There’s a hidden gem in the Minneapolis area known as Boom Island Park. I took a walk there the other day and was amazed at how the riverfront and the skyline of the city blended with the green of one of the bigger parks I’ve seen in the metro area. As a guy from small town Rural America, I’m amazed at just how much green there is all over the Twin Cities.
One of the more challenging parts of urban exploration around the metro is just FINDING the place you’re heading to. Thank the Good Lord (not joking at all) for Google Maps (or Apple Maps, if you have an iPhone). You know you’re adapting to city life when you arrive at the park, find it’s been shut off because of a private gathering, and you don’t bat an eye about parking in an open lot that you may or may not be allowed to actually park in. You’re risking getting a car towed for a couple hours of exploration. Works for me?
One thing I didn’t know is that some Minneapolis parks have a lot of places to park your kayaks or boats after spending time on the water.
One of the first things I noticed at Boom Island is just how many spots there are for kayakers/boaters to park themselves after a day on the water. LOVED the little lighthouse in the background. (Photo by Chad Smith)
One of the first things you notice is a lot of walking areas, paved, gravel, and wood around the outskirts of Boom Island. Perfect for urban exploration. (Photo by Chad Smith)
Some of them will even RENT you a kayak. Looked like a lot of fun and something I will be trying again.
As mentioned previously, I walked into Boom Island with the oddest sound in the background. Urban Exploration can lead to interesting (and educational) discoveries. The parking lots were actually roped off because of a Tibetan Festival taking place that day. Being from small town America, as mentioned previously, it was something really new.
However, the most interesting part of the festival, aside from the explosion of color, music and foods, is the fact that almost everyone there smiled at me. Such friendly people. The older I get, the more I’m really enjoying expanding my horizons.
The Twin Cities are an interesting area to live in and explore. They’ve clearly worked hard to put together the best park system possible and I can’t wait to keep exploring it.
One thing I loved about Boom Island was the city skyline across the river from the park. Really blended the urban with the non-urban really well. (Photo by Chad Smith)
I really loved the “observation decks” that are up along the waterfront. Great places to sit and enjoy the view. (Photo by Chad Smith)
Here’s my first look at Boom Island Park, which sits right on the Mississippi River. (Video by Chad Smith)
The park sits on an impressive 22.5 acres right the metro area, right in the St. Anthony West neighborhood.
Here’s a little bit of the music I heard at Boom Island Park in Minneapolis. It’s part of a Tibetan Festival that took place on Saturday, July 6. (Video by Chad Smith)
Fantastic views from Boom Island. (Photo by Chad Smith)
One of the epiphanies of middle age that have hit me recently is the fact that you don’t always have to take an exotic trip to see something new. Sometimes it’s right in your own “backyard.” Time for me to get off my duff and do some exploring.!
Looks like there was a pretty serious lightning strike here? (Photo by Chad Smith)
I’d say there was a pretty serious lightning strike here just to the left?
Seriously, THIS is how someone should take a tour of one of the inner-city parks in Minneapolis! Segway is the only way!
Some final thought here in the video directly above.
Looked like a repurposed railroad bridge that they made into a pretty cool place to walk. (Photo by Chad Smith)
All the way down at the end of a path out of Boom Island, it looks like a direct path down to gang land. (Photo by Chad Smith)
I can just see a train conductor telling his co-pilot to “roll up them windows” going through this neighborhood! (Photo by Chad Smith)
Here’s a link to my Facebook album with every picture and video I took. Enjoy. And if you like it, let me know? I’m thinking I’d like to do more of this kind of blogging. I just need someone to find it interesting.
Archaeology.. the term makes me think of Indiana Jones. That shows my age, doesn’t it? Well, as hard as it may be to believe, that’s not real life. However, I know someone who’s living the adventure (without the bullwhip).
Chatfield native Paige Brevick is living what can only be called an adventurous life. She’s a recent graduate of the University of Memphis with a master’s degree in Egyptian Art and Archaeology. Brevick has worked in faraway places like India and Israel over the course of her studies and will continue globe-hopping when she studies for her doctorate at the University College London in England. How does a small-town girl from Chatfield get to travel the world as she studies to be an archaeologist?
