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

The Rooster Crows – May 16, 2014

On By rutlandramblingsIn Rooster CrowsLeave a comment

The spring of 2014 continues to give the cold shoulder to the northern plains. The temperature did get up to 60 on Tuesday, May 6, and up to 62 on Wednesday, May 7, but only registered a high of 46 on Thursday, May 8, the 69th anniversary of VE Day, and 44 on Monday, May 12. In addition to cool temperatures, Mother Nature has also been providing an ample supply of wind, along with more rain. An inch of rain on Thursday evening, another ½-inch on the evening of Mothers’ Day, Sunday, May 11, and another ½-inch on Monday evening brought the total for the week to over 2 inches. Wheat fields are growing and looking good, right now, but the 2014 corn and soybean crops are still in the seed bin, waiting to be planted. The TV weather forecasters are predicting some warmer, drier weather ahead, so there is a light at the end of the tunnel, providing some hope that planting will be able to commence in earnest by the end of the week. With the southern plains from Kansas south already suffering from extreme heat and drought, though, all here are hoping that the light at the end of the tunnel doesn’t turn out to be an oncoming freight train. Although, with grain terminals from Montana through North Dakota and into Minnesota unable to move the 2013 crop due to oil traffic from western North Dakota oil fields tying up the tracks, even an oncoming freight train might be welcome, as long as it was pulling in some empty grain cars.

Maverick James Holtman, better known as M. J. to his friends, accompanied his grandpa, Harvey Bergstrom to the Rutland General Store for pancakes and a session with the Assembled Wise Men on the mornings of Wednesday and Thursday, May 7 & 8. M. J. is the younger son of Wade & Kayla (Bergstrom) Holtman. He lives in East Grand Forks MN, where his Dad is an independent over the road truck driver and his Mom is employed by a bank. M. J., age 2½, also has an older brother, William, age 7, who will get his turn to have fun at Grandpa  & Grandma’s farm in the near future.

The father-son team of Denny and Brian Pherson, new owners of the residence at 311 Ross Street, has commenced the task of cleaning up the premises and getting it ready for renovation work. The appearance of the premises has been greatly improved by the removal of several dead trees, some of which had been blown over or broken off by recent high winds.  The residence was originally built by Otto & Mildred Meyers to serve as their family home and as a maternity hospital back in the early 1950’s. The Pherson team purchased the property from the City of Rutland back in April. In addition to the Meyers family, other owners/occupants of the property include Victor & Hjalmer Strand; Mr.  & Mrs. Robert Rokke; Norbert & Beverly Kulzer; Myron & Jackie Kluge; Cecil & Dorothy Philips; Mitch & Dawn Mahrer; and, Brent & Mary Lee. Continue reading “The Rooster Crows – May 16, 2014” →

Garden Party

On By rutlandramblingsIn Garden Club, Relay for LifeLeave a comment

It is time to think Spring!  The sun has been trying to shine on Rutland between all the rain showers that have hit the area.  The three inches of rain has soaked into the ground and the daylilies and hostas are among the many flowers showing their greenery.

May is usually when The Friendly Garden Club hosts its annual spring auction in Rutland. Unfortunately, the Club has disbanded and there will be no spring auction this year or years to come (at least at the time of this writing). However, there is hope for garden enthusiasts! This year the Little Old Ladies of Sargent County are hosting a Garden Party in nearby Milnor on Monday, May 19, from 6 to 9 p.m., at the Lakeview Golf Course.

Admission to the Garden Party is a “garden item” — a plant, gardening tool(s), garden decor, yard art, potting soil or seeds.  Garden items will be accepted between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. Those items will be placed on a silent auction which will end at 8:30 p.m.  There will also be a cash drawing and door prizes.  Hors d’oeuvres and sweets will be served and wine and other beverages will also be available for sale.

If you have attended any of the other events sponsored by the Little Old Ladies of Sargent County, you know everyone will have a great time!  All proceeds go to the Sargent County Relay for Life.  Come on out and have some fun and contribute to a great cause!!

