farm, Home, Garden and Recreation Show, set for Friday, March 30, from 10 am to 7 pm, at the Wagner National Guard Armory along East Highway 46. There are nearly 40 vendors ranging for implement dealers, feed and farm supply, photography, farm manufacturing, health and family care, banking, household and home care, construction, recreation and insurance.
At 11 am, South Dakota Extension presents a seminar on emergency preparedness. From noon to 1 pm there is a workshop on Water Wise Gardening and Creating Beautiful Outdoor Living Spaces on a Budget. At 2 pm, there is a workshop on Grain Progressive Marketing. A session on Concrete Stamping starts at 3 pm and interactive science activities are set for 4:30.
Weather permitting, balloon rides will be available from Wayne Hajek of Tyndall starting at 4 pm. Food is available all day, supplied by the Wagner Good Samaritan Home Fun Bucks Committee. Local FFA chapters are sponsoring a crop competition and the Charles Mix Crop Improvement Association is hosting a Farmer Crop Show at the event.
The Wagner Farm, Home, Garden and Recreation Show is sponsored by the Wagner Chamber of Commerce. Don’t miss out on a single minute of the fun. Bring the whole family over to the Wagner National Guard Armory for a big day of activities, Friday, March 30 from 10 am to 7 pm. For more information, visit the web at farmtofamily.net, powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital. Support our local communities by visiting the Wagner Show this weekend.
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Ornaments For You - Fordyce, NE
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Apr. 19, 2007)
For the past sixteen years, Phil and DelRae Hilfiker of Ornaments for You have been producing hundreds of specialized concrete lawn ornaments from their farm two miles west of Fordyce, Nebraska at 888 Road along Highway 81. In fact, with over 350 molds, and several new creations, they maintain the largest selection of lawn ornaments in northeast Nebraska.
It all started out as a hobby with five molds. But their little hobby has grown into a full-fledged business venture. Phil does most of the pouring of the ornaments and DelRae does the painting. The finished poured product is allowed to cure 28 days before painting, DelRae says.
Their largest ornaments include a 900 lb. Moose, 800 lb. Buffalo or a 600 lb. Elk. Deer are among the most popular ornaments in their huge wildlife selection. They also make a large variety of religious statues and angels. One of the most popular memorial gifts is a 36-inch fairy angel. These have become popular memorials for funerals or on the occasion of the loss of a loved one, DelRae says. Along with customized benches with imprints of a Cross and roses for cemeteries and parks, that they can also make, these types of gifts serve as long-lasting memorials. They have a large variety of fountains as well.
While the Hilfikers don’t ship many of their ornaments because the shear weight of them makes it cost prohibitive, they did ship a statue to a church in Alaska and a vacationing couple from Texas took two pigs weighing 200 lbs. each home in the bed of their pickup.
Customers can leave the ornaments, fountains, statues or benches in their natural state or DelRae can custom paint them to the needs of the customer.
Their busiest seasons are Mother’s Day and Christmas, but you can stop by the Hilfiker farm anytime. Just watch for the huge selection of concrete ornaments on their place in front of the big white barn or behind their log house.
If you stop by and no one is around, leave a note or take one of their business cards from a box near their barn. You can call ahead at 402-357-3525 or email Phil and DelRae at ofy@gpcom.net. For more information on Ornaments for You and other on-farm businesses in our region, visit the web at farmtofamily.net powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
And remember, if you want something handcrafted with care to grace your home or to memorialize your loved ones, look to local folks you know and trust like Phil and DelRae Hilfiker of Fordyce, Nebraska.
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Mensch Greenhouse and Flower Shop, Avon, SD
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, May 17, 2007)
Mensch Greenhouse and Flower Shop along Highway 50 in Avon, South Dakota has been a source of high quality plants and nursery stock for local residents for decades. Carol says that their greenhouse always has a good stock of annual and perennial plants, flowers and vegetables. They also keep trees and shrubs on hand.
She says the greenhouse along with their flower shop truly take care of a family’s needs for a lifetime. They offer a wide array of floral arrangements for Memorial Day, including gravesite decorations of all kinds. They also can provide florals for all of the big events in a person’s life like weddings, anniversaries and birthdays and funerals as well.
They offer custom hanging baskets and planter arrangements, and pretty much anything you need for the garden and landscape around your home.
Mensch Greenhouse and Flower Shop is open year around and provides plants and flowers for all of your seasonal needs. They are open at 8 am Monday through Saturday and on Sundays from noon to 5 pm, depending on the season.
You can contact Mensch Greenhouse at 605-286-3638 or call them toll free at 877-887-6878. For more information on Mensch Greenhouse and Flower Shop and other places you can find locally raised food, plants and products, visit the web at farmtofamily.net, powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
And remember, if you want high quality plants for the landscape around your home and garden or the best in floral arrangements, go with a family you know and trust like Mensch Greenhouse along Highway 50 at Avon, South Dakota.
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Dakota Harvest Farm, Bob and Barb Corio, Jefferson, SD
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, June 28, 2007)
If you are looking for lamb to grace your dinner table, look no more. Bob and Barb Corio at Dakota Harvest Farm have been farming their piece of heaven on the flatlands near Jefferson, South Dakota for thirty years. Now they offer the finest grassfed lamb, produced from their Dorper hair sheep.
Dorper sheep are known especially for the tenderness and quality of meat and the Corios offer a wide variety of cuts as well as whole, halves and quarters during the processing months of March, July, November and December. Studies have also shown that meat from Dorper sheep has less shrinkage and when the lambs are finished on pasture and home-raised forage at Dakota Harvest Farm, the production methods translate into the best quality, healthful meat on the market.
Some of the Corio’s favorite cuts include leg of lamb, chops, shanks and ground lamb. Their frozen lamb cuts are available directly from the farm or at the Floyd Boulevard Organic Market at 5th and Floyd Boulevard in Sioux City or on Saturday mornings at the Floyd Boulevard Farmers Market, also in Sioux City.
In recent years, the family has added Dexter cattle to their operation and they plan to have Dexters available for processing by the fall of next year.
You can learn more about the Corios and their Dakota Harvest Farm Lamb by visiting the web at dakotaharvestfarm.com or farmtofamily.net, powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital. You can call at 605-966-5490 or email the farm at info@dakotaharvestfarm.com.
Remember, if you are looking for high quality, grassfed lamb, stick with the folks you can trust, family farmers like the Bob and Barb at Dakota Harvest Farm near Jefferson, South Dakota.
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Bridging the Shores Festival, Niobrara, NE
(Transcript for Farm to Family Connection, July 5, 2007)
Niobrara, Nebraska, where the Niobrara River flows into the Missouri, is one of the beautiful spots in northeast Nebraska. And the community is set to celebrate their annual Bridging the Shores Festival this weekend, July 6 through 8, honoring the construction of the Chief Standing Bear Bridge across the Missouri River to South Dakota.
Things get started this Friday, July 6 with the Niobrara Alumni golf tournament at 10 am. Friday evening there is an open-air dance at the civic center, beginning at 9 pm, with music by Tornado Alley. Proceeds from the dance go toward the community and the Niobrara Public Library. There will be fireworks at 10:30 and the Bridging the Shores King and Queen will be crowned at 11 at the open-air dance. There will be fun and drawings for cash prizes.