Paige Brevick of Chatfield, MN, is unearthing skeletons at Thornton Abbey in England. These bodies are part of a mass burial site for black plague victims. (Contributed photo)
“That’s a really good question,” she said with an infectious
laugh. “A lot of people ask me that. I’ve always loved the stories that objects
tell about people and the cultures that made those items. As a kid, I was
interested in arts, museums, the outdoors, and that sense of adventure, so
archaeology seemed like a natural career choice.”
Brevick said she had no idea that archaeology was a “real job you could have” until she got to college. While growing up as a youngster in Chatfield, her parents took her to a lot of different museums. She describes herself as “always excited” to turn the corner in a museum and find an Egyptian gallery or see some Asian art. “That’s where the curiosity got started,” she said.
Archaeology Studies Begin
Her secondary education started at Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa. “My degree there was in Religion and I spent a lot of time studying the Hebrew Bible. It was in those early religion classes that I became interested in Near Eastern archaeology. Even though my degree was in religion, I got to study abroad quite a bit.
“I lived in India for a while,” she recalled. “After that, I studied public archaeology and what the community involvement was in museums across Maharashtra and South India. I saw people there who were passionate about their heritage and where they came from. It was a great place to It was a great place to study because India is full of ancient sites, temples, and history.”
A lack of what she called archaeological “site management” triggered an interest in protecting those sites and the antiquities that were being found. The trip to India was her first journey overseas and eye-opening in many different ways. What was it like for a Midwestern gal to step off the plane into a foreign country for the very first time?
Paige is seen here while working at a dig site in Tigray Province, Ethiopia. (Contributed photo)
“It was exhilarating,” she said with a giggle. “It’s quite a
country to jump into for my first overseas experience. It’s overwhelming
because Mumbai is so loud. The city was so loud and packed with people. It’s
not a surprise that it was more people than I’d seen in my entire life.”
The trip to India triggered her interest in a career in “heritage management,” which she’s currently working in. She says it’s all about the running of an archaeological site and how to go about involving the community in that preservation. Rather than having archaeologists come into the site and then leave, it’s about how to create something sustainable with the community. Brevick hopes to facilitate relationships between archaeologists, museums, and communities.
Masters degree in archaeology
She recently wrapped up a three-year stay at the University
of Memphis, her second stop in secondary education. Brevick said it’s one of
the few programs in the country that offer a master’s degree in Egyptian
studies and archaeology. Egypt is a major part of her long-term interest in
studying the near East. Brevick’s acquired some unique skills while studying
for her master’s degree.
“I got to study hieroglyphs,” she said. “I can now read Middle Egyptian, which are the glyphs you may see on objects or in museums. It took a lot of time and practice to learn Middle Egyptian, but it’s really been rewarding. You really don’t meet a lot of people who can say they’ve learned hieroglyphs.”
She also spent time working at a dig site in Lalibela, Ethiopia, where they found a church that had been completely carved in stone. (contributed photo)
Brevick has had a couple of opportunities to head to Egypt
and see things firsthand. In a case of real life getting in the way, one of her
trips was canceled because of safety concerns. Brevick found out firsthand that
she’ll have to be “flexible” to succeed as an archaeologist. Funding issues can
cause challenges, as can real-world dangers on the ground. Even after all the
delays, she’s hopeful of getting to Egypt within the next year.
She’s lived for a short time in other places overseas, including Ethiopia. “I was there doing a study abroad class through Cornell,” she recalled. “We traveled all over the country and visited several sites, including the rock-hewn churches in Lalibela. I also lived in the Bahamas for a month and studied anthropology.”
Digging up plague victims
Personally, her most interesting experience to date took
place in England. “I was just a student and only stayed there for a couple of
weeks,” Brevick said. “I got to work on a black plague mass-burial site at
Thornton Abbey. It’s so different from what I normally do but I wanted some
bio-archaeology experience.
“The site was very unusual because we don’t normally find
mass burial sites,” she added. “In this case, there were about 50 bodies buried
there. It was a very humbling experience because you saw what the community had
been through. They were hit so hard by the plague.”
