The Widow Fistula, in case you’ve forgotten, lives in Boatville. She lives alone, ever since her husband, Pickle Pete, who ran The Gherkin Factory, fell—or jumped, depending upon your view of her personality—into a vat of prime dills and perished. The Widow believes in personal education, and along that line she has expanded her knowledge… Read More

The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda After our first winter here back in 1973, we rejoiced in surviving both it and the intrusive visits of our rough-edged bachelor neighbor, Peter P. Which of the two had been the biggest burden was a toss up. But spring finally came. Peter P. was our Finnish neighbor to the west, and… Read More

By Bev Johnson Master Gardener Scientists view the interaction of plants, fungi and bacteria as a “co-evolutionary” arms race.  The result of this arms race is that plants die of various diseases, even though  “truces” are usually the norm. the result of these truces is that neither has the upper hand.  Plants and fungi, in some… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: Trooper Grabow, recently I have noticed an increasing number of U.S. branded vehicles (mostly pickups/SUV) driving with no daytime running lights. At first I assumed they were just burned out or whatever, but I’m seeing way too many for that to be true. On a recent foggy morning I almost… Read More

Gardeners should avoid committing ‘planticide’ By Bev Johnson Master Gardener Every gardener has committed “planticide” at some time or other. Planted an acid lover in alkaline soil, a sun lover in the shade or a plant that likes damp feet in sandy soil.  Put a plant that wants “peaty” soil in regular garden soil. Or planted… Read More

Mursu Dairy would like to thank whomever it was that nominated us for the 2022 MN Milk Producer of the Year award. We would also like to thank our family for their wonderful help. Bridget (Weller) for many hours put into the Kindergarten field trip and husband Brad. Trent (Mursu) with various farm duties and wife… Read More

To the Editor, Long-time New York Mills Area Food Shelf Board of Directors members retired from service and leadership at the February annual meeting. Ronda Koehler has been the long-serving chairman of the group, providing overall leadership and guidance, as well as working at the monthly Food Shelf distribution day. Board member Bonnie Welter organized and… Read More

Everything Old is New Again By Lois Wiirre Special to the Dispatch The Ides of March means “the first new moon of a given month,” which falls between March 13-15. And for any Shakespearean fans, March 15 was the day Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC. It also set the stage for civil war and the collapse… Read More

The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda Here’s a column for those of you–us–who heat with wood.  Wood is cellulose, a carbon based catch-all that includes a lot of different fuels. Paper, field corn, oats, beans, all kinds of grass. And so many more that it’s useless to keep listing them. All of these substances share a common trait: When… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: What am I supposed to do if I am at a railroad crossing and need to report an emergency?   Answer: Call 911 and provide the needed information. Every highway-rail crossing has an Emergency Notification System (ENS) sign that provides a 24/7/365 telephone number to report problems or emergencies at the… Read More