Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, May 21, 2013 at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Cold Spring, MN for Richard C. Schramel, age 82, who died Saturday at his home surrounded by his family after a brief battle with cancer.  Burial will be in the St. Boniface Parish Cemetery.

Relatives and friends may call from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m., Monday, May 20th at the Wenner Funeral Home in Cold Spring.  Parish Prayers will be at 7:00 p.m. followed by a rosary with Catholic United Financial.  Visitation will continue from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m., Tuesday morning at the funeral home.

Richard was born in Collegeville Township to Michael and Frances (Ruprecht) Schramel.  He married Virgillett Kammers on August 30, 1955 in Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Richmond.  Richard served in the U.S. Army from 1952 – 1954.  He was a farmer and worked road construction until his retirement.  He enjoyed dancing, playing his concertina, auctions, camping, going to the casino, tinkering, and caring for his lawn.  Richard especially loved spending time with his children, grandchildren, and his dog Riley.

Survivors include his wife, Virgellett; children, Judy (Dave) Ruegemer of St. Joe, Linda (Dave) Schreifels of St. Cloud, Ken (Ann) of Cold Spring, Gene (Shelly) of Cold Spring, Ruth (Perry) Mistry of Los Gatos, CA, Jim (Mary) of Clear Lake, Doug (Carri) of Cold Spring, Dean of St. Joe, Amy (Josh) Rogahn of Otsego; siblings, Clarence (Cecelia), Eldred (Nora), Rita Anderson, Lucille Guck, and Hildegarde Benda; 19 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Joan; parents, and sisters, Marie Aune and Ledwina DeWenter.

Arrangements are with the Wenner Funeral Home in Cold Spring, MN.

The post Richard C. Schramel, 82 appeared first on Dairyland Peach.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 21, 2013 at Mary of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Rockville, MN for Jerome F. Bechtold age 86 who died Thursday.  Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Monday in the church.  Parish prayers will be at 8 p.m. Visitation will continue Tuesday from 9:30 – 10:45 a.m.  Arrangements are with the Wenner Funeral Home in Cold Spring.

Jerome was born May 3, 1927, in Waite Park, Minnesota, to Albert J. Bechtold and Clara (Weyer) Bechtold.  He married LeMay Wagner on August 18, 1948, in Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Nashua, Montana.

Jerry farmed near Rockville and was active in conservation work and local politics his whole life.  He was on the Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District since 1957 and served as the board chairperson for 20 years, was a member of the Rockville Township planning commission, was active in the National Catholic Rural Life Conference, and with LeMay, co-chaired the St. Cloud Diocesan Rural Life Committee.  He was a member of Mary of the Immaculate Conception parish in Rockville.  He served in the U.S. Army from 1945 to 1948 in the Pacific during World War II.

Survivors include his wife of 65 years, LeMay of Rockville, and his children, Karen (Bernie) Koltes of Albany, Brigid of Plymouth, Barbara (John Tomaro) of Juneau, Alaska, Stephen (Helen) of Blackduck, Mary Ruth of Fort Peck, Montana, Gregory, Mark, and Roger of Rockville, Joyce of Ellicott City, Maryland, and Timothy (Karen Knudsen) of Missoula, Montana; brothers, Philip (Marie) of Covina, California, Cletus (Monica) of St. Joseph, and Alphonse (Betty) of Sauk Rapids, and brothers-in law, Leander Meyer of St. Joseph, J.F. (Arlys) Wagner, and Phil Boerschinger of Billings, Montana, Roger (Laura) Wagner of Nashua, Montana, and David (Dixie) Wagner of Towner, North Dakota.  He is also survived by 19 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren, his aunt, Sally Weyer of Sartell, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his son, Michael, in 1973; his sisters, Dolores Meyer and Rosemary Warnert; his brothers-in-law, Robert Warnert, Hugh Wagner, Phillip Wagner, Richard Wagner; his sisters-in-law, Mary Margarette Hanson, Therese Anne Wagner, and Damaris Boerschinger, and his great-grandson, Waylon Beard.

Memorials are preferred to the Post-Polio Support Group or a conservation initiative of your choice.

The post Jerome Bechtold, age 86 appeared first on Dairyland Peach.

Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 23 at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Sauk Centre with Rev. Todd Schneider officiating. Entombment will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Alexandria, Minnesota following the luncheon. Military honors by the Sauk Centre United Veterans Honor Guard.