The adventure will soon continue in London, where she’s off to study for her Ph.D. Brevick was there for a short time last year to interview with the faculty at the school and found the experience a little overwhelming because of the “hustle-and-bustle of the city.” She said this is her next step in a new adventure.
Paige is standing outside the Ajanta Caves in India. (Contributed photo)
“I’ll be at University College London,” she explained. “They were just ranked third in the world when it comes to archaeological studies. I’ll be working on a heritage management project which will be launched in Egypt. My doctoral dissertation will identify and develop co-creative heritage management strategies. I’m really interested in the relationships between archaeologists, museums, and the local communities they are working in and for.
“Rather than only advocate for more community engagement,” she said, “I think museums have a responsibility to go into their communities and ask community leadership what it is they need from the museum.”
Career goals in archaeology?
After all the education is finally finished, what are her long-term career goals?
“I think I’d like to stick with museums,” Brevick said. “I
think that’s perfect for my personality. Anything that would allow me to
continue advocating for archaeology cultural heritage. I feel honored and
grateful to be doing what I’m doing.”
Raspberry/blueberry picking time is here in Minnesota. Summer raspberry/blueberry growers report fields full of blossoms and expect to open for pick-your-own and pre-picked berries the first two weeks of July.
Raspberries and blueberries are ripening and will be ready to pick over the first two weeks of July. (Photo from garden.eco)
Raspberry/blueberry seasons typically start towards the end of strawberry season. They usually last at least three weeks, depending on the variety and weather conditions.
As with strawberries, raspberry/blueberry seasonal availability begins in southern Minnesota and travels northward. Mild temperatures in the 70s and 80s extend the seasons and allow berries to ripen at a steady pace. However, excessive heat can cause berries to ripen more quickly and shorten the seasons.
Picking berries is a great outdoor activity for all ages. Debbie Yennie of First Fruits Blueberry Farm in Menahga explains that pick-your-own berry farms are “a place where families come to have a family experience. Seeing families come together is the best part of my blueberry farm.”
Minnesota raspberry/blueberry varieties are grown for their robust, juicy flavor, not long shelf life or shipping ability. Raspberries will keep in the fridge for about four days, and blueberries about a week. Both kinds of berries freeze well, too, so you can enjoy them throughout the year.
Randy Jones of Jonesey Berry Farm in Grove City grows strawberries, summer raspberries, and fall raspberries. He advises visitors to call ahead before visiting farms to verify hours and availability. They should also pack water, sunscreen, and a hat before heading to the patch.
The Minnesota Grown Directory, available in print or online, is a great place to find local pick-your-own berry operations or farmers market. The 2019 Directory includes 34 summer raspberry farms, 31 blueberry farms, and other specialty berry farms like elderberries, currants, honey berries, and aronia berries. Order your free printed directory online at www.minnesotagrown.com/order-minnesota-grown-directory/ or call 1-800-657-3878.
The Apostles of Jesus had it tougher than we do in America. They had it tougher than we ever will. Here is what convinced me that the Gospel is real. Would this many people have voluntarily died HORRIBLE deaths for a Gospel that wasn’t true? Absolutely not. Give this a run-through and then really think hard about the implications here.
The apostles were not educated people. The apostles were everyday working folks who were far from perfect. But if they can lead people to Jesus, why can’t we?
1. Matthew. Suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia, Killed by a sword wound.
2. Mark. Died in Alexandria, Egypt , after being dragged by Horses through the streets until he was dead.
The Apostles suffered and died in horrible ways in order to spread the Gospel. Would you or anyone you know be willing to die a death like this for something that you didn’t believe in and KNOW in your heart wasn’t true? Of course not. (photo from Facebook.com)
3. Luke. Was hanged in Greece as a result of his tremendous Preaching to the lost.
4. John. Faced martyrdom when he was boiled in huge Basin of boiling oil during a wave of persecution In Rome. However, he was miraculously delivered From death. John was then sentenced to the mines on the prison Island of Patmos. He wrote his prophetic Book of Revelation on Patmos . The apostle John was later freed and returned to serve As Bishop of Edessa in modern Turkey . He died as an old man, the only apostle to die peacefully
5. Peter. He was crucified upside down on an x shaped cross. According to church tradition it was because he told his tormentors that he felt unworthy to die In the same way that Jesus Christ had died.
