Serving Minnesota and Northern Iowa.
 Home > Minnesota News 

Minnesota News

  • WCROC celebrates centennial at summer field day

    MORRIS, Minn. -- Usually the West Central Research and Outreach Center's summer field day focuses on current varieties, renewable energy and livestock production, but last week the annual event looked more retro. The WCROC is celebrating its centennial and offered farmers a look at crops and production practices past, present and future.

  • NWROC dairy herd dispersal marks end of 115-year program

    More than 100 bidders attended the Northwest Research and Outreach Center's dairy dispersal sale July 23. The sale marked the end of an era as farm equipment, the 120-milking cow herd, young stock and embryos were sold. The dairy program was more than 100 years old.

    CROOKSTON, Minn. -- George Marx retired as Northwest Research and Outreach Center's dairy scientist seven years ago, but he felt compelled to return to the center last week. Marx wanted to be on hand Friday at the center's dairy dispersal sale. The center's 120-milking cow herd, embryos and youngstock plus farm equipment was on the auction. The event marked the end of NWROC's 115-year era in dairy research.

  • The Churchmen at Scandian Grove are growing to help others

    The Churchmen of Scandian Grove Lutheran Church are growing 25 acres of wheat to support food growing programs overseas through the Foods Resource Bank. Pictured, from left, Marty Schott, Don Hermanson, Doug Schultz and Don Wiest.

    ST. PETER --A beautiful field of wheat just outside Norseland is destined to become seed money for farmers across the ocean. For the past four years, The Churchmen of Scandian Grove Lutheran Church have raised a crop and donated the proceeds to projects around the globe that help people learn to feed themselves. The majority of the proceeds from their growing projects have went to the Foods Resource Bank, which works with 15 of the mainline Christian denominations or their agencies to provide resources to food programs in some of the world's poorest communities, according to the FRB web site.

  • Nicollet County princess is a Princess Kay finalist

    Ashley Swenson of Nicollett, Minn., is a Princess Kay finalist. She is the daughter of Paul and Cindy Swenson and is a sixth generation dairy producer.

    NICOLLET, Minn.-- Ashley Swenson told herself she wouldn't be emotional when the Princess Kay finalists were announced. But her stomach got all jittery when the emcee read the activities of the seventh Princess Kay finalist and she broke out in tears. "It was definitely a once in a lifetime experience," said Swenson, 18, a Nicollet County dairy princess and 2010 Princess Kay finalist.

  • Foods Resource Bank began in Ohio

    ROCK VALLEY, Iowa -- Foods Resource Bank traces its beginnings to a kitchen table in Ohio. An Ohio farmer who had served in the Korean War and witnessed hungry orphans crawling through the garbage searching for food wanted to do something to help feed the world's hungry, said Ron DeWeerd, Foods Resource Bank director of development.