The Rooster Crows – Aug. 25, 2023

On August 25, 2023April 18, 2025 By RebelRedIn Rooster CrowsLeave a comment

By Bill Anderson

From weather conditions that felt like early Fall on the weekend of August 19 & 20, then back to the heat and humidity of the tropics by Tuesday & Wednesday, August 22 & 23, the weather patterns continue to bounce back and forth between unseasonable and unreasonable. According to the weather gurus in the electronic media, however, the temperature and the humidity should be back into the reasonable and seasonable category for the final week of August. Well, when there’s nothing else to talk about, we’ve always got the weather.

A party of angling enthusiasts made up of Greg Donaldson of Rutland; Hal Nelson of Rutland; Harvey Dawson of Brampton; Rick Bosse of Brampton; and, South Dakota Joe of Somewhere, South Dakota; Departed Rutland on the morning of Monday, August 21, bound for Fargo to join a busload of fishermen & fisherwomen heading for Ballard’s Resort on Lake Of The Woods, to participate in the annual fishing trip sponsored by radio station KFGO AM790. The trip is hosted by several KFGO radio personalities, including Joel Heitkamp, host of the News & Views talk show on KFGO. Greg, Hal, Harvey, Rick & Joe expect to be back home on Thursday, August 24, with a 2 day limit of walleyes and an unlimited supply of new fishing stories.

Speaking of fishing, they just aren’t biting at any of the local lakes. The lack of action on the fishing front is attributed to the hot weather that has heated up the water and made the fish lazy, indolent and unwilling to fight with an erstwhile angler over a minnow or a night crawler. Rutland native Judie Seavert-Grohs, who makes her home on the west shore of Lake Traverse, near Rosholt SD, reports that even the bullheads aren’t biting this Summer. Fortunately for Judie and her husband, Steve, they still have some Texas Gulf Coast fish from last Winter in their freezer to get them past this hot spot in the weather pattern. Although the surface area of Lake Traverse is approximately 11,200 acres, it is shaped like an elongated bowl and is only about 12 feet deep at its deepest point. Right now, it is heated up to bathtub temperature, and the fish there are just too relaxed to bite on anything, according to Judie. What is needed is some cold weather to spice things up…oh, no! Not that, again!

Last Spring’s High School graduates are now this Fall’s college Freshmen, and Rutland’s members of the SCHS Class of 2023 are now embarked on their journey through the mysteries and adventures of higher education. On Saturday, August 19, Abby Erickson, eldest daughter of Rodney & Andrea Erickson, relocated from Mom & Dad’s house to a dormitory room at NDSU in Fargo. Abby plans to study the science of Dietetics. Tyson Siemieniewski, son of Brad & Heidi Siemieniewski, moved up to MSU-Moorhead on August 6 to begin fitness training. His classroom studies began on Monday, August 21. Tyson’s plan is to study Sports medicine and Coaching. Fletcher Willprecht, son of Kevin Willprecht and Wendy Willprecht, is enrolled at NDSU in Fargo, taking general courses aimed at a degree in Ag Economics. Fletcher’s classes began on Monday, August 21. Gaven Christianson, son of Barry & Jen Christianson, began work on the preliminary courses needed for a degree in Physical Education at NDSCS in Wahpeton on Tuesday, August 22. Gaven’s plan is to complete 2 years of study at NDSCS and then transfer to a 4-year college to complete his degree.

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The Rooster Crows – Feb. 24, 2023

On February 24, 2023February 22, 2023 By rutlandramblingsIn Rooster CrowsLeave a comment

By Bill Anderson

Once again, a major winter storm has hammered the region, beginning with some rain, some snow and a lot of wind on Monday, February 20, and continuing with more ice, more snow, more cold and more wind on Tuesday, February 21 through Thursday, February 23. The wind let up for a while on Tuesday morning, but more was promised for the next several days. The temperature took a nose dive from +31 at midday on Monday to -14 at 6:00 on Tuesday morning. State highways were not closed on Monday or Tuesday, but due to ice, blowing snow and high winds, no travel was advised. The mercury registered a cozy -8 on Wednesday morning, February 22, George Washington’s birthday. As George could not tell a lie, we can have confidence that the temperature reading was accurate. The weather gurus are predicting that Wednesday will be the worst day of the storm, with several inches of snow, high winds and a misery index that is through the roof. Thursday is predicted to be a better day, not because it will be nice, but because the beating it inflicts on us is not expected to be as bad as Wednesday’s.