6. James. The leader of the church in Jerusalem , was thrown over a hundred feet down from the southeast pinnacle of the Temple when he refused to deny his faith in Christ. When they discovered that he survived the fall, his enemies beat James to death with a fuller’s club.
This was the same pinnacle where Satan had taken Jesus during the Temptation.
7. James the Son of Zebedee was a fisherman by trade when Jesus Called him to a lifetime of ministry.
As a strong leader of the church, James was beheaded at Jerusalem. The Roman officer who guarded James watched amazed as James defended his faith at his trial.
Later, the officer Walked beside James to the place of execution. Overcome by conviction, he declared his new faith to the judge and Knelt beside James to accept beheading as a Christian.
8. Bartholomew. Also known as Nathaniel. He Was a missionary to Asia. He witnessed for our Lord in present day Turkey. Bartholomew was martyred for his preaching in Armenia where he was flayed to death by a whip.
9. Andrew. He Was crucified on an x-shaped cross in Patras, Greece. After being whipped severely by seven soldiers they tied his body to the cross with cords to prolong his agony.
His followers reported that, when he was led toward the cross, Andrew saluted it in these words, “I have long desired and expected this happy hour. The cross has been consecrated by the body of Christ hanging on it”. He continued to preach to his tormentors For two days until he expired.
10. Thomas. He Was stabbed with a spear in India during one of his missionary trips to establish the church in the Subcontinent.
11. Jude. He Was killed with arrows when he refused to deny his faith in Christ.
12. Matthias. The apostle chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot. He was stoned and then beheaded.
13. Paul. He Was tortured and then beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero at Rome in A.D. 67. Paul endured a lengthy imprisonment, which allowed him to write his many epistles to the churches he had formed throughout the Roman Empire. These letters, which taught many of the foundational Doctrines of Christianity, form a large portion of the New Testament.
Perhaps this is a reminder to us that our sufferings here are indeed minor to compare to the intense persecution and cold cruelty faced by the apostles and disciples during their times for the sake of the Faith. Jesus said, “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: But he that endureth to the end shall be saved.”
Do we have the kind of faith to get through persecution (which WILL come to us all) as the apostled did? Probably not. But God promises to give us strength in times of trouble. Jesus says, “Be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.” Do you believe that or not? There is no “maybe.”
Pass on to encourage other Christians. Why Do we feel sleepy in Prayer, but stay awake through a 3 hour movie (I do that all the time)? Why are we so bored when we look at the HOLY BOOK. But find it easy to read other books?
Why is it so easy to ignore a message about God, yet we forward the nasty ones?
Why are prayers getting smaller but bars and clubs are expanding.
Why is it so easy to worship a celebrity but very difficult to engage with God?
Make this message your contribution to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Cover Crops might be a really good idea for empty prevent plant acres in farm country. The U.S. Department of Agriculture just announced that farmers who planted cover crops on prevented plant acres will be permitted to hay, graze or chop those fields earlier than November this year. USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) adjusted the 2019 final haying and grazing date from November 1 to September 1 to help farmers who couldn’t plant crops because of flooding and excess rainfall this spring.
Farmers can hay, graze, or chop their prevent plant acres if they have cover crops earlier this year. The Risk Management Agency moved the date from November 1 up to September 1 to help farmers who couldn’t plant crops because of flooding. (Photo from Drovers.com)
“We recognize farmers were greatly impacted by some of the unprecedented flooding and excessive rain this spring, and we made this one-year adjustment to help farmers with the tough decisions they are facing this year,” said Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey. “This change will make good stewardship of the land easier to accomplish while also providing an opportunity to ensure quality forage is available for livestock this fall.”
RMA has also determined that silage, haylage and baleage should be treated in the same manner as haying and grazing for this year. Producers can hay, graze or cut cover crops for silage, haylage or baleage on prevented plant acres on or after September 1 and still maintain eligibility for their full 2019 prevented planting indemnity.