Friends may call 1 hour prior to the service at the church.

Edmund Steven Motzko was born August 17, 1920 in Browerville, Minnesota to Bert and Tresa (Drayna) Motzko. Butch served in the U.S. Army during World War II and participated in the liberation of Gardelegen, Germany. He was united in marriage to Harriet JoAnn Halstead on January 14, 1947 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Alexandria, Minnesota. The couple lived in Alexandria until 1958, when they moved to Sauk Centre. Butch worked at Wonder Bread for many years and was the truck driver for Hostess cakes. He also worked at St. Michael’s Hospital in shipping and receiving until his retirement in 1975.

He was a member of St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Sauk Centre, American Legion Post 67, Paul F. Donart VFW Post 2853, and was a former Alexandria Fire Fighter. Butch enjoyed golfing and hunting.

Butch is survived by his children, Steve (Kay) Motzko of Becida and Mary Kay (Terry) Keenan of Pennock; six grandchildren, Matt (Misty) Motzko, Stacie (James) Goodrich, Joe (Lauren) Motzko, Katie Keenan, Kristie Keenan, and Kevin Keenan; six great-grandchildren, William, Logan, Landon, Greta, Sammy, and Morgan; brother, Jerry Motzko of Roseville; and sister, Marie Sherlin of Glenwood.

He was preceded in death by his wife, JoAnn Motzko on November 25, 2009; infant great-grandson, Luke Motzko; parents; and sister, Appy Aga.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Arrangements were made with Patton-Schad Funeral & Cremation Services of Sauk Centre.

The post Edmund S. “Butch” Motzko, 92 appeared first on Dairyland Peach.

Mike Middendorf asks his British White bull, Tugboat, to pose for the camera. In the foreground is one of this year’s new calves, Precious. She is a twin who is being bottle-fed to bond with the family.

With the exception of six months’ active duty with the National Guard, Mike Middendorf of Sauk Centre has farmed his entire life.

He grew up on a dairy farm three miles northeast of town and brought his wife, LaVonne, home there when they married in 1970. They raised six children, all of them still in Minnesota.

Middendorf sold the homesite of the old farm in 2005, when he and his wife moved to a home owned by their daughter, near the farm.

“We kept the farmland, about 300 aces,” he said.

Middendorf hcompleted the transition to organic production in 2000. He was encouraged by his daughter Kim to go organic to increase his cash flow.

“With organic milk, I had a more stable market — it didn’t fluctuate so much,” said Middendorf. “You have to make a living and feed your family.”

The majority of organic dairy farmers cross-breed their cows for hybrid vigor, he said. His dairy cows were Jersey, Ayrshire and Swedish Red crosses.

During the dairying years, Middendorf dabbled with various beef cattle.

“I had some Gelbvieh cattle, a breed that originated in Germany,” he said. “They have a good disposition.”

He later acquired a British White bull and some calves. “They interested me — they were unusual,” he said. “They are another breed with a good disposition.”

He had his eye on selling breeding stock, but at one point didn’t have enough feed for both dairy cows and beef cattle. The British White were sold so he could concentrate on his dairy operation. Then, the dairy springer market went bad, and he turned back to beef.

“When I decided to go back to beef, I wanted British Whites again,” he said. “I believe their meat is more tender than other breeds.”

In 2012, Middendorf added Tugboat, an 8-year-old bull, to his herd of British Whites. Tugboat has such a gentle temperament, Middendorf had no trouble helping him pose for a photo.

Eight steers will be ready for slaughter in 2013, with 12 being prepared for 2014.

This year will be Middendorf’s “maiden voyage” selling his beef at the St. Joseph Farmer’s Market. If the Avon market gets off the ground this year, he will be there as well.

His granddaughters, 12-year-old Madi, 11-year-old Brielle and 10-year-old Molly, have taken an interest in some aspects of the farming operation. They named a set of twin calves born this year.

Cinnamon has remained with her mother, but Precious was taken by Middendorf and bottle-fed.

“She was so little that she spent her first two weeks in the heated shop,” he said.

Middendorf’s bull mastiff, Lucy, adopted the calf, cleaning her and sleeping with her. Now, Precious runs right over when she is called.

Middendorf grows hay, corn, small grains and red clover. Most of that goes to feed the cattle, although the second cutting of red clover is left until fall, when it is combined for seed.