50 Interesting Facts About North Dakota

On By rutlandramblingsIn Life In General, North Dakota19 Comments

Every State has a lot of fun facts and history.  The following North Dakota list should be of interest because Rutland made it in the top three!

  1. 1.  At 3.2%, North Dakota has the lowest unemployment rate in the United States.c
  2. In 2012, North Dakota was the fastest-growing state in the United States. The growth was largely due to an oil boom in the Bakken fields in the western part of the state. The state became the 2nd-highest oil-producing state behind Texas. Despite its oil boom, agriculture or farming is still North Dakota’s top industry.mND Oil
  3. The world’s largest hamburger was eaten in Rutland, North Dakota. It weighed 3,591 pounds and more than 8,000 people were invited to the meal.i
  4. Most of the pasta in America is made from North Dakota durum wheat. Grand Forks holds a huge pasta party each year in honor of the crop.n
  5. In 2012, North Dakota was ranked as the best-run state in the country.l
  6. It’s illegal to go dancing in Fargo with a hat on. It is even illegal to wear a hat at a party where other people are dancing. It is also illegal in North Dakota to take a nap with your shoes on. After 11 pm, it is illegal to set off fireworks at Devils Lake in North Dakota.n
  7. The smallest city in North Dakota is Maza, with a population of 5 people. North Dakota does not have towns or villages. Each place is officially a city, no matter how small it is.n
  8. North Dakota is the least-visited state in America.h
  9. Lying just under the surface of western North Dakota is about 25 billion tons of lignite, enough to supply the region’s coal needs for over 800 years.n
  10. Dakota is the Sioux word for “friend” or “ally.”n
  11. Famous people from North Dakota include musician and bandleader Lawrence Welk, baseball legend Roger Maris, news reporter and commentator Eric Sevareid, author Louis L’Amour, singer Peggy Lee, actress Angie Dickenson, and actor Josh Duhamel.i
  12. In 2008, Fargo, North Dakota, hosted the largest pancake feed in the world.i
  13. In 1987, North Dakota passed a bill making English the official state language.i
  14. North Dakota is the only state in the country with a state-owned bank, the Bank of North Dakota. It also has a state-owned flour mill.i
  15. Lewis and Clark spent more time in North Dakota than in any other place they visited on their expedition.n
  16. By 2000, 99.5% of North Dakota’s original grassland had been turned into farms and ranches.i
  17. Huge herds of bison once roamed the plains of North Dakota. By 1900, fewer than 600 were left. President Roosevelt spearheaded efforts to save the bison, and today about 90,000 live in North Dakota. True buffalo are found only in Asia and Europe. Early European settlers thought bison looked like buffalo and, hence, confused the names.n
  18. In 1995 the square dance became North Dakota’s official American folk dance. Square dancing combines elements of various European dances, including the quadrille of France.n
  19. North Dakota holds the Guinness World Record for the most snow angels made simultaneously in one place. On February 17, 2007, 8,962 people made snow angels at the state capitol grounds. They beat the earlier record of 3,784 set at Michigan Technological University the previous year.j
  20. North Dakota farmland would cover over 12 million city blocks. Farmers there produce enough wheat each year to make 12.6 billion loaves of bread.n
  21. North Dakota has the highest percentage of church-going population in the country. It also has more churches per capita than any other state.f
  22. North Dakota ranchers produce enough beef to make 113 million hamburgers each year. There are approximately three times more cattle than people in North Dakota and Angus is the most popular variety of cow.
  23. North Dakota’s Jamestown, also known as Buffalo City, houses the “World’s Largest Buffalo.” The statue is 26 feet tall, 46 feet long, and weighs 60 tons. A herd of bison graze below the statue, including a rare albino named Mahpiya Ska, Lakota for “White Cloud.”k
  24. North Dakota’s state capitol is 242 feet high. It is the tallest building in North Dakota and the 3rd-tallest capitol in the country. The original capitol burned to the ground on December 28, 1930.k
  25. North Dakota produces enough canola oil every year to fill the state capitol’s 19-story tower 19 times.k
  26. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state in the United States. However, it is the 3rd-least populous and the 4th-least densely populated state in the U.S.k
