Our Featured Stories

Sentinels of summer

Scott Anderson stands among his sunflower field Sept. 10 near Alexandria. Anderson raises sunflowers, corn, soybeans and alfalfa.

HOFFMAN — Scott Anderson and his son, Colin, grow a variety of crops on the 2,500 acres they farm near Douglas, Grant and Pope counties. There is one crop, though, that brings more smiles …

Trying times

Jerrod, Aria (front) and Nicole Quade gather May 10 at their home near Paynesville. In November 2025, Jerrod was involved in a tractor accident while working on a snow blade with his neighbor; he spent a month in Hennepin County Medical Center before being transfered to the inpatient rehabilitation unit at CentraCare-St. Cloud Hospital.

PAYNESVILLE — Down a long dead-end driveway, just outside of town, Jerrod and Nicole Quade have an 11-acre farm with a few horses and a couple of cows, in hopes that one day, their daughter, Aria, …

Tiegen's Pumpkin Patch grows from tradition

Larry Miller (from left), Butch Friedel, Greta, Gwenda and Gregg Tiegan gather Sept. 17 at Tiegen’s Pumpkin Patch roadside stand near Byron. For 25 years, Gwenda Tiegen and her family have run Tiegen’s Pumpkin Patch with the help of extended family and friends.

BYRON — Picking pumpkins, making straw men and hanging up seasonal decorations have always been Gwenda Tiegen’s favorite parts of fall. Now, she is sharing that passion with visitors who return …

Rain, wind, floods impact state’s southern farmers

Rising water levels cover a bridge Sept. 19 by Jason Schwarz’s farmland near Fountain. Despite numerous heavy rainfalls, Schwarz hopes his crops will yield well and be of good quality.

FOUNTAIN — During the third weekend of September, many southern and southeastern counties got hit with heavy rain and flash flooding, with some areas receiving around 6-9 inches of rain. For farmer …

Perfect puppies

Brian Sjaaheim holds one of his Bernedoodle puppies Dec. 17, 2025, at Golden Hill Doodles in St. Joseph. Sjaaheim began breeding dogs in 2016 and made it his full-time business four years later.

ST. JOSEPH — Brian Sjaaheim’s journey toward becoming a dog breeder was not entirely his plan. Having established Golden Hill Doodles, though, it has been his favorite career so far, raising …

Meating customer needs

Deb Anderson waves from the beef bin as the sun begins to set Jan. 7 at Colfax Farms south of Belgrade. The beef bin is self-serve and stocked by the Anderson family.

BELGRADE — For years, the Anderson family — Dale and Deb Anderson and their son and daughter-in-law, Justin and Mandy Anderson — have been ready to try new things with Colfax Farms. One of …

Accessible organic for all

Larry Schultz holds a carton of eggs Dec. 17, 2025, in his retail store in Owatonna. Schultz is a chicken farmer who raises and distributes eggs from his farm and collaborating farms.

OWATONNA — Larry Schultz has been part of growing and distributing organic or naturally-raised eggs his entire life. “I never believed that you had to be rich to afford organic,” Schultz …

Good stories over love songs

Cori Kennedy stands on the stage of “The Voice” July 7, 2025, during the “The Blind Auditions Part 3” Episode 2803 in Universal City, California. Kennedy, a country singer, taught herself both piano and guitar.

When a New York talent scout reached out to rural West Concord native Cori Kennedy about singing on “The Voice” after watching one of her TikToks that had 200 views, she thought it was a prank. …

Country Acres

Eni rests in the vineyard Sept. 25 at Wooden Link Vineyard near Barrett. Kevin and Sigourney Wehrs harvested 40,000 pounds of grapes this year.

Legacy lives on

BARRETT — A 12-acre vineyard producing seven varieties of grapes is giving two Minnesotans a future as winemakers. Kevin and Sigourney Wehrs own and operate Wooden Link Vineyard in Barrett, …

Across the Acres

Nate & Tiffany Jenniges Garfield | Douglas County What do you stock your shelves and freezer with before winter and what is your method for doing that? Our freezer is mostly stocked …

An ear of popcorn and its bagged final product are displayed at Schueler Farms Sept. 21 near Willmar. The Schueler family grew a couple of rows of popcorn for years before deciding to grow more
to sell.

A natural pop

WILLMAR — Whether it be through beef, eggs or grains — including popcorn — Schueler Farms aims to bring people food that is closer to home and nature. As they join their family’s 122-year …

Showmanship starts young

RUSHFORD — Paul Bartsh has led a life revolving around agriculture. Working with cattle is what he knows best thanks to the environment he was raised in. To this day, Bartsh remains an advocate for …

Kirk Stensrud pauses Aug. 21 at The Round Barn Farm near Red Wing. The Stensruds own and manage a 112-year old historic round barn gathering venue and bed and breakfast.

Dancing in the hayloft

RED WING — Ten years ago, Kirk Stensrud and his wife, Wendy, were restless. The couple — whose children had moved out and left them empty nesters — lived and worked in the Twin Cities. Yet, …

Pete Thome holds a baby pig Sept. 17 at Thome Family Farms near Adams.The Thomes work with local packing plants to consistently market and manage hogs, providing premium
pork.

Stewardship on all sides

ADAMS — Matt, Pat and Pete Thome work together as brothers at the helm of Thome Family Farms, a family-owned hog operation that stretches across rural Mower County and neighboring Iowa and …