Cattle are not the only producing interest on the farm this year. For the first time, Middendorf tapped 60 of his maple trees and ended up with 40 gallons of maple syrup.

“I’ve always thought about doing it; it was on my bucket list,” he said. “This year, it only took 30 gallons of sap to produce one gallon of syrup. It was a really good year.”

To get started, he bought used taps and pails and built his own evaporator. He anticipates having to build a bigger evaporator next year, and will be acquiring a reverse osmosis machine.

His granddaughters were the enthusiastic recipients of the first maple syrup.

“I had cooked some down, and we had pancakes on Saturday and French toast on Sunday,” said Middendorf. “They thought it was so good.”

None of Middendorf’s children farm, but he has a hunch that when he is ready to retire, his son will step in. But that won’t be for a while yet.

“I’m still learning,” Middendorf said. “We’re never done learning.”

The post Mike Middendorf continues lifelong learning with British White cattle appeared first on Dairyland Peach.

Avon’s Lakeside Craft Retreat is a home remodeled for scrapbooking and quilting groups, family reunions and others to be refreshed and renewed by quiet, relaxing time away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Linda Ertl carefully chose the decorating scheme in each room, including sewing the quilts in this bedroom.

By Jennie Zeitler, Staff Writer
jennie.zeitler@ecm-inc.com

Linda Ertl has enjoyed several quilting retreat weekends in the past few years, many of them at a popular location in Alexandria. The last time she arrived there she was told it would be her last stay.

“They were closing. I wondered where I would go,” she said.

Weeks later, at the end of a rough day at work and with thoughts of a calm retreat in her mind, she told her husband, Chuck, that she was going to buy a house and open her own retreat.

He heard her.

At breakfast soon after, he was looking through the paper for nearby open houses, and Ertl was pleasantly surprised.

“We spent the weekend looking around at open houses,” she said. “He took me seriously.”

It wasn’t until two Saturdays later, when Ertl wasn’t home, that her husband spotted an open house ad at 1:40 p.m. for an event which ended at 2:30 p.m. He rushed over and found what is now known as Avon’s Lakeside Craft Retreat.

The house was built on 1.3 acres by area contractor Jim Sand in 1985, with thick walls and deep windows. It had been on the market for about six years.

“It was perfect; our home is paid for, and we had a good down payment,” Ertl said.

The Ertls rolled up their sleeves for some cleaning and remodeling. Each of the five bedrooms was painted. The ground floor bathroom was gutted.

When it came to decorating, Ertl called the owner of the soon-to-be-closed retreat center in Alexandria and asked about the furnishings.

“She quoted me a price, and it was too good to pass up,” Ertl said.

Ertl got five twin beds as part of the furnishings package, and bought six more twins and one full bed. She found a dining set the right size, and stocked the kitchen cupboards with dishes, kettles, appliances, cooking utensils and an extra coffee pot.

The three-season porch overlooking Upper Spunk Lake was filled this spring with a half-price set of furniture reduced from last season.

There is a bedroom with two twin beds on the main floor with a three-quarter bath across the hall. Upstairs are four bedrooms and two bathrooms.

The former two-car garage was transformed into a brightly-lit craft room stocked with supplies for quilting and scrapbooking. There is a large refrigerator in the room and a large-screen TV.

The fireplace with access to both the living room and dining room has a gas insert. There is a fire pit near the lake and a dock.

The center is licensed for 12 people to stay overnight, with eight cars allowed in the driveway.

Bed linens and towels are provided.

An open house was held over deer hunting season opener in November 2012, with the first booking the following weekend.

A group of four friends from Becker and Elk River recently spent a scrapbooking weekend at the retreat.

“It’s our time to catch up with everyone,” said Cindy Karey. “We try new recipes, talk, sleep, make cards and just be friends.”

“We laugh a lot,” said Mary Strack.

The group heard about the retreat by “word of mouth in the scrapbooking world,” Karey said.

A group of siblings aged 62 – 84 will be gathering for a weekend in July, near the time of their late dad’s birthday.

Ertl and her craft group, which includes her mother-in-law, spent a few weekdays at the retreat, just relaxing. The Ertl family will be coming together for a family reunion in July.

“It’s nice to sit out on the porch with a cup of coffee, maybe put a puzzle together,” she said.

