Tag: block party

The Rooster Crows – June 9, 2023

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By Bill Anderson

The thunderstorm that rumbled through on the afternoon of Saturday, June 3, Presented Rutland with .65 of an inch of rain, according to Roger Pearson’s rain gauge, and with .6 of an inch of rain according to the rain gauge of his neighbor, Norbert Kulzer, a few feet to the east. The rain came in a hurry, with the storm lasting only a few minutes, but it was a welcome relief from the incessant wind and heat of the preceding week. Cameron Gulleson reported that the storm also deposited .6 of an inch of rain on the Gulleson Farm, a mile and a half east of town. The rain fell in a narrow band, with only a few drops north of ND Highway #11 and an equally parsimonious amount 2 miles south of town. Well, this is the time of the year when it does rain on the just and the unjust, alike, but neither at the same time nor in equal amounts.

Rodney Erickson reports that the process of acquiring a new Post Office in Rutland continues to make progress, although at what seems to an outside observer to be a snail’s pace. The Postal Service proposes to lease approximately 700 sq. feet of Rodney’s building, the original Prindiville’s Saloon, now at the corner of First & Arthur Streets, and has had an office floor plan drawn up that has been approved by the powers that be at the USPS and by Rodney. After the Post Office is up and running, Rodney will still possess enough space in the building to create a professional office and a small studio apartment. Rodney is hopeful that the new Post Office will be open before September 30, 2023, the second anniversary of the closure of the old Post Office. Rodney also reports that he has been working full time getting his new, well, new to him, ready for the upcoming aerial application season. His new spray plane is an Air Tractor Model 802, powered by a 1,350 horsepower turbo prop engine. He states that this plane has an 800 gallon capacity, about 300 gallons more than his old plane. The plane is currently housed in a hangar at Bear Creek Flying Service’s facilities at Oakes ND. Bear Creek Flying Service is owned by Rodney’s friend and fellow aviator, Travis McPherson of Oakes. Rodney says that he expects to be heading up north, to the area around Bottineau and Rugby during the last week of June to begin applying fungicide and herbicide in that area before moving down to Nebraska to apply agricultural chemicals to corn fields down there. Then he will be heading back to Central North Dakota to apply fungicides and insecticides to sunflower fields, and then back up to North Dakota’s northern tier counties, along the Canadian border, to apply herbicides and desiccants to wheat and canola fields in that region of the State. By then, it will be time to put the plane back into the barn and begin working on getting it ready for next year. Too bad that he can’t find anything to do in his spare time. Oh, that’s right, he owns and operates Wheaton-Dumont Co-op’s grain handling facility, the Rutland Elevator, here during the remainder of the year, when he isn’t remodeling his family’s home.

On Friday, June 2nd, Renee Larson, Colleen Sundquist, and Diane Pierson presented a check to Chelsey, Four Seasons Healthcare Center Activity Director, in the amount of $2,085.00, the amount raised from the Spring Plant Auction held on Monday, May 22. Unable to attend were plant auction organizers Val Bjork and Ione Lunneborg. Sixty-three bidders vied for a variety of plants and garden items with the bidding getting very raucous at times to the delight of everyone. Miss Sargent County, Autum Zirnhelt and Miss Sargent County 1st runner up, Anna Hoistad assisted throughout the evening. Several residents of Four Seasons attended the auction, and thoroughly enjoyed the evening. The committee extends a huge thank you to the community for helping raise funds to help fund various outings and events at Four Seasons. Thanks to Ione Lunneborg for the information in this report.

