Author: rutlandramblings

This is a blog for Rutland, North Dakota, area news and events. This blog is supported and paid for by the Rutland Community Club. For official information from the City, please see the City website at rutlandnd.com

Hens Do Crow! June 7, 2019

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By Deborah Banish

Mother Nature decided to skip Spring it appears as the temperatures have jumped into the 80s this past week. That has provided farmers a chance to try to get the fields planted but the rains and heavy winter snow melt make many fields impossible to reach or to even plant. The predicted rain for the coming weekend will be putting an end to the planting season. There will be many a disgruntled farmer this year so best not to mention this again!

Globe-trotting, or cycling, Cayuga native Randy Kiefer, also known as Singapore Slim, recently informed friends here about his progress on his most recent adventure, a bicycle ride from his Winter roost in Anchorage, Alaska, to his ancestral homeland in North Dakota. Here is Randy’s report, dated June 1, 2019:

“Greetings From Cold Lake, Alberta. Not much news since my last transmission. A few bears, foxes, moose, bison, mountain goats, deer, an elk, and even a badger. The latter was just 10 feet in front of me, then stopped in my lane, and gave me a look. YIKES!!! I didn’t know what to do. Wanted to grab the camera, but didn’t want to take my eyes off him (or her). At any rate, before I knew it, Mr., or Ms., Badger was off to the other side of the road, and into a pasture. That was a treat. So a brief by the numbers update: 1) How I got to Cold Lake, Alberta. 2) I rode the AlCan Highway from Tok, Alaska, to Fort St John, British Columbia. There I exited east on Cecil Lake Road, (British Columbia), Highway 64 (Alberta), to Grimshaw, then highways 2 and 55. 3) Some events: a) The winds north of Haines Junction, Yukon, were horrendous. They said up to 60 mph (100 kilometers per hour). Dust across the road was the least of my problems. At times I was riding at 65 degrees(?). Then I didn’t want to become an OCW Gloria. A rider from OC who went down and broke her hip in strong winds. So I walked, more than once. And at times it was all I could do to just stand upright. There is no winning on a bike in the wind. b) Fast forward to the highest pass on the AlCan, Summit Lake. Camped the night of the 19th. The lake was frozen over, a sunny frosty PM/AM in the tent. c) Next is the smoke deviation. Some of you noticed I planned a major loop to Yellowknife, Northwest Territory (NWT). After checking a map more closely, I had scaled my plan to Fort Providence, and maybe hitching in and out of Yellowknife. But the fires near High Level, Alberta, killed all of that. d) I rode north on Highway 7 to within 12 miles (20ks) of Fort Liard, but with all the smoke I hitched back to the AlCan, to Fort Nelson. The Alberta fires had forced the evacuation of High Level, and some roads were closed. The ups were killing my lungs, so I gave the loop a miss. Not likely to have another go at this area, but really had no choice – RATS!!! 4) The only news for me in riding in northern Alberta is the agricultural land. Enormous fields of tilled land. Large equipment, some even red. Also seeing the cow/calf operations was fun for me. 5) Tomorrow (June 2, 2019) I start across Saskatchewan toward Manitoba to meet fellow Apple Dumpling Gang members, Dick Reis and Don Isensee on 19 June. They will escort me to Fargo. That will be the end of my journey. This adventure started last April from Santa Barbara. Then I had a most enjoyable 7 month lay-over in Anchorage. And now will soon end my journey in Fargo. Thank you for travelling along. r/randy”.

Thanks to Randy for the report, and for allowing his more sedentary friends to enjoy the tour with him.

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Hens Do Crow! May 31, 2019

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By Deborah Banish

Sunday, May 26, was a day of celebration for two Rutland youths – Tyler Banish and Thomas Mehrer – and their classmates. The Sargent Central High School Graduation Ceremony was held in Forman with a class of ten graduating students. The program included a special music performance of “With a Little Help from my Friends” by The Beatles. Thomas learned bass for the song, Tyler played drums for the first time, and Eric Bergeman kept them all together on the keyboard with the rest of class playing percussion instruments. A video of the performance is available for viewing on the Sargent Central Sports Pictures Facebook Page. Congratulations to all the graduates on your future endeavors.

A large group of family and friends made it to Rutland for the Memorial Day Program on Monday, May 27th. The American Legion Bergman Evenson Post #215 held events at both the Nordland Lutheran Church Cemetery, which was still accessible by land, but the ground was still inundated from all the rains after the heavy snow, and at the Rutland Cemetery. Following the cemetery visits, around 100 people proceed to City Hall for a short program. American Legion Member Doug Olstad received his five-year service award. American Legion Auxiliary Members also received their member service awards: New Member – Delores Lysne; Ten-Year Members – Wendy Jacobson, Mathea Jablonsky, Donna Kubitz, Diane Smith; Twenty-five Year Member – Sonja Christensen; and Sixty-Year Member award – Lois Breker. Musical entertainment included songs sung by local talent accompanied by Miss Cora Millette. Following the program, a wonderful meal of scalloped potatoes and ham and a variety of salads and desserts were served.