A Fun Run and Walk kick things off on Saturday, July 7, with registration at 7:30 am at the Niobrara Elementary School. There will be a Kid’s Coin Dig at 9 am at the Sage Brothers Memorial and a Sand Volleyball Tournament will begin at 10, also at the memorial.
The Rolling Thunder Car Show begins with registration at 8 am, with three places awarded in each class. Car Show Entries should enter Moody Motors north of Highway 12.
The Niobrara Alumni Reunion is set for Saturday evening, with registration beginning at 4 pm, a social hour at 5 pm, and banquet at 7 at the WFLA Hall. The alumni dance will follow the banquet.
A pancake breakfast kicks things off on Sunday, July 8 from 8 am to 11 at the Sage Brothers Memorial. There will be a community ecumenical church service at 9 am at the memorial. The big Calcutta and Alternative Vessel Regatta is set to begin at the town boat dock at 1 pm and it ends at the Chief Standing Bear Bridge. Finally at 1:30 pm there is a duck float and catfish races at the Standing Bear Bridge.
Get more information on individual events by calling Sharon Scott at 402-857-3838 or by visiting the web at farmtofamily.net, powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital. Bring the whole family for fun and entertainment to the Bridging the Shores Festival, July 6 through 8 at Niobrara, Nebraska.
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Ponca Tribe Powwow, Niobrara, NE
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Aug. 16, 2007)
Bring to whole family to the 14th annual Northern Ponca Powwow, set for Friday through Sunday, Aug. 17 through the 19th, along the Niobrara River, west of Niobrara, Nebraska. The Ponca Tribe of Nebraska welcomes everyone to join in their unique cultural celebration. Vendors, Drums, Dancers and spectators are all welcome.
Things get started with the blessing of the Powwow grounds tonight. Flag raising takes place each day at 9 am. On Friday, Aug. 17, a Fun Run starts at 5 pm. Grand Entry and dancing begins at 7 pm. Princess registration closes out at 9:30 pm.
On Saturday, Aug. 18, there will be dances all day, with Grand Entry scheduled for 1 pm and 7 pm, as well as the Princess Crowning Ceremony and Honor Dance at around 8:15 pm. A horseshoe tournament commences at 10:30 am on Saturday. Then on Sunday, Aug. 19, Grand Entry and dancing begins again at 1 pm.
Meals will be provided. Vendors will be on the grounds all weekend. Security and first aid as well as restrooms, running water and camping is available on the Powwow grounds. Admission is free.
The Ponca Tribe of Nebraska was situated at the time of Lewis and Clark along the Ponca Creek near what is now Verdel, in Knox County. They were eventually forcibly removed from their native northeast Nebraska to Indian Territory in Oklahoma. When the son of the great Ponca chief, Standing Bear, died in Oklahoma, the chief wanted to honor his son’s wishes and bring the remains of his son home to Nebraska to be buried. He and a small band suffered great hardship, but made it back to Nebraska. However, Standing Bear was arrested for leaving the reservation. The 1879 trial of Standing Bear and the historic decision handed down, allowed, for the first time, that Native Americans were considered "persons" under the law, and Standing Bear’s band was allowed to proceed.
Today, the Northern Ponca Tribe has membership of around 2500. Their Powwow is held this weekend on the tribal grounds, near their historic community building and cemetery, along the Niobrara River, west of Niobrara. For information about the Northern Ponca Powwow, call Gary Robinette at 402-857-3519 or visit the web at farmtofamily.net, powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
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Spirit of the Plains Magazine, Yankton, SD
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Sept. 6, 2007)
The enduring threads of Christian faith are abundantly interwoven with the rich and colorful history of the northern plains states that were born out of vast and rugged territories over the past 125 years. An abundance of charming and aged country churches scattered throughout nearly every community in the area are a touching reminder of this important element of life that pioneers from many countries brought along with their determination to establish a new home here.
Preserving and documenting that diverse spiritual legacy from the states of North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska, is what Spirit of the Plains Magazine is all about. Spirit of the Plains is published four times a year and features the personal faith stories and inspirational writings of individuals from this area.
Founder of the Christian publication, Loretta Sorensen, is a South Dakota native and longtime journalist with a passion for showcasing the intricate depth and color of the people of this area. In addition to writing for a wide variety of publications, Loretta has acquired a master's degree in journalism, established her own publishing business, Prairie Hearth Publishing, and has co-authored the autobiography of a Tyndall man. For the past seven years, she has presented writing workshops, and offered inspirational and motivational talks throughout the area. In June 2005 she established the magazine's headquarters in Yankton and began providing four issues of the publication every year.
The very first copies of this one-of-a-kind magazine combined an inviting slice of history, inspiration, and insight through the interesting and diverse articles. That pattern has continued to be evident in every issue.
One of the most valuable elements of the magazine is the opportunity it provides for area writers and speakers to share their Christian essays, poetry, and devotional writings with others. The unique flavor and insight found in works from the area blend well with the mission of the publication.
Stories in the magazine focus on how faith played in the lives of individuals who struggled with illness, spiritual growth, loss of a loved one, and many other life situations. One of the favorite feature of subscribers is the church history article that is included in every issue. The church feature outlines the unique highlights of the church's history and illustrates how the congregation is blending their treasured traditions with the needs of the world around them today.
Each magazine also includes a review of a current Christian book, devotional materials, church event news, and many other features.
The magazine is subscription based. More information about it is available on the website at www.spiritoftheplainsmagazine.com, by calling Prairie Hearth Publishing at 605-260-2487 or toll free at 1-800-576-7959.
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Missouri River Outdoor Expo, Ponca State Park, Ponca, NE
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Sept. 20, 2007)
There is nothing around quite like the hands-on outdoor activities planned for the 2007 Missouri River Outdoor Expo, set for this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 22 and 23 at Ponca State Park.
According to park superintendent, Jeff Fields, this year’s expo is better than ever, a great way to celebrate the heritage and natural beauty and wonder of the Missouri River and the outdoors in our region. There will be a new "shooter’s village" with opportunities to try out firearms from several national sporting manufacturers. The new splash dogs national dog jump competition will surely be a crowd favorite.
There will be over 75 demonstrations with hands-on experiences like canoeing and kayaking, camping, fishing, hunting, trapping, outdoor cooking, wildlife art, outdoor survival, wildlife viewing, bird dog training, firearm safety, game calling, hunter ethics, fly fishing, outdoor photography, conservation history, habitat stewardship, shooting sports and much, much more.
National outdoor cook, Cee Dub will demonstrate dutch oven cooking and sausage making. Henry Doorly Zoo is sponsoring live animal demonstrations, and there will be free guided hayrack shuttles to venues through the beautiful fall foliage of Ponca State Park. Manufacturer’s representatives will be on hand from Avery, Zink calls, Browning, Pure Fishing, Beretta, Buck Gardner, Game calls, Final Approach, Benelli, Remington, Weatherby, Sport Dog, DT Dog Training and many others.
This year’s event will even feature Federal Duck Stamp artist, Mark S. Anderson. Heritage sponsors for this year’s event are Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Scheels, Interstate Batteries, Pheasants Forever and KTIV Channel 4.
