By Bill Anderson

Summer ends, and Autumn begins, this weekend, at precisely 2:49 a.m. on Saturday, September 23, with the arrival of the Autumnal Equinox, when exactly half of our Planet Earth will be bathed in sunshine, and exactly half will be shrouded in darkness. There isn’t much difference between Summer and Autumn on that first day, but, by the time the Winter Solstice arrives, at 10:47 p.m. on Thursday, December 21, it is very likely that weather conditions will be described with 4 letter words such as: cold; snow; wind; and, others not printed in The Rooster Crows but occasionally exclaimed in an ice covered parking lot or a snow filled road ditch. Well, hope is only 6 months away, with the projected arrival of the Vernal Equinox at 5:58 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, according to Alexa who gets her info from The Old Farmer’s Almanac. So, enjoy that last day of Summer to the full. It will be a while before days like that become standard equipment again. 

Soybean harvest began in the Rutland area on Thursday, September 14, when Chris Pearson had 3 combines straight cutting beans on fields 2½ miles southeast of town. The fields were located on land that was formerly described as “Maggie Flados’ Quarter,” and, “Melfin Erickson’s Quarter.” According to Chris’ Dad, Randy Pearson, the yields ran from fair to outstanding, depending on whether the combine was on a hilltop or down in the Wild Rice River bottom. According to Randy, the beans were filling the combine hoppers so fast that they had to haul them to 2 different elevators just to keep ahead of the combines. As a local philosopher once observed, “Even if it ain’t true, it ought to be.”

Steve Wyum and Bill Anderson of this community were among those who attended the public hearing held at the Forman Town Hall at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 12. The public hearing concerned the proposal to change 2 County offices, County Auditor and County Treasurer/Recorder/Clerk of Court, from elected offices to appointed offices. State law and Sargent County’s Home Rule Charter authorize the County Commission to make the change and require that the people have the right to be heard on the matter at a public hearing. The Commission had previously held the required hearing at a time during a regularly scheduled meeting of the County Commission, but only 1 person had made an appearance, so the Commissioners called a second hearing to be held on September 12. The public will have another opportunity to be heard on the matter on Tuesday, October 3, either before or after the final hearing on the proposed 2024 County Budget. According to current County Auditor Pam Maloney, 26 people attended the September 12 hearing. Eleven of those in attendance were County employees, 3 elected and 8 appointed.

Dana Wyum was working on the mural on the west side of the old Hardware Store/Laundromat on Thursday, September 14. The painting has a tree in the traditional Norse folk art style at its center, and is surrounded by paintings depicting a horse, a squirrel, a rabbit and a fox. A true artist, Dana has continued to make improvements and finishing touches to her work on a daily basis since the 14th.

The following Uff-Da Day report/schedule has been received from Rutland Community Club President/Uff-Da Day Chairperson Katie McLaen.

Starting at 10am on Sunday, October 1: • Vendors and Craft Sales • Demonstrations at various indoor and outdoor locations * Car Show on Gay Street • Lefse & Goodies at the Senior Center on Main Street * Fresh lefse for sale at the Senior Center.

10 AM to 2 PM •* Open for viewing: School House, Rutland Depot Museum & Pioneer House.

Jump Houses Open 10:00 AM to 12:30 and 1:30 to 3:00 PM

Lariat Bar open at 10 AM with drink specials

11:00 AM • Rommegrot at the Senior Center • Uffda Tacos, hot dogs & bratwursts at the Fire Hall • Abelskievers outside by the Legion Hall

Hall Dinner at the Community Center Scalloped Potatoes w/Ham, Carrots, Bread, Coleslaw, Rice Pudding, Lefse, Sandkaker & Krumkake $15 adults; $6 children age 6-12; Under 6 free-will.

1:00 PM Time for a PARADE! 

1:30 PM Nickel Scramble (in front of bank following Parade) 

2:00 PM Tractor Pull Ages 4-11 12+ Adult Pedal Pull

David Bladow reports that preparations for the 2023 Uff-Da Day Car Show on Sunday, October 1, are going well. “It all depends on the weather,” says Dave. “If it’s a nice day, we’ll have a lot of cars. If it’s not a nice day, we’ll still have a lot of cars, just not quite as many.” This year, the space allocated to the Car Show will be extended another block, from First Street to Ross Street, so there should be enough room for all. Dave also reports that he and son, Brian, have been at work restoring a Model A Ford 2 door sedan. He says that they don’t have the spark getting from point A to point B, yet, but as soon as they figure out where the spark is going they will get the old Ford hitting on all 4 cylinders.

