The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda Peter P. Bogden, bless his departed soul, was a strong old bachelor who lived next farm over when we first moved up here fifty-some winters ago. He taught me a lot of things, some medical, some more practical. Medically, what I learned from Peter P. was that, if you didn’t feel good,… Read More

By Bev Johnson Master Gardener Peat lands only cover about 3% of the Earth’s land area but they hold up to one third of the world’s earth carbon. When peat is harvested the carbon dioxide is released into the air adding to the greenhouse effect. Here in Minnesota, we have Minnesota’s Big Bog State Recreation Area… Read More

To the Editor, Credit is a tool that lets you borrow money or access goods and services with the promise to pay later. It’s essential for personal and business finances, enabling large purchases like homes or cars and helping small businesses grow. Lenders use credit reports and scores to decide whether to approve loans and set… Read More

By Bev Johnson Master Gardener Petunia is definitely not a gardener. Bunkey is the gardener in the family. That doesn’t stop Petunia from bragging about the fantastic vegetables in ‘our’ garden at work. At lunch one day, the mention of Lake Region Community Garden came up from one of the women who volunteer there every summer…. Read More

As the planet called Earth continues to rotate and wend its way around the sun, we–Lt. S and I, the Captain, continue our journey in the ship called The Big Red House. We’re getting older. So is The House. And so is the stuff in The House. Technical stuff that we depend upon for our daily… Read More

To the Editor, In recent weeks, action taken by the federal administration has left many individuals wondering about the status of a small-town staple—the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) county office.  In February, the Trump administration laid off USDA staff across the nation by sending unexpected termination notices to probationary employees. This resulted in a loss of… Read More

By Jim Pumarlo Special to the Forum Newspapers at their foundation provide a living history of their communities. The reports necessarily include a mixture of good news and bad news. To no surprise, gathering and reporting the good news comes rather easily and is readily volunteered by the sources. First responders are commended for their swift response to… Read More

By Bev Johnson Master Gardener Now that you know how to prune trees, it’s time to learn how to prune shrubs, especially flowering shrubs. First, you need to know if your shrub blooms on old wood or new. These shrubs bloom best on old wood. Flowering quince, witch hazel, Fothergilla, PeeGee hydrangea, tree peony, climbing roses… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: The other day I was going down the freeway and I saw a vehicle that must’ve missed their exit as they were backing up near an exit ramp. This didn’t appear safe and I’m going to guess illegal. What do you say sir?   Answer: Backing up is not allowed on… Read More

By Bev Johnson Master Gardener Now that you know how to prune trees, it’s time to learn how to prune shrubs, especially flowering shrubs. First, you need to know if your shrub blooms on old wood or new. These shrubs bloom best on old wood. Flowering quince, witch hazel, Fothergilla, PeeGee hydrangea, tree peony, climbing roses… Read More