Bring the whole family over the Ponca State Park, along Highway 12 just one half hour northwest of Sioux City at Ponca, Nebraska, for the 2007 Missouri River Outdoor Expo. All events are free and open to the public. A Nebraska Park Entry permit is required. For more information, contact Ponca State Park at 402-755-2284
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7th Annual Cowboy Christmas, WJ Ranch, Fordyce, NE
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Nov. 27, 2008)
Schiferl's WJ Ranch – just a few miles south of Yankton – is renowned for Western entertainment, horse clinics and the WJ Ranch Cowboy Christmas. Their 7th annual holiday event is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, November 29 and 30. On Saturday, from 10 am to 6 pm and Sunday 10 am to 5 pm, you'll find a delightful display of country style gift items that will lasso the heart and mind of anyone who loves country and cowboys. With no admission charge, the entire family can enjoy the trip.
You'll find unique and exciting arts and crafts from over 40 vendors, all arranged in an inviting unique country setting. Of course, you must take time to enjoy a buggy ride, complete with jingling sleigh bells and sip some hot cider, coffee or cold refreshments to usher the entire family to into the Christmas spirit. Kids can enjoy the day too with pony rides and special crafts.
Craft items range from log furniture, stained glass, rope baskets, stitchery, primitives, photography, Western artwork, handmade soaps, candles, jewelry, horsehair creations, Christmas décor, garden décor and birdhouses, quilting, metal artwork, cowboy poetry books, country wood, clay, jams and jellies, food gifts and much, much more.
At WJ Ranch's Cowboy Christmas you can't help but find the real spirit of Christmas during this country, nostalgic, old fashioned Christmas event.
So plan to set out for WJ Ranch, located seven miles south of Yankton on Highway 81, and a half mile east on 892 Road on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 28 and 29, for their 7th annual Cowboy Christmas. You can shop and enjoy the ranch's rural setting from 10 am to 6 pm on Saturday and 10 am to 5 pm on Sunday. For more information, contact the Schiferl family at 402-357-2102 or visit their website at schiferlswjranch.com. Another inviting way to celebrate the Farm to Family Connection.
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Candlelight Christmas, Hartington, NE
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Nov. 13, 2008)
All the warmth and wonder of a country Christmas season can be experienced in Hartington, NE, at their annual Candlelight Christmas celebration on Friday, November 21 as the community gathers to offer an abundance of holiday experiences and fun.
This popular event, sponsored by the Hartington Chamber of Commerce, includes business open houses throughout Hartington, beginning at 4 pm. The Hartington Library will host several artists, including Paul Heinz and the Coleridge Wood Carvers from 5:30 to 8 pm. Living Christmas scenes will be exhibited in several store fronts, beginning at 6 pm. At 6:30 pm, the youth choir will offer Christmas carols on the steps of the city auditorium. Local clergy members will gather to present some comments about the true "reason for the season" at 6:45.
Nissen Winery will offer wine tasting opportunities and several stores will be holding grand opening events. 4 to 6:30. A holiday bake sale, sponsored by Holy Trinity Catholic Church will be held in the auditorium from 5:30 to 9.
All the preliminary activities lead up to the main event, the annual, one of a kind, Lighted Vehicle and Machinery Parade, beginning at the south end of Broadway by the schools. Following the parade, Santa will arrive and be available at the Senior Citizen Center to visit with the kids till 9 pm. For the convenience and enjoyment of shoppers and visitors, Hartington stores will remain open late.
It you would like to participated fin the Lighted Vehicle and Machinery Parade, just come to the south end of Broadway to line up. Candlelight Christmas has garnered numerous Nebraska Tourism awards as a unique, family-friendly community celebration, aimed at bringing the true, hometown Christmas spirit to light. Plan to bring your entire family to Hartington for their annual Candlelight Christmas, Friday, November 21. A warm and wonderful way to celebrate the Farm to Family Connection!
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Fresh Garland, Wreaths and More by Jody, Yankton, SD
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Nov. 15, 2007)
Christmas is a special time of year and to truly enjoy it, you need special accents around your home. There is nothing like the fresh scents of real Christmas greenery. Now you can take fresh holiday roping, wreaths, memorials, trees, and custom arrangements by Jody, home with you to spruce up your place for the holidays.
At her new location this year at Cottonwood area, north of Lewis and Clark Lake Marina west of Yankton, Jody is a veteran at making Christmas special for area families.
She has four kinds of greenery available to work with, providing for the perfect fresh custom-made holiday gifts for your home or for special loved ones, especially those spending Christmas in the hospital or in a nursing home.
Jody specializes in custom arrangements, using traditional fresh greenery, pepperberries, holly and mistletoe. If you’re looking for a special gift for the person who has everything, Jody suggests trying one of her fresh mailbox huggies, or if you just need 25 feet of fresh roping, be sure to stop by her lakeside Cottonwood store.
Jody can use heirloom pots, baskets and planters to make a unique arrangement that will be especially designed for your home. She also designs heart-shaped memorials or cross memorials this time of year.
Load up on fresh greenery, wreaths, garland, roping and decorations for your household or the homes of your friends, relatives and other loved ones by stopping by to see Jody at the Cottonwood area north of Lewis and Clark Lake Marina west of Yankton, on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 23 and 24, to jumpstart your Christmas decorating plans. You can call Jody for more information about custom-designed fresh Christmas wreaths, roping and more at 605-660-4726 or visit the web at farmtofamily.net, powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
Remember, if you want fresh greenery, decorations, custom arrangements or Christmas wreaths and roping adorning your home this holiday season, let Jody bring the Christmas spirit to your family.
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Nissen Wines, Bow Valley, NE
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Aug. 28, 2008)
Some of Nebraska's best wines, cultivated by the Nissen brothers on the rolling hills of Cedar County, will be featured in the free wine tasting event over the Labor Day weekend at the Nissen Wine vineyard. If you haven't experienced Nissen Wine, take time between 10 am and 6 pm on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or Monday August 29th through September 1st, to sample their products.
The Nissen vineyard is 8 miles north of Hartington, right on Highway 57, or one-quarter mile south of the Highway 12 and Hwy 57 intersection.
The Nissens also cultivate stone fruits which they use to create specialty fruit wines. The Nissens began planting their first commercial grapevines on the Nissen family farm in 2003. After considerable research and toil, they harvested their first major crop and fermented their first wines in 2006, utilizing four major grape varieties.
The grape varieties the Nissen's use for their wines includes Frontenac, which offers a dry lightly-oaked wine with a black cherry aroma. St. Pepin is used in the Nissen's popular Roselyn's Blush and LaCrosse is the foundation for their Mystic vintage. Two new wines will be introduced at the free tasting event. Chancellor, a dry red and Blue Moon, a semisweet white.
You can also find Nissen Wines at Scott's Packaged Liquor in Hartington, Yankton’s Hy-vee and Bar 7, Flowers and Wine in Wayne, Sudbeck Service in Bow Valley, the St. Helena store, JB's in Bloomfield, Rath Mini Mart in Laurel, and Hy-vee in Columbus and South Sioux City.
So don't miss this free wine tasting event which will be held throughout the Labor Day Weekend at the Nissen Wine vineyard. Stop in between 10 am and 6 pm on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, August 28th through the 31st. You can learn more about Nissen Wines by contacting them at 402-254-3426, visiting their website at Nissenwines.com or by visiting farmtofamily.net, powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital. Nissen Brothers Wine – excellence you can taste and a wonderful way to savor the Farm to Family Connection.
