Twin Cities Daily Planet (https://www.tcdailyplanet.net/author/lee-egerstrom/page/5/)
Take away USDA Rural Development dollars and you start taking away small town assets, such as nursing homes, hospital expansions, access to affordable housing, wastewater infrastructure, and business development. Minnesota 2020’s latest report, Blueprints for Rural Progress highlights the importance of these community development programs in sustaining a strong rural way of life.
Just two weeks ago, firefighters from four cities fought a 200-acre grass fire near Pennock, in west central Minnesota. By Memorial Day weekend, standing water in low spots had farmers from Willmar to Fergus Falls parking their tractors, waiting for fields to dry before finishing spring planting. Continue Reading
Amy Doeun, partner in Crazy Boy Farm near Rush City, and Mhonpaj Lee, organic farm manager of Mhonpaj’s Garden Farm in Oakdale, look at their still housed vegetable plants and know this April’s cold, snowy weather is hurting the best made plans for their farms, other local vegetable growers, and for all of their customers.
National holidays anywhere make fine times to salute ethnic foods made right here in Minnesota. Put April 30 on your calendar for Queen’s Day in the Netherlands. Continue Reading
Coming off what looks like a record year for Minnesota farm income in 2012, weather watchers are concerned about what the cold, wet, snowy, icy April weather may be doing to this year’s agricultural prospects.
Upticks in various government measures and financial indices show that the U.S. economy continues to roll along in a recovery mode. But by one local measure it is still too early to say, “Recovered. Job done. Mission accomplished.” Continue Reading
Minnesota summer festivals usually bring to mind brats, covered dishes and malted beverages. But New York Mills offers a much heftier main course. It’s hosting the 21st annual Great American Think-Off, June 8, which asks a timely political question.
It’s not an ideal day for baseball, but that won’t stop the Minnesota Twins from opening their 2013 season today at Target Field, which also means the planting season is fast approaching for Minnesota farmers. An uncertain weather forecasts also looms over the farming season’s open, with prospects for both spring flooding and summer drought. Continue Reading
Renita Whicker, a security guard in downtown Minneapolis, raised three children while taking chances that all would remain healthy. Her job didn’t provide health benefits or pay enough for her family to afford health insurance.
The Preservation Alliance of Minnesota (PAM) is scaling back the number of endangered historic places it’s tries to save each year. PAM calls its new program “Sites Worth Saving,” which replaces its 10 Most Endangered Historic Places list. Continue Reading