  27. Comedian Red Skeleton once quipped that North Dakota is the “the only place I’ve been where I didn’t have to look up to see the sky.”k
  28. North Dakota became the 39th state in 1889. It was admitted the same day as South Dakota. Because both states wanted to be the first state admitted, President Benjamin Harrison shuffled both statehood papers and signed them without knowing which one was first. However, because North Dakaota is alphabetically before South Dakota, its proclamation was published first.n
  29. Less than 1% of North Dakota is forest, the smallest amount of any state.i
  30. Rhode Island, the smallest state in the US, could fit inside North Dakota 46 times.i
  31. Temperatures drop below 0° F on average of 65 days a year near the Canadian border and 35 days a year in the southwestern part of the state, making it one of the coldest states in the nation. The western parts of both Dakotas are also the windiest area of the United States.i
  32. Between 1950-2004, an average of 21 tornadoes a year hit North Dakota. In 1999 alone, 65 tornadoes ripped through the state. North Dakota’s deadliest tornado had winds of more than 300 mph (483 kph) in 1957. It struck Fargo, killing 10 people and injuring 103.i
  33. French Canadian explorer Pierre Gaultier de La Vérendrye led the first group of Europeans to explore what is now North Dakota.n
  34. North Dakota is the nation’s 3rd-top sugar producer.i
  35. In 1887, North Dakotan David Henderson Houston invented a camera. He named it by scrambling the first four letters of Dakota and adding a “K” to make Kodak. He later sold the rights of the Kodak camera to George Eastman.k
  36. North Dakota has had several nicknames, including Flickertail State, Roughrider State, and Peace Garden State.k
  37. Rugby, North Dakota, claims that it is the geographical center of North America. However, experts say the true center is closer to Balta, which is 15 miles southwest of Rugby.k
  38. Movies filmed in North Dakota including Dakota (1945), Fargo (1995), and the documentary My Father’s Garden (1996). None of the scenes in the popular movieFargo was filmed there. Additionally, the movie was loosely based on two true events that happened in Minnesota, not North Dakota. But the wood chipper used in the movie is now on display at the Fargo-Moorhead Visitor Center.d,e
  39. North Dakota is the home to the largest state-owned sheep research center in the United States.i
  40. North Dakota produces more honey than any other state.n
  41. The state that grows the most sunflowers is North Dakota.k
  42. North Dakota has only one abortion clinic and has been rated as the worst state in the country for women.a
  43. North Dakota has more national wildlife refuges (62) than any other state.n
  44. North Dakota has long, harsh winters and short, hot summers. Both of its recorded weather extremes occurred in 1936: -60° F in February and 121° F in July.n
  45. One of the quirkiest sports in North Dakota is lawn mower racing. By the time mowers are customized, they can reach speeds of 60 mph, compared to the 5 mph they might do in the backyard.i
  46. The J.R. Simplot potato processing plant in Grand Forks, ND, produces over 400 million pounds of French fries per year. McDonald’s is its main customers.i
  47. Quirky city and place names in North Dakota include Antler, Buttzville, Cannon Ball, Concrete, Flasher, Medicine Hole, On-a-Slant Village, Ops, Three V Crossing, and Zap.o
  48. The most popular tourist spot in North Dakota is the Wild West town of Medora, which was founded in 1883 by the Marquis de Mores, a French nobleman. According to the 2010 census, its population is 112 people.n
  49. In 2010, scientists discovered that 80% of the 406 road-side plants they collected in North Dakota showed evidence of genetic modification. Scientists note that the proper monitoring and control of genetically modified crops in the United States is severely lacking and that the escape of genetically modified crops is “unprecedented.”b
  50. A North Dakotan highway sculpture named “Geese in Flight” holds the Guinness World Record as the largest metal sculpture in the world. Erected in 2001, it is 156 feet long, 100 feet tall, and weighs 75 tons. Retired schoolteacher Gary Greff, who wanted to break up the tedium on the highway, constructed it.n

References and more fun facts about North Dakota can be found at the website http://facts.randomhistory.com/north-dakota-facts.html

Fix My Mail!