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M and J Originals, Sioux Falls, SD
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Dec. 13, 2007)
If you are looking for one of a kind Christmas gifts for your children this year, look to M and J Originals, for toys and play clothing perfect for kids of all ages.
Marge and Jerry Sylvis of Sioux Falls, design and handcraft play tee pees of all sizes. Of all of the items they make, Marge says that the Native American tee pees are the best sellers. They market five and six foot tee pees, with decorative Indian designs, including a good luck buffalo on the door flap. These are fashioned after traditional Lakota tee pees. They are sturdy and fold down quickly for fast set up and takedown. They are ideal for naptime, play time, daydreaming or reading.
They also sell six-foot denim tee pees with patriotic décor, including flags with red, white and blue emblems or whimsical designs, including embroidered animals on four sides and balloons on the back. Marge and Jerry haven’t forgotten your pets, because they offer a pet tee pee as well, complete with an artificial fur floor and suspended from a curved PVC frame.
M and J Originals has been making toys, tents, tee pees, playhouses, costumes, stick ponies and other playthings with Native American themes, since 1983. M and J Originals Indian costumes are made from a brown buckskin-like fabric trimmed with fringe. They are available in sizes: x-small, small, medium and large.
They make feathered headbands that can be personalized with your child's name at no extra charge. M and J ship nationally and even internationally, so you can have your order shipped just about anywhere you like. You can place your order today by calling Marge and Jerry of M and J Originals at 605-338-4069 or visit our website at farmtofamily.net, powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
For that unique, handcrafted Christmas gift that your children will remember for years to come, contact M and J Originals of Sioux Falls.
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Cooking Gone Wild Cookbook from Outdoorsmen Adventures, Hartington, NE
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Dec. 20, 2007)
A cookbook is a cookbook, right? Actually, that statement is wrong. Because a new cookbook called "Cooking Gone Wild", produced by Gary Howey and his popular Outdoorsmen Adventures, is something entirely unique that you would come to expect from Gary.
Howey’s Outdoorsmen Adventures TV has been on the air for 12 seasons, producing some of the finest outdoor action for audiences across the country. This award-winning program is syndicated across the nation, touting the adventures of Team Outdoorsmen, a group of the finest anglers, hunters and outdoor speakers, writers and enthusiasts.
"Cooking Gone Wild" cookbook produced by these same folks, is packed with the finest, high quality, tried and tested wild game recipes gathered from across North America, from Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. It also contains several breath-taking samples of the work of nationally acclaimed Sioux Falls, SD wildlife artist, Mark Anderson, whose most recent accolades come from his 2005-2006 Federal Duck Stamp of the Year.
There are also great hunting and fishing tips from the folks who know the outdoors, Team Outdoorsmen Adventures members. These things all make "Cooking Gone Wild" one of the finest wild game cookbooks to come along in a very long time, providing a great addition to the cookbook collection for any family who loves the outdoors.
You can obtain autographed copies of "Cooking Gone Wild" by sending a check or money order for $12.95 plus $5.99 shipping and handling to: Cooking Gone Wild, P.O. Box 354, Hartington, NE 68739. For more information on this great new cookbook, visit the web at outdoorsmenadventures.com or farmtofamily.net, powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
Remember, if you’re cooking wild game this season, get "Cooking Gone Wild" for your cookbook collection.
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Sioux Falls and Sioux Empire Farm Shows, Sioux Falls, SD
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Jan. 17, 2008)
Two great farm shows, the Sioux Falls and Sioux Empire show, will salute agriculture again this year on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, January 23, 24 and 25 at the Sioux Falls Arena and Convention Center, with livestock events held at the W. H. Lyons Fairground. Livestock shows begin at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 22 and run through Saturday evening, January 26.
The shows are open 9 am to 5 pm Wednesday and Thursday and 9 am to 4 pm on Friday. Livestock event schedules begin at 8 am Wednesday through Friday and 6:30 am on Saturday. Show details are available at farmshowsusa.com
Ag producers are invited to enjoy free coffee and rolls from 8:30 to 10 am each morning at the convention center throughout the show. The show will be made up of a wealth of fine exhibits, drawings, displays and presentations.
This year's South Dakota State University Cooperative Extension Service Seminars will be held each day from 1 to 2 pm in Conference Rooms 9 and 10. Wednesday's seminar will feature Land Values and Flexible Cash Rent; Thursday, Grain and Livestock Market Outlook; and Friday, Crop Weather Outlook for 2008.
Sanford Health will offer a variety of screenings at reduced or no cost during the show, including no fast glucose and blood pressure
.Livestock events at the WH Lyons Fairgrounds will include a swine show, Angus and Red Angus, Simmental, Hereford, Charolais, Limosin, feeder heifer, market lamb, rabbit and judging shows. A Pony Pull will be held Saturday at 6 pm nd a Draft Horse Pull begins that evening at 6:30 pm.
You can find more details about the show schedules at farmshowsusa.com or visit farmtofamily.net, powered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital.
So make sure you're ready to head to the Sioux Falls Arena and Convention Center January 23, 24 and 25 and the W. H. Lyons Fairgrounds January 22 through 26 to enjoy one of South Dakota's finest farm shows.
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Lewis and Clark Sport Show, Yankton, SD
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Feb. 14, 2008)
Area sportsmen will want to aim at catching as much fun as possible this weekend during the three-day Lewis and Clark Sport Show at the Yankton Mall sponsored by KK93. The action starts this Friday, February 15, as the show runs from 5 pm to 9 pm. The show opens again 10 am to 5:30 pm Saturday and 11 am to 5 pm Sunday.
Boats, ATVs, motorcycles, campers, trucks, small tractors, scooters, and more will take over the Mall and no matter what sport has hooked you, you'll find something about it at the Lewis and Clark Sport Show this weekend.
Of course, once you start dreaming about you'll use that new boat, camper or motorcycle you're eyeing, you'll want to begin planning your summer vacation! The Shannon Trail folks will be on hand during the show to help you review the wealth of tourism information about recreation opportunities in northeast Nebraska. They can help you identify details about the places you want to visit and things you want to do that are right in your backyard.
If you've been wondering how to serve up the game you bagged this past season, you'll want to take time to stop and visit with Outdoorsmen Adventures personality, Gary Howey. Gary will be signing copies of his recently released "Cooking Gone Wild Cookbook." You'll find more than 300 of the best wild game recipes Gary and his colleagues have collected over the years. The book also contains hunting and fishing tips, wildlife artwork, and Team Outdoorsmen Adventure photos.
So get this weekend in your sights and make sure you get your fair share of the excitement at the Lewis and Clark Sport Show at the Yankton Mall Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The event is sponsored by KK93 and more information is available by calling 605-665-7892.
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Avera Sacred Heart Medical Clinic
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Feb. 28, 2008)
Excellent health care: it's a crucial element of life in any community and Hartington, NE, has been fortunate to have a quality medical clinic in their community for over 40 years.
Since 1962, primary care was provided in Hartington by Dr. Charles Vlach, a popular physician who cared for generations of families in northeast Nebraska. In 1997, Avera Sacred Heart Hospital purchased Dr. Vlach’s clinic and the name changed to the Avera Sacred Heart Medical Clinic.