“These adjustments have been made for 2019 only,” said RMA Administrator Martin Barbre. “RMA will evaluate the prudence of a permanent adjustment moving forward.”
Other USDA Programs Other USDA agencies are also assisting producers with delayed or prevented planting. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is extending the deadline to report prevented plant acres in select counties, and USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is holding special sign-ups for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program in certain states to help with planting cover crops on impacted lands. Contact your local FSA and NRCS offices to learn more.
Farmers in different parts of rural America are still dealing with flooding. Bryce Anderson, Senior Ag Meteorologist from DTN, says those struggles are continuing in some areas, while other parts of farm country are continuing to show some improvement.
Flooding has devastated farmers across a good chunk of rural America. Unfortunately, a senior ag meteorologist with DTN says some of those areas will be dealing with the excess water for some time yet. (Photo from Drovers.com)
Other parts of the Midwest are still dealing with flood stage and don’t have an immediate end in sight.
The rainfall isn’t over for parts of the country still dealing with saturated soils.
Anderson says the last time farm country had flooding problems that covered such a large area at the same time was back in 1993. He says the wet pattern will likely stick around at least through the end of June and possibly early July…
Bryce Anderson is Senior Ag Meteorologist with DTN.
For some perspective on how bad the flooding has been, an article on the Pacific Standard Magazine website says the Mississippi River has received rain and snow levels at a staggering 200 percent above normal.
And, it’s not just farmers who are suffering because of the flooding. The flooding has wrecked homes, contaminated drinking water, and done billions of dollars in damages. Unfortunately, industry experts are warning that it may take years for agriculture and rural America to recover from the extensive damages.
Dairy farmers have had a tough go of it lately as milk prices continue to struggle. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is rolling out its new Dairy Assistance, Investment and Relief Initiative (DAIRI) program to provide financial assistance for farmers. To be eligible, the state’s milk producers have to sign up for five years of coverage in the USDA Farm Service Agency’s Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program.
The Minnesota Dairy Assistance, Investment, and Relief Initiative is now taking applications. The program is designed to help the state’s dairy farmers stay afloat during very tough economic times. (Photo from nal.used.gov)
“Minnesota farmers are the cornerstone of our state’s economy,” said Governor Tim Walz. “We know that this has been a tough year for agriculture, and our dairy farmers need our support. I’m proud that our budget secured $8 million for the Dairy Assistance, Investment and Relief Initiative, The new initiative will help make sure our dairy farmers can continue doing the work they love and providing for our state.”
Applications to the program are being accepted now through October 1, 2019. In order to qualify, Minnesota farmers must have produced less than 160,000 cwt (hundredweight) of milk in 2018. Again, they also need to have signed up for five years of coverage through the DMC program during its current enrollment period, which is open between June 17, 2019 and September 20, 2019.
The MDA will issue payments on a rolling basis. Producers can expect to receive their first payments roughly two to four weeks after successfully applying. Minnesota dairy farmers will be paid based on production levels, up to 50,000 cwt of milk produced in 2018.
An application form, a W9, a copy of their DMC enrollment form, and a statement from their processor(s) detailing the amount of milk produced in 2018 are all required to complete an application.
Dairy farmers may receive a second payment this fall after the application period has ended, depending on remaining available funds.
I was at my desk the other day and missed a phone call. Thinking it may have been a potential interview subject for an article, I played the voicemail and got the shock of my life. “We’re calling to alert you that we’re prepared to take legal action against you because of suspicious activity on your social security number.” I played it three different times because I’d noticed they never actually said WHO was taking legal action against me. My cynical journalist radar was up and running.
I’ve seen this setting coming up on my cell phone an awful lot lately. Keep an eye out for scammers. I took a scam phone call the other day and included the audio at the end of the blog post. Don’t give out personal information if you didn’t initiate the phone call.
I also should have known that something was up when the first three numbers of the “800 number” was 855. That’s an out-of-country 800 number, i would find out later. Anyway, I make the call because now I’m flat-out curious. The guy who answered the phone informed me that he was with the “Social Security Administration” and even tried to pass on his “badge number.” At this point, I know I’m being scammed because in all my years in the media, one thing that’s stuck in this old brain was the fact that the Social Security Administration will NEVER call you about a problem. EVER. They always reach out and correspond through the mail.
