For a recovering dairy farmer such as myself, going to a dairy farm festival is like a cat attending a hairball convention. Ho-hum. Not much new to see here. Or so I thought. Our neighbors Frido and Sonja Verpaalen opened their dairy farm to a throng of visitors for Dairy Fest, an event that ...

Issues surrounding nitrogen fertilizer pose a significant challenge for Minnesota farmers and our natural resources, prompting increased attention toward nitrogen regulations. While these concerns rightly demand attention, Minnesota farmers are doing what they do best — taking proactive and ...

As the 2024 legislative session drew to a close on May 20, the lack of transparency and bipartisanship troubled me. In my 12 years as your state senator, I have never seen such a disappointing conclusion to a session. Quite frankly, it has got to be one of the most disgraceful endings to a ...

It’s graduation season, a time to look ahead to futures filled with good opportunities. It’s also a time to look back. The graduation ceremony is the final chapter in a high school or college career, a celebration of all that each graduate accomplished. Everyone made choices. Even as ...

This column is often written in a form called the personal essay. “Personal essays relate the author’s intimate thoughts and experiences to universal truths,” is one definition. “Universal” seems a bit much for mine. Maybe “township truths.” Sometimes personal means my thoughts ...

Construction has started on many projects and plans are underway for a few of our most popular events. Recently, construction started on South Whitney Street where storm, sewer and water lines will be replaced along with a new asphalt surface. It is anticipated to be completed in the fall of ...