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The Rooster Crows – June 17, 2022

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By Bill Anderon

Despite the wet Spring that had delayed field work until the end of May, this community was pleased to get the rain that fell on Friday night, June 10. As soon as it doesn’t rain for a few days, a true North Dakotan starts to worry that it will never rain again, or, that when it does rain it will be too much, too little or in the wrong place. It can’t be helped. It’s in the blood. Roger Pearson reported .3 of an inch in his rain gauge on Saturday morning, while his next-door neighbor, Norbert Kulzer, had .4 of an inch in his gauge a few feet away. Norbert’s reading was matched by the .4 in Lary Arneson’s gauge, 2 blocks to the west. Chuck Anderson reported .37 of an inch at his Weber Township farm6 miles southwest of town; Harvey Bergstrom reported .31 of an inch in the gauge at his farm 3 miles south of Cayuga; and, Kurt Breker had .3 of an inch in his gauge 1 mile south of Cayuga. Another .1 or .2 of an inch was scattered across the countryside on Sunday & Monday, helping to keep lawn mowers and mosquito swatters busy. Well, the old timers used to say that it always dries up after a wet spell. We’ll just have to find out if they knew what they were talking about.

The Annual Rutland Community Block Party opened up at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 8, with more than 100 community residents and over 3,000 water balloons on hand for the festivities. The Rutland Volunteer Fireman manned the grills, turning out burgers, bratwursts, and hot dogs for participants, and also provided water game facilities for the community’s youth. During the Block Party, Miss Abbie Erickson, daughter of Rodney & Andrea Erickson, and a Senior at Sargent Central High School, was crowned “Miss Rutland 2022; and, Corbin Carlson, son of Bryce & Casee (Hawkinson) Carlson, and Lilith Pavek, daughter of Corey & Sarah (McLaen) Pavek, were awarded the titles of Mr. & Miss Lefse for the coming year. All 3 of Rutland’s reigning royals will be in the 2022 Uff-Da Day Parade on Sunday, October 2, 2022. The Rutland Community Block Party is held each year to give the community’s present, former and future residents an opportunity to get acquainted and re-acquainted, to talk over old times and to make plans for future good times. Thanks to Rutland Community Club President Katie McLaen for the information in this report.

Katie McLaen also reports that the Rutland Community Club met at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, June 13, at the Rutland Town Hall. The meeting was short. It was reported that the stage curtains in the Town Hall had been repaired and cleaned; and, that lefse production for Uff-Da Day 2022 will commence with a morning and an evening session on Thursday, June 16. Check the community’s internet web site at www.rutlandnd.com and the Rutland Facebook page for more information about the dates and times for future sessions. Fourteen sessions have been scheduled between mid-June and mid-August, so far.

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The Rooster Crows – May 13, 2022

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By Bill Anderson

Spring has finally arrived, and the blizzards of April have been replaced by the thunderstorms of May. Last weekend, from the evening of Friday, May 6, to the morning of Monday, May 9, Rutland and the surrounding area received more than 2 inches of rain, every drop accompanied by a bolt of lightning and the rumble of thunder. There is some nervous pacing going on, as most farmers in the community have not yet turned a wheel planting the 2022 crop, due to the excessive moisture. Shane Breker has managed to get some wheat planted in the hills south of town, where the fields are better drained, but even Shane has about run out of hilltops that are solid enough to carry a tractor and planter. More rain is forecast through the coming weekend, and some are predicting that the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation will be looking at a lot of “prevented Planting” acres this year. Well, experience tells us that the weather can turn on a dime around here, and we might be crying for rain by Memorial Day, but, for now, just a little bit of “normal” would be nice.

If you can’t farm, you might as well go fishing. The local lakes are now full of water, and some of them are even full of game fish. Walleyes, crappies and northern pike just waiting to grab a hook and jump into the boat. During the first week of May, good catches of walleyes were reported at Buffalo Lake, about 6 miles north of town. No reports about fishing success at other lakes in the area have been received, but, in keeping with the Fisherman’s Code of Silence, that most likely means that the catching is even better on those bodies of water. The guys who aren’t fishing say that the fish aren’t biting, but they usually don’t bite if you don’t have a line in the water.