Anyway, back to the story. In VERY broken English, the guy says there’s legal action pending against me because of suspicious activity on my SSN. He confirms my name and that I am who I say I am. THEN, he asks me to confirm my social security number over the phone, which is a big faux pas when dealing with someone who actually knows better.
I thought just for fun I’d put the audio of the phone call up here for you to listen to. I had played it for a couple family members, including my wife Monique. She looks at me after the recording was done and said “I can’t believe how patient you were during that phone call.” Hey, I was having fun!
However, all giggling aside, a scam phone call is a very serious matter. If you didn’t initiate the phone call, under NO circumstances should you give our personal information. EVER.
The last thing I need you to remember is to call your local law enforcement and report the number the scammer used to call you. It really does help because law enforcement will put out the information to the public as a number to avoid.
Here’s some recommendations on how to deal with scam phone calls.
Lanesboro alum Eric Holst is a two-time national champion in the Hammer/Weight Throw and finished as a runner-up in this year’s hammer throw event at the NCAA Division Three Track and Field Championships. (Contributed photo)
Track and field has been very good to Lanesboro alum Eric Holst. He’s a three-time All-American track athlete at St. Thomas University. He’s a two-time national champion, winning the Hammer Throw (outdoor season) as a junior and the Weight Throw (indoor season) as a senior. Holst wound up taking second in the Hammer Throw at this year’s National Division Three Track and Field Championship Meet. Holst said he was initially disappointed that he couldn’t repeat in the top spot but second was still a great way to finish up his college track career.
Runner Up
“It’s second place in the nation and very few people will ever reach that in their athletic lives,” Holst said. “It’s still a great thing and I still get All-American honors. However, I still wanted to win. I don’t know a single athlete that wouldn’t want to hit that mark. It came down to one throw that didn’t go my way.
Lanesboro’s Eric Holst qualified for the NCAA Division Three National Track and Field Championship Meet in both the hammer throw and the discus. He finished as the runner-up in the hammer throw. (Contributed Photo)
“My first throw of the meet was technically sound (60.90 meters),”
Holst recalled, “it just felt soft, not full-go. However, that put me into the
finals, which meant I was All-American. I told myself at that point ‘now we can
push it.’ I attacked my second throw too hard and let go one turn too early in
order to save the mark. Still, that throw put me into second place (61.69
meters).”
Holst said he couldn’t find the rhythm again and wound up
scratching on his next four throws. The senior thrower either hit the net with
the hammer or stepped out of the launch area. The only two throws he hit all
meet were the first two attempts. “I just couldn’t find it again,” he said.
However, it wasn’t just Holst that lost his rhythm.
Zak Dysert of Baldwin Wallace University in Ohio wound up as the national champion in this year’s hammer throw. He had a couple of scratches and poor throws during his earlier attempts. However, Holst said Dysert ‘pulled it together as I should have’ and won it on his last throw (62.01 meters). Converting meters to feet shows just how close the competition turned out to be. Dysert’s best throw totaled 203 feet, 5 inches. Holst’s best throw was one-inch shy of that mark at 202-05.
A Big Change
Holst made a big change in his training last year that carried over to this season. He switched up his throwing form last year as a junior. He went from spinning three times before releasing the hammer/weight to four times. It took some time to get used to, but Holst was feeling good about the adjustment by the end of last season. This season, it took a little longer to find the rhythm during his senior year.
“Switching from three rotations to four give you more time to accelerate ahead of the throw,” Holst explained. “If you’re a very explosive athlete, three turns are generally all you need. I’m not as explosive as many other competitors are, so that fourth turn to build up more speed can help me even the field quite a bit.”
Training Harder
In addition to changing his throwing form, Holst also changed his in-season training regimen. “I trained a lot harder during the season and attempted a lot more throws in practice,” Holst recalled. “The hope was that I could break down my body a little more during the season in hopes of building up to a stronger peak by the end of the year. I cut back on the number of throws as I got to the meets where they give out titles, trying to be a little bit fresher at that point of the season.”