The Hartington clinic now employs two family physicians, Dr. Steven Vlach, the son of Dr. Charles Vlach, and Dr. Connie Micek, as well as a nurse practitioner, Tonya Joachimsen. In addition, there are nine people on staff including three nurses. As part of Hartington's home town health care team, the providers offer services in the clinic six days a week - 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday and 9 a.m.-noon on Saturdays.
Dr. Connie Micek also provides prenatal obstetric care and delivers babies at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital – truly caring for your entire family for generations.
And because the clinic is Avera-owned, they benefit from the regional partnership of health professionals who share support services to maintain excellent care at more than 229 locations in eastern South Dakota, northeastern Nebraska and surrounding states.
To make an appointment, call 402-254-3935. For more information, check out our "Wellness from Avera" page on this website.
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Central States Scrap Recycling, Coleridge, NE
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, March 6, 2008)
Are junk metals, downed trees or deteriorating buildings cluttering up your farm site or acreage? Central States Scrap Recycling in Coleridge can help you clear it out. They specialize in developing a plan to clean up whatever you may find is in your way.
Dead trees and downed limbs can pose a hazard for livestock grazing in an area where tree trunks and limbs are scattered. Central States Scrap Recycling will come in and remove scrap wood in either a pasture area or an entire windbreak.
They are experts in demolishing and removing buildings ranging from small sheds to large metal buildings. If you've already demolished a building and need to remove cement foundations, Central States Scrap Recycling will work out a plan that suits your individual need.
In order to remove accumulated scrap metals, Central States Scrap Recycling will work with you to customize a plan suited to your site. That plan could include removing trees or taking other steps necessary to access the metals that need to be removed.
If you're working to contain scrap metals so they can easily be disposed of from time to time, Central States Scrap Recycling can provide you with rolloff containers that serve as a handy way to collect scrap materials.
For any cleanup plan they develop, Central States Scrap Recycling will give you the option to decide what you want them to dispose of and what you want to keep. If you want to give your your farm site, rural home or community residence a brand new look, call Central States Scrap Recycling in Coleridge at 402-283-9209 today!
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Celebrate Women, Yankton, SD
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Apr. 3, 2008)
It's a women's night out! And the Yankton Press and Dakotan is proud to offer this evening of food, fun and entertainment for the fourth year. Celebrate Women will be held Thursday, April 3 at the Riverfront Event Center from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. This year's tickets are already sold out, but you'll want to consider reserving the evening for next year's event.
If you already purchased your ticket, you'll be able to enjoy a unique and uplifting message from Pat McGill, an energizing and engaging educator from northwest Iowa. Pat will share her special presentation, "Be Seated," a lesson in chairology that's developed around the many stages of women's lives and the people who've sat beside them through those experiences and seasons.
As part of the presentation, the Yankton women's and children's shelters have organized a raffle for the chair that Pat will use. It has been inscribed by a talented area painter with inspirational quotes. Proceeds from the raffle will help support Yankton's women's and children's shelters.
Organizers of Celebrate Women say the event is intended to offer women an opportunity to refresh their spirits and rejuvenate their minds as they gather to share good food, fellowship, and uplifting activities. Vendors offering products and services especially for women will also be on hand.
The Yankton Press and Dakotan is pleased to offer Yankton and area women this opportunity to gather for good food, entertainment, and an opportunity to support a local charity. This year's Celebrate Women will be held Thursday, April 3 at the Riverfront Event Center from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tickets are already sold out, but make sure you mark your calendar for Celebrate Women in 2009. It's an opportunity you don't want to miss!
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Avera Sacred Heart Medical Clinic – Crofton, NE
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Apr. 10, 2008)
Excellent health care: it's a crucial element of life in any community and Crofton, NE, has been fortunate to have a quality medical clinic in the community for more than a decade.
Responding to a need in the community of Crofton, Avera Sacred Heart Hospital, Yankton, opened the Avera Sacred Heart Medical Clinic in Crofton in 1995.
Jamie Miller, Nurse Practitioner, is the main health care provider at the clinic with physician oversight from Connie Micek, MD, at Hartington’s Avera Sacred Heart Medical Clinic. In addition to Jamie, Helene Hegge, RN, and Charlene Schmadeke, MLT, are also members of the Crofton clinic staff. As part of Crofton's home town health care team, the providers offer services in the clinic from 8:30 to Noon and 1:30 to 5 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
And because the clinic is Avera-owned, they benefit from the regional partnership of health professionals who share support services to maintain excellent care at more than 229 locations in eastern South Dakota, northeastern Nebraska and surrounding states.
To make an appointment, call 402-388-2343.
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River Rose Restaurant – Yankton, SD
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Apr. 17, 2008)
The River Rose Restaurant. It’s a delightfully unique eating establishment where an elegant but informal atmosphere greets patrons at the door and savory and distinctive menu choices tantalize tastebuds. A variety of tasty soups, sandwiches, entrees, and desserts can make it difficult to know which item to select.
Many River Rose menu items are made from scratch with wholesome, healthy ingredients, yet provide a modern day taste. No matter which delicious choice you make, you’ll enjoy a genuine, home made taste known to revive memories of the goodness found in your grandmother’s kitchen.
It may be nearly impossible to resist sampling the homemade breads and pastries baked right in the River Rose ovens. However, diners can also select a nutritious and satisfying meal from the salad bar that features a variety of delectable vegetables that will surprise your palate.
If you’re searching for a distinctive location for a special party or event, there’s no more enchanting or romantic setting than the River Rose. Whether it’s a graduation party, birthday, anniversary or one-of-kind celebration, the food and accommodations offered by River Rose can meet your need.
And, of you’re looking for an extraordinary way to express your appreciation for your mother on Mother’s Day, call today to reserve a table at the River Rose.
No matter what the occasion, if you want to share some time with someone special or treat yourself to a relaxing and lovely experience, come to the River Rose Restaurant at 214 W Third Street in Yankton. Lunch is served Monday through Saturday from 11 am to 2 pm and dinner is served Friday and Saturday from 5 pm to 9 pm. For more information or to reserve a party or Mother’s Day meal, call 605-260-ROSE, that’s 605-260-7673. Make River Rose your special place.
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Hartington 125th Celebration, Hartington, NE
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, May 15, 2008)
Four days of celebration will mark the city of Hartington's 125th anniversary as they celebrate the humble 1883 beginning of what has become a jewel of a community in northeast Nebraska.
Festivities begin Friday, May 23 with a wagon train, ladies luncheon, steak fry and parade. Community tours, library exhibits and the opening of a time capsule are all part of Friday's excitement. The Celebrate Freedom Parade of Lights will begin at 9:30 p.m. in Felber Park and travel along Main Street.
Saturday's lineup includes a Fun Walk and 5K run, Golf tournament, craft fair, a Rediscover the Past parade, and outhouse races. Cedar Catholic will host alumni programs and banquets and a 7 pm street dance with Small Town Fire and Go Figure headining will be held downtown.
Sunday kicks off with morning church services, a Q125 Appreciation breakfast at the KC Hall and an all-day car show. Throughout the day, a variety of activities will include a Volleyball tournament, horseshoe tournament, craft fair, bingo and more. At 1 pm, firemen will provide a water fight downtown while a plowing bee begins at the Bob Eickhoff farm one mile west of Hartington. Sunday is also Youth Day at the Hartington Athletic Complex. Events start at 2 pm and include Ping Pong Ball Drop, kids parade, Penny Scramble, etc. Heritage booths and historical displays will open at 2 and judges will award prizes for attire and beards following the kiddie parade. Evening events include a fireworks display at the Rec Complex at 9:30 pm.