The main floor bathroom also opens onto the porch, which makes for easy access while spending time outside.

Ertl’s husband has continued to be an active supporter of the retreat.

“He promotes this more than I do sometimes,” she said.

The fee for Friday through Sunday is $600 for up to five people. Each additional person is $100 for the weekend. Extra days can be added to the weekend for $40 per person.

For more information, call (320) 363-4944 or visit www.avonslakesidecraft
retreat.com.

The post Retreat home welcomes groups to lakeside in Avon appeared first on Dairyland Peach.

Mitchel and his parents, Bob Niehaus and Deb Mies-Niehaus, heard about the scholarship opportunity through Bob’s employment at Arvig, which donates to the scholarship fund every year. “When I saw the announcement in our internal newsletter, I knew this was something Mitchel should apply for. He’s a smart kid. I’m a proud dad,” Bob said.

Not only has Mitchel kept an impressive 3.9 GPA throughout his high school tenure, but he has managed it while participating in a plethora of activities in the classroom and out in the community. From Student Council and National Honor Society to band, tutoring and helping the elderly, this three-sport athlete is a model student and citizen.

“[He] is ready for college and all the responsibilities that go with that next step,” his high school principal, Chad Doetkott, wrote in his letter of recommendation for Mitchel’s application. “Mitchel is truly an outstanding individual whose leadership and physical presence will be greatly missed here at school when he graduates in May.”

Mitchel plans to continue his studies at St. John’s University this fall, where he was recruited to play football. “We could not be more excited for Mitchel’s bright future,” said David Arvig, vice president/chief operating officer of Arvig. “It’s great to see our employees’ kids succeeding and taking advantage of the opportunities available through the company.”

The Bob Adkisson Scholarship award was given to five high school seniors, including Mitchel, this year. Applicants must be immediate family members of an owner, board of directors member, manager or employee of a WTA Category I or Category II Member Company. The scholarship was established in memory of Bob Adkisson, former president of GVNW Consulting, Inc., who passed away in 2003.

Arvig is a full-service telecommunications provider. In addition to high-speed Internet access, television and phone service, Arvig also provides computer repair services, business telephone systems, security and more. The local office is at 224 Main Street East in Melrose. Call 218.584.4227 or visit arvig.com for more information.

The post Melrose’s Mitchel Niehaus earns scholarship through Arvig appeared first on Dairyland Peach.

Celebrate June Dairy Month by entering the “I Dairy^ou to Cook!” recipe contest. Enter an original recipe that includes your favorite dairy products including milk, cheese, yogurt and/or ice cream. The three categories include main dish, snack/appetizer and dessert. Contestants can enter in a maximum of two categories and must include the recipe and a photo with each entry. Short video entries are also allowed, but not required. The entry form is online at the event organizer’s blog – Put A Fork In It, at www.a4kinit.blogspot.com. Photos and videos should be sent to dairyoutocook@gmail.com.

Three finalists will be chosen from each category to compete in the live championship tasting round to be hosted at the St. Cloud Area Farmer’s Market on June 8. Their prepared recipes will be judged by a panel of area celebrity judges. There will also be a ‘virtual’ People’s Choice championship round hosted online for those who do not live near the St. Cloud area but wish to enter. Winner of the People’s Choice round will be announced June 30, 2013.

Prizes will be awarded to a winner in each category at the live tasting event. An over-all champion will also be chosen for the grand prize. Entries will be accepted at www.a4kinit.blogspot.com from May 1, 2013 until May 31, 2013.

The “I Dairy^ou to Cook!” recipe contest is organized by an individual who is a dairy farmer, cheese lover and blogger from central Minnesota. All prizes are donated by area sponsors, who will be showcased at the championship event.

The post ‘I Dairy^ou to Cook!’ recipe contest seeks entries appeared first on Dairyland Peach.

Planting a tree seems simple. Dig a hole the size of the root ball, place the tree in the hole, and water, right? Not entirely. Here are a few tips for success for correct tree planting.

Remember, planting a tree is a long term investment, so the extra effort put into planting now, can alleviate headaches later.

First off, take special care when transporting plants from the nursery. The proper vehicle, a truck or trailer, can reduce the possibility of injury from loading and unloading. Protect leaves and needles from the sun and wind by wrapping or covering while in transit. Cushion stems and branches from injury.