On By rutlandramblingsIn Life In GeneralLeave a comment

Fix My Mail: How is Your Postal Service Working For You?

Fix My Mail is a grassroots effort to hear stories from North Dakotans who have encountered delayed mail delivery times or are dealing with other problems with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS).  Senator Heitkamp has heard too many concerns from North Dakotans about the problems they face getting their mail on time, and it absolutely needs to be fixed.  So let’s talk about it. When you click the link above, you will be directed to Heidi Heitkamp’s Senate Page where you can fill out a form about mail service.  OK Rutland residents, now is your chance to be heard (again).  We will not go down without a fight!!!

Thanks to Bill Anderson to alerting us to this opportunity for input.  You can also go on Facebook or Twitter and use #FixMyMail to tell your story.  And please encourage others you know who have faced problems with their mail service and standards to join the effort.

Rutland in 2013

On By rutlandramblingsIn Events, Life In General, Rutland History1 Comment

2013 was another year of “Hello” and “Goodbye”, fun and excitement.  Here is a brief summary of events in Rutland, ND from 2013:

We said our goodbyes to:

  • Verna Kiefer of Cayuga, passed away in January at the age of 91.
  • Roman Weber, passed away in February in Fargo at the age of 77. 
  • Earl Cramton passed away February 2 in Rutland.  He was 64 years old.
  • Donald Markeseth of Tewaukon Township, died March 16.
  • Ella Lou (Baumer) Nelson passed away in Forman, April 10.
  • Woodrow Leonard Olson departed this life April 15, 2013, at Bristol, South Dakota
  • Rutland native Valrae (Thomas) Miller passed away April 27, 2013 in Sioux Falls, SD
  • Harry A. Kiefer of Cayuga, passed away in Fargo June 1.
  • Rutland native Kimberly “Kim” G. Sjothun died June 2, in Fargo.
  • August 22, Rutland native Neal Preble departed this life in Grand Forks ND.
  • September 12, Loretta M. “Lolly” Arneson passed away in Fargo.
  • Joyce (Colby/Butler) Narum passed away September 19, in Fergus Falls MN.
  • Rutland native Marvin Evenson, died September 28, in Sioux Falls SD, 101 years old.
  • October 6, Borghild (Christianson) Lee passed away in Forman
  • November 27, Rutland native Ellis Sundlie passed away at his home in Pahrump NV.
  • Clarence J. “Butch” Harff  passed away on November 29, 2013, in Forman.

We welcomed new Rutland residents: Continue reading “Rutland in 2013” →

Relay for Life

On By rutlandramblingsIn Relay for LifeLeave a comment

The 2014 Sargent County Relay for Life has a strong start on its fundraising before the big event next June in Milnor.  Ten teams have already registered and have been holding a variety of interesting and fun fundraisers.  There have been “no baking cookie sales” (you buy the recipes rather than make them), there was a Ladies Night to purchase items from various vendors and Two Little Old Ladies have been selling items on Facebook with all proceeds going to Relay.  Now the Rutland Rockets have created a timely event and fundraiser.  On Saturday, November 30, there will be a Zumba session at the Rutland Town Hall, from 9 to 11 a.m.  It could not have come at a better time.  How else can you wear off all the calories from Thanksgiving Dinner?  If you said, shopping ’til you drop on Black Friday that’s no excuse.  That shopping excursion gave you a lot of walking and lifting exercise so now you need to step it up a notch and Zumba. Get your groove and move with friends to help fight cancer!