Monday's schedule includes morning Memorial Day Services followed by a 1 pm Q125 Appreciation BBQ at the Skylon.
Details on all the events are available at www.hartingtonq125.com or by calling 402-254-6547. Don't miss this opportunity to join Hartington and Cedar County residents as they commemorate their heritage.
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Spruce Up Your Yard Program, Yankton, SD
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, May 29, 2008)
Do you have a gray rocky crater occupying space on your lawn that makes you and your neighbors cringe with horror every time it catches your eye? Or foliage that’s taken on a life of its own and threatens to overtake the creative landscaping you’ve worked so hard to develop? Or maybe a yard fence that would even be rejected by the producers of "Green Acres?"
Whatever eyesore is afflicting your yard, turn it into an opportunity with the "Spruce Up That Spot In Your Yard Contest." Entering the contest is as simple as e-mailing a snapshot of that dilapidated area to news@kynt1450.com. Or bring your picture into our KYNT Radio Station at 202 W 2nd Street in Yankton.
If your photo is selected as the contest winner, you’ll receive just what you need to "Spruce Up That Spot." Yankton Nurseries at 2000 Ferdig will develop a garden design just for you! They’ll provide bushes or trees valued at $400 and a selection of plants valued at $300 to help redesign your yard.
Stockmen’s Trailer Sales will present you with a Toro Variable Lawn Mower and Yankton’s Tractor Supply Company will provide a two-cycle Yardman Weedeater.
Plus! Wireless World will present you with a Blue Tooth Headset to make it easy for you to keep in touch while you’re working on your lawn or in your garden.
So grab your camera and snap away! Yankton Nurseries, KYNT, Stockmen’s Trailer Sales, Yankton’s Tractor Supply Company and Wireless World are all waiting to help you "Spruce Up That Spot in Your Yard!" Contact us today! What do you have to lose besides the worst looking spot in your lawn!
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St. Rose of Lima Parish Centennial, Crofton, NE
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, June 19, 2008)
Members of Crofton's St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church are taking time this weekend for a fond look back over the 100-year history that saw them establish both an enduring and faithful congregation and a school where children are tutored in both academics and spiritual principles.
The public is invited to join in the festivities that begin on Friday with 5:30 pm volleyball tournament. A flag raising ceremony on Saturday is scheduled for 8 am and everyone will have the opportunity to purchase souvenirs and look over several displays that include antique machinery, museum items and quilts.
The 5K Run/Walk also begins at 8 am Saturday, followed by the St. Rose School Open House and Alumni Gathering from 9 to noon. The open house will feature school tours, drawings, memorabilia and more, with coffee and refreshments. At 10 am the parade begins, followed by horse and buggy rides and photo opportunities provided by Memories Forever.
Afternoon activities begin at 1 with a Horseshoe Tournament and Beer Garden. Old Time Youth Games begin at 1:30 and a 2:00 fashion show will be followed by a wine and cheese party. Father Tim Lange will provide a recital at 4 pm and Mass begins at 5:30.
Saturday evening's Open-Air Concert will feature Choir of Fire, Tonic Sol Fa, Youth Band, a parish video, Beard Judging, and the Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow Band.
On Sunday, the displays and souvenir shop open at 9 and Mass with the Archbishop begins at 10:30. A centennial dinner, which is available by reservation only, begins at noon and a Centennial Program will be held at 1.
A full schedule of events is available at www.strosechool.us/centennialparish.htm. Make plans now to join members of Crofton's St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church to take part in this joyful reminiscing and celebration of the rich heritage of the church and community. Another unique opportunity to enjoy our region's Farm to Family connection.
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Yankton Riverboat Days, Yankton, SD
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Aug. 14, 2008)
You don't have to sail along the Missouri to find your silver treasure this weekend. Just come on over to Yankton and enjoy a dazzling three days at Yankton's 25th Riverboat Days, the Silver Treasure, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, August 15, 16 and 17. There are dozens of activities and endless sights to delight and captivate any age and nearly any interest.
All the fun begins Friday morning at 8 am with the opening of the Center and many events scheduled throughout the day. The weekend, just like the riverboats of days gone by, only picks up more steam as the hours progress.
In addition to great musical entertainment provided by The Dweebs and Ba Ha Brothers, you can enjoy Brule' and Airo, the Golden Knights, Jim Peitz aerial show, a master paper cutter who can cut better pictures than anyone can draw, and dozens of amphitheatre performances. More than 150 art and food vendors will set up in Riverside Park where you can experience Friday night's fireworks, face painting for the kids, old West re-enactors and a Tractor Promenade on Sunday afternoon.
You'll find a quilt show, craft shows, carnival rides for the kids, hot air balloon rides, a magician, clowns, an arm wrestling tourney, bench lifting contest, Car show and Poker run, children's parade, ecumenical choir, Fascar Classic, Mount Marty College 5K RunWalk, a rodeo and water fight competition. And don't forget Saturday morning's extraordinary parade!
If you're coming from out of town, the Riverboat Days Committee has taken all kinds of steps to ensure you find parking, have a bus to reach your destination and can find your favorite art vendor.
Yankton's 25th Riverboat Days, a Silver Treasure, it all happens Friday, Saturday and Sunday, August 15, 16 and 17. Find a complete schedule of activities and information at riverboatdays.com – Don't miss this fabulous celebration and arts festival – all part of the Farm to Family Connection
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WJ Ranch Presents Red Seagull, Menominee, NE
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Aug. 7, 2008)
From rodeos to concert tours and fairs, conventions, radio, and television, Western Music Hall of Famer, Red Steagall, has done it all. And now you can catch his very entertaining presentation at Schiferl's WJ Ranch, seven miles south of Yankton, on Saturday, September 6 at 8 pm. Advance tickets are $25 and $40 at the door.
A native Texan, Red has nearly 40 years experience as a recording artist, songwriter and television and motion picture personality. Although he's known for his Texas Swing dance music and songs such as "Here We Go Again" and "Party Dolls and Wine," he is respected and admired by Texas cowboys for the quiet times they've spent with him around chuck wagon campfires. If you ask Red where his favorite place to play music is, he's liable to say some lonesome West Texas cow camp.
Red wrote the title song to the National Finals Rodeo telecast and has recorded over 200 other compositions. He has 26 consecutive records on the national charts and released a total of 20 albums, the latest, entitled Wagon Tracks, in the fall of 2002.
For the past 30 years, Red has performed an average of 200 days per year, including over 100 major rodeo performances and fair appearances. He's a regular on NBC's Music Country USA and has appeared on Hee Haw and Nashville on the Road. He authored two books, Ride for the Brand and The Fence that me and Shorty Built.
So don your hat and boots, saddle up and stroll on over to Schiferl's WJ Ranch, just seven miles south of Yankton, on Saturday, September 6 at 8 pm. Advance tickets are $25 and $40 at the door. Learn more about Red at schiferlswjranch.com and don't miss this one-of-a-kind opportunity to celebrate the Farm to Family Connection!