The return to arctic weather has local cattlemen out checking on their cows and heifers, braving cold, snow and wind to assist those expectant mothers that need a little help, and making sure that newborn calves get up, get dried off and get introduced to their self-propelled milk dispensers. Cam Gulleson reports that Gulleson Farm & Ranch has approximately 280 pregnant heifers at the home farm east of Rutland, and 500 cows at their cattle handling facilities on Pickel Hill, between Cogswell & Oakes. As of the morning of Tuesday, February 21, they had 10 new calves on the ground, and only 770 to go. According to Cameron, “We have to be out there with the cattle, anyway, and it doesn’t do any good to complain about the weather, so we might as well like it.”

This community was shocked and saddened on the morning of Monday, February 20, when word was received here that lifelong community member Curtis Silseth had passed away that morning. The memorial mass for Curtis Silseth will be 1:00 p.m. Saturday, March 4, 2023 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church of Forman. Rev. Fr. Timothy Schroeder will celebrate the mass. The Price Funeral Chapel of Forman has been entrusted with Curt’s arrangements. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Curt passed away Monday, February 20, 2023 at his farm home in Weber Township, surrounded by his family, at the age of 73. Condolences may be directed to the family in care of Judy Silseth, 9750 134th Ave SE, Havana, ND 58043. There will be more about Curt’s life among us in next week’s edition of The Rooster Crows.

Since the early 1980’s, The Rutland Sportsmen’s Club Great Northern Pike Fish Fry has been held on the first Friday in March. This year is no exception. The 2023 Rutland Sportsmen’s Club’s Great Northern Pike Fish Fry will be held on Friday, March 3, at the Rutland Town Hall. This year, for the first time in the history of the event, there will be no advance ticket sales. Those attending the fish fry are asked to make a generous free will contribution, and the net proceeds will be donated to the Sargent County Food Pantry. Serving is scheduled to commence at 5:00 p.m. on Friday afternoon, and to continue until: 9:00 p.m.; all the pike filets are gone; or, all the hungry are fed; whichever comes first.

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The Rooster Crows – Aug. 12, 2022

On August 12, 2022August 11, 2022 By rutlandramblingsIn Rooster CrowsLeave a comment

By Bill Anderson

“Ask and ye shall receive,” the scripture reads. Last week rain was requested on Friday morning, and rain was received that night. That’s a quicker return than Sears-Roebuck or Montgomery-Ward used to make back in the day. It wasn’t a lot of rain in the Rutland area, but, as the Old Timers say, “It’s better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.” In an unusual coincidence worth noting, the rain gauges of next door neighbors Norbert Kulzer and Roger Pearson agreed that .2 of an inch was the amount received in Rutland. Harvey Bergstrom reported that his rain gauge on the Bergstrom Farm south of Cayuga held “.29 of an inch and 10 mosquitoes,” when he checked it on Saturday morning. Mike Banish reported that the gauge at the Mike & Debbie Banish farm held .22 of an inch on Saturday morning; Lisa Wyum reported that the gauge at the Tom & Lisa Wyum Farm south of Buffalo Lake held .235 of an inch on Saturday morning; Steve Wyum reported .325 of an inch at the Steve & Sheila Wyum farm northeast of Rutland; and, Randy Pearson reported that the gauge at his Shuman Township farm registered .75 of an inch. Reports from the airports at Gwinner and Milnor indicated 2 inches at Gwinner and 1 inch at Milnor.