Always tie the plants down securely and avoid high speed travel.

Successful planting starts with proper site preparation. Digging the hole for a new plant is the first step. The hole should be at least 1-2 feet wider than the size of the root system (except for direct tree spade planted trees). A larger hole will allow better root growth, especially in poor soil. Roughen the sides of the hole with a shovel and make the hole as wide as or wider at the bottom than at the top.

When trees are purchased, excess soil often covers their root system, in particular, the root collar (the area where the roots meet the trunk identified by flare in the trunk).  This is not the fault of anyone, just an issue that is traced back to nursery practices.

While cultivating between rows of planted trees, nurseries often build up soil around the trunk of the tree. If this soil is not removed at planting time, trees can “suffocate” from excess soil covering their root system, resulting in a disruption of water and nutrient uptake, which starts a downward spiral for the tree. Planting trees too deeply also hides issues with tree roots such as encircling roots that can also suffocate trees.

To ensure your tree is not planted too deep, do not follow the common recommendation of planting the tree at the same soil level that was found in the purchased container or balled and burlaped tree. Search for trunk flare where the first set of roots are emerging from the trunk, then gently scrape away excess soil above this point to reveal the root collar. When planted at the proper depth, the root collar (trunk flare) should be visible. If the trunk enters the ground as straight as a telephone pole, the tree has been planted too deeply.

Other planting pointers:

• Dig the hole as deep as the root ball and no deeper so the soil under the root ball is undisturbed. This will prevent the tree from settling.

• Do not add soil amendments. Old recommendations for adding soil amendments such as peat moss have been discarded. Simply use the soil removed from the hole as backfill.

• Prune only broken or dead branches and roots at planting time. Removing live branches removes a source of stored energy important in overcoming planting stress. Start pruning for good structure in a year or two once the tree is better established.

• Stake trees only when needed as in windy or high traffic areas. Wire used for staking, even if protected with garden hose, can damage the trunk. Instead, use broad-banded materials. Check these stakes frequently and remove after one year.

• Wait a year to fertilize newly planted trees, and fertilize only if a soil test indicates the need for fertilization. Add 3 to 4 inches of organic mulch around tree roots, such as wood chips. Mulch should not contact the trunk. Mulch helps to conserve soil moisture, eliminates harmful competition from turf and keeps lawnmowers and weed whips from damaging the trunk.

• And, don’t forget the most important first step — selecting the proper tree. Avoid the “it’s so pretty” impulse purchase. Do your homework. Select a tree with the correct mature height and one that will easily adapt to the soil and planting site.

Aftercare tips

Do not wrap trees during the growing season. Tree wrap can hold moisture next to the trunk and serve as a home for insects. If rodents are a problem, use wire mesh cylinders around the trunk. Newly planted trees have a reduced root system in a small soil volume that will dry out quickly.

Specific advice for watering is difficult to give because of the variability of planting sites and soil types. The general rule is to keep the top 8-12 inches of soil of the rootball evenly moist. In most environments, this is equivalent to about 1 inch of rainfall every 7-10 days.

Watering more than this will do more harm than good. Periodically check the soil by digging down a few inches, and water only when the soil appears dry.

While the use of mulch around trees is suggested, and has gained in popularity, many people have gone overboard by heaping mulch “volcanoes” around trees. Instead of a “volcano”, make a “pancake”. Wood chip mulch should be 3 – 4 inches deep and care should be taken so that the mulch does not come in contact with the trunk.

For more resources on planting trees and tips for selecting the right tree for your location please visit: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG3825.html.

The post Improve your tree planting success with these tips appeared first on Dairyland Peach.

Nancy Judd is the organizer of a group called the Central Minnesota Tea Party Patriots – Browerville Area. In the wake of revelations that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been targeting Tea Party and other conservative groups for audits,  and delaying their applications for tax-exempt status while allowing similar applications from liberal groups to sail through to approval, I asked if her group was contacted.

Judd says that her group, unlike the Tea Party in Rochester, Minn., has not been singled out by the IRS because it never applied for tax-exempt status. She said the Central Minnesota Tea Party is “more like a garden club.”

It doesn’t make financial contributions to political campaigns. The only money raised is used to pay for the cost of refreshments or perhaps for a speaker’s expenses.

The group does endorse candidates, and last fall, backed a laundry list of local and statewide Republicans.