Because it’s a throwing event, strength is obviously
important if athletes want to be competitive. However, Holst says technique
plays an even bigger part in success. “I think it’s the most technically-driven
event in all of track and field,” he said.
“You mainly see that when you go from high school track up to the college level,” Holst said. “At the lower level of competition, you’ll see big guys that win by simply outmuscling the other competitors. However, when you get up here, you’ll notice that people aren’t quite as big as they were down below. They realize it takes more than just brute strength to compete in the throwing events. Everyone is strong, so it boils down to technique.”
Eric Holst of Lanesboro is one of the more successful Burros when it comes to collegiate sports. He’s a two-time national champ in the hammer/weight throw and a runner-up in the hammer throw at this year’s national meet. (Contributed photo)
Holst is quick to credit his coaches for pushing him to be better every day, both at practice and during competitions. However, they won’t be pushing him anymore as his St. Thomas track career ended after the Outdoor National Meet. Looking back over his four-year career, it’s been interesting to remember how things developed.
On to New Things
“It really hit me hard this year that I’m done with college
track,” he recalled. “I struggled with it for a few days. I remember back in my
freshman year when we had a thrower that placed ninth at the national meet. We
looked up to him like a god because he was one spot away from being an
All-American. A spot in the national meet seemed so unattainable that we
thought he was a ‘freak athlete.’
“It’s funny to look back and think about how I’ve made the
same level of competition as that ‘freak athlete’ back then,” Holst added.
“It’s kind of wild to think that I did it too, especially when I think about my
freshman season and what we had thought was so unattainable.”
What will he miss the most about college track? It boils
down to one word: routine.
“I’ve been used to going to class and going to track
practice for the last ten years, going all the way back to middle school,”
Holst says. “Now, there’s no more practice at all. It’s off to the workforce,
which is a whole different routine to learn.”
Dicamba is an important tool for farmers when it comes to controlling weeds. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) wants to remind pesticide applicators of the state-specific dicamba cutoff for the 2019 growing season. Product application cannot take place in Minnesota after June 20.
The 2019 Minnesota dicamba cutoff is in addition to those established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The affected formulations are XtendiMax by Monsanto, Engenia by BASF, FeXapan by DuPont, and Tavium by Syngenta.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is reminding farmers and pesticide applicators that the dicamba cutoff date is set for June 20th. (photo from agweb.com)
“We understand that late planting this season has caused concern for growers who want to use this crop management tool,” said Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. “However, delaying applications in an attempt to control later emerging weeds can result in poor control and presents other risks. If you are one of the growers that has invested in dicamba technology, now is the time to use it for the dicamba cutoff date. The University of Minnesota Extension says late planting combined with pre-plant tillage can offer advantages for weed control.”
The June 20, 2019, the dicamba cutoff date is based on the MDA’s ongoing investigations and informal surveys into reports of crop damage from alleged dicamba off-target movement over the past two growing seasons. In 2017, the MDA received 253 reports of alleged dicamba drift; 55 of those were formal complaints requesting investigations. Those reports impacted an estimated 265,000 acres. After state restrictions were put in place for the 2018 growing season, the number of complaints dropped dramatically to 53 reports, of which 29 were formal complaints. Just over 1,800 acres were impacted in 2018.
This year’s dicamba cutoff date was first announced on December 10, 2018. Over the winter, approximately 5,800 pesticide applicators attended trainings across the state as required by the product labels.
Dicamba is most effective early in the growing season. Product labels recommend application on small broadleaf weeds that are up to 4 inches tall.
To manage weeds after June 20, growers can use herbicides from Group 9 (Glyphosate), Group 2 (Pursuit, Classic, FirstRate), and Group 14 (Flexstar, Cobra, Cadet, Ultra Blazer). If you have herbicide resistant weeds such as water hemp, follow University of Minnesota Extension recommendations on layering of residual herbicides such as Dual, Outlook, Warrant, and Valor.
In Minnesota, the XtendiMax, Engenia, FeXapan, and Tavium formulations of dicamba are “Restricted Use Pesticides” for retail sale to, and for use only by, certified applicators.