Mark & Vicky Weber took their business, M & V Consulting, on the road last week, and traveled out to the western reaches of the State to check farm fields for bugs, weeds, diseases and other disorders. The Webers were in Dickinson on Thursday & Friday and checked fields in the Dickinson, Mott, New Leipzig and Carson areas before heading for home on Friday night.

The family of Cayuga native Mary (Kiefer) Breker hosted a Birthday Party in her honor at The Coteau des Prairie Lodge on Saturday, August 6. Mary was actually born in January of 1933, but it was decided to celebrate while the weather was a little more cooperative than it usually is in January. Mary’s parents were the late Bill & Cecelia (Riba) Kiefer, who farmed near Lake Tewaukon at the time of her birth. In 1942 Mary’s Dad and one of her uncles, George “Pete” Kiefer, bought the international Harvester dealership in Cayuga and created a legendary business where customers could buy “…everything from soup to nuts,” and, just in case someone called them on the slogan, they kept a case of Campbell’s soup under the parts counter, and had a penny operated peanut dispenser by the front door. Mary and her husband, the late James Breker, farmed just south of Cayuga and were members of the community for their entire lives. Their son, Kurt, is currently on the farm and one of their grandsons is also producing cattle and grain in the Cayuga area. For many years Mary was the Avon Lady in the Cayuga, Rutland, Geneseo and Havana communities, and she is still known by many and missed by all. The many friends of Mary Breker in the Rutland community wish her a very Happy Birthday, and many more in the future. Mary currently resides at Sheyenne Crossing Assisted Living Center in West Fargo.

Rutland native Bonnie Anderson, now a resident of Brookings SD, was the guest of her sister-in-law, Dianna Anderson, from Friday, August 5, to Sunday, August 7. Bonnie had driven up to attend the Birthday Party for an old friend, Mary Breker, at The Coteau des Prairies Lodge.

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The Rooster Crows – May 20, 2022

On May 20, 2022May 24, 2022 By rutlandramblingsIn Rooster CrowsLeave a comment

By Bill Anderson

Sunday & Monday, May 15 & 16, were not only the two nicest spring days of May 2022, but they were the two nicest days of the entire year of 2022, so far. Actually, they were the two nicest days since mid-October of last year. With the sun shining, the birds singing, the temperature hovering around 70 and, for once, the wind not howling like a hurricane. the experience was almost nice enough to make enduring the most miserable Winter in recent memory worth the effort. Nothing lasts forever, though, especially nice weather. By Tuesday, the rain clouds had moved back in and made the afternoon of Tuesday, May 17, a soggy Syttende Mai for those inclined to celebrate Norway’s Constitution Day. Rick Bosse reports that his rain gauge at his farm near Brampton registered .25 of an inch from Tuesday’s rain, enough to keep the already saturated fields saturated, and to require cancellation of Brampton’s Syttende Mai Parade. Chuck Anderson had a .23 of an inch reading on the gauge at his farm in Weber Township; Duane Lock stated that .3 of an inch was measured at his farm near the center of Rutland Township; and Mike Banish said that .23 of an inch of rainfall was measured at his farmstead 2 miles south of Rutland.

The wet weather has continued to hamper planting progress throughout southeastern North Dakota. Even so, some local farmers have made a little headway. Last week, Larry Erickson managed to get a field of corn planted west of his farmstead 2 miles south of town, and Mark Wyum reports that his son, Rob, has managed to get some field work done on fields near Brampton in the southwestern quadrant of the County, and on fields near Crete, in the northwestern quadrant of Sargent County. As of the morning of Wednesday, May 18, Mark says that two acres of corn planted, along with a few more acres of soybeans and wheat, is a good start.

Kristine Radke, longtime manager of the Waloch-Johnson Insurance Agency’s Rutland office, has accepted a position at Town & Country Bank in Fargo and has resigned from her position here as of the end of April. According to Walt Johnson of Lisbon, owner and general manager of the agency, the search is on to find a replacement for Kristine at the Rutland office. Anyone interested in the position can give Walt a call at 701.724.6484. The Rutland community is sorry to lose Kristine. She was dedicated to her profession, and to her clients.