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Yankton Ribfest, Yankton, SD
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Sept. 11, 2008)
Historic Downtown Yankton’s 2nd Annual Rockin’ Ribfest gets underway Saturday, September 13 at 11 am and runs through 11 pm. The event is free from 11 am to 5; after that the admission cost is $2/person. The ribfest is sponsored by Historic Downtown Yantkon and First Dakota National Bank. In addition to seven bands, the day will feature twice as many food vendors as last year, a larger Kids Playland area and twice as many contestants in the ribbers contest.
This year’s categories include a Sweet N Tangy Level, Hickory Smoked Level, and Fire Starter Level.
Featured bands include:11:00 am - 12:20 pm Bill and Monte
12:30 pm - 1:50 pm Kings of Oblivion
2:00 pm - 2:30 pm Rust
3:35 pm - 5:00 pm Mike and Jay
5:15 pm - 6:45 pm Dakota Musical Featuring Jose Alonzo
7:00 pm - 8:50 pm Snakebeard Jackson
9:10 pm - 11:00 pm Go Figure
This Yankton community and end-of-the-summer event will be held in Historic Downtown Yankton on Cedar and Capital streets. and offers something for everyone. It’s a classic rock concert, rib lover’s paradise and a great one-day family event.
Historic Downtown Yankton’s 2nd Annual Rockin’ Ribfest gets underway Saturday, September 13 at 11 am and runs through 11 pm. The event is free from 11 am to 5; after that the admission cost is $2/person. The ribfest is sponsored by Historic Downtown Yantkon and First Dakota National Bank. The 2nd Annual Rockin’ Ribfest – one more great way to celebrate the Farm to Family Connection.
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Avera Sacred Heart Medical Clinic, Crofton, NE
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Sept. 4, 2008) Avera Sacred Heart Medical Clinic congratulates Nurse Practitioner Jamie Miller and her husband Mark on the birth of their second son, Cole, who will join big brother Jack at home in Bloomfield.
The clinic also is pleased to announce that regular clinic hours have resumed as of September 8 with hours from 8:30 a.m.-Noon and 1:30-5 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and from 8:30 a.m.-Noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The clinic had been observing scaled back hours while Jamie was on maternity leave.
Other exciting news from the clinic is the addition of the "Clubhouse." The Avera Sacred Heart Medical Clinic staff has given one of its examination rooms an extreme makeover to transition it into a pediatric room.
The "Clubhouse" was redecorated by staff – Jamie Miller, NP; Helene Hegge, RN; and Charlene Schmadeke, MLT – at the clinic. The walls resemble a tree house and there is a special treasure chest in the room with surprises for the kids.
"Our goal was to make all patients as comfortable as possible and that includes children," Miller said. "We all hope the scenery will help children and their parents feel more at ease and alleviate any fears they may have."
Open since 1995, Avera Sacred Heart Medical Clinic in Crofton is your hometown health care team. Call 388-2343 for appointments or more information.
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St. Helena 150th Birthday Celebration, St. Helena, NE
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Aug. 21, 2008)
St. Helena, Nebraska, is celebrating its 150th anniversary Sunday, August 31st with a fun day the entire family can enjoy.
Established in 1858, St. Helena was an important river port. Riverboats used the fine rock landing to transport people, materials, and supplies to the area. Abundant natural resources and location of the river enticed many to settle in St. Helena which soon became a booming frontier town and county seat. The 1881 flood brought great trial and tremendous change to the entire region, altering the channel of the Missouri River away from St. Helena. Soon afterward, the county seat moved and St. Helena lost importance. Today, St. Helena is an active rural community, and the oldest incorporated town in Cedar County.
The 150th celebration begins at 8 am in St. Helena with the Bow Valley Forester breakfast, a volleyball tournament, craft show, paintball target shoot, old-time photos, and chainsaw artist. A special 9 am mass will commemorate the event. The 12 noon parade will be followed by a presentation and award ceremony. The afternoon will feature badminton and horseshoe tournaments, carnival type games, church and cemetery tours, a military display, antique car and equipment show, horse and buggy rides, log sawing contest, and a kiddie tractor pull, with food and concessions served throughout the day. The day’s entertainment includes a history room, history presentation by Roger Tryon, hot-air balloon launch, chainsaw sculpture auction and drawing, talent show, and fireworks display at dusk. The Outback Band will provide music starting at 3 pm, followed by Small Town Fire at 5 pm. The Neo Johnsons Band will close the day’s activities with a 10 pm performance on the ball field.
Take advantage of this opportunity to celebrate the heritage of St. Helena and northeast Nebraska on Sunday, August 31st by joining the community in recognizing their 150th anniversary. It all starts at 8 am.
For more information about the event, contact Vic Paltz at 402-357-2163. Another great celebration of the Farm to Family Connection.
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Missouri River Outdoor Expo, Ponca State Park
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Sept. 18, 2008)
Along the banks of the picturesque Missouri National Recreational River in the 2,400-acre Ponca State Park, the 2008 Missouri River Outdoor Expo will once again feature hands-on exhibits, seminars and demonstrations on Saturday and Sunday, September 20th and 21. The expo is open 9 am to 6 pm Saturday and 9 am to 4 pm Sunday.
Whether your interest lies in fishing, hunting, game calling, camping, outdoor and game cooking, or a dozen other outdoor sports, you'll find activities designed just to help you enjoy and learn more about your sport.
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Scheels All Sports and other organizations are teaming together to provide the 4th Annual Missouri River Outdoor Expo.
The weekend event is designed to inform, educate and recruit new members into the outdoor community. It also often rekindles interest of those who once enjoyed outdoor activities.
Families and people at all skill levels, from novice to seasoned outdoor enthusiasts, will find opportunities to learn and participate in hands-on activities, like the Splash Dog event where dog owners can introduce their dog to the water. Vendors will showcase some of the newest outdoor products from a broad range of sports. The art show and sale will feature well known wildlife painters, wood carvers, taxidermists and the Splash Dog touring dog jump competition will feature national leaders in this event as well as providing opportunities for local dogs to show off their abilities.
Among activity options are shooting sports, dog training; outdoor cooking; camping in RVs or tents; hunting; fishing, trapping, boating, golf, wildlife close-up and activities for hikers and riders.
Complete details are available at the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission website.
So take time to enjoy nature, beautiful Ponca State Park, and become acquainted with or learn more about some of your favorite outdoor activities. For additional information, call 402-755-2284 and enjoy the 2008 Missouri River Outdoor Expo on Saturday and Sunday, September 20th and 21. .An excellent way to enjoy the Farm to Family Connection.
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Harvest Dance, Utica, SD
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Oct. 23, 2008)
It's a great harvest dance under a big, bright harvest moon. That's the Utica Harvest Dance Saturday, October 25 at the Utica Dance Hall. From 9 pm to 1 am, Outback Band will begin providing toe-tapping music for this special event.
The five-member Outback Band is a professional Country-Variety band who enjoys the people they entertain as much as the music they perform. Young and old alike will find a pleasing variety of music performed by band members who use their combined 120+ years of experience to provide a memorable evening of entertainment.
Proceeds from the dance will be used to fund several of Utica's community projects, including construction of a new picnic shelter and providing playground equipment at the Utica school.
Helping make Utica a better place to live has always been a priority for many citizens. Harry Arnsdale was one of Utica's most famous residents. He came to Utica as a hobo, riding the train. He liked what he saw there and decided to stay. His only possessions at the time were a comb and clippers so he started cutting hair. He also established a pool hall called the Lumbago Inn, since he suffered from lumbago. It's now known as Marv's Bar.