Roger Pearson reports that there is a shortage of good fishing minnows in the area. The ones that are available are either too small or already dead, he says. One bait shop in the area has a coin operated minnow dispensing machine that is a lot like playing the one-armed bandits at the casino. You put in your money, and you take your chances. It has been reported that minnows of the appropriate size are available at the bait shop in Britton SD, but transporting minnows across State Lines is illegal, so don’t do it. The minnows might get smart and turn you in.

Hal Nelson drove out to Beulah ND, out in the coal country on the west side of the Missouri River, on Friday, May 6 to visit his sister and brother-in-law, Lori & Larry Hruby. Hal says that the 40” of snow that was dumped on the Beulah area back in mid-April was very welcome, but not enough to break the drought that has devastated agriculture in that region for the past 2 years. Hal said that there was some green grass, but not much. 

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The Rooster Crows – June 18, 2021

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By Bill Anderson

Just when it seemed that the old refrain, “It ain’t gonna rain no more, no more…” was accurately predicting the future, Mother Nature said “That just ain’t so!” and sent a thunderstorm to slake the thirst of the Promised Land at about 3:30 a.m. on the morning of Friday, June 11. Roger Pearson’s rain gauge showed. 65 of an inch after the storm moved on and the weather cleared, while the gauge of his next door neighbor, Norbert Kulzer, indicated .75 of an inch from the same event. Mike Mahrer reported that the gauge out at Mahrer Construction’s shop, on the north side of town, also showed .75 of an inch on Friday morning, while Mark Wyum reported that .6 of an inch was measured at the Rob Wyum farm 3 miles north and 1 mile east of town; at the Steve Wyum farm 1 mile east and 1½ mile north of town; and, at the Mike Wyum farm, 1 mile east and 1 mile north of Rutland. The storm also pushed the oppressive heat and humidity that had afflicted this area since the end of May on to the east, replacing high humidity and temperatures in the upper 90’s and lower 100’s with drier air and temperatures in the 70’s and 80’s. It has been clear skies and beautiful weather since then. “There is naught so rare as a day in June, “the late Earl Anderson used to say, and the past week, up to Tuesday, June 15, has been a series of perfect examples of just what he meant. Lyle Erickson reports that the corn and soybean crops had been doing OK with existing soil moisture prior to Friday’s thunderstorm, but appeared to have been expending most of their energy sending roots down rather than stalks up. The rain has given them a boost, and they are now growing in the right direction, reaching for the sky. Lyle said that the extended period of heat did have an adverse effect on his wheat fields, though, as that crop now appears to be in the “boot” stage. That is, it is as tall as his 8” work boots and is heading out. An electric shaver may be needed for the wheat harvest this year.

A ceremonial detail from Rutland’s Bergman-Evenson Post #215 of The American Legion was at Calvary Cemetery in Fairmount ND at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, June 4, to render honors at the interment of their late comrade, Richard Lysne of Rutland. Members from the Rutland Post included: Larry Christensen; Douglas Olstad; Roger Pearson; Ted Lee; and, Calvin Jacobson. A color Guard and Bugler from the Fairmount Legion Post and 2 members of the Army National Guard from Fargo completed the detail.

Rutland’s Roosters have hit a tough spot in their schedule recently. On Tuesday, June 8, the Roosters took on a tough team from Wyndmere at Lou Sanderson Field, and dropped 2 games to the visitors in front of the home town crowd. The Roosters have been playing well, but their opponents were playing better. Roger Pearson, an All-Star player with both the baseball & softball versions of the Rutland Roosters, is of the opinion that the new rules changing the strike zone and requiring less arch on the pitched ball have allowed hitters to get more power into their swings, resulting in more multi-base hits and home runs. Even though the final scores weren’t to the Roosters’ liking, the bratwursts, hot dogs and barbecue sandwiches at the Rutland Park Board’s concession stand were big winners with the fans at the ballpark. The Roosters’ next home games are scheduled for Tuesday, June 22, when they will take on the team from Havana at Lou Sanderson Field. Come on out to the ballpark to Root! Root! Root! for the home team, and have a good time doing it.

