Garden Tour In Murray County On July 11
By David Bau, Murray County Master Gardener
Murray County Master Gardeners are hosting their annual Summer Garden Tour in the Slayton/Wirock/Iona area on Thursday, July 11, 2019 from 3:30 to 8:00 p.m. A rain date has been set for July 12; listen to KJOE Radio 106.1 FM for postponement announcements.
Tickets and tour guides/maps are available in advance from First National and Minnwest Bank in Slayton, Murray County Master Gardeners, and University of Minnesota Extension- Murray County Office. Murray County Master Gardeners are David Bau, Gaylene Chapman, Colleen Gengler, Mona Henkels, Betty Kassel, Matthew Meier, Marilyn Moger, Jolene Nelson, Jan Scherbart, Kathy Schwartz, and Patty White.
The guide is also available online at: https://z.umn.edu/2019tourguide
Tickets are $5 and can also be purchased at any of the garden sites during the tour on July 11. Proceeds will go towards community garden projects. Transportation is on your own; you may start the tour at any of the host sites. Refreshments provided by the Master Gardeners will be served at Pat & Lisa Kremer, 1314 16th St, Iona.
If you have questions regarding the tour, contact the Extension Office at 507-836-6927.
Tour hosts, addresses, and short descriptions follow:
Cory & Karen Brown, 647 180th Ave, Slayton – The Browns live west of Avoca on an acreage they call paradise. Wildlife is abundant in the trees that surround their property. Rocks hand placed by Cory and Karen line their yard and perennial flower beds. They grow vegetables in garden tubes that they have created.
Alexis Fransen, 315 170th Ave, Iona – Alexis has lived on her farm in Iona Township since 1978. Her gardening abilities are displayed all around the yard and buildings. Field rock, metal art, and unique planters show off her plants. Alexis starts her vegetables from seed.
Sharon & Jim Peterson, 300 Hanson St, Iona – Sharon, along with help from her friends, started a perennial garden 10 years ago and she has added to it every year. Many of her plants have come from friends. In 2017, Jim built a new deck on the back of the house and last year he built a u-shaped raised box garden. Planters and flowers are abundant at this home in the quaint village of Iona.
Nate & Suzi Gengler, 550 130th Ave, Slayton – Genglers converted a barnyard into a beautiful perennial and annual flowerbed. Fresh vegetables are also grown on this scenic farmyard.
Pat & Lisa Kremer – The Barn at Corabelle, 1314 16th St, Iona – The Barn is one of the main attractions on the Kremer farm, which also hosts the Dream Catchers garden. Dream Catchers is a program that teaches leadership skills to children of immigrant families from the Worthington area. This year they are experimenting with bucket gardening.
Doug & Grace Hart, 861 11th St, Chandler – The Harts love flowers and gardening, which will be evident when you visit their farm in southern Fenton Township. Doug has lived there all his life. They have planted numerous trees and established several rock flower beds. The Gnomes will welcome you when you arrive.
Legacy Grant Funds Help Preserve Murray County National Register Places and More!
In the last six months the Murray County Museums have received three grants from the Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Fund administered through the Minnesota Historical Society. These grants are made possible by the Legacy Amendment’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through a 2008 vote of the people. The grants are awarded to projects of enduring value for the cause of history and historic preservation across the state.
The grants the museums received will help assess the condition of the End O line Railroad Turntable, create a scope of work for the repair of the Dinehart Holt House (both on the National Register of Historic Places) and pay for a small museum management lending library which will be available to other museums and county citizens.
In 2018 the Murray County Museum received a large grant to prepare a Historic Structure Report on the Dinehart Holt House. Once that was completed the second step was to apply for a grant to prepare the scope of work forms and create architectural drawings for the repair projects and the staff is working with Mike Lovato, from LHB, Inc., an architectural firm with offices in Rochester, Minneapolis, and Duluth. Once his work is completed, the museum will apply for a third construction grant that will help pay for repairs such as new windows, tuck pointing and repair of the foundation and central chimney, and a new outside entry door and stairs to the basement.
Museums Coordinator, Janet Timmerman, asks the public for their patience in this process, “I know the outside of the building desperately needs of a coat of paint, but we don’t want to do that before new windows, sills, and repair of the siding has happened. It will all come together in due time. The house is a precious structure and we want it done correctly, not quickly.”
Another grant in 2019 is slated to help End O Line Park assess the condition of the turntable. In the last two years, segments of the turntable have been underwater due to the excessive rain and flooding. The structure now ticks the side of the turntable pit stones, something that has never happened before. End O Line Site Supervisor, Jakob Etrheim, completed the successful grant application and says, “This condition report should be able to tell us whether the turntable itself is changing or if the pit stones are disintegrating due to the water. The historic architect should be able to offer solutions to the problem and help mitigate future issues as well.”
The third grant was awarded to the county museum from an application submitted by Museum Site Supervisor, Rose Schmit. These funds will purchase a set of museum management publications to be housed at the museum. The small lending library includes 22 books that cover topics from how to care and display historic clothing to how to do oral histories with veterans. Other museums or interested persons can view and borrow books. Museum Site Coordinator, Rose Schmit says, “It is our hope that these books will help other museums or people with personal collections care for their artifacts the best way possible. Preserving Murray County’s history is up to every one of us. The museum will have the list of books on the website soon.”
These three grants, totaling $39,596, enable important projects that otherwise would be hard to fund. The museums are evolving and changing to keep the collections and preservation of the history of Murray County in the forefront of their mission.
FSA Direct Loans
FSA offers direct farm ownership and direct farm operating Loans to producers who want to establish, maintain or strengthen their farm or ranch. FSA loan officers process, approve and service direct loans.
Direct farm operating loans can be used to purchase livestock and feed, farm equipment, fuel, farm chemicals, insurance and other costs including family living expenses. Operating loans can also be used to finance minor improvements or repairs to buildings and to refinance some farm-related debts, excluding real estate.
Direct farm ownership loans can be used to purchase farmland, enlarge an existing farm, construct and repair buildings, and to make farm improvements.
The maximum loan amount for direct farm ownership loans is $600,000 and the maximum loan amount for direct operating loans is $400,000 and a down payment is not required. Repayment terms vary depending on the type of loan, collateral and the producer’s ability to repay the loan. Operating loans are normally repaid within seven years and farm ownership loans are not to exceed 40 years.
Please contact your local FSA office for more information or to apply for a direct farm ownership or operating loan