Harry provided free movies for the town and built the area's first lighted baseball field. He embodied the true, caring spirit found in small, rural South Dakota communities. Founded in 1893, Utica is more than 115 years old and will show everyone a good time at the Harvest Dance.
So make plans now to attend great harvest dance under a big, bright harvest moon. That's the Utica Harvest Dance Saturday, October 25 from 9 pm to 1 am at the Utica Dance Hall, featuring Outback Band. Another great way to celebrate the Farm to Family Connection.
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Wausa Lockers, Wausa, NE
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Oct. 30, 2008)
Residents around Wausa, Nebraska in Knox County are pretty proud of their Swedish heritage. So it's no wonder that one of the customer favorites to come out of Wausa Locker is Swedish potato sausage and Swedish meatballs. These specialty items are the hit of the community's annual October Smorgasbord. But for Wausa Locker, that's only the beginning.
This hometown meat processor is one of the few USDA inspected facilities in Northeast Nebraska. So a good share of the family farmers direct marketing meat products around this region have their animals processed at Wausa.
LaVonne and the crew at Wausa Locker aim to please their customers. They of course offer their own hot dogs, regular and green onion brats, cured pork chops, hams, breakfast sausages and many other specialty items. If you're looking for a half or quarter hog or beef to process, they can help you locate local family farmer offering those products. They will also help customers decide how they want the animals processed, what products might suit an individual family and how it should be packaged for the customer's personal convenience. Along with custom processing, they also offer locker rentals and process elk, buffalo and boned out deer in season.
For the folks at Wausa Locker, supporting area family farmers and serving area family consumers are the reasons they're around. All the meat products they offer in their meat case come from animals raised locally by family farmers in the region, so it's food you can trust.
Wausa Locker is located at 516 E. Broadway, on the south side of Highway 84 in downtown Wausa. They're open daily during the week and until noon on Saturdays. You can call LaVonne for more information at (402) 586-2882 or learn more about Wausa Locker on the web at farmtofamily.net.
Show your family how much you care. Get the best quality food there is, raised and processed locally by folks you can trust. Another great way to enjoy the Farm to Family Connection!
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Fresh (Roping and Wreaths) - Jody Brady, Yankton, SD
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Nov. 20, 2008)
On today's Farm to Family show, we're putting family first because family is always first at the Fresh Wreath House. In her second year at the Cottonwood store location, north of Lewis and Clark Marina at the lake, Jody Brady is putting all the creative skills she's developed over the past 20 years to work to help make Christmas a special time for area families. Her son Beau was born the year she began making Christmas décor. To celebrate his birthday and this milestone, Jody is offering wreaths, crosses and candy canes with a single bow or 25 feet of balsam roping for just $20. You can call Jody at 605-660-4726 for information about the Fresh Wreath House.
In Jody's hands, traditional fresh greenery, pepperberries, holly and mistletoe become a striking holiday design that will enhance any holiday decor. If you need a special gift for the person who has everything, one of Jody's fresh mailbox huggies could be the perfect choice. These also work well as a memorial at the cemetery.
Everyone's favorite decoration, the "Prairie Wreath," composed of pheasant feathers, pine cones, pepperberries and dried apples is available in four different sizes.
Jody makes it easy to jumpstart your Christmas decorating plans and fill all your needs for fresh greenery, wreaths, garland, roping and decorations for any home by stopping in to see her at the Cottonwood area north of Lewis and Clark Marina at the lake. The Cottonwood store is open year-round and offers homemade pizza, treats, hot drinks or adult beverages which you can enjoy while you shop. Jody is open this weekend, November 21 and 22 and every weekend through December 15. For more information, call her mobile number at 605-660-4726 and let Jody help bring the Christmas spirit to your family. The Fresh Wreath House – a delightful and fragrant way to celebrate the Farm to Family Connection.
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Farm to Family Connection - Schedule Your 2009 Program Today
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Dec. 25 and Jan. 1 - Merry Christmas and Happy New Year)
Local farmers, family businesses and rural entrepreneurs in northeastern Nebraska and southeast South Dakota all face a common challenge: how to market unique and high quality products and get them into the hands of people who are searching for them. That's what Farm to Family Connection is all about.
Anyone who's lived in a small town or rural area for any length of time knows working cooperatively to help each other is a deeply rooted rural America tradition. Farm to Family Connection, a locally produced radio program that airs right here on KK93 /KYNT was born out of that tradition.
Our directors know there are healthy, quality food products grown right in our backyard that are available fresh off the farm, through farm stands, farmers markets, online sales, home delivery, local grocers and other outlets.
We also know there are many area residents who want to purchase locally raised beef, pork, lamb, poultry and eggs, buffalo, elk, honey, wine, milk, cheese, fruits, vegetables and much more. Folks would also appreciate knowing about local eating establishments that feature locally raised food on their menus, farmers markets, caterers, grocers and other institutions that offer local food and products.
That's why, every week, we bring you information about a farmer, family business or rural entrepreneur producing the products you're searching for. You can also learn about local farm festivals, fairs, rodeos and other types of rural events. In the four years we've been on the air, more than 125 different farms, rural and home-based businesses, small towns and festivals have been feature on our show.
That's the kind of content you can expect to continue to enjoy throughout 2009. If your product or business hasn't been featured yet, a simple call to 605-665-7892 will put you on our schedule for the New Year. From all of us at Farm to Family Connection, have a blessed Christmas and prosperous New Year as you continue to celebrate our areas Farm to Family Connection.
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Avera Yankton Foot and Ankle Center - Yankton, SD
(Transcript from Farm to Family Connection, Dec. 18, 2008)
Painful feet not only restrict physical mobility and hamper the joy of life. Foot pain can lead to serious medical problems if not properly diagnosed and treated. No matter what kind of foot pain you’re experiencing, Dr. Terry Pedersen and Dr. Ben Olsen at Avera Yankton Foot and Ankle Center can help.
Heel pain, ingrown toe nails or foot and ankle injuries are among the problems that can be medically and surgically treated at the Center. Winter weather and icy walkways can lead to broken bones, tendon tears, bumps and bruises, even frostbite. With the care provided by these trained and true specialists, you’ll once again enjoy a quality life.
The Avera Yankton Foot and Ankle Center works in conjunction with a fully staffed hospital and surgery center to provide the utmost in care. Their staff makes scheduling an exam easy, with walk-in visits and same day appointments available and welcome. Whether you experience rheumatoid symptoms, sports medicine injuries or pediatric concerns, you’ll find excellent care at Avera Yankton Foot and Ankle Center.
For those with diabetic health needs, Drs. Pedersen and Olsen can fully treat the diabetic foot and ankle, both medically and surgically, including wounds and ulcers. They provide a full line of diabetic shoes and inserts and assist patients in determining if supplies qualify for Medicare reimbursement. Custom shoes are also available through the Center.
Don’t wait one more minute to schedule your appointment and step into the New Year with a healthier stride. You’ll also find Dr. Pedersen, Board Certified Physician, and Dr. Ben Olsen at satellite clinics in Vermillion, Wagner, Tyndall and Hartington. Hours are 8 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday. Call toll free at 1-877-256-8973 or 605-668-8601. Call today for a healthy way to enjoy the Farm to Family Connection.