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The Rooster Crows – June 11, 2021

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By Bill Anderson

Hot! Hot! Hot! Hotter than the Hinges of Hades, with wind to boot. The temperature has been pushing, or pulling, the 100 mark every day since Memorial Day on Monday, May 31. The heat has roused up some thunderstorms with downpours and high winds, in some areas to our north, but nothing in Sargent County, so far. Here, it’s heat and wind, but no downpours. The corn, soybean and wheat crops appear to be tolerating these conditions pretty well as of Tuesday, June 8, but the sustained combination of high temperatures and high wind speeds is not conducive to a good harvest. Well, as the old-timers used to say, “Every day that it doesn’t rain is one day closer to the day that it will.” The rain will come. Will it be enough? Will it be in time? Just relax. Mother Nature will furnish the answers in her own good time, and nothing we can do will change her pace.

A crew from the Indigo Sign Co. of Fargo worked through the drizzly rain on Thursday, May 27, the last significant rain that has visited Rutland, to install the new Stock Growers Bank sign in front of the bank’s Rutland Station. The new sign replaced the Sargent County Bank sign that had been in front of the bank’s station here since it opened on November 1, 1976. The name changed on September 14, 2020, when the Sargent County Bank of Forman, Gwinner, Rutland, Milnor and Lisbon merged with the Stock Growers Bank of Napoleon ND. Signs at all of the Bank’s locations have been in the process of being changed since then. So long, Sargent County Bank, and a hearty “Welcome!” from the Rutland community to the Stock Growers Bank.

Bill Anderson, Bev & Norbert Kulzer, Joel Susag, Debbie Banish by the new sign

Family & friends of Orvis Pearson of Rutland gathered at the farm home of his granddaughter and grandson-in-law, Betsy & Tyler Speich of Delamere, on Monday, May 31, to celebrate Orvis’ 96th birthday with him. Orvis grew up on the family farm east of Rutland and took over the farming operation when his parents, Gottfried & Martha (Anderson) Pearson retired in the early 1950’s. Their son, Randy, took over the farm about 30 years ago, but Orvis & his wife, Alphie, continued to make the farm their home base until moving to Four Seasons Villa in Forman back in 2019. Alphie passed away later that year. Orvis & Alphie’s grandson, Chris Pearson, now makes his home on the farm east of Rutland. Orvis many friends in the Rutland community extend congratulations and best wishes to him on the occasion of his 96th birthday. May there be many more.

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Hens Do Crow! May 15, 2020

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Several members of the Rutland Community Club met on Monday, May 11, for an update on events and projects. The Missoula Theater Group still plans to be in Rutland June 22-26 for a community play unless cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions. The Sargent County Fair has not been cancelled as of this writing and the Sargent County Queen pageant will be held even if it is cancelled. The ‘passing of the crown’ event for the new Miss Rutland has been done in the past at the Rutland Block Party. However, the Block Party may not be held so the new Miss Rutland, Cora McKinney, may be crowned at a smaller event. The Rutland Community Club has purchased flowers to be placed in the flowerpots that popped up around town and those will be planted on Friday afternoon to beautify the community. Planter boxes will be placed in Rutland this week with two planters by City Hall and two by the Rutland Senior Center. The Sargent County Garden Committee has been working with the NDSU Sargent County
Extension office, Sargent County Ambassadors, and the Master Gardener program. The group obtained donated wood to make the boxes and seeds for planting. Several boxes have already been delivered and planted in Forman and four will be placed in Rutland. The planter boxes by the Senior Center will provide vegetables for use at the Senior Center for meals. Two Sargent County Ambassadors, Tony Banish and Emily Hamilton, will help maintain the Senior planters. The planters by City Hall will be community gardens to be watered, weeded, and harvested by volunteers from the community. Katie McLaen will get a schedule for volunteers to help water and weed the boxes. The Community Club will provide additional funding for plants and tools needed for the project.

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