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The Rooster Crows – Feb. 18, 2022

On February 18, 2022 By rutlandramblingsIn Rooster Crows1 Comment

By Bill Anderson

Old Man Winter has maintained a tight grip on southeastern North Dakota, providing more than enough below Zero temperatures, ferocious winds and migrating snow to satisfy even the most masochistic of North Dakotans. Last Friday, February 11, Rutland and vicinity was hammered with 60 mph winds followed by below Zero temperatures. The wind inflicted some damage to structures in Rutland, including stripping a substantial number of shingles from the roof of Paul Anderson’s house at 309 Gay Street. The forecast doesn’t indicate any relief through the end of February. Maybe March will be a little more civilized.

Rutland City Auditor Debbie Banish demonstrated how treacherous walking on the ice & snow can be while going to work at the Rutland Town Hall on the morning of Monday, February 14. A layer of new snow hid the ice next to the curb and when she stepped on it her feet went out from under her and down she went. Debbie reports that she landed on her back and gave the pavement a hard whack with her head. Her husband, Mike, took her to the Emergency Room at the Oakes Hospital where she was checked for a concussion. Tests indicated no concussion or other serious injuries, and Debbie was back home in the afternoon with no aftereffects other than a headache. She reports that the pavement was not damaged, either.

Twenty-five teams of coyote hunters braved the elements on Saturday, February 12, to participate in the Fourth Annual Rutland Sportsmen’s Club’s Coyote Hunt. The hunt commenced at 5:00 a.m. at the Sportsmen’s Club’s Clubhouse north of Silver Lake. Each team of coyote hunters paid a $50 entry fee to participate in the hunt. According to Sportsmen’s Club Vice-President Kyle Mahrer, the winning team bagged 9 coyotes, the 2^nd place team got 4 and the 3^rd place team shot 3. The top 3 teams were awarded cash prizes, and the First-Place team earned $600 for their effort. According to Kyle, a total of 24 coyotes were shot throughout the day. The Fifth Annual Rutland Sportsmen’s Club’s Coyote Hunt is scheduled for Saturday, February 11, 2023. Other upcoming Sportsmen’s Club events include: the Annual Great Northern Pike Fish Fry commencing at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 4, in the Rutland Town Hall; and The First Annual Rutland Sportsmen’s Club Gopher Classic with signup at the John Narum Memorial Trap & Rifle Range on Saturday, April 30.

The bad news in Rutland this week was the announcement from Pete & Michelle Denault that they will be ending their operation of The Lariat Bar as of Saturday, March 5, due to a serious medical condition suffered by Michelle. The Denaults have been operating The Lariat since October of 2020, and their many friends in Rutland are sorry to see them Leave. As of Wednesday, February 16, no plans for successor management have been announced.

Rutland Community Club President Katie McLaen states that there will be a Community Club meeting at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 22, in the Rutland Town Hall. Everyone is invited.

The latest report on the Rutland Post Office is the same as the last report: no information; no action; no service; and no Post Office. Rutland residents are urged to contact Sen. John Hoeven; Sen. Kevin Cramer; and Rep. Kelly Armstrong; to request their assistance in restoring a Post Office to the Rutland community. Since 1970, the Postal Service has been a corporation owned by the Federal Government, with Congress having oversight of its operations and management.

Well, that’s the news from Rutland for this week. For additional information about what’s going on 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.

Hens Do Crow! March 13, 2020

On March 13, 2020May 1, 2020 By rutlandramblingsIn Rooster CrowsLeave a comment

Rutland was quite a popular place to be this past week – but then isn’t it always?!

The Rutland Sportsman’s Club annual fish fry was held Friday, March 6, at the Town Hall with over 400 people attending this year. The pan-fried and deep-fried fish is always a hit. There were times when the demand was more than the supply, but the Club members kept those wait times short. Members of the Sargent Central Clay Target League held a free-will bake sale at the fish fry and there were plenty of desserts to be purchased. It was another great event. Put it on your calendar for the first Friday of March 2021!

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