Larry Christensen, Doug Olstad, Roger Pearson and Bill Anderson were hard at work on Thursday, September 14 and Monday, September 18, rolling lefse dough into balls that the lefse pros, Lefse Lena and her crew, would later roll out into sheets of lefse that would be fried on lefse griddles in preparation to be served at the Rutland Town Hall on Uff-Da Day, Sunday, October 1. As of Monday evening, this crew of specialists had prepared 719 sheets of lefse that will be served at the Uff-Da Day dinner. Larry, Doug, Roger & Bill were under the supervision of Carolyn (Jacobson) Christensen, an experienced lefse chef who demanded perfection, and got it!

Rutland has gained two new citizens recently, the old-fashioned way. Roger Arnold Hoflen was born to Bill Hoflen & Maggie Schutt on Friday, September 1, 2023, at Essentia Hospital in Fargo. He weighed in at 9 pounds 4 ounces and stood 22 inches tall in his bare feet on arrival. His grandparents are Andrew Hoflen of Rutland; Barbara Shupe of Fargo; and Mike & Deb Schutt of rural Milnor. According to his dad young Roger has already been out checking on the cows and supervising fence fixing operations, and he is a born cattleman, carrying on the family tradition established by the 4 generations of Hoflens who preceded him in the Rutland community. Theo Michael Peterson was born to Travis & Morgan (Lock) Peterson on Friday, September 8, 2023, at Essentia Hospital in Fargo. Theo tipped the scales at 7 pounds 12 ounces and stood 21 inches tall in his bare feet on arrival. He joined his parents and big brother, Nate, at his new home in Rutland on Sunday, September 10. Theo’s grandparents are: Jim & Launa Peterson of Rutland; and, Mike & Penny Lock of rural Forman. According to his mother, Theo is not serving on any Uff-Da Day committees this year, but he does plan to be on hand to enjoy the festivities.

Cayuga native Randy Kiefer was a Rutland visitor on the evening of Monday, September 18. Randy joined an old friend, Bill Anderson, and a new one, Hal Nelson, for supper at The Lariat Bar. Monday night is “Burger Night” at The Lariat, and Bill & Hal enjoyed the gourmet burgers while Randy got by with a vegetarian salad. Randy reports that he spent much of the past 2½ months touring around the Great Lakes and the northeast region of the U. S. on his bicycle. Randy has toured much of the world on his bike and plans to continue doing so. He has been visiting at the Ransom County farm home of his sister and brother-in-law, Pam & Keith Hoistad, for the past few weeks, but by the end of this week he intends to be in South Dakota assisting his cousins on the Janish side of the family with the Fall harvest. By the end of October, he plans to head east and out to sea for some early winter touring on the Island of Greenland. He says that he does not intend to spend the entire winter on Greenland, though, “…only the months of November, December and January.” He then plans to relocate to the island of Iceland, where Erik The Red and the renegade Vikings went to hide out over 1,000 years ago, where he can enjoy bathing and relaxing in the many volcanic hot springs that help keep Iceland livable. Sometime in the late Spring or early Summer of 2024 Randy expects to be back in North Dakota to update family and friends on his latest travel adventures. Randy’s parents were the late George “Pete” & Verna (Janish) Kiefer of Cayuga. He is a 1967 graduate of Sargent Central High School; a veteran of the U. S. Army; and, a graduate of NDSU in Fargo. 

The North Shore of Lake Superior has been the goal for some of the local folks in recent weeks. Chuck & Mary Beth Anderson took a week-long tour that included Duluth MN and Superior WI from Wednesday, September 6 to Wednesday, September 13. The Andersons no sooner had their pickup and travel trailer back in the barn than Mike & Debbie Banish fired up their motor home and took off for the North Shore on Thursday, September 14. Mike & Debbie returned to their home 2 miles south of Rutland on Monday, September 18, reporting that the scenery was beautiful, and that they had enjoyed a very nice trip. Debbie then headed west for Bismarck and the annual conference of the North Dakota League of Cities and the Municipal Finance Officers Association. Debbie takes in the training and update sessions in order to be up to date in the performance of her duties as Rutland’s City Auditor. 

The Rutland City Council has been discussing the need for sidewalk replacement on Main Street and the need for a replacement for the City’s water tower for the past several months, or more. A public information meeting at which the estimated costs and potential sources of funding will be discussed will be held at the Rutland Town Hall on the evening of Tuesday, September 26. City Engineer Mike Bassingthwaite from Interstate Engineering of Wahpeton will be on hand to discuss the projects. Rutland citizens who walk on sidewalks, use water, own property, pay taxes, or, just want to find out what’s going on, are urged to attend.

Well, that’s the news from Rutland for this week. For additional information about what’s happening in the little city that can, check out the community’s internet web site at www.rutlandnd.com and take a look at the Rutland Facebook page while you’re at it, too. Don’t forget to patronize your local Post Office and remember to keep the pressure on the U.S. Postal Service and the North Dakota Congressional delegation to SAVE OUR POST OFFICE! Later.