But mostly, the Browerville Tea Party group is just a bunch of like-minded citizens who get together monthly to educate and support themselves on the issues of the day.

Perhaps they are lucky to be below the radar, or perhaps now the IRS or some other agency will target them.

However, every American should feel chills down their spine over the actions of the IRS. This nation is supposed to be about equal justice under the law, but we already know that this is about squelching and harassing citizens whose only offense was to disagree with President  Obama.

If you want to give up your liberties and constitutional rights, now is the time to say and do nothing.

You would need to be at least 50 years old today to have lived through and understood what Watergate was about. President Richard Nixon left office not just because he tried to cover up a burglary of the Democratic National Committee’s offices. Subsequent investigation revealed a widespread effort to use the power of the federal government to circumvent the laws of the land for political advantage. In fact, the second article of impeachment against Nixon reads in part, “He has, acting personally and through his subordinates and agents, endeavoured to obtain from the Internal Revenue Service, in violation of the constitutional rights of citizens, confidential information contained in income tax returns for purposes not authorized by law, and to cause, in violation of the constitutional rights of citizens, income tax audits or other income tax investigations to be initiated or conducted in a discriminatory manner.”

That sounds pretty close to what has just been revealed.

I am not saying here that President Obama should be impeached. Far from it. To repeat a well-used question raised during Watergate, we still need to answer, “What did the president know and when did he know it?”

And the key will be whether or not the president and Attorney General Eric Holder genuinely attempt to hold accountable every one of their associates who obstructed justice, or if they will, as Nixon did, try to cover up the whole mess in hopes it will go away.

This one isn’t going away. Already it has come out that Mitt Romney’s tax returns were illegally leaked. A Washington Post editorial writer, Ed Rogers, blogged, “The IRS inspector general’s report is only the beginning, and it was just leaked on Friday afternoon. … Yet the jaw-droppers keep coming. This morning The Post reported that the Obama IRS targeted groups that want to ‘make America a better place to live.’”

Attempts will be made to cap the blame at the top of the IRS, but these were political acts, not tax policy issues. Which political associates  created the climate that gave IRS underlings the green light?

What is also troublesome, is the silence that has come forth from our congressional delegation in Washington. Do they not believe in equal justice under the law? Do they believe it is OK to apply the tax laws differently to their supporters instead of their detractors?

Check out the government Web sites of Sens. Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar, and 7th District Congressman Collin Peterson. When this issue was on deadline, not one word about this miscarriage of justice could be found.

Last year, Franken was one of seven senators who sent a letter to the IRS telling them to target these 501(c)(4) groups, but on Monday, in response to a question on CNN, he said, “It’s a legitimate inquiry by the IRS. What is in no way legitimate is that this be biased in any way. And the people responsible for this should be held accountable.”

It’s unfortunate that wasn’t spelled out in the original letter. Since it was signed by seven Democrats, it’s understandable how the IRS may have misinterpreted the intent.

Leadership is about more than endorsing ideas that a clear majority agree with, like supporting Social Security and Medicare. Leadership should be about facing unpleasant truths when they arise, and reminding everyone about the core values on which the nation was built: blind justice, freedom to associate, to speak and to write whatever we want about the government, free and fair elections, etc.

In 1998, Hillary Clinton said that there was a “vast right-wing conspiracy” trying to destroy her husband. Well, it looks like we have a “vast left-wing conspiracy,” too.

The question for Minnesotans in Congress is: Do you believe in open, honest government, treating everyone fairly, or is partisanship more important? Your silence or after-the-fact clarifications speak volumes.

Tom West is the general manager of the Peach. He can be reached at (320) 352-6569 or by e-mail at tom.west@ecm-inc.com. 

The post Minnesotans in Congress mostly silent about IRS actions appeared first on Dairyland Peach.

Cook and stir ground beef, onions and garlic; drain. Stir in salt, cumin, tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce and chiles. Heat to boiling and reduce heat to medium. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes. Mix Bisquick, corn meal and sugar and cut in shortening with pastry blender. Add milk and egg and stir in until moistened. Spread in three-quart casserole (or 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan). Spoon beef mixture over dough and top with shredded cheese. Bake, uncovered, at preheated 400° about 25-30 minutes, until dough is cooked through on bottom.

The post Mexican Beef Casserole appeared first on Dairyland Peach.