Well, we seem to be stuck in a cool and wet mode yet for this start of summertime. There is talk of warmer weather towrds the end of this week but there is also talk of more wet weather, too. It gets a little depressing with a lot of dark and cloudy days. We never had much of a spring and summer just isn't starting perfectly yet either. But I have a feeling that we won't be complaining about too cool weather for very much longer!

Henderson celebrated its annual Sauerkraut Days event this past weekend with parades, lots of kraut to eat and other fun events. This little town celebrates all kinds of events all summer. Check their website to see what's coming up that you do not want to miss. Here are a few photos from a couple of the events from this past weekend.

We are edging up to the first day of summer and still seeing cool and very wet weather. Although we did see some 90 degree days this past week we have switched back to highs in the 70's and lots and lots of rain. It has been difficult to find drying days for putting up hay for the dairy farmers that are still engaged in that business. There are not too many left in Sibley county anymore but neighboring Carver County still has many large dairies.

Summer town events are well under way and I hope you have the opportunity to enjoy as many as you can. 

We are into May already but the weather has been pretty cool until today when it was close to 80 degrees. Field work just got underway after a cold and wet April. Just pray that we don't get all the storms and tornadoes that have been plaguing the southern areas of the country. It is good to see green grass, buds on the trees and tulips blooming. Even dandelions look good after the long winter we had!!

My Barns of Sibley County books have been reviewed by Audrey Kletsher Helbling in the Spring issue of the magazine Minnesota Moments. She gave the books a good review so if you get a chance pick up one of the magzines. There are lots of stories, articles and photos in this neat little magazine, too. I found them at Barnes & Noble. Audrey has a blog site that is really amazing named Minnesota Prairie Roots that is always a fun read. Check it out also.

Well, I do hope you have a wonderful summer and that your crops are bin busters!!

After a very long, cold winter Spring is finally arriving here in Minnesota. Although we did get a dusting of the white stuff again last night we are beginning to get more and more days that reach into the 50's and have even seen a couple of days in the 70's. No shorts weather yet though! And there are very few farmers working any fields yet. We only need a couple of days in the 80's and we will begin to see tractors working again. It is beginning to get late for small grains as compared to other more recent years. But the start of planting can vary quite a bit from year to year. It can be as early as March and as late as May. But farmers take what they get and always make the best of it!

I have been busy making books for the many requests that I seem to get all the time. I am always happy to hear from anyone interested in barns and will try to answer all the emails as soon as I can. I have even had my books reviewed recently in the magazine Minnesota Moments(please check my links page to go to their website)Their Spring issue just came out and is on newstands now such as Barnes & Noble. If you have a chance to look at a copy please do so and while you are at it, order a subscription. It is full of fun and interesting stories as well as beautiful photos.

I will post a few new photos and will be heading out for more photos to add to my collection as the weather permits and to enjoy the Spring weather. Easter will be here soon. Next week is Holy Week. Forty-four years ago the weather was almost identical to this. My second oldest son was born on the 17th and it snowed that week too. 

 September 22, 2010

 We are quickly sliding into fall again and our summer has disappeared just as quickly. The Sibley County Fair was the first weekend in August and it was a very hot weekend. I think it really held down attendance this year but it was still a fun time. The Historical Society once again were located in the Boy Scouts' building on the fairgrounds and enjoyed many visitors stopping by to look at the displays and sample the fresh baked bread and homemade butter that Dorothy Peterson and her young voluntters helped to make. I had the township barn books and the Barns of Sibley County books on display. There was a lot of interest, wonderful comments and quite a few orders for the township books customized with owners own barns on the covers. It was fun visiting with each and everyone who stopped by.

We lost one of the most beautiful barns in the county on the 9th of September when the large Jaus dairy barn in Moltke township was destroyed by fire. The barn was almost 90 years old and still was in use by Martin and Loretta Jaus in their organic dairy business. No cattle were lost in the fire and at this point they are still milking but are not sure about rebuilding this magnificent old barn. 

I am looking for some colorful fall weather to show up pretty soon. Last year was a very poor year for color so I am really hoping that this year will be much better. We have had an extremely wet year this year and I am not sure if that will have any effect on the color. We need some extended dry weather to be able to get the crops harvested. Everything is about ready to harvest already so if the dry weather comes the farmers will be going around the clock to get the harvest in. It looks like a bumper crop for both soybeans and corn. We have not had a frost yet so there are still fields of sweetcorn being harvested at this time. A great growing year statewide it seems.

 JULY 11, 2010

 We are well into the middle of summer already having passed the 4th of July a week ago. The crops look so good this year with corn more than shoulder high on the 4th and beans and small grain looking excellent. Harvesting of peas for canning has been going on for quite some time already and that crop is also quite large. We have had ample rain all season already and getting the hay crop out continues to be a challenge for a lot of farmers.

Summer church and town festivals continue every weekend and they are needed fundraisers for both. So if you have an opportunity to partake of the many in the area please do. You will meet your friends and neighbors there and find out everything that is happening in the area as well as get to enjoy some foods that you will only find at these events.

Yesterday hubby Joe took part in the all day tractor ride put together by Wally Vorwerk who farms near Gibbon. The weather was perfect and all that participated in the event had a good time.

Someone recently told me that they couldn't find their barn in the Moltke township book so while I was over in the area yesterday I checked it out and found that I had missed about 1 1/2 miles with several barns along it. So I did take photos of them and will include them in their township book. If anyone else thinks I may have missed any barns please let me know and I will be sure to check it out. I appreciate everyone's help with the project!!

I met somemore wonderful farm people yesterday, too. I had spoken with Loretta Jaus many times by email over the last few years as I wrote about their organic farm in Moltke township and as I was in the area yesterday I stopped to see if she was home. She was and her two beautiful young grandchildren were keeping her company while their parents helped with the hay baling. We had a really nice visit and it was good to finally get to meet her.

Also met a young woman who thought I might be having car trouble as I was taking some barn photos. She thought it was a really warm day to have to walk for help so it was really kind of her to offer to help. When I told her what I was doing she said that she had heard about the project and my books.

We took a little break over the 4th of July and went out to the Black Hills with our two young grandsons, Micaheal and Alex. We all had a great time camping and seeing as many sights as we could including going to the Mount Rushmore monument twice.

Well, I do hope that your summer is going well for you. It is always a busy time of the year and always way too short!