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Hens Do Crow! May 24, 2019

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By Deborah Banish

The thunderstorm that rattled, roared and raged across Rutland and vicinity at about 10:30 on the evening of Wednesday, May 15, dropped .28 of an inch of rain here, according to Paul Anderson’s electronic rain gauge at 309 Gay Street, and .3 of an inch, according to Norbert Kulzer’s gauge at 415 Gay Street. Jesse Brakke reports that his electronic gauge recorded .15 of an inch, but he’s not too sure how accurate that reading was because he hadn’t emptied the spiders and spider webs out of it yet.  Harvey Bergstrom stated that the gauge at his farmstead three miles south of Cayuga only registered .08 of an inch on Thursday morning, and Cam Gulleson reported that .2 of an inch was measured at the Gulleson farmstead 1½ mile east of Rutland. The rain brought planting activities to a halt for a while, but sunshine and wind on Thursday soon had the wheels turning, again.

Saturday morning rain gauge readings after the thunderstorm of Friday, May 17 & Saturday, May 18: Norbert Kulzer at 415 Gay Street, 1.7 inch; Roger Pearson at 309 Gay Street, 1.75 inch; Harvey Bergstrom 3 miles south of Cayuga, 1.45 inch; and, Jim Lunneborg four miles north of Rutland, 1.9 inch.  Norbert figures that his gauge might have had a larger reading on Saturday morning if the rain had arrived vertically, rather than horizontally. Kurt Breker reports that all of the sloughs and potholes that were farmed through last year are now full of water and running together.  “We were wet before this rain,” Kurt stated, “and now we’re too wet.” Spring planting activities are now halted due to wet field conditions, and, with the forecast calling for rain nearly every day, it is doubtful that any wheels will turn prior to Memorial Day. Some of the Assembled Wise Men were reminiscing about “the good old days” when they could plant millet at the beginning of July and still get a cash crop, plus enjoy some good waterfowl hunting shooting ducks and geese off the millet swaths in October. Those were the days!

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Hens Do Crow! May 17, 2019

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By Deborah Banish

The Rutland Community Club met on Monday, May 13th, at the Rutland Hall. The new list of work groups will be on the new Rutland website for easier access; the online version will not include telephone numbers; each Chair assigned to an event will have the numbers so they can contact their group members. Katie McLaen will Chair the Memorial Day luncheon on Monday following the program presented by American Legion Bergman-Evenson Post #215 and the Rutland American Legion Auxiliary. There will be a potluck dinner following the morning program. The Club authorized purchase of nine flowerpots to be placed along First Street that will be tended by the area businesses where they are placed. Katie has been checking on the cost of new flags along First Street and due to their cost, she will check on getting a metal sign instead. The Block Party will be held Thursday, June 6, with burgers on the grill and lots of games planned for the event. A Chair is still needed for Uffda Day and should be determined by July 1 to allow the event to happen this year. The annual Easter Egg Hunt at the Hall, hosted by the Leinen Family for the past eighteen years, will be assumed by the Club due to Jeanne’s ‘retirement’. Jeanne’s help will be needed to help organize the event to keep it as exciting and fun as the Hunt’s held for the past many years.

The Uffda Day Committee is looking for the next Miss Lefse and Mr. Lefse! Children aged 5-12 years old are eligible to apply with applications due by Wednesday, May 30th to Wendy Willprecht in Forman. Contact Wendy with your child’s name, age, address and telephone number along with an answer “Why would you like to be Mr. or Miss Lefse?” The Mr. and Miss will be crowned at Rutland Fun Night on Thursday, June 6. The responsibility of the royals will be to represent Rutland in the Uffda Day Parade that will be held on Sunday, October 6.

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Hens Do Crow! – May 10, 2019

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By Deborah Banish

The Boys Vocal Group achieved an Outstanding Performance at the State Music Contest.
L-R: Thomas Mehrer, Tyler Banish, Eric Bergeman, Ethan Bergeman, Emmett Bergeman, Noah Kujanson.

On Friday, May 4th, several Sargent Central High School students, their teachers and some parents headed to the North Dakota State Music Contest to display their talents and compete against other students in the Class B section. Sargent Central earned 9 ⭐️ performances at State Music, and also received three Outstanding performances. Congratulations to Eric Bergeman on his flute solo, Thomas Mehrer on his vocal solo, and to the six members of the boy’s vocal group who performed Shenandoah – Tyler Banish, Emmett Bergeman, Eric Bergeman, Ethan Bergeman, Noah Kujanson, and Thomas Mehrer.

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