Holiday lights glow at rural Mantorville home
Janet Kubat Willette
Date Modified: 01/04/2010 3:40 PM
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Agri News staff writer
MANTORVILLE, Minn. -- Glowing arches over the driveway beckon visitors to drive in the circle drive of the Janice Borgstrom-Durst and Kenny Durst farmstead.
Lighted trees wiggle in the wind and a Christmas train runs just beyond the driveway. There's carolers, reindeer, Santa and Mrs. Claus and two tall trees, one dressed in blue and the second in brilliant purple.
Each tree is aglow with 3,500 lights, Durst said. They spent $1,000 on LED lights for each tree. Jim Kreofsky of KBS of Plainview donated the lift to put the lights on the trees, Durst said.
"How many lights we've got we really don't know," Durst said.
"We know we have thousands," Borgstrom-Durst said.
The couple have invested a small fortune in their lighting display and each year collect donations for Dodge County Faith in Action. The lighting display is their contribution. Their light bill alone climbs $800 from Dec. 6 to Jan. 1.
The most they've raised in one year for Faith in Action is $2,998, Borgstrom-Durst said. The padlock on the donation mailbox at the end of the driveway was cut once, but they don't know how much money, if any, was stolen.
The couple began decorating 12 years ago because they enjoy Christmas and Christmas lights.
"One thing lead to another," Borgstrom-Durst said.
They celebrate their wedding anniversary Jan. 5 and spend the day traveling to buy Christmas decorations at after-Christmas sales. They've been able to snap up decorations at 75 percent off original prices.
"We've gotten some real bargains," Borgstrom-Durst said.
They've traveled to Wisconsin and made several trips to the Twin Cities in search of new and different decorations, coming home with pickup loads. They purchased one train at auction for $400. It was originally $3,500.
They travel to look at light displays, too. They traveled to the Blue Earth County fairgrounds to see the holiday lights and each year visit the Severson place by Hayfield.
"It's our hobby," Borgstrom-Durst said.
White lights dance on a horse and buggy behind the shed, multi-colored lights hang in the windbreak and the grain bin is ringed in one strand of red lights. Gingerbread people frolic in the yard, a shining tractor leans against the red barn guest house and snowmen glow around the yard.
Durst, who puts up the displays, marvels at how it all works. It's amazing to look at as it comes on each evening, he said.
Durst did most of the set up himself this year, but he received help from his neighbor, Jerry Harris, his son-in-law Mike Ducharme and A.J. Moosbrugger of Kasson. Harris and Moosbrugger are involved with Faith in Action. They have a video so they know where to put things from year to year.
They start putting displays and decorations up around Halloween.
"Everything works as good as you put it away," Durst said. It must be stored properly and mice controlled.
They begin taking things down when it thaws. It takes several months to put away, Borgstrom-Durst said.
Directions: North of Mantorville on Highway 57. Turn right on Dodge County Road D. Go east to stop sign. Turn left on Dodge County Road 11, go north about 1.5 miles. Turn right on 575th Street. Look for lights. The lights stay